Picos de Europa, Hotel Advice

[Tmation]

Thinking of having a weeks spin around northern Spain and the Picos at the end of this month, any one got any experience of bike friendly hotels (secure parking etc), within walking distance of bars and food etc, in the area?


Cheers in advance

[robbo]

Some pals of mine go every year, are leaving on Friday actually, and always stay in Riano.

[robbo]

The hotels are the Presa and the Sainz. They tell me the food is better in the Sainz, but are virtually next to each other.

[Tmation]

Thanks, will have a look

[Hedgetrimmer]

Hotel Presa is where I stayed:





it has underground parking.
The food was ok, but found there wasn't a great deal of choice for accompaniments - chips with everything pretty much! Maybe I should have asked about alternatives, but I was a bit lazy!
The hotel itself is very clean with good standard room facilities.
The view from my room window:





I didn't bother to look around Riano for alternative eateries either, not that there's much to Riano. If this is a priority for you, I'd suggest staying in Potes instead. But Riano has the most magnificent view to greet you in the mornings:





 and is wonderfully placed for exploring the region, so I don't regret my choice of staying there

[YamFazFan]

Wow what a view . That last photo is amazing.

[Tmation]

Thanks Hedgetrimmer, I don't mid chips with everything 

[Hedgetrimmer]

Thanks Hedgetrimmer, I don't mid chips with everything 

You're welcome 
As to not minding chips with everything, if you do stay at Presa and happen to be around the hotel at lunchtime, I can recommend their "Riano Vealburger" drool!

[Stinka]

This looks amazing!! I’d love to attempt a trip like this. How much would it cost ? Do you do it in one hit or stop in France overnight? How much fuel to get down there ?


So many questions !

[robbo]

My pals are down there at the moment. They caught a late train, by my standards, at around 08:30 on Friday morning and got there Sunday, so 2 overnight stops. You could easy do it with one stop, it depends how much you like riding bikes.  To get an idea of petrol cost, when I did a touch short of 2000 miles around Scotland earlier this year, it cost £248 in petrol, and generally it's more expensive in France. I'm going next week, estimating to do around 2,500 miles and don't expect much change out of 350 quid.

[Hedgetrimmer]

Hi Stinka, fancy meeting you here! 


You can read in-depth about my trip and the planning for it on BCF - look in my sig. (chickenstrip) for the relevant link. It should answer a few of your questions, as I was asking similar in that thread before I actually went.


I can't remember costs now, but my trip started with an overnight ferry crossing from Portsmouth to Santander.


The Picos themselves are easily accessible in a day from Santander, although I stayed one night in Torrelavega off the ferry, as it arrives in port in the early evening. I stayed at Riano for 4 nights before the next section of my tour.

[Stinka]

Cheers guys


I’ll be sure to check that write up out, hedge trimmer, I loved the last story of yours that i read, you’re a bit of a legend mate