The MogoteArt boutique hotel was recommended to us by a journalist who had visited the site in the aftermaths of the meteor impact in Viñales. You can still see the site where the meteor hit the ground at the entrance of the hotel.
Why is the place called MogoteArt? Well, one half of it is obvious. It is next to the karst mountains which are so characteristic of Viñales, known in Spanish as mogotes.
The Art half is less obvious. MogoteArt is Luis Deulofeu’s project. Luis was born not too far from Viñales, in a nearby town of Pinar del Rio, but has lived in Madrid and Paris. He is a published author, having written several award winning novels in Spanish.
He came to Viñales a few years ago looking for tranquility, a laid-back creative space. Using the money he made from writing, he renovated a rustic old peasant’s house, and the result is an astonishingly well-designed space.
Luis’ aim isn’t to just create a hotel. The ambition is greater than that: he wants to create a place for artists and creatively minded people. Using funds from the hotel he is going to build a separate house, only for artists. The plan is to create a scholarship for artists: artists will be able to stay at the artist residence for a month. The only thing he’ll ask for in exchange is a work of art that’ll stay behind once they’ve left.
MogoteArt is a place that welcomes LGBT travellers. A place for people who read books. A place for people who care about what they put in their body (he has an organic garden producing vegetables and fruit in the yard, which they routinely use for their meals).
If you are an avid reader you shouldn’t doubt consider staying at Luis’, where you’ll have time to browse through his extensive book collection. And consider leaving a gift for future visitors.
