Tuscany hides Agrivilla i Pini, a vegan hotel where minimalism and nature is the norm
The planet was crying out for it. He was crying out for it let's start caring . That is why more and more people are beginning to become aware and advocate for a more responsible consumption of everything that Mother Earth offers us. And of course, this has also come to the form in which we travel and eat , thus creating what is known as vegan tourism.
What does this movement consist of? We are not talking about establishments where breakfast is vegan-friendly , but it is about go much further to offer the guest a experience free from any animal harm.
Everything in this kind of accommodation s is thought to the millimeter to guarantee the existence of a more sustainable and ecological planet.
Breakfast at Ecocirer
According to the study The Green Revolution (prepared by the Lantern innovation consultancy and published last 2019), "a 9.9% of the Spanish population over 18 years of age is considered vegan , compared to 7.8% in the 2017 study.” Figures that do nothing more than affirm that far from being a fad, it has become a consolidated and increasingly strengthened social reality that promises to go further in the coming years.
THE DREAM HOLIDAYS OF VEGAN-FRIENDLY (AND THOSE WHO ARE NOT)
In 2011, travel journalists Thomas and Karen Klein , together with the expert in IT (Information Technology) peter haunert , decided to create the portal VeggieHotels being aware of an unmet need in the tourism sector.
Trudy in Vegan Village
“As travel journalists, we were always away from home. In most cases it was difficult and usually required a lot of effort. find purely vegetarian or vegan hotels . Since there was no extensive collection of such accommodations at the time, we saw it as a challenge create a complete list of hotels, B&Bs and guest houses around the world specializing in vegetarian cuisine on a single platform ”, indicates the co-founder of Veggie Hotels, Thomas Klein to Traveler.es.
This is how it came about the world's first hotel directory for accommodations that are purely vegetarian or vegan . A portal that in less than ten years of life already has more than 500 destinations in 62 countries . “All VeggieHotels share one thing in common: they do not serve meat or fish , and their menus are 100% vegetarian and many of them are also vegan”, says Thomas Klein.
In these establishments all people are welcome, because what is wanted to demonstrate is that any dietary choice can become perfectly ordinary And you don't have to be out of the ordinary.
Vegan Villa Quesadillas
For Elisa Simo Soler , researcher at University of Valencia and vegan for ten years And a travel lover for as long as she can remember, vegan hotels have burst into her life like a breath of fresh air (although there is still much to do and many places to get to).
She sees these initiatives as something positive and of high impact both in tourism and in society. “I think it's another step forward and as such I think it's a good idea. I feel more comfortable in a space where it has not been necessary to kill an animal to have a sofa, a bottle of gel or a breakfast and where my lifestyle is not going to be received as something strange”, she indicates.
Being a vegan establishment also has to do with the organization of spaces
This type of tourism should also be understood as a new way to veganize new spaces . “Being vegan is not only reduced to food but also includes the clothes we buy and the leisure we choose to consume ”, she continues.
THE IDEAL VEGAN ACCOMMODATION
** She has it clear: “If I had to devise a perfect space or infrastructure where I could rest during my vacations, it would be one that did not have any furniture made of leather, no product tested on animals and of course, a wide variety of food for breakfast, lunch and dinner . I would be very grateful if all the products consumed were of proximity , to promote local trade and reduce the ecological footprint. I would also suggest the option pet-friendly ”. Said and done.
A vegan accommodation must be, almost by necessity, pet-friendly
this new vegan hotel trend It fulfills most of these requests but, in addition, they go further. As Thomas Klein puts it: “the vegetarian hotels have much more to offer than a healthy diet: they provide everything that is good for the body, mind and spirit , from cooking classes and holistic packages wellness, to individual health and prevention programs.
WHERE TO FIND VEGAN HOTELS?
1.Casa Albets, organic and vegan luxury in a renovated farmhouse (Casa Albets s/n, 25283 Lladurs, Lleida)
In the Catalan pre-Pyrenees this oasis of peace and tranquility created and managed by Megan Alberts and Joel Llurda . The idea arose when in 2016 they decided to settle in Casa Albets, a family home belonging to Megan's father that at that time had been uninhabited for years. The couple decided to turn their lives around 180º and finally, on September 30, 2017, they opened the hotel.
This establishment is considered as one of the first hotels in Spain to combine an ecological and vegan project at the same time . “Due to our own philosophy of life and our position regarding animal rights, the business idea only made sense if we created a vegan and ecological hotel ”, indicate Megan Albets and Joel Llurda to Traveler.es
A simply unbeatable location
Casa Albets is located one height of 800 meters in the municipality of Lladurs , surrounded by extensive vegetation, the occasional neighboring farmhouse and away from any urban center so the environment is absolutely calm. The house on which the accommodation stands is dated to the 11th century, although the current appearance is the result of a series of reforms carried out by the family over the decades. The last one was the one that was carried out to get the hotel ready. “The furniture and decoration are equally focused on try to highlight both the original construction materials like those of the new furniture, made largely by combining oak wood from the farm itself and steel”.
At Casa Abets no product of animal origin is used
What are we going to find in this accommodation? All those comforts of a hotel to the use of its category but with the added value of the use of ecological materials. “At Casa Alberts we do not use products of animal origin or that come from their exploitation. The most obvious is feeding , we offer breakfast, lunch and dinner totally free of products of animal origin. However, it is not the only aspect: neither in the rooms are elements such as wool or feathers ; instead, we use vegetable fibers such as kapok, cotton or linen , either plant-based materials like natural latex.
