"Singular, scarce, beautiful and rooted in the area" is the manzanilla olive from Cáceres with which it is made the extra virgin olive oil Cigüeña Negra that gives its name to the farm with a rural hotel Black Stork Habitat, located in Valverde del Fresno, in the region of Sierra de Gata (Cáceres). This is how Simón Roselló explains it, the second generation of a family united by love for the countryside that now, in this new global project, adds 12 charming rooms to a meadow full of holm oaks, chestnut trees, oaks and junipers which feeds an extensive Iberian pig and beef herd that feeds excellent meats to the family business, Carnes March, created in 1965.
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“Looking for a name for the hotel and Seeing the impact of our unique brand of EVOO during these years of flight (it was born in 2010), we were clear that Cigüeña Negra should continue to be the brand, and that was when we decided to integrate the entire project by adding the concept of habitat”, continues the owner, who considers that The definition of this word fits perfectly with this corner of Extremadura, given that it provides the ideal conditions for anyone to spend their stay in the most pleasant and complete way possible, without having to leave the facilities if they do not you want, and enjoy a cozy and minimalist accommodation designed with natural and indigenous materials.
Courtyard in Habitat Black Stork.
THE FARM
When Simón Roselló acquired this pasture in Extremadura ten years ago with the intention of exploit pig farms and cattle in freedom to generate acorn-fed sausages and premium meats, he could not have imagined the innovative project in which three generations of his family now participate: become one of the most beautiful organic olive groves in the area by Iván Payo Barroso. The agricultural engineer recovered 50 hectares of manzanilla cacereña olive trees, that are shaken by hand to then extract the juice in their own ecological oil mill and thus obtain the fruity and intense liquid gold that gives shape to the ecological EVOO Cigüeña Negra.
“The farm is a very special enclave in itself, but it is true that the walks between the olive trees at sunset while the sheep graze peacefully have their magic”, confesses the Ibizan businessman while inviting us to discover the viewpoint, where you can admire a panoramic view of the entire estate during the day and enjoy the starry sky at night.
Room in Black Stork Habitat.
THE COUNTRY HOTEL
If there is an area where you notice the slow design that Emmme Estudio has breathed into the old country house that the rural hotel occupies, those are its 12 rooms and suites with their own name (Holm oak, Cork oak, Acebuche, Castaño, Roble, Fresno, Pino, Jara, Thyme, Lavanda, Quejigo and Madroño), in homage to the surrounding flora.
Though all of them have a differentiating element, as a personal touch –such as large windows, sloping ceilings, private terraces, fireplaces or vintage bathtubs–, it is undoubtedly the so-called Encina, according to Simón Roselló, the most special: “It has a spectacular view of the entire olive grove and the rest of the estate, as well as an island bathtub located in front of the fireplace and the private terrace.
Steak on the Black Stork Habitat grill.
The building has been wisely renovated with indigenous materials such as slate, oak wood, Portuguese granite, stone and cork , and decorated with iron, wood and natural fiber objects. You just have to look at the spectacular arcaded patio and its elegant grill, the only restaurant on the peninsula where you can taste retwagyu (a variety created by the Roselló family, a mixture of 100% retinta heifers with two 100% wagyu stallions). It also has a gourmet shop and a tapas bar.
THE EXPERIENCES
One cannot leave heart of Extremadura without visiting any of its towns: the nearby San Martín de Trevejo and Robledillo de Gata include the list of the most beautiful in Spain. However, if what you want is not to leave the Black Stork Habitat, there are many experiences offered by the hotel, like resting in your garden with a terrace and views of the farm's pond, have a drink in the bar of the centenary cork oak, have a tasting of your own EVOO (awarded the Gold Medal at the Extrema Selección Awards 2018), swim a few lengths in your pool or unwind in your hammam.
Pool in Black Stork Habitat.
“Everything that has been done here has been to give the field the value it deserves. The project has been a tribute to the place that has given us so much and continues to give us, to the farm and the products we obtain from it, respecting the environment, fauna and flora that is how it is. We wanted to adapt and integrate ourselves”, concludes Simón Roselló.
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