Xalet La Coromina

The Xalet La Coromina is at Carretera de Vic, number 4, at the entrance to Viladrau, the chestnut village on the north face of the Montseny, already in the province of Girona. It is a mountain house of wood and stone with a garden, a hotel and restaurant in one, and what sets it apart is the cooking: it is one of four restaurants in Catalonia with the title of Viladrau Chestnut Ambassador, and its chef, Juan Antonio Cuartero, is the Official Chestnut Chef. Staying here is, above all, dining at the house and not having to drive afterwards.

Wood, a freestanding bath and a family room

The website presents three types of room. The doubles are of natural wood, with a king-size bed and views over the valley. The Montseny Suite is the largest, with a freestanding bath and a sitting area. The family room keeps the mountain-refuge feel and is the one to take if you are travelling with children. Booking is done on its online booking engine; the website does not publish prices, check-in and check-out times or rules about animals, so ask beforehand on +34 676 237 016 or at [email protected].

Breakfast is served to guests, and in good weather it is taken in the garden.

Weekend massages in the woods

The house has opened a massage space surrounded by woodland. There is a 50-minute relaxing or deep-tissue massage for €60, the couples version, both in the same room, for €100, and two short 25-minute massages, legs and feet or neck and head, for €35. Appointments are on Saturdays and Sundays from 17:00 to 19:00; on weekdays, depending on the day, ask. Book on the website, by phone or by WhatsApp on 670 85 15 54, and they call you to confirm.

Dinner at the house, except Wednesday and Thursday

The Xalet restaurant serves lunch from 13:00 to 15:30 and dinner from 20:30 to 22:45 on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays, Mondays, Tuesdays and public holidays. On Wednesdays and Thursdays it is closed: if you stay those nights, you will have to dine in the village. The menu revolves around the Viladrau chestnut, with mountain and seasonal dishes, and the dining room has a log fire in winter and large windows onto the Montseny. Tables can be booked on the website until 15:00 for lunch and until 22:00 for dinner.

Viladrau as a base for the north of the massif

From here you reach Collformic in about twenty minutes, where the climb to the Matagalls starts. To the east, via Arbúcies, you reach the Montsoriu Castle, which is visited with a guide on Saturday and Sunday mornings; the plan Montsoriu Castle and chestnuts in Viladrau puts the two together on a Sunday. Vic is about 25 km along the Carretera de Vic. A car is necessary: the Bus Parc 436 links Vic and Viladrau, but only at weekends and on public holidays.