Mas Falet 1682 ★★★★

I was slightly concerned about bringing my five-year-old daughter to a place renowned for its party atmosphere. The Costa Brava, while an incredibly beautiful region in Catalonia, has fallen victim to its success, gaining a fairly bad reputation due to the omnipresent tourist industry. What we got, however, was fairytale-worthy accommodation in an idyllic setting.

We got a taxi from the Girona airport to the hotel. It was late and my little girl had fallen asleep in the back. Someone immediately came out to help us with our bags so I could carry her to our room in my arms. As I tucked her into bed, she opened her eyes and said, “Mummy, it’s so pretty here, are we in a castle?” She fell straight back to sleep and I got to work in the cosy sitting area, reading through the large amount of event organizing information that had been waiting for me at reception.

Next morning, I was very impressed with the quality of the bedding and the lofty vaulted ceilings. The decoration was minimalist, white walls and furnishings, beautiful hardwood floors. The perfect backdrop for two attractive oil paintings by local artist, Jaume Malaret, whose uses the hotel as his personal, permanent exhibition space.

Over a fantastic breakfast, I explained to my daughter that we weren’t actually in a castle, we were in an old Catalonian farmhouse that was built in 1682 and that ‘Mas’ stands for ‘Masia’ or farmhouse in Catalonian. I was eager to discover everything the hotel had on offer, starting with the Business Centre next door.

I met with the team of event organisers who showed us around the various meeting rooms within the hotel, each accommodating up to 70 people. Perfect for our more exclusive soirées. We also needed an exhibition space for the fair itself and an auditorium for major presentations. No problem, the Business Centre is fully equipped with everything we could possibly need to make our trade fair a success. The team can take care of everything from A to Z, so I think my work here is done! Time to give my very patient little girl a well-deserved treat. We run to our room to put our swimsuits on for a quick dip in the lovely outdoor pool before an excellent lunch in the hotel restaurant.

During our meal, our charming waitress took my daughter for a behind-the-scenes look at the kitchens. At Mas Falet 1682, they understand the importance of transmitting environmentally-friendly cooking skills to younger generations. They organize cooking workshops where children experience first-hand all the steps that go into making a meal, from picking the fruit and digging up the vegetables in the garden to how to prepare ingredients to get the most out of them. The child’s menu in the restaurant is an adorable rendition of the hotel itself, seen through the eyes of a child.

Our afternoon was spent exploring the gardens and play areas, reading books snuggled together in a hammock, and sipping cocktails (and fruit juice) through straws by the fountain. We made plans to visit one of the exhibitions, which was all about dolls, a nearby magic museum and, of course, the beach! When my boss called to touch base, I toyed with the idea of saying I wasn’t sure about the place, that I needed more time before drawing conclusions, when I really had no doubt whatsoever that the Mas Falet 1682 was not only the perfect place for our event, but also a wonderful place to visit with the family!