One of the strengths of Casa Albets is its gastronomic proposal materialized in a restaurant where they offer "elaborated dishes based on seasonal products, proximity and typical of the region , such as Jerusalem artichokes or black peas”.
This 2020 is full of new ideas around the hotel: "in the medium term we are going to build a swimming pool with natural purification , which will be ready for the summer of 2020, and a small spa which will go live in the fall. In the long term, we intend to have own garden, expand rooms , convert the entire farm to the ecological agriculture create a small pet shelter and maybe one own brand of packaged vegan products”.
Ecocirer, the guest house you always dreamed of
2.Ecocirer, the guest house you always dreamed of (Carrer de Reial, 15 Sóller, Mallorca)
In Mallorca they welcome us Martijn Lucas and Barbara Marti , a married couple with two children who decided to leave their life in the Netherlands to settle in Barbara's family home and where they could create this beautiful project. “Both my husband Martijn and I have always loved recycling and design . I have creative ideas to restore or design and Martijn is an expert in making them”, says Bárbaba Martí.
This is how they came up with the idea of creating this guest house which they called Ecocirer (in honor of a cherry tree that they had in the garden and which in Mallorcan is called close ). At first “t we transformed the garden house , where carts and donkeys were once kept, in two very romantic and Mediterranean rooms . Later, just 100 meters away, we found the perfect house, where we could see Ecocirer Healthy Stay Open for a year and a half. Now the old Ecocirer is a guest house for families and since they are so close to the hotel, they can have breakfast there”, they indicate.
Ecocirer sits on a historic house from the beginning of the 20th century located in the center of Soller, in the Sierra Tramuntana . A total of six unique rooms decorated and carefully restored based on the concepts of sustainability, recycling and art. “ All furniture and cutlery are recycled . And all of them have been restored and redesigned in order to adapt them to this new concept”, comment Martijn Lucas and Bárbara Martí.
Ecocirer, the guest house you always dreamed of
Your breakfast is the great Ecocirer moment of the day . Based on vegetables and fresh food that give rise to local, organic and seasonal dishes prepared by the business itself and most of them taken from their own garden: "following our waste free concept , our vegan recipes, are freshly made and specifically intended for a number of guests, so prior reservation is required. Our guests enjoy a completely different and varied breakfast every day.” Own olive oil, homemade breads , healthy ginger shots, cakes, muffins, healthy bowls or toast with all kinds of vegetables from the garden, nut cheeses, pesto, hummus... **Doesn't sound bad at all, right? **
After breakfast you can complete the day with some of the numerous activities of yoga and meditation , excursions through the Sierra de Tramuntana, silent walks, cooking classes, massages or cultural visits organized from the establishment. “Our action today has consequences for the future. It is important to understand our concept as an act of restoration and maintenance, not as destruction”.
3.Villa Vegana, the first vegan hotel in Spain (Cami d'es Pedregar km 2.2, Mallorca)
Considered by many to be the first vegan hotel in Spain , opened its doors in 2013 thanks to the effort and love of Jens Schmitt and Miriam Spann , its founders. They started in a villa of just four rooms as vegan accommodation until they moved two years ago to a eight room hotel with its own restaurant following the same philosophy and principles as the previous one.
Vegan Villa Room
“Our hotel has a very family atmosphere , a outdoor pool from where you can also see the mountains of the Sierra Tramuntana and appreciate the animals that run freely through the land of the villa. We are also a pet friendly accommodation, as long as the pets of our guests are also vegan . We have recently refurbished the rooms in a boho-rustic style with a touch of modernity”, comment Jens Schmitt and Miriam Spann.
As for the clients who visit Villa Vegana, they are usually people conscious and respectful mostly vegan s, "although from time to time we also have some guests who are not, but who come to try something different, even omnivorous customers who are gratifyingly surprised by the experience," comment the owners of the establishment.
His name says it all
This couple has managed to bring together in this project a stylish hotel , vegan luxury food and rescued animals, all under one roof. “We consider ourselves lucky to be able to share this with the people who come to stay and, in turn, they also appreciate that we can provide them with a place like this. It is a very gratifying dynamic”, they sentence.
**4.Agrivilla i Pini, the oasis where to stay in Tuscany (Santa Margherita Town, 37 San Gimignano SI, Italy) **
Benjamin and Francesca Posch are the creators of this idea that was born in 2008 (but that, in 2018, was reformed to become an ecological and 100% vegan destination ). “Agrivilla i Pini was born with the intention of creating a refuge where people can be transported to a time when old-fashioned values, like simplicity and minimalism , were the rule; an oasis where it prevails The sustainability and a destination where people can enjoy delicious and authentic Italian cuisine without harm to other sentient beings and with minimal environmental impact ”, its creators tell Traveler.es.
A vegan dream in Tuscany
Is modest farm It is located in the magical enclave of San Gimignano , one of the most famous and beautiful villages in all of Italy, less than an hour's drive from Siena and known for its high wine production. The five spacious rooms with capacity for a maximum of two people each, they are reformed with natural elements such as chalk, clay, hemp, wood or linen; and all the rooms are composed of recycled and biodegradable materials decorated in neutral tones blending perfectly with the rural environment.
Everything in this accommodation is vegan, from hand soap, through the mattress on which you rest , even the dishes prepared daily. A separate mention deserves the vegan wines that are born in the region and that make true delights of the palates of the guests, serving as a perfect accompaniment to cheeses, homemade jams or toast with olive oil. The experience will be unique!
Can you think of a more hedonistic plan to enjoy Italian dolce far niente than spending a few days in this idyllic and harmonious corner of Tuscany?
His name says it all