If you travel because discovering world cuisines is your passion, you should also ensure that your accommodation is suitable so, foodie hotels in Europe are necessary to know about when booking your trip. Staying in gourmet hotels adds something special to a food-themed trip although it might discourage you to discover other places if the food is that good. Check out this delicious list of foodie hotels in Europe and let me know if you could resist them.
At Ballymaloe Farm, the culinary journey extends beyond breakfast. You're embraced by rolling green landscapes that inspire the farm-to-table ethos prevalent here. Guests can stroll through the gardens, participate in the harvesting of the ingredients, and feel a deep connection to the land. The school is nestled in a tranquil setting, making it the perfect place for nurturing your cooking skills. Whether you're indulging in Rachel Allen's family recipes or enjoying a leisurely meal at the restaurant, each bite is a celebration of Irish heritage and the sustainable practices that have lasted for generations.
Designed by Frank Gehry and set in the Rioja region of Spain, it is not surprising that wine features heavily in any stay here. It can be tasted onsite or at any of the local vineyards that the hotel can arrange for you to visit. There are two restaurants so depending on how you feel, you can dine in the Restaurante Marques de Riscal if you want a formal experience, but other times you can be casual in the Bistro 1860. Wherever you choose you will be in the good hands of Francis Paniego who was the first chef cooking Riojan cuisine to be awarded a Michelin star. To make sure you never have wine out of your mind there are treatments in the spa that use wine. Examples are Merlot body wraps and Cabernet body scrubs. And if you can be bothered to venture outside, there’s plenty in the glorious Rioja countryside to feed your soul.
Just 15 minutes from Cannes, for some time the biggest event for Le Moulin de Mougins was that Picasso had died here. Now, far more people interested in food than art that visit Mougins and here they get to enjoy one of the lovely foodie hotels of France that boasts 2 Michelin stars. Culinary schools are provided and the specialities are wine tastings and learning how to make pastry – maybe not in that order though! The village itself is beautiful and will only enhance the dining experience and then of course, the stunning Côte D’Azur is on the doorstep.
It wouldn’t be right to miss London off a list of foodie hotels in Europe and this one is under the stewardship of Theo Randall – widely recognized as the best chef of Italian food in Britain. That’s quite a feat given the number of celebrity Italian chefs there are in London. Randall mixes rustic Italian with British standard fare to produce a range of delectable and mouth watering dishes no Italian food lover can resist. Parents are able to leave their children baking cookies while they enjoy a Bellini brunch so it has become a popular place to go and means adults don’t have to miss out on foodie hotels if they’re taking a trip with the kids.
Don’t go thinking there is not much in the way of gourmet when it comes to Russian cuisine – this St Petersburg gem belies that totally. If you want some name dropping on the menu try Dostoyevsky for one, Rasputin dined in the breakfast room and musicians as diverse as Tchaikovsky and Elton John have been there. As would be hoped, the cuisine is Russian and the aptly named Caviar Bar and Restaurant is the place to find the only vodka sommelier in the country. Add a wine cellar and this completes what is said be one of the best European foodie hotels.
This really is just a tiny selection of the fabulous hotels for food lovers in Europe. Whether you want somewhere that serves quality food and it’s your destination that is your main concern, or whether you want the full-on foodie experience, cooking classes and all, there are some brilliant locations all over the continent. Do you have a favourite foodie destination?