Want to buy a nice albergue?

[jpflavin1]

Elan:

I am interested and would like to see what you have learned.

Joe Flavin

 

[JoanneDoe]

There was a lovely albergue at Castrojeriz, called THE DUTCH, "Los Holandeses".
It was so well looked after and such a cozy place that I wanted to go back there on my 2nd Camino...But it was closed and I heard that the lovely Dutch hospederos had gone back to Holland. If any albergue on the Camino is worth to be reopened, then THIS one.
Castrojeriz is an interesting village on the Camino.
Good luck!!!

 

[LTfit]

How interesting to hear this JoanneDoe. Castrojeriz is one of my favorite spots along the Camino. Walking through last summer for the second time I thought to myself that it would be a perfect spot although I know of 2 other municipal albergues and 1 private. It may be that an extra one there was overkill. And of course there is also the Hospital de San Antón close by.

Elan-I have mentioned this in another thread but will e-mail you regarding your post.

 

[LTfit]

Digging a bit deeper and according to a recent article in the Diario de Burgos http://www.diariodeburgos.es/notici...culados/camino/dinamizan/economia/castrojeriz it looks like Castrojeriz is booming with new projects in addition to the existing 3 albergues and at least 5 casa rurales and hostales**. Humm...looks like that town is covered!

I did find an e-mail address for the Boogaard family which ran the Pensión La Casa de los Holandeses. Will send them off an e-mail. Who knows, maybe they can give some insight into the market in general. Curious in any case to hear why they closed shop.

 

[natasjavdh]

Hey!
I am Natacha, Belgian, on the same search to buy, rent, run or whatever ... an albergue on the camino, though i had the primitivo in mind (Oviedo-Melide)... i liked the primitivo at once, and mostly, there is a shortage of accommodation there (especially between Grandas de Salime and San Roman Da Retorta).
I was planning to be hospitalera voluntaria next month, i am subscribed in het spanish federacion de associaciones de amigos del camino de santiago, but not sure of a place. If i don't get one, i'll find one myself i guess, by writing some existing albergues.
September i wanted to go on the spot, networking, talking to municipalities and churches, hoping to find an empty building, to rent or buy. And convert it to a nice little albergue.
Slowly slowly taking it step by step...
Any help or tips are welcome, as well are people to share this project with, as my own financial resources are limited, or whatever kind of help you think of...

 

[Deleted member 3000]

From two new albergue owners, unless the Ayutamiento wants an albergue, it won't happen. Politics is local, and outsiders with big ideas have little credence. One albergue was in a building that had been in the family for generations, so the Mayor and community were convinced that the operators would not cut and run. Your commitment must be convincing!!!

 

[LTfit]

Natascha - didn't see your post till today. I have had e-mail contact with Elan and Derek also from the Forum shooting ideas back and forth. I will be in Spain in July (as hospitalera in El Burgo Ranero and to walk the Sanabrés) and will be meeting up with Derek while there. If you would like to join in on the discussion just PM me.

Falcon- Agree with you completely, first stop during the investigation phase should be the ayuntamiento. I have had contact with a Dutch/Nicaraguan couple with a pensión in Belorado and they did just that 7 years ago. With the blessing of the alcalde they were able to start.

Ideally you would like to become a part of the community although I am not so naive as to believe that this will happen overnight.

 

[Pattii]

Hey!
I am Natacha, Belgian, on the same search to buy, rent, run or whatever ... an albergue on the camino, though i had the primitivo in mind (Oviedo-Melide)... i liked the primitivo at once, and mostly, there is a shortage of accommodation there (especially between Grandas de Salime and San Roman Da Retorta).
I was planning to be hospitalera voluntaria next month, i am subscribed in het spanish federacion de associaciones de amigos del camino de santiago, but not sure of a place. If i don't get one, i'll find one myself i guess, by writing some existing albergues.
September i wanted to go on the spot, networking, talking to municipalities and churches, hoping to find an empty building, to rent or buy. And convert it to a nice little albergue.
Slowly slowly taking it step by step...
Any help or tips are welcome, as well are people to share this project with, as my own financial resources are limited, or whatever kind of help you think of...

would love to talk to you more about it...the thot went through my mind today when someone told me I would suit the life perfectly

 

[sillydoll]

An ad for an albergue for sale on the Camino Frances for €10 000 has been on Facebook. email: ventaalbergues@gmail.com

 

[SYates]

An ad for an albergue for sale on the Camino Frances for €10 000 has been on Facebook. email: ventaalbergues@gmail.com

