Renowned pastry chef Jordi Roca, known for his wildly imaginative creations, has always had a special affinity for chocolate. His culinary prowess shines at El Celler de Can Roca, the esteemed restaurant in Girona, where he collaborates with his brothers, Joan, the chef, and Josep, the sommelier. With numerous accolades and the title of world’s best restaurant, El Celler de Can Roca’s singular gastronomic experience reflects the family’s excellence in food and hospitality.
Building upon his passion for chocolate, Jordi embarked on a new venture with the opening of Casa Cacao. A haven for chocolate lovers, Casa Cacao is a bean-to-bar chocolate shop, workshop, and café, which quickly prompted the opening of yet another ambitious project, alongside his like-minded sister-in-law Anna Payet, the creation of a boutique hotel.
Nestled in the heart of Girona, the 15-room Hotel Casa Cacao occupies an historic 1960s building and gracefully embraces the charms of this small city and the beauty of chocolate. With a thoughtful design by Sandra Tarruella Interioristas, known for their modern and elegant designs in the hospitality industry, the hotel blends the flow of chocolate with the Roca family’s commitment to creating unforgettable experiences.
To ensure a continuity with the renowned El Celler de Can Roca and drawing inspiration from the confectionary shops of the 1950s and 1960s, the designers chose aesthetic elements, materials and colors that pay homage to this period while incorporating contemporary touches. Wood, traditional lime gesso paint, leather, linen, and wool are used to create an elegant, textural, and welcoming mood. “We wanted to transmit all the passion, personality and excellence of the Roca brothers,” Sandra Tarruella notes.
Like the meticulously handcrafted chocolates produced in the ground-level workshop, each room within the hotel is carefully designed with the utmost precision and thoughtfulness. The same level of attention was extended to the bathrooms, which the designers turned into exceptional and intimate spaces that merge into the main bedroom.
Designed in an earth-toned aesthetic, the bathrooms offer a perfect fusion of modern style and timeless elegance. Using two large pivoting doors to open the space, the bathroom becomes an integral part of the overall design. Consequently, the selected bathroom products need to have both a visual appeal and create an overall sense of harmony and continuity. Sandra Tarruella Interioristas chose Roca products because “their desired quality and aesthetics were very much in line with the project’s vision”.
The boutique ambiance of the chocolate shop and hotel seamlessly incorporates the essence of Roca products, blending style and function. In the pursuit of excellence and creating a memorable experience, it is imperative to select bathroom fixtures that prioritize energy efficiency, accessibility, and durability. The chosen elements, from hand showers with versatile functionalities, to showers that offer a spa-like retreat, every aspect was carefully considered to achieve a cohesive and visually pleasing bathroom design for each room in the hotel.
With the Hotel Casa Cacao, Roca hospitality and Roca bathroom solutions found a perfect union. Warm and welcoming spaces complemented by well-made products and accessories reflect both brands’ approach to creating memorable moments and finding pleasure in the everyday.
Interior Designers: Sandra Tarruella Interioristas
Photos: Meritxell Arjalaguer, Joan Pujol-Creus
Roca products: Raindream, Rainsense, Virginia freestanding bathtub, Meridian wallhung WC, Loft & Loft-E-faucets, Stella Hand-shower, In-wall frames, Superinox and Hotels Accessories, PL1 & PL7 Dual Flush, Access Collection, Sentronic Faucets, Natura Furniture, Monodin Faucets