Dining room at the Puente del Pilar restaurant, in Ribadesella.
Although technically Puente del Pilar is a hostel, in reality they They like to say that they are a cute accommodation. And boy are they! Antique furniture that comes to life thanks to Provençal green chalk paint, refined English-made porcelain, dreamy wallpaper in all 16 rooms and flowers, lots of flowers.
"We define ourselves by attention and care, that's why instead of 5 stars we have many flowers”, is the precious (and precise) motto chosen by Fernando Codesal and his mother, Feli Norniella, as a mantra for attract the traveler to this idyllic corner of Ribadesella overlooking the stream of San Pedro, the one that kisses the Sella river before it merges with the Cantabrian in the aristocratic fishing village.
old post office, Fernando tells us that they do not know the exact date of construction of the small house where the bar and restaurant are now housed. What they do know is that already appears portrayed in the year 1913 by a German traveler who published a book about the area at the beginning of the last century. Be that as it may, what they have achieved is that when we sit down in one of the tables of his smug dining room Let's take a real trip to the past... or rather, a journey into a shabby chic fantasy world where English romanticism pervades everything.
Pilar Bridge Garden, in Ribadesella (Asturias).
FROM LETTERS TO FLOWERS AND STOVES
A colleague by profession, it was Fernando who, after having lived for several years in France and England, discovered that his thing was the Country Living style and he left journalism to return in the early 2000s to his native Asturias and embark on this family adventure in which the same covers the inside of a small table to place it in a room ** that prepares you a chickpea curry with rice and mango chutney. **
Because yes, he is also the one who takes care of the kitchen of the restaurant, to which he has managed to give a sophisticated traveling twist for the enjoyment and enjoyment of his neighbors, who know a little about traditional Asturian cuisine, but who we are sure needed put a kale and pea humus in his life.
The rest, those of you who come from outside the Principality, can rest easy too, since Fernando has thought of everything and also he has included in the menu from an Asturian bean stew to a cachopo, passing through some escalopines to Cabrales. Everything is to satisfy the culinary hunger of locals and foreigners.
And the account? A jewel… but not monetary, but for the senses, since Fernando has the delicacy, the art and the good taste to draw it for you by hand. A piece of bread, a glass of wine, a legume, a cow... will be the beautiful and illustrative summary of a memorable lunch (or dinner).
A corner in the Puente del Pilar hostel, in Ribadesella.
CHARMING ROOMS
Going through the rooms of Puente del Pilar together with Feli is giving a bathroom of Asturian authenticity. You won't be shy about showing off (and rightly so) vintage toilets, floral wallpaper and that romantic style with which they have managed to attract attention of more than one in Ribadesella.
Also outside the fishing village, since in a subtle way the hostess will explain to you how they have received the visit (and the compliments) of some other professional interior designer of those who have come to the area to carry out large decorative projects (remember that the price of housing in Ribadesella is still one of the highest in Asturias and that their Indian mansions are sold for millions of euros).
One of the rooms of the Puente del Pilar accommodation, in Ribadesella.
Its 16 rooms are just as charming (note the four in the garden), although each one is different due to its personalized (and recovered) decoration. Some have headboards upholstered with floral fabrics, while others are made of carved wood. In some cases they are old mirrors that decorate the rooms or you can find porcelain pieces on the headboard of the bed.
Any decorative detail is welcome as long as it matches the happy and refined philosophy of Puente del Pilar, whose house rules –written and hand-drawn by Fernando– you will find hanging in the main entrance so you will never forget them: "Smile. Be happy. Help others. And love yourself very much."
Address: Puente el Pilar, 33567 Ribadesella (Asturias) See map
Telephone: 985860446