I did write an email two weeks ago, tried to follow up on Facebook, no reply in both cases. 10,000 Euro for an 45 beds albergue seems extremely low so I wonder what the catch is ... SY

 

[fraluchi]

There are plenty of albergues for sale on the Camino Francés. Mainly because the owners' sentimental enthusiasm overruled a logical and essential "business" approach. Whether one likes it or not, any "business" must have a chance to generate income in order to cover costs and at least generate a break even (after repairs, maintenance, taxes, interests, etc.). Acquiring an existing albergue (or hostal/hotel for that matter) needs exhaustive investigation, which professional operators can affirm. Wouldn't you do the same before buying your ideal home?
There is no such thing as a free meal in this "business".

 

[Pattii]

I did write an email two weeks ago, tried to follow up on Facebook, no reply in both cases. 10,000 Euro for an 45 beds albergue seems extremely low so I wonder what the catch is ... SY

Its probably in need of repair but thats not a biggy... or its gone into receivership? Either way I would be so interested in teaming up with a couple people and being a part of it all. I honestly have nothing holding me to Canada anymore and I really...even before I've been there (noticed someone else saying this) want to be a part of the Camino on an ongoing basis...part of the journey that so many take...there to love and feed and help people find themselves on the Camino. I will try to email that address too. See what I can find on google/adds etc. And I too care nothing about making money...it is so not about that. I just have a huge overwhelming feeling that I may not be able to leave.

 

[Pattii]

And Falcon...we love that you are always the realist...but the Camino calls...and if its supposed to happen it will. That is the way of the world..and definitely the way of the Camino. Nothing can stop something that is supposed to happen. huge smiles!!

 

[Thornley]

There is a wonderful Casa Rural in Ciruena.
For the 20e/night we had the best sleep[ with a great roof deck for the evening wine.]
Maria is a great host.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

I stayed with Jacqueline at La Hutte in June, so she has not sold. I don't know if she is still selling. The albergue was nearly empty, but I stayed in her hostal, which was half-full. The food was very good. The tours of the Atapuerca dig leave from the new visitor center in Atapuerca as well as the museum in Burgos, so tourism in the village may be on the upswing. There were at least two new restaurants in town, which is a good sign. The location is mid-stage for the guidebooks, so pilgrims just walk on through. The latest scientific information is that the dig site was occupied about 1 million years ago, pushing back the earliest human remains in Europe by quite a few years! It is an amazing discovery on an abandoned railroad line. I met a Spaniard in Santo Domingo de Silos who played in the caves as a youth; another small world event on the Camino.

 

[Pattii]

wow...the only drawback of course is that its the halfway point. But doesn't that go back to the problem with everyone filing out after Brierley and walking the Camino he set out. Perhaps its about re writing the "book". One of the appeals for me of the Camino is its ancient roots...beyond the church...beyond civilization actually. I know there are more people like me who are wanting to find the meaning on more than one level...that is the target market then I would think for a location problem. Also targeting it as a winter stop...shorter easier walk??...I have to look up this location...heading out for a google walk...lol

 

[susanawee]

Me too.

me also

 

[LTfit]

I did write an email two weeks ago, tried to follow up on Facebook, no reply in both cases. 10,000 Euro for an 45 beds albergue seems extremely low so I wonder what the catch is ... SY

I had e-mail contact with the person that placed the ad (in Spanish). He was very willing to give me details, supply me with all the information I requested and even offered to have a Skype conference call. In all fairness to the seller, I don't feel that it is my place to give out the details of the location here. But just to clarify, the albergue is NOT for sale per se, but it can be leased until 2017. If anyone is truly interested I suggest that you pursue. From what I understand the offer holds until mid October, at least this is what was posted at the time.

And just to throw in my own 2 cents. I suggest to anyone that is dreaming about starting up or taking over an albergue to get some hands on experience as a hospitalero. Information can be found in the subform Hospitaleros.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

with everyone filing out after Brierley and walking the Camino he set out.

The number of English-speaking pilgrims is growing but does not rule the Camino, and they do not all us the Brierley guide. German guidebooks have similar stage ends. The single page handout from the SJPdP Pilgrim Office has stages very similar to Brierley. The very popular French language Miam Miam Dodo has continuous maps, so does not really lay out stages. Most of Brierley's end points are logical based on distance and accommodations, so he is not really to blame. He must be quite happy, though, to have increasingly large print runs sold out each year, so will gladly take any blame if it sells books.

