In the morning, Jerez locals gather around the bar in Oasis for coffee and toast. In the afternoon, workers come for bocadillos and cañas, and later families come in to have their dinner on the white tablecloths in the restaurant. On Saturday afternoons, the bar is full with people enjoying the one euro tapa special.
Photos, tiles and paintings of Jerez de los Caballeros adorn the walls. Hotel Oasis has become synonymous with the town, and friends will often meet up at Oasis because of its proximity to the center of Jerez.
The bar provides camaraderie and the hotel provides calm. January is not the high tourist season and the hotel is rarely full. However, during Semana Santa or the Feria de Jamón in May, all of the 36 rooms will be occupied.
Every morning, Marisa Gomez takes her place at reception, ready to greet any traveler and give them advice on what they should see in Jerez. Talking to the travelers and orientating them to Jerez is her favorite part of the job.
Oasis is a hotel that still keeps the keys in wooden boxes behind reception. It’s a throwback to yesteryear, but the rooms are remarkably modern and comfortable. Two big conference rooms provide popular venues for weddings, and Gomez enjoys organizing the receptions down to the most minute detail.
Oasis began in 1981, when Gomez’s father bought the business and started a bar and restaurant. Eight years later, the hotel rooms were built. Gomez started working there and learned the business from her father, who is now retired but keeps his thoughts focused on the family businesses.
Soon after Oasis was situated just on the top of the hill, Mendez’s family bought the space for Anayansy, a club, and above it they created Bocayansy, a bar and restaurant serving a variety of bocadillos.
Gomez invests her time providing quality service at Oasis. She waits for slow months like January and February to pass and looks forward to being busy once again greeting and directing travelers, organizing wedding receptions and enjoying Jerez in the spring, when people gather on the street for its colorful processions and festivals.