Xalet del Nin is a wedding venue on the coast of Barcelona, in Vilanova i la Geltrú — perched on a rocky outcrop, nestled in peaceful green gardens, the Mediterranean your backdrop. Thirty-five minutes from the airport.
The planner’s view
We got married here, three years ago. We know what it’s like to stand in front of your nearest and dearest and say the words. I cried for the first half.
And we know what it’s like to run the day from behind. We’ve planned many weddings here. The owner and the preferred caterer are good friends.
There are many ways to do a wedding here. This is how we would do it…
Come up through the main gates, past the fountain, and the peace of the gardens is what hits you first. That first breath — calms you.
The estate has a naturally flowing rhythm for your guests — arrival, ceremony, aperitif, olive grove, dance floor, from one to the next. Every space framed by gardens and sea.
The shape of the day
The morning belongs to the bridal suite. Hair and makeup, the bridal party spread all over the place, cava and nibbles, the photographers working the room. And underneath it all, the feelings — the nerves, the anxiety, the excitement — everyone’s different. The day will come to you.
Arriving guests mill at the side of the ceremony in the shade of the trees, served by cold, fresh lemonade. All they can see is your chairs. Everyone carrying their own emotion — a little awkwardness, or curiosity, or anticipation perhaps.
Your procession begins through the house’s archways and down your aisle. Your flowers, the focal point — the sea and sky, your horizon. If you cry, they’ll cry. If you laugh, they’ll laugh. The kiss, sealing the promise.
You float back down the aisle — and we whisk you away for a moment alone to catch your breath, as we move your guests to the aperitif.
It comes one delicate bite at a time — sixteen of them, flying around, unhurried. With some show, too: ham carving, a paella station, a seafood barbecue — razor clams, prawns, mussels, pulpo. A garden party on the green grass, the sea and sky surround. Spanish guitars in the air. The food will stop conversation and then become the conversation.
And on to the olive grove: tables amid the trees, a dance floor in the middle, the guests abuzz, awaiting the newlyweds’ grand entrance. Between the courses: speeches — some emotional, some funny, some embarrassing — and Gipsy Kings flamenco to make you dance. This is where the bonding deepens. This is where more shared memories are made.
With dessert over, the food coma settles in. You’ve drunk a little more and eaten your fill. Topped off by the happy couple, an invigorating espresso martini tower. A shot of caffeine and alcohol to get you moving — for now, it’s on to the party.
But before that, the first dance — staged at the front of the house, under the arches at the top of the steps, the crowd waiting expectantly below. Punctuated by dry, sparkly fireworks — and as it finishes, immediately behind, from inside the house — BOOM. The band pumping, lights flashing. The party is on. Everybody knows what to do — that pent-up energy, released.
Sofas at the edge of the music, under the arches, on the fountain wall — and at the fire pit, Dad’s Corner: cigars straight from the humidor, a fifteen-year-old bourbon. A midnight snack — because, surprisingly, you’re hungry again. And for those wanting to escape to do their own thing, the estate boundary — some solitude, the soft thud of the disco, waves lapping.
The Umbracle — the alternative banqueting space
The alternative banqueting space is called the Umbracle — Catalan for a shade house. In essence, a shaded outdoor space with no walls: where walls would be, there are windows — and the windows peel away. Garden all around and garden growing through, your view of the sea uninterrupted. It’s the first choice for the majority of couples. For others, the plan B, where you control the climate — the weather insurance. For us, it was our first choice.
The house
Eight suites, sleeping up to eighteen — plus two sofa beds, if needed.
An impressive bridal suite doubles as the getting-ready room. Then three junior suites — one next to the lift with an easy bathroom, the right room for anyone with mobility challenges. Two senior suites for parents, each with its own balcony — one with an open-plan bath and the town twinkling at night. On the second floor, in the eaves, a twin: the quietest room in the house, furthest from the party — and the most child-friendly. The last bedroom — quite spectacular in its own right, with a terrace and magnificent views. Everybody you love under one roof.