 

[Pattii]

Well I haven't walked it yet so I can't say for sure...but I do wonder about how rushed people seem to be when walking through. I am sure that is a time restraint issue for most people too.
Either way...there are ways around those things...and its a work in progress...
And I am happy that Brierley is being blessed!

 

[Pattii]

And just to throw in my own 2 cents. I suggest to anyone that is dreaming about starting up or taking over an albergue to get some hands on experience as a hospitalero. Information can be found in the subform Hospitaleros.

Thats what I am doing before I leave. There are a few courses that one can take...

Hmm leasing ...not a bad idea...

 

[Pattii]

There is no such thing as a free meal in this "business".

I really don't think anyone is expecting that...at least not from my perspective...

 

[SYates]

Thats what I am doing before I leave. There are a few courses that one can take...
...

Normally these hospitalero courses are restricted to people that have already done the pilgrimage, SY

 

[Pattii]

Yes I am enquiring about it at the moment. I am hoping that there will be something I can take before I go because I won't be back in my own country for 6 months after...There is one in Victoria hopefully in the spring...and I will be contacting them.

 

[SYates]

Yes I am enquiring about it at the moment. I am hoping that there will be something I can take before I go because I won't be back in my own country for 6 months after...There is one in Victoria hopefully in the spring...and I will be contacting them.

The most useful course you could take is a Spanish course - unless you are fluent already. General skills that come in handy for hospitaleros are more languages (French and German in particular), first aid and, in some albergues necessary, cooking, SY

 

[Pattii]

I was able to get ahold of one of the people that are running the courses and asked if the rules could be bent a little considering I will be there so long after and want to work in the alburgues...she said yes...yay! So hopefully in Victoria in Spring otherwise I will fly east to go.
And I agree completely I am already taking a Spanish course and my room mate is French Canadian so I am learning as much French as possible too although I find it a more difficult language then Spanish...I honestly think I was Spanish in one of my past lives...it feels so familiar to me and I seem to be able to understand it very well...and yet even taking French in school I could not retain it..lol I am also taking a first aid course and a self defence course. I will be learning a little Swedish and hopefully a little German before I leave...as I have friends that speak both...general phrasesetc. and last but not lease a little Ukrainian as my brother and father speak it fluently.
I am a fantastic cook and have done that professionally so Im good to go on that...and my mama taught me how to clean trust me. I have farming in my blood and know how to raise everything from carrots and corn to chickens and goats! And I am damned good on a table or hand saw...can hammer a nail properly and have done a little plumbing. I had a fantastic father...in fact I can even change my own oil and rotate tires etc. in my car! One of the things I am looking to do is hook up with some professional hikers who are well versed in foot care so I might be able to help out in that way too.

So I am trying to put all these bits and bobs of info together on my notes in my Evernote app to make sure I have a good source to draw on if I need it there.

And I am an entertainer...musician...so I might even be able to sooth the savage beast if there were any!

 

[Rebekah Scott]

Dreams are wonderful. But tread very slowly and carefully. There are already too many albergues on some of the caminos, and competition, especially from foreigners, is not looked upon kindly.

I have told several of the people above -- don't try this unless you have independent income. Do not expect to make a profit at running an albergue. The overhead is high, the rules, regulations, inspections, taxes and fees are amazing, and the available existing albergues are (sorry to say it) often available for good reasons.

And don't try to do it alone. Unless you are running a tiny place on an isolated path, the job is just too big for one person. You need to get away sometimes, and someone has to keep the door open. Competent or trustworthy help is often hard to find.

Being a full-time hospitalero requires the fortitude and patience of a saint. Two weeks of it in a year is more than enough for most people. Even the Augustinian sisters in Carrion cover the albergue in shifts, and take the winters off!

 

[fostersail1]

Funny story. It was raining and cold when my wife and I walked through Cirueña last year. We were particularly somber for some reason. I mumbled to her, "This looks like a prison camp…" She laughed and replied, "How'd you do that? You just read my mind?" It looked like an American suburb had failed and I didn't feel at all disappointed as we walked into the village center and returned to the real Spain.

