Deep in the quiet, wooded hills above Girona lies a honey-coloured stone farmhouse that feels wonderfully removed from the world. Off Grid sits tucked beneath the Serra del Mont range, in a stone masia (traditional Catalan farmhouse) that began life in the 1600s and has a 12th-century tower attached. The Garrotxa Volcanic Zone rolls out around it, where dozens of dormant cones cloaked in beech and oak forest stretch to the Pyrenees beyond.
Off Grid’s creator, Gerard Greene, is a hotelier who made his name in city hotels before swapping that world for this one. He's a keen cyclist, and he's usually about, fixing bikes at his onsite workshop, or pulling up a chair at the long table in the evening. The result is more home than hotel, with 10 ensuite rooms, three lounges with honesty bars, a big pool set among wildflowers, and a resident chef who cooks locally-sourced food for all to enjoy together.
Thoughtful interiors drip with rustic-luxe good looks. Limewashed walls, reclaimed wood and hand-cut tiles are teamed with upcycled Catalan antiques and pieces. It's stylish without being showy, considered without being fussy, with low-impact touches (renewable energy, organic bedding) woven into the experience. Many come to cycle the challenging climbs and scenic lanes, but you don’t need to own a pair of Lycra shorts to appreciate it here. The point is to slow down, eat well and get outside.