Refugi Arbolí

The area is beautiful and quiet, but I’d avoid this place if you can stay in a nearby village instead. Our room was around 13 degrees, the pillow and mattress were very yellowed, and there was rubbish all over the floor. Kitchen smoke also came into the room. It was a horrible experience.

For a long-distance walker arriving on a hot day, the refugi is a good-value place to get out of the heat and find shelter. Arboli is tiny and up in the mountains, so it’s nice that there are any places to stay at all. The dorm is one long room with bunk beds, and it’s adequate, though having someone coughing at the far end all night felt a bit worrying during Covid. There’s WiFi and food, too. I don’t speak Catalan or Spanish, so I struggled a little with the language, but Maria, who runs the place, speaks some English and did her best to make me feel welcome.

We came for dinner and had a lovely time. The staff were lovely, the food was lovely, and so were the drinks 👌

Really calm spot, with good pizza and some great craft beer.