 

[fraluchi]

FWIW: at this time last year (September 2012), albergue El Pilar owners were considering the sale of their lovely property in Rabanal del Camino. It has a superb reputation, made by the owners during many years of dedication to anything related to the Camino. Pilar's mother and father are getting quite old and understandably exhausted. She herself mentioned to me that she wanted to return to Madrid when she couldn't count on her mother anymore (who BTW makes some excellent tortillas)
This albergue is quite a nut to crack for any entrepreneur who knows the Camino concept and interrelates particularly well with the Spanish pilgrim market.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

On the Chemin du Puy this gite is for sale. The entire farm is available, too. The next generation is not interested in farming or operating the gite, and the owner wants to retire. In my opinion it is one of the best places on all of the caminos. It has a great gite in the barn with several rooms and a decent kitchen. The main house is "chambre d'hote" with linens and heat! Actually, the gite has heat, too, but only when it is really cold (in the opinion of the host).

http://www.chemindecompostelle.com/lesgentianes/

 

[Canuck]

...In my opinion it is one of the best places on all of the caminos...

I'll vouch for that and add that the Aligot served at night is second to none.

 

[jirit]

I stayed with Jacqueline at La Hutte in June, so she has not sold. I don't know if she is still selling. The albergue was nearly empty, but I stayed in her hostal, which was half-full. The food was very good. The tours of the Atapuerca dig leave from the new visitor center in Atapuerca as well as the museum in Burgos, so tourism in the village may be on the upswing. There were at least two new restaurants in town, which is a good sign. The location is mid-stage for the guidebooks, so pilgrims just walk on through. The latest scientific information is that the dig site was occupied about 1 million years ago, pushing back the earliest human remains in Europe by quite a few years! It is an amazing discovery on an abandoned railroad line. I met a Spaniard in Santo Domingo de Silos who played in the caves as a youth; another small world event on the Camino.

When I walked the camino Frances route last time in 2011, we stopped here for the night ( we had started in Belorado that morning ). We arrived early enough to grab a late afternoon lunch at the first restaurant as you enter the small hamlet basically opposite the albergue.

Furthermore the following morning, meant we had a short walk to Burgos and we were there long before noon, with the entire afternoon free to check out the sights.

I would highly recommend stopping here

 

[TaylorFamily]

Hi folks, I've only just come across this thread and read all the responses with interest.
Hi there

I have been doing some research on being an albergue owner ( or the possibility of leasing) after - well during our Camino walk last year.. its been a bit of a dream ever since and now we want to know how much of a possibility it actually is.

My children ( age 8 and 10) and I walked the camino last year and are off to do it again in late April. We are Australians, but we have British passports. We would love to look into the possibility of running an Albergue along the track and can see ourselves doing this for 3 - 5 years before heading off to our next adventure.

Any information or guidance, or websites I may not yet have discovered would be so helpful - thanks in advance. Bon Camino!

 

[SYates]

First and most important advice: Volunteer for a prolonged time as a hospitalera voluntaria (contact details see here http://www.caminosantiago.org/cpperegrino/hospitaleros/hospitaleros.asp) before comitting yourself / buying your own albergue. SY

 

[indyinmaine]

I think the opportunity is interesting but the "downside" is its proximity to Burgos. That's just about the time I was ready for a hotel break! The town of Murias de Rechivaldo has the same problem. You'd like to stay there but you just spent an overnight in Astorga.

 

[SYates]

That really is personal pilgrim preference and should never be generalized. I for one avoid the big towns / cities like the plague and deeply prefer to stay in smaller places ... Different pilgrim, different preference, SY

I think the opportunity is interesting but the "downside" is its proximity to Burgos. That's just about the time I was ready for a hotel break! The town of Murias de Rechivaldo has the same problem. You'd like to stay there but you just spent an overnight in Astorga.

 

[PANO]

There are plenty of albergues for sale on the Camino Francés. Mainly because the owners' sentimental enthusiasm overruled a logical and essential "business" approach. Whether one likes it or not, any "business" must have a chance to generate income in order to cover costs and at least generate a break even (after repairs, maintenance, taxes, interests, etc.). Acquiring an existing albergue (or hostal/hotel for that matter) needs exhaustive investigation, which professional operators can affirm. Wouldn't you do the same before buying your ideal home?
There is no such thing as a free meal in this "business".

Fraluchi has an excellent point here and I fully concur. I actually had long conversations with a young German woman last year on my CF, about her dream of running an albergue. While she impressed me with very sound and sensible ideas regarding location, operation, etc., I found that she nursed a hopelessly romanticised B-plan.
Let's face it: The weakest link in running an albergue are the customers; they are cheapskate misers.
The math's are quickly made: unless you find volunteer-helpers working for a smile and unless you cut corners wherever possible, break-even is tough. As peregrinos, we are in a condition of ecstasy, full of idealism and fail to see many realities. I had the privilege to exchange a bit beyond the usual chats with two lovely and devoted hospitaleras, Simone at the Casa Magica* in Villatuerta and with Mathilda at the Hostal a Cruz de Ferro* in Rabanal del Camino. There was not one single word of complaint but listening to their description of the harsh daily lives and chores was heartbreaking and did not shed a kindly light on the behaviour of certain peregrinos.
My advise: If you seriously contemplate to run an albergue, don't look at it with the eyes of a peregrino, but with the detached scepticism of a seasoned business person.

