Hotel Rural Los Arribes

We left after one night instead of staying the four we'd booked. Beforehand, I called to ask if they could accommodate two adults and our 1.5-year-old baby, and was told it would be fine. But the room we were given was so cramped it was hard for two people to breathe, there was no air conditioning, and the windows had no mosquito screens. There was no mobile signal, the Wi-Fi only worked in a few spots, and they didn't accept cards. Someone also wasn't always at the hotel. When I needed baby food kept in the fridge or milk warmed, I had to cross the road from our room to their bar to ask, and the looks I got were never friendly. They did move us to a bigger room, which was fine, but making that happen was a big deal. We also needed a microwave and there wasn't one. The menu was limited and really expensive for what it was. There was nowhere nearby to sit outside, rest, or enjoy the view, and nothing for children. The place isn't adapted for them at all. Very poor value for money.

The tomatoes from their own garden were delicious, and the mushroom menu was amazing. We had raw porcini mushrooms while they were in season, cream made from 11 different kinds of mushrooms, chickpeas with porcini, stewed meat with mushrooms, and rice pudding with caramelized porcini, followed by traditional Spanish coffee. They also offer other menus with macaroni and rice dishes from Zamora, plus cod and ribeye steak cooked over the same fireplace. The owner, Javier, is quite a character, full of stories and always keen to help. He clearly enjoys his work and knows mushrooms inside out, going wherever he needs to find them.

For €35, we had an excellent meal: Zamorana-style rice, then a very good beef steak, with homemade pig's ear for dessert. The meal ended with the best coffee I've ever had, made the owner's style in a pot with a few drops of orujo and a wood chip. Fantastic homemade food in a spectacular place.

The owner gave very good service, and the traditionally prepared products were high quality. The food is excellent and worth the price. I'd definitely come back.