Switch on all your senses
Soul farm Mas els Igols is a remarkable and serene rural hotel and retreat center. Apart from lodging in lovely rooms filled with beautiful art you can also experience unique workshops, clinics and services such as yoga and meditation classes, art workshops, coaching sessions, a private chef or wine tastings. Expect a holiday, a retreat or a special occasion (such as a wedding or business event) tailored to your needs in the dreamy setting of the Catalonian countryside.
There are 7 beautiful spacious bedrooms, each with a modern bathroom en suite. An inspiring large and modern kitchen, a wonderful yoga/meditation studio, an art studio, a patio, garden with deck and dining area under a giant fig-tree and saltwater pool with lounge area.
Although there is enough space and privacy in and around the house, the atmosphere is generously warm and homely. All spaces are ‘touched by the golden hands’ of hostess and artist Iris Tonies. Every room breathes her creative expressions.
ECO-Fact: The soul farm is designed and modernized to minimize the carbon footprint. Nurturing people, nurturing our planet.
Prices
| High season 15 guests | €995 p.d. |
| Mid season & weekends 15 guests | €875 p.d. |
| Low season Full House 15 guests | €700 p.d. |
The minimum stay required is 2 nights, 3 nights in high season. Prices are for renting the entire house.
Amenities
Outdoor |
Indoor |
Essentials |
| Terrace under the fig-tree | Spacious kitchen with large diner table | Free Wifi |
| Saltwater swimming pool | Lounge area | Floor heating |
| Patio | 7 Bedrooms en suite | Fully equipped Kitchen |
| Terrace with olive trees | 15 Beds | Dish Washer |
| Pizza Oven | Yoga & Meditation space | Washing machine |
| Vineyards | (Ceramic) Art studio | Solar Energy & Heating |
| Olive grove | Orangerie for activities | Television |
| (Mountain) Bike and walking trails | Optional (private) chef/cook | |
| Optional extra housekeeping (for longer stays) |
What to do
The soul farm is situated in the beautiful Pènedes wine region where ‘Cava’ is being produced. Cava is the famous Spanish sparkling wine. Locals proudly call this area the ‘Tuscany of Catalonia’. There are some amazing organic and biodynamic wineries nearby, that are worth a visit. Torres is also located around the corner, a world-renowned winery. They also serve splendid lunches and dinners in their garden or in the garden room.
Cava receives high scores at international (sparkling) wine fairs. Many wineries are able to create good quality sparkling wines, that even pleasantly surprises connoisseurs. Arnout has recently completed a special vinology course in Vilafranca. He now is an educated wine guide and is able to lead extensive tours, give wine related advise and put together tastings or pairings, here on the Soul Farm.
Our village Torrelles de Foix is perfectly located, right between where the wine region begins on one side and where the first mountains rise on the other side. Cyclists, hikers and mountain bikers will be able to find beautiful trails in these mountains, some paths even start straight from our house. The village is surrounded by forests that stretch out all the way up to the Pyrenees. In collaboration with a bicycle shop in Vilafranca we can offer rental bikes or E-bikes..
Within walking distance of the Soul Farm you can find a beautiful hermitage and waterfalls where clear, drinkable water runs straight out of the rocks. There are caves nearby and the castle of Sant Marti Sarroca. There are various wineries and not to forget… beautiful nature all around.
We are situated only a 30 minute drive from the beautiful and famous Mediterranean beaches of Catalonia, such as Sitges, Vilanova, Calafell and Cubelles. Throughout the year the weather is nice enough to sit in the sun or to build sand castles with the (grand) children at the beach. In collaboration with a Beachclub in Vilanova we can offer rental boats, canoes and (sup/padel) surfboards.
Wine capital Vilafranca del Penedes is located about 10 kilometers from Mas els Igols. It is an authentic and vibrant town and is the ‘service town’ of the region. On Saturdays you can visit a large farmers market with local produce. You can find a lovely cathedral and some good quality restaurants.
Sitges is a lively, well-known and ‘cosmopolitan’ coastal town. It has been an open LGBTQ community for many years, full of nice shops and lovely beach bars. You will experience a very unique atmosphere compared to other Spanish seaside resorts.
Barcelona needs no further introduction; Barcelona is a great cultural and culinary walhalla, less than an hour’s drive away. Tarragona is less known and worth visiting, especially for its Roman history, its amphitheatre, an ancient bridge (puente de diablo) and a cozy city center. Tarragona is about a 50-minute drive from Mas els Igols.
An entertaining and historical day trip could be a visit to Santas Creus and/or Poblet. Two breathtakingly beautiful and perfectly preserved Cistine monasteries.
The Barcelona region is in many ways a paradise; with beaches, a rich (gastronomical) culture, fertile soil for quality wines and… only a 1,5 hour drive from the nearest ski slopes of the Pyrenees. An active day trip to the ski slopes can easily be arranged during your stay in Mas els Igols.
People from Catalonia love to spend their days in winter outside with friends and family for outdoor activities and for preparing meals outdoors. It is mainly a social activity. They travel en masse into the mountains to pick wild herbs, plants and mushrooms. The BBQ or the open wood fireplace plays an important role in the culinary winter tradition. At the so-called ‘Calcotadas’, large spring onions are caramelized on iron racks; a truly unique and special experience, especially to be enjoyed together with friends and family.
Arnout and his sons also know their way around in nature and are able to recognize about 15 edible mushroom species, wild herbs and plants. They often go on a day trip to gather ingredients for a healthy meal together. In the vicinity of the Soul Farm you can also find a variety of herbs, plants and asparagus in the wild.
