Villa Boutique 1880
Intimate historic manor; adults-only; slow travel; heritage storytelling; Galician wellness retreat. Rooms are named after the family's stories and architectural quirks, not generic categories.
Book the New Orleans room in winter — it has five terraces and the rainy Galician landscape from all sides is apparently spectacular
Why It Matters
Listed on Tablet Hotels and Rusticae. One of the few hotels in interior Galicia combining genuine 19th-century 'Indiano' architecture (built with fortunes made in America) with thoughtful modern wellness programming including Tibetan Sword Yoga. Rated 9.9 on Booking.com. Only 8 rooms means it often sells out entirely to one or two couples.
A 19th-century Galician manor in the village of Gaxate, designed by a Swiss architect in 1880 for Agripina Contreras Piñeiro after she fell in love with a French Riviera villa on her honeymoon. Three generations of the same family lived here before current owners Patricia Leiro González and Henrique Silva Gamallo of Galicia Villas restored it into an 8-room adults-only boutique hotel. The compass-rose roof, octagonal skylight flooding the central staircase with light, and centuries-old beams are all intact. You fall asleep to the sound of the Oitavén River.
Where You'll Stay
8 room types available
Habitación El Suizo
From EUR200 / nightNamed after the Swiss architect commissioned by Agripina Contreras Piñeiro to replicate a French Riviera villa she fell in love with on her honeymoon. This room celebrates the architectural ingenuity behind the building's most distinctive features: the compass-rose roof and octagonal skylight.
DoubleHabitación El Violín de Álvaro
From EUR200 / nightNamed for Álvaro Contreras, a passionate sportsman and entrepreneur from the family that owned the villa for generations. A tribute to the creative and adventurous spirit that ran through the Contreras lineage. Overlooks the garden.
DoubleHabitación La Toalla Azul
From EUR200 / nightFeatures a signature arched window that looks across the manicured gardens — the view that defines the classic Villa Boutique 1880 aesthetic. Light neutral décor with a desk and comfortable double bed. One of the rooms most photographed for the property's marketing.
DoubleHabitación Lisboa
From EUR200 / nightA reference to Portugal's cultural influence on Galicia and the migration stories of the Gaxate community. Located in the annexe building. Full amenity package matches all other rooms in the villa.
DoubleHabitación Louis Vuitton
From EUR200 / nightNamed after a 1950s Louis Vuitton trunk found during renovation. Four balconies with views over the garden, Oitavén River, and village of Gaxate. Features a distinctive curved-glass gallery — an architectural highlight of the villa. Filled with natural light from the large arched windows. Wrought-iron balcony railings throughout.
DoubleHabitación New Orleans
From EUR200 / nightA tribute to Domingo Piñeiro, known locally as 'El Americano,' who emigrated from Gaxate to New Orleans and made his fortune transporting goods on Mississippi steamboats before returning to build the family estate. Five terraces make this the room with the most outdoor space — particularly spectacular in winter rain. Evokes 1920s Jazz Age warmth.
DoubleHabitación Rock and Roll
From EUR200 / nightOne of two rooms located in an annexe building adjacent to the main villa. A nod to more contemporary cultural references woven into the otherwise 19th-century-focused storytelling. Standard double with full amenity package.
DoubleHabitación Rosa de los Vientos
From EUR200 / nightNamed after the compass-rose roof that crowns the villa — designed so precisely that the Swiss architect had to excavate the hillside to achieve perfect cardinal orientation. Located at roof level, close to the octagonal skylight, with exposed wooden beams creating a warm, attic-like feel. The owners say the energetic current here is palpable.
DoubleThe Property
Eat & Drink
1 venue on property
Restaurant
Spa & Wellness
Treatment Menu
On Property
How you'll actually spend your days.
Off-road 4x4 guided tours through the Galician inland countryside, available through Experiencias 1880.
Trails through the forests of the Rías Baixas interior. The property can advise on local routes around Gaxate and the surrounding valley.
Guided horseback riding excursions available in the area, organized through the hotel's Experiencias 1880 program.
E-bike rental available via Cando Bike Rental (candobikerental.com) for exploring the surrounding countryside.
The village of Gaxate is an unusually concentrated enclave of 19th-century Indiano mansions — built by wealthy Galician emigrants who returned from the Americas. The owners can guide guests through the stories of these houses, including Villa Eulalia and Villa Trinidad.
The property sits on the banks of the Oitavén River; guests can swim directly in its clear natural waters.
Amenities & Practical Info
The details that matter for planning.
Cooked-to-order breakfast with local and seasonal products, included in all room rates. Multiple guests single out the breakfast as exceptional.
Saltwater outdoor pool with hydromassage jets, situated in the manicured garden overlooking the river. Reviewers specifically praise the very low chlorine level.
Private outdoor jacuzzi, bookable exclusively by guests. Particularly popular in autumn and winter.
Purchasable gift experiences covering accommodation, dining, spa treatments, and jacuzzi access. Delivered as a personalized PDF.
Property uses renewable energy sources and prioritizes local product sourcing as part of its sustainability commitment.
BUILD YOUR VILLA BOUTIQUE 1880 PLAN
Rooms, dining, spa, and resort experiences — organized into one trip plan.
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