The rural house “Casa Lucia” by Abaigar, In Land of Estella, It is one of those places that are worth visiting in Navarre, if you want to spend a few days away from the urban noise. It is a stone house with a ground floor, two floors, a huge garden and seven bedrooms with individual bathrooms.
Abaigar is a town of barely ninety inhabitants. that last June he organized the Valdega Valley festival, which increased its population sixfold. In addition, The only bar in town is famous for the pincho pote it offers during the summer months.
It is very close to other cities that have made the news, as is the case for example of Legaria, which celebrates its extra day of festivities with a popular macaronada, either Murieta, which organizes its traditional nighttime stew during the patron saint festivities.
Iñaki Murugarren Muneta is 62 years old and He owns the rural house “Casa Luisa”, the only business in town, except for the pool bar, which the town hall rents from Iñaki himself.
“I come from Legaria but I lived in San Sebastian for 40 years until I came here and set up the rural house with my partner. I bought it in 2003, we were under construction for about a year and in 2005 we started operating,” assures Iñaki.
Regarding the reserves, he emphasizes: “It’s going well. We’re working. Since I became a widower They take my reservations at booking. “Before, when my wife was alive, we were a little more selective about our customers. Now, I take whatever comes to me and there are no problems,” explains Iñaki.
“As for the price, it says: “around 80 euros and if it’s a room with an extra bed it’s a bit more expensive.” Iñaki lives in one room of the house that is not rented and offers seven rooms for rent.
“Normally I work by rooms, as if it were a small hotel, but the whole house is also rented if someone requests it.” When people come for a few nights, they can’t cook at home: “They are only offered breakfast and the possibility of lunch and dinner at the town bar, but if they rent the whole house they can cook.”
This year, he is pleased with the response from customers: “Work is progressing well from Easter with the arrival of the pilgrims and people who are only here for one night. On weekends, it’s crowded. In summer, the stays are longer, up to a week,” explains Iñaki.
Receives visitors from everywhere: “There is domestic tourism in Madrid, Catalonia, the Basque Country, and also from France, Germany, Holland… from all over. People generally leave quite happy. They like the place, we treat them well and we accept animals,” explains the owner of the rural house.
“There are people who come to rest and see the area a bit.” The Los Arcos circuit also attracts visitors: “There were times when a whole team came and took over the whole house”. People come until the end of October and even later: “At Christmas, there are families who take over my entire house”, which can accommodate up to twenty people.
He also runs the town bar: “I combine it well with the rural house. The pool bar is more for the summer, with the picho pote that continues to triumph. Abáigar is fashionable lately and this year it was time to celebrate the Day of the Valley”, concludes Iñaki Murugarren.
