La Casona de Amandi

La Quinta la Ballina, built on an old forge

La Casona de Amandi was built in the mid-19th century on the walls of an old forge, on an estate belonging to the Counts of Revillagigedo, and in the village it is also known as the Quinta la Ballina. It stands on the plain of the River Llinares, right on the Camino de Santiago, with the chapel of San Juan opposite. Two glazed galleries were added in the early 20th century; the south-facing one, on iron columns, is the corner where you can watch the sun rise and set. It was declared a building of special interest in 1991 and was one of the first rural guesthouses in the area.

It is five minutes from Villaviciosa and less than half an hour from Gijón. The garden, of more than 5,000 m², has wisteria, lime trees, firs, thujas, beeches, willows, oaks and a great sequoia, with a wide meadow.

Nine rooms, four ways to sleep

There are nine, spread over two floors, all different, with wooden floors and antique furniture; the whole house sleeps about 24 people. All have a private bathroom with shower or bath, hairdryer, toiletries, heating, television and wifi.

• Double, for a couple or one person.
• Double family, somewhat larger, with the option of an extra bed, designed for families with children.
• Indiana, a suite with a glass-walled bathroom in white and blue tiles, which takes two extra beds.
• Indiana junior, spacious and bright, with views of the chapel of San Juan and the mountains, for three or four people.

Cots are available, and pets are welcome. The website does not publish prices: they appear in its booking search.

The house's breakfasts and dinners

The casona serves breakfasts and dinners made with seasonal produce, much of it organic and local, to showcase traditional Asturian cooking. If you would rather go out, in the same village there is Casa Cortina, the cider house at the Sidra Cortina cider mill.

What the casona organises

From here they arrange tailor-made routes, on foot, by bike or on horseback, along the Camino de Santiago, past the mills or the old jet mine entrances, and along the cliffs. The outing that sets it apart is "Escapada en bandada" (a flock getaway): a birdwatching visit guided by a local biologist. They also help organise surf or paddle-surf lessons at Rodiles and descents of the Sella, about forty kilometres away.

Weddings, times and cancellation

The estate has a timber-and-glass structure for 300 guests, and the house hosts weddings, communions and corporate events: ask whether any coincide with your dates. Check-in is from 17:00 to 19:00, a short window, and check-out is until 12:00. They do not ask for payment in advance: the booking is guaranteed with a card. Cancelling is free up to 14 days before; after that you pay half, and with less than 48 hours' notice, the full amount. Open all year.