(*) PS: I can warmly recommend these two albergues, for me they were absolute highlights on my trail.

 

[wendelart]

local rumor has it the shiny new Albergue de los Templarios on the way into Terradillos de los Templarios is also for sale. It´s only been open for two years, has solar hot water, restaurant, swimming pool, etc. Just needs a bit of character, really...

Reb.

Really? I liked that one! Very good food in the restaurant, one of the rare times I decided not too cook for myself. I had just broken my record in how many km I could walk and was exhausted when I reached that one, it was a very welcoming place.

And I liked the one in Atapuerca too, very cosy, nice atmosphere. I was glad I made a small detour to reach that one and not the bigger, newer albergue in the village closer to the camino. What a shame, the camino will loose a few good places! Let's hope there will be new, equally nice albergues in their place.

 

[Thornley]

Well said Pano,
I think Simone and the old bloke who she married , lol, [ the villager] made our second camino.
We stayed at places we never considered in 08 and the friends we made in Casa Magica [ Villatuerta] will stay with us .

Maybe people on this subject DO NOT REALISE what a bank can do to homes/businesses etc in Spain at this present time.

** Where you live consider this;
You buy a property for $$ @ % for so long.
After you spend years doing it up, its now lovely
The bank then says ........we want 50% deposit, not the 20% you paid....hello money spent on renovations......
We also want the loan repaid in 12 years not 20years........hello.............repayments double.........plus the extra deposit..a bit short we are
Thats whats happening in Spain ......................all over the country.
If you want a good buy , know a bank manager who deals in receiverships.

Sorry Ivar, had too say what many feel.

 

[PANO]

.........
You buy a property for $$ @ % for so long.
After you spend years doing it up, its now lovely
The bank then says ........we want 50% deposit, not the 20% you paid....hello money spent on renovations......
We also want the loan repaid in 12 years not 20years........hello.............repayments double.........plus the extra deposit..a bit short we are
Thats whats happening in Spain ......................all over the country.
If you want a good buy , know a bank manager who deals in receiverships.

Good of you to mention this, Thornley; anyone interested in running an albergue should definitely seek to keep the local Spanish banks out. Besides that 3rd party financing will make you a hostage. Plus, as a foreigner, you'd be in hostile territory! My advise: Enjoy the camino and the amenities as a simple peregrino and stay out of trouble.

 

[Anniesantiago]

This thread feels like deja vu...

 

[Anniesantiago]

I would suggest everyone interested in buying and running an albergue take a hospitalero course first.
Difficult people can make your life hell if you aren't prepared - I wasn't with my first group and made some huge mistakes.

Also, has anyone here considered the issue of locals who possibly don't appreciate or want you in town?

 

[Rebekah Scott]

Or pay cash for the place and own it outright. Then you only have to contend with wild and wonderful repair and maintenance guys, the tax man, and other locals who assume you are a very stupid millionaire.

 

[rcm]

Anyone one still have serious interest and prepared to act on this? Send me a message. My wife and I are and both speak Spanish. Let's talk...

 

[obinjatoo@yahoo.com]

How about Camino Albergue Co-Op? Essentially that's what we are talking about creating. A co-op albergue. It's a thought....

I have almost no money to buy anything aside from a bocadillo here and there. BUT I've a strong back and can work like the dickens. I love to cook. I'll work for room and board. I thought Atapuerca was amazing! I lived in the American Southwest hiking all over the desert and there is evidence of humans going back tens of thousands of years. I loved it! Bow drill fires anyone? I can teach that too. Other primative skills? There could be a whole new outdoor education piece to this too.
OK, I'll reel it in a little. But keep me posted.

 

[obinjatoo@yahoo.com]

Oh and my Spanish is excellant.

 

[mspath]

Location! Location! Today's Mundicamino reports a new real estate agency listing properties for sale along the camino.

MM

 

[KinkyOne]

Location! Location! Today's Mundicamino reports a new real estate agency listing properties for sale along the camino.

