Rural Sant Llop, mountain hostel with restaurant
Rural Sant Llop is a mountain hostel with bar and restaurant in Hortsavinyà, within the municipality of Tordera (Barcelona), in the Montnegre and Corredor natural park. It suits anyone who wants to switch off in the hills, eat simply and travel without big demands, families included. If you want modern comfort, look elsewhere.
Written by Valeria Romano
Published .
Updated
Mapiola is a travel blog: this is not the official website of Rural Sant Llop.
Where Rural Sant Llop is and how to get there
Rural Sant Llop is in Hortsavinyà, a mountain hamlet within the municipality of Tordera, in the province of Barcelona. The address is Calle Hortsavinya, 21. According to the information I have, it is about 8 km from the centre of Tordera, so the normal way to get there is by car.
The setting is the Montnegre and Corredor natural park. Several reviews highlight this as its greatest asset, with nature, silence and birdsong instead of traffic. Be aware of this, because there is no village at the door. If you want a supermarket or a pharmacy nearby, this is not your place. There is parking, although one review describes it as a dirt ground.
What the accommodation is like and what it offers
Rural Sant Llop works as a mountain hostel with a bar and restaurant, more than as a conventional hotel. The rooms are family and group rooms with a private bathroom, and according to the description some have a kitchen and a terrace with mountain views. The staff speak Catalan, Spanish and English.
Outside is what weighs most when choosing. There is a garden, a terrace, a seasonal outdoor pool, a children's play area and a ping-pong table, and one review adds billiards and table football. There is also a shared lounge, and horse riding can be arranged for an extra charge.
About the rooms, a guest who stayed in the simplest one says they slept fairly well, with a comfortable mattress and a decent bathroom. My reading is that here you come for the place, not for luxury.
What guests say
The Google rating is 3.6 out of 5 from 87 reviews, and the spread is uneven. There are many five-star reviews and a few very harsh ones, almost always about the state of the rooms and the atmosphere in the bar.
- The welcome. Several guests describe the staff as friendly and helpful, and talk about a family-run, welcoming business.
- The food. The sandwiches, pizzas and chicken at the restaurant get praise, including from people who only went for a meal.
- Switching off. The idea of spending a few days without a phone, with fresh air and an old-fashioned, vintage touch, comes up again and again, and suits those who look for it.
- Dogs. One couple travelling with their dog recommend it because they could take it into the dining room and to the pool. A more recent review says the opposite, with a loose resident dog that makes things difficult.
On the other side, the complaints are specific. They talk about rooms without light, heating or hot water, Wi-Fi that some say you only get in the bar, neglected pools and a bar atmosphere that was not well kept, with customers without shirts and some loud, drunk ones. Take it seriously, because these are details that repeat across several reviews.
What to know before booking
My advice is to call first and ask about the exact room, the heating and the hot water, especially if you go outside summer. With the mobile signal and Wi-Fi so patchy, have everything agreed in advance. This table sums up what weighs in the balance.
| What guests like | What to know |
|---|---|
| Nature, silence and fresh air | No shops or services nearby |
| Restaurant with sandwiches, pizzas and chicken | The bar can be noisy and poorly kept |
| Pool, play area and ping-pong | One review mentions neglected pools |
| Friendly, personal staff | Faults with rooms, heating and hot water |
| Accepts dogs according to some reviews | Another review says it is no longer comfortable to go with a dog |
Another detail, breakfast is not guaranteed. One guest said the bar was closed early in the morning and there was no breakfast service. If you need it, check with them.
Who Rural Sant Llop is for and who it is not for
I would choose it for a weekend of switching off on a tight budget, for a meal in the middle of the mountains or for celebrating something as a group, since one review talks about a celebration weekend with plenty of space. It also suits families, thanks to the play area and the informal atmosphere.
I would not recommend it to anyone looking for modern comfort, total silence at night or hotel service. If you prefer another hostel in Catalonia, you could look at the Hostal Rita Belvedere in Puigcerdà or the Hostal La Placeta in Arbeca.
What to do around Tordera
The main asset is the mountain. The description mentions hiking on the GR-92 and routes within the natural park, and one review describes it as a good place for weekend escapes away from the noise of the city.
For days out with children, there are theme parks such as Water World and Gnomo Park at a reasonable drive. For something quieter, there is the horse riding offered on site (paid separately) or an unhurried walk around the area. For shopping or anything more, you will have to go down to Tordera.
Passionate about travel and about the kind of places that turn a getaway into something unforgettable. I love writing about hotels, country houses and charming hideaways, helping every traveller find the perfect place to rest and feel at home.