From every direction of the Pènedes area you will have a view of the most famous mountain of the region; The Montserrat. It is a beautiful area for hiking and you will find unique architectural and cultural heritage, worth a visit. Hidden in the mountain saddle lies a monastery where the Catalan culture has been preserved from the ravages of time (and the civil war).
- Amusement park “Port Aventura” (50 minutes)
- Climbing park ‘Les Deus Aventura’ (20 minutes)
- ‘El Jardi dels Ocells’ bird garden (20 minutes)
- ‘Les Dous’, (in our Torrelles de Foix) is in the top three of best BBQ spots in Catalonia.
FAQs
Yes, we do offer crisp white sheets, duvets, blankets and soft towels to all our guests. For longer stays we have clean sets available for all guests. This is included in the price. There is a washing machine available, situated in the lounge area.
Yes, ecological soaps and shampoo are available, you can find them in the soap dispensers in the bathroom. Since we are an eco-farm we use a natural deposit system that can only process specific products. We therefore offer the best available ecological and biodegradable soaps.
The house is being cleaned on arrival. For stays over 3 days a mid-stay cleaning service is included. If you wish daily cleaning service for your room, this can be arranged at an extra cost. Please contact us for the conditions.
Yes, in collaboration with several bike shops in Vilafranca del Penedes we can offer rental bikes and E-bikes. It is a popular area for cycling and mountain biking. Please ask us for the best rental conditions.
Most of the work in Mas els Igols is for sale. We have a catalogue available with all available artwork and prices. You can also find most of the available work on www.iristonies.com. We offer (art) workshops with Iris to design your own artwork in collaboration with her. For upcoming – events – click here.
The house is equipped with a spacious, fully operational and modern kitchen (36 m2) with a large dinner table (368 x 100 cm). On request we can prepare healthy meals for one or more days. We can also offer a full time private chef for your (entire) stay. In collaboration with professional chefs we can offer you wine pairings or wine tastings with local wines. Please contact us for the conditions.
The rental of Mas els Igols does not include meals. The house is situated in an amazing and culinary environment, also referred to as ‘the food-barn of Barcelona’. We have a large network of chefs that can take care of your group or family during your stay. Check here for the condition
Mas els Igols is surrounded by the vineyards of the Pènedes wine region. Except for two neighbouring houses (at about 150 meters distance) you will only find vineyards in a radius of 1500 m around the house. The entire garden around the house is accessible for guests. You will find an olive grove, a terrace under a giant fig tree, a pizza oven, a BBQ, a tiled deck in front of the kitchen/diner area and a patio between the meditation space and the kitchen. All these areas are available to our guests.
Yes, our guests have private access to the saltwater pool and the surrounding lounge area.
The Soul Farm is a completely independent unit that is part of a large ‘masia’ or farm house. The 7 bedrooms, workshop/yoga/meditation area, the spacious kitchen and lounge and the outdoor spaces are all available for your group or family only. In total you will have abound a 250 m2 of indoor space and a garden area of 500 m2 at your disposal.
The hosts Arnout and Iris and their three sons live on the same farm and are always near to help you guarantee your best possible stay at Mas els Igols. They are also there for you to provide you with extra services, such as (art)workshops, guided meditations, wine tastings & pairings or excursions. They can help you during your stay and answer all sorts of questions.
The Soul Farm is situated in a natural environment and at the same time it is quite well connected. You can reach Mas els Igols by train and bus from Barcelona city. The train ‘R4’ will take you from the city center to Vilafranca del Penedes. In Vilafranca you can hop on the bus ‘Igualadina’ with direction Pontons. From the bus stop near the gas-station ‘Benzinera de Sant Marti’ it is only a 1500 m. walk to our frontdoor. The train departs twice an hour. The bus leaves less frequently.
You can also choose to take a taxi from Vilafranca (€20 more or less) which is probably easier. A taxi from Barcelona airport will cost you about a €100. We can help you schedule a ride with a local taxi service. Please contact us for further details.
For longer stays without a chef we advise you to rent a car.
Yes, we have free parking spaces available for up to 6 cars.
The farm is surrounded by a beautiful and natural environment. You will find charming trails straight from the house or you can choose to take the car and drive a bit further to discover even more paths and trails to go for a hike. You can visit natural springs/waterfalls, forests, vineyards, castles, monasteries and more. All at relatively short distances. We have a ‘Komoot account’ with various routes described for all sorts of groups, ages and physical strengths.
The house is equipped with 16 large electrical solar panels and 8 large hot water panels. On an average day we produce about 35 kiloWatt from which we will only use between 8-10 kiloWatt for our own consumption. The rest of the energy is either given back to the net or used for running the ceramic kiln or auxiliary heating systems.
The hot water panels provide energy for most of the floor heating that covers the larger part of the house and for heating up water.
The water in the house comes from a natural well and runs through various filters. The drainage of the house is done by a natural drain field system. All soaps that we use are biodegradable and Eco friendly.
We like to minimize our footprint and take care of our planet.
Catalonia’s climate is primarily a Mediterranean climate, with mild temperatures and little rain. With usually warm summers and moderately cold winters. In the winter it is very likely that you can still spend a good part of your days outside. In the microclimate of the valley where are house is situated, we normally have an average of more than 300 sunny days and around 500 mm rain annually. You can find some more specific information/data on this specific website about the Pènedes wine region: http://www.dopenedes.cat/en/terraiclima.php
The nearest supermarkets are in Sant Marti de Sarroca (2500 m. from the house). You can find a variety of (bigger) stores&shops in Vilafranca del Penedes (9 km distance from the house).
On Saturdays there is a lovely farmers market in Vilafranca.
