Los Riveros Restaurante in El Raso, lunch by the natural pools
Los Riveros Restaurante is in El Raso, in the province of Ávila, beside a gorge with natural pools for swimming. It is mainly a much-loved restaurant and picnic spot, with simple rooms and parking. It suits families and groups who want a good lunch and a dip in the water in summer.
Written by Valeria Romano
Published
Mapiola is a travel blog: this is not the official website of Los Riveros Restaurante.
Where Los Riveros Restaurante is in El Raso
Los Riveros Restaurante is in the Los Riveros area, next to the road to El Raso, in the province of Ávila. It sits right beside the gorge, with fresh water and a natural setting that many guests rank above everything else. For me it is more a summer day out with the option of staying the night than a classic hotel.
Several comments talk about the pools of El Raso, the clean gorge and being able to swim right beside the table. Guests recommend stopping by if you are in the El Raso or Madrigal de la Vera area. A useful detail for planning your route is that the Monastery of Yuste is a reasonable drive away.
What the rooms are like and what the site offers
The accommodation is simple and modest in category, with air-conditioned family rooms, a wardrobe, a flat-screen TV and a private bathroom with toiletries. Some units have a kitchen with a fridge and microwave. There is free Wi-Fi in the rooms, a garden and a terrace.
The restaurant and bar are in the same building, which is handy if you do not want to drive to get dinner. One guest says they slept very well and that the place is lovely, although they had complaints about dinner, which I come back to below. Private parking is available, with certain conditions worth knowing.
- Family rooms with a private bathroom.
- Equipped kitchen in some units.
- Restaurant and bar in the same building.
- Garden, terrace and private parking.
What guests highlight
On Google, Los Riveros has a rating of 4.3 from more than seven hundred reviews, which gives real weight to what keeps coming up. Most of the affection goes to the restaurant.
- The food. Guests praise the ham croquettes, the cochifrito, the goat chops, the scrambled wild asparagus and the revolconas, which one regular considers the best dish in the area.
- The service. Quick, friendly and patient, even with large groups and family celebrations booked in advance.
- The setting. The sound of water, the rental sunbeds by the pool and swimming in the gorge. Some people come back every summer.
- The prices. Several describe them as popular and in line with the quality. Guests also mention that staff brought water for the dogs.
What to know before you go
There are a couple of practical points and one serious complaint that I do not want to leave out. If you are going in summer, it is better to organise it a little in advance.
- The parking. According to several reviews, you pay in the morning, but if you eat at the restaurant and tell the waiter, they give you a receipt so the afternoon is free. Ask how it works on the day you go.
- The sunbeds. They are for rent. One guest says they are worth paying for.
- Dinner at the property. A one-star review says the food was poor and came from tins, and that dinner was a disaster. Another, a two-star review, talks about a fish that was off, which they did change without any trouble.
| The best bits | What to know |
|---|---|
| Croquettes, goat and revolconas much praised | Some strong criticism of dinner and the fish |
| Natural setting with pools and a pond | Paid parking in the morning |
| Quick and friendly service | Rental sunbeds |
| Takes groups with a booking | Modest category of accommodation |
Who Los Riveros is for
I would choose it for a long family or friends lunch, a day of swimming in the gorge and, if needed, a simple night in the same estate. It suits large groups, people with dogs and anyone who prefers traditional cooking to something sophisticated.
I would not recommend it if you are looking for luxury accommodation or if you want to be sure of the best dinner of your life. The criticism, though rare, suggests the level can vary from one visit to the next.
Things to do in El Raso and around
The natural plan is to swim in the pools, eat without rushing and walk around the surroundings. If you have time to spare, the Monastery of Yuste is in the area.
To spend the night elsewhere on your route, you could look at Hostal Yuste in Garganta la Olla. And if you continue into Castile and León, there are Hostal Restaurante Catalina de Austria in Torquemada and Hotel Mirador del Arlanzón in Los Balbases.
Passionate about travel and about the kind of places that turn a getaway into something unforgettable. I love writing about hotels, country houses and charming hideaways, helping every traveller find the perfect place to rest and feel at home.
