The Start of a Dream

At the end of the 90s, Fernando Arcas Lleida and his wife Jayne Gunderson had a dream; a dream come true thanks to the effort and enthusiasm of many people who have put a great deal into its realization. The couple dreamed of converting an old traditional Toledan farm into an exclusive and refined venue for celebrations and events; for both companies and individuals.

Fernando Arcas Lleida belongs to a tradition of hospitality, to a family that , in the year 1875, began running a hotel in Graus (Huesca). Convinced of the extraordinary potential of the cigarrales he, with the enthusiastic collaboration of his wife, combined his extensive experience in restoration and his specialized training (at Cornell University and New Haven (USA) and an IESS top management programme) with a boundless faith in the success of the project to start a truly innovative venture.

From its founding to the present day, its management has been based on three key tenets: to provide quality of service, to earnestly maintain business relationships and to strive for institutional innovation and development. Success has stemmed from the fact that El Cigarral de las Mercedes offers much more than just lunch and dinner…. It offers a wealth of sensations brought about by the fusion of food and scenery, impeccable attention to client needs and an elegant atmosphere where each minute element of the environment has been chosen to meet exacting criteria.