Practical
Venue: Xalet del Nin · Vilanova i la Geltrú, Barcelona coast
Barcelona–El Prat airport: approx. 35 minutes
Central Barcelona: approx. 50 minutes
Guest base: Sitges, approx. 15 minutes
On-site: 8 suites, sleeping up to 18 (plus two sofa beds)
Capacity: 180 seated banquet · 200 cocktail
Ceremony: outdoors, facing the sea
Aperitif: outdoors
Banquet: outdoors, or in the Umbracle
Party & disco: indoors
Plan B: the Umbracle, the outdoor/indoor banqueting room
Access: a lift from the car park to the estate, and a lift in the house to the bedrooms and the adapted bathroom · one suite beside the lift with an easy bathroom — the easiest for limited mobility
Who it’s for
Xalet del Nin is for you if you’re in love with sea and gardens — plus the airport, only thirty-five minutes away. Point a camera anywhere and it’s a great shot.
It’s the wrong venue for a princess bride — no ballroom, no grand staircase, no castle in the background. And it’s not for the small budget.
This is a house and a garden, up high, with an incredible 190 degrees of sea view.
Talk to us
We know this venue inside and out, from both sides — as planners, and as a couple who married in it. Come, tell us what you’re imagining, and we’ll tell you whether Xalet del Nin is a good fit.
Questions couples ask about Xalet del Nin
Everything here is right as we write it. But fees, rules and timings shift with the season and the year — we’ll confirm every one for your date.
How many guests can Xalet del Nin hold?
180 for a seated banquet, 200 cocktail-style.
How far is Xalet del Nin from the airport?
Thirty-five minutes from Barcelona–El Prat.
How far is it from Barcelona city?
About fifty minutes from the centre.
Where do our guests stay?
The house itself sleeps eighteen, across eight suites — so the wedding party wakes up where the party happened. Everyone else has two options: Vilanova i la Geltrú, with walkable three-star hotels, or Sitges, fifteen minutes away — a historic, picturesque seaside town with the five-star hotels, the beaches, and more to do.
What happens if it rains — or it’s a cool evening?
If not already there, the day moves into the Umbracle — a shaded outdoor space with no walls, where the walls would be are windows, and the windows peel away. You control the climate. It costs nothing extra, and you decide on the day.
What music can we have, and how late?
Music outside runs until 11pm. Only ambient music allowed — ceremony music, background music, first dance, and others. Then everything moves inside for the party, with the band or the DJ, until 2am — 3am on Saturdays.
Do we get the whole place to ourselves?
Yes. Exclusive use — the house, the gardens, the lot. And privacy with it: up high, wrapped in its own grounds, free from prying eyes.
Who does the catering?
The catering company is external to the venue. The preferred caterer is Sensacions, who we know well. They also collaborate with an Indian food caterer, and others. Alternatively, any caterer from the venue’s approved list can work here.
Is the venue accessible for older guests?
Yes. There’s a lift, and a ground-accessible suite right next to it with an easy bathroom.
How much does a wedding at Xalet del Nin cost?
It’s one of Barcelona’s best venues — and therefore one of its most expensive. The budget depends on your guest numbers, how many days you celebrate, and whether you take the accommodation — more on that below. We set it out in the first conversation.
What is included in the venue fee?
Exclusive rental of the estate. The lawn aperitif is for up to ninety guests and carries its own fee. Coordination isn’t included. Catering is contracted separately, from the venue’s approved list — Sensacions is the venue’s preferred caterer. Furniture comes through the caterer, or an external rental company. Sound and lighting comes from the venue’s own independent supplier, obligatory for every wedding. Everything else — photographer, florist, band, transport, the rest — is yours to bring. The accommodation is separate — its own question, below.
Do we have to take the on-site accommodation?
At certain times of year, yes — the suites become obligatory with the booking. The rules shift with the season and the day of the week, so we’ll tell you exactly where they stand for your dates.
Does the venue have a wedding coordinator?
No. The team look after the venue on the day. Nobody there runs your wedding. They will recommend us.
When we got married at Xalet del Nin
