Hotel El Cares (Picos de Europa)

Hotel El Cares sits in Arenas de Cabrales, a small village at the confluence of the Cares and Casaño rivers in the eastern foothills of the Picos de Europa. The hotel places guests within 12 km of the Poncebos trailhead for the Cares Gorge walk, one of Spain's most dramatic day hikes running 12 km through a limestone canyon of the Picos de Europa National Park. The village also serves as the production centre for Cabrales DOP, Asturias's celebrated blue cheese aged in the limestone caves above the valley and sold at a market held on the last Sunday of August each year.

The building is a traditional Asturian stone construction with whitewashed walls and dark timber shutters, reflecting the vernacular architecture of the Cabrales valley. Interiors are functional and comfortable rather than ornate, giving the property a straightforward mountain-inn character well suited to hikers and nature travellers who spend most of their day outdoors.

Rooms divide into standard doubles, twins and larger family configurations. Mountain-facing rooms look out over the valley ridgeline. All rooms include en-suite bathrooms and free Wi-Fi. Parking is available free of charge, important given that most guests arrive by car on the winding AS-264 road from the coast.

The on-site restaurant serves regional dishes including fabada asturiana (white bean and sausage stew) and locally sourced cheese boards featuring Cabrales DOP. The bar stocks local natural cider (sidra natural), poured from height in the traditional Asturian style. Breakfast is available daily and typically includes pastries, fresh fruit and hot drinks.

There is no spa or pool. The service style is informal and practical, oriented toward walkers and cyclists using the hotel as a base for multi-day exploration of the Picos. Staff can advise on trail conditions, route selection and local transport options to trailheads along the Cares Gorge and adjacent valleys.