Step through a 100-year old pinewood door and you enter the relaxed world of La Novieta, an elegant four-room boutique hotel in Valencia.
La Novieta, meaning ‘the little girlfriend or first love,’ is the result of four years of painstaking renovation by French-born Bertrand Boullay, a former IT marketing executive, who transformed a derelict building into this attractive accommodation. In effect, it’s a modernist home carefully revived.
The entrance hall is an open space stretching all the way back to an inviting open-air terrace at the far end. Just beyond the front door on the inside wall is a dramatic surreal image by photographer Brice Hardline, a friend of Bertrand’s, depicting a woman’s face partially hidden behind a mask. Close to it is another entitled ‘Broken Necklace’ by talented Canadian photographer Kourtney Roy. A gilt-framed mirror hangs nearby. Below is a beige tiled floor. Above, the ceiling is comprised of devilled bare brick, wood beam and crossbeam.
At a long table in this comfortable open space is where guests can relax and enjoy breakfast or a drink, with a coffee-making station and honesty bar close at hand.
Bertrand prepared for us a morning fresh fruit bowl with yoghurt and cereal, delicious baked fresh goats cheese and zucchini pie, as well as assorted slices of cheese and cured ham with bread. That set us off for the day perfectly. In addition to breakfast, Bertrand also offers a signature cocktail and tapas menu.
Beyond the breakfast table are shelves of books including novels such as Sebastian Barry’s ‘Old God’s Time’ and Agatha Christie’s ‘Nemesis,’ as well as others on subjects as diverse as travel and art, including biographies of Leonardo da Vinci, Edward Hopper and Michelangelo.
At the far end of the room is a speckled marble coffee table with soft brown armchairs and chairs around it for easy conversation, with standing lamp creating a comforting ambience. A series of pencil drawings of nude figures line the wall here.
During warm weather, of which there is a generous abundance in Valencia, the spacious outdoor terrace is the place to be with assorted cacti in a long, tiled plant box adding a touch of Nature and coffee tables and wood-backed chairs for guest comfort.
Our air-conditioned room, 1, its walls painted a mustard color, overlooked the street, decorated by a small metal-railed balcony and standing potted plant. Floor-to-ceiling windows with wooden shutters permitted an abundance of natural light to flood in. The floor of our room was awash with color from 1924 tiles reclaimed by Bertrand from the original building and a tall vintage wooden dresser offered plenty of space for our clothes. Gentle illumination was provided by ice crystal wall lights from the 1970s. Behind the bed on wall is a photo-painting overprint, an evocative portrait of man’s face entitled TASHA by artists Akke Visschers and Alexander Straulino.
A separate bathroom featured fluffy towels, Olive Era toiletries and a high ceiling with bare wood beams and an elegant fan.
La Novieta’s convenient location in Valencia is a plus. Close to the Ruzafa neighborhood, it is a leisurely 10-minute stroll to the historic Old Town. All these factors make this boutique hotel worthy of a few nights’ stay.
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