A historic rural hotel in Spain's Asturias region has been dramatically transformed with a bold indigo blue design concept that reimagines the traditional hospitality experience. The Posada de Babel, now simply called "La Posada," was renovated by Madrid-based architecture firm MARIANO to create a more open, home-like environment for guests in the picturesque village of La Pereda.
The 450-square-meter hotel project, completed in 2025, was born from a vision more than thirty years ago when a Madrid couple sought the perfect place to raise their family in a special environment. They found their ideal location in La Pereda, nestled between the Sierra del Cuera mountains and the cliffs of the Cantabrian Sea, surrounded by oaks, chestnuts, hazels, and birches.
Lead architect Mariano Martin and his design team, including Mónica Botas, Pilar Tomé, Aitor García, Ana Jimenez, Lucas Olmos, Laia Polls, and Joana Cottrell, decided to work boldly with the transformative power of color. The renovation centered around an indigo blue that had always graced the double-height ceiling of the lobby—a color so memorable that previous visitors could never forget it.
The design concept eliminates traditional boundaries by extending the indigo blue throughout the space, covering ceilings, walls, furniture, the piano, and the library. The lobby, reception, lounge, library, and kitchen now function as a single open space, allowing each visitor to use the area in their own way, almost like their own home. As the architects explain, "everything can take many forms" in this fluid, boundary-free environment.
A key feature of the renovation is the use of untreated iron as the primary material, worked almost artisanally with care and precision to organize new uses throughout the space. This iron forms mobile and divisible furniture pieces that house pantries and refrigerators for each room. The perforated iron sheets create a moiré effect like a veil, subtly revealing the products within while maintaining an aesthetic appeal.
The central gathering space features an island/bar/table made from the same curved iron material, designed to invite multiple activities—gathering, eating, reading, working, and laughing—all under distinctive lights that hang from the ceiling. These unique fixtures are playfully described by the architects as "showers of light," as guests often mistake them for actual shower heads.
Connectivity between spaces is enhanced by a broken circle cut into the wall that links the kitchen with the rest of the hotel. The iron furniture coexists harmoniously with classic and "unfinished" tiles, guided by a philosophy of naturalness that breaks down personal barriers. The architects note that "now everyone cooks, and that brings people together, turning the place into a refuge more than just a hotel."
The renovation embraces indoor-outdoor living through folding glass doors that allow the exterior to flow inside and vice versa, creating what the designers call an "open house." This design choice unites the blue tones of the interior with the natural greens of the surrounding landscape, creating a seamless connection with the Asturian countryside.
Sustainability and resourcefulness played important roles in the renovation philosophy. Existing furniture was deliberately preserved and repurposed, revealing old layers of upholstery and wooden structures complete with traces of staples and woodworm. This approach embodies the principle that "everything is reused, everything is converted," demonstrating how thoughtful design can honor the past while embracing the future.
The bedroom layouts follow the same design language established in the common areas, featuring the signature blue and wood combination that becomes "more elegant" in the private spaces. The architects emphasize that "surprise" has become perhaps the most repeated word among visitors experiencing the transformation.
As a testament to the power of perspective in design, the project concludes with "The Last Brush"—a symbolic element in the lobby that demonstrates how little is actually needed to completely transform a place. The architects believe that sometimes the only thing that needs to change is simply the perspective from which we view and experience a space.
The project represents a successful balance between respecting the rich architectural heritage of the original building while boldly introducing contemporary design elements. After three decades of hosting exhibitions, concerts, celebrations, and countless guests seeking a "different" experience, La Posada has opened a new chapter with another thirty years of anticipated excitement and innovation in rural hospitality design.