MM

Wow, 10 albergues for sale??? With pilgrim numbers rising? Don't understand that...
Maybe the reason is taxes? Or too much albergues in one village/town? All of the listed has 4 or more albergues except Cirauqui and Espinosa.

 

[David]

Would you really want a refugio? Really? Seven days a week, up before dawn, go to bed long after you are exhausted. The same problems every day, the same questions every day ... you meet pilgrims briefly and never see them again - no relationships are formed. From the beginning of the season until you close you do not stop, the same day, repeated, cleaning, always cleaning - like living Groundhog Day over and over again. Pilgrims breaking showers and not telling you, possibility of bedbug infestations ....

so - why is it that one would want a refugio? To re-live the Camino one did? To be in charge of pilgrims? To 'buy the holiday'?
Or - and for me this should be the only reason - to help pilgrims? There are many ways to help pilgrims, to help others, without taking on the burden of a refugio, don't you think?

So ... really, would you really want a refugio? Surely much better and much more fun would be to run a lunch and first aid stop, where pilgrims stop and laze around for a while. Early mornings and evenings would be free time - you could stay closed whenever you needed to be elsewhere ... just a thought.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

There are some interesting properties on that list, ones that I thought were committed family operations. The motivations to sell must be a varied as the locations.

 

[fraluchi]

There are some interesting properties on that list, ones that I thought were committed family operations. The motivations to sell must be a varied as the locations.

Each of them has indeed a history and are up for sale since quite some time. When I look at the prices published by the agency, and consider the financial aspects of a hospitality operation (apart from the aspects which David - above - has put in such a colourful and realistic way ) as an "albergue", I wouldn't touch any of the properties with a "walking stick".
The subject arose already a few years ago, and at the time Rebekah put her finger on the "sore" with wise advice.

 

[iosu]

Mundicamino reports that the owner of 'La Hutte', the first hostel opened in Atapuerca, plans to put it on sale, as well as rural tourism center annexed after ten years as an entrepreneur and hospitalero.
Jacqueline Vezi is already thinking about retirement. She was a pioneer in opening a hostel for pilgrims in Atapuerca, 'La Hutte' and rural tourism center has decided to close attached after ten years dedicated to service, first as a pilgrim and then as an entrepreneur.
"If I can sell, sell. Now there is much competition and it is very difficult. Here there are three or four winter months when we do nothing, but the costs remain. Winter is very hard, "She says with resignation. Their children do not want to continue with the school management of rural tourism and pilgrims' hostel that her parents launched a decade ago, when the pilgrims slept in the open in a district that was then beginning to spread internationally the importance of its archaeological sites.
"I am at an age to think about retirement, I'm tired, so the solution is to sell," says Jacqueline, who acknowledges that future Visitor Reception Center at Atapuerca and the Museum of Human Evolution in Burgos represent a hope for many employers in the area, and perhaps not for her.
The original enthusiasm for the project is worn, although there is the memory. "I had three times the French Way and find this house, I said, something can be done with it. It was purchased and completely changed ".
Together with her partner they decided to open a shelter for pilgrims and now has capacity for 18 people in bunk beds in a unit once used for farming and ranching. "The pilgrims did not have to sleep in Atapuerca, they did in the street, under trees, because the only place where there was shelter Olmos de Atapuerca, was a municipal, but had to depart. Many preferred to spend the night outside to walk more miles, "she recalls.
The following year she created a rural tourism center with eight rooms and canteen, which was also the first infrastructure of this enclave catering Burgos. "There were two restaurants but nothing to stay, and it came very well to people," he said, adding that he regretted never change his work as a French teacher in the capital of Burgos by a full-time to his new task of corporate and hospitable.
"Knowing the needs of pilgrims and I was perfectly done, knew he could not continue to give and attend this class. It was impossible, can not be in two places at once. He was also a private academy, and had to quit, "he explains.
Many pilgrims feel his departure for the hospitality offered them from massaging their aching feet after many hours of effort to clean up the blisters. "I've never gotten into the privacy of anyone. If they have wanted to tell his life was his decision, but I've never bothered with intrusive questioning. I think I've been very respectful, "Jacqueline summarizes its attitude in this time of work, which, he says, this has been the worst winter. "It had not happened, was no one, not pilgrims or tourists. You see few people, and who comes to visit the sites brings the thermos and sandwiches. The crisis looks, feels, is there. "
So confident that "spike" the situation with the arrival of pilgrims this Holy Year, and grant them "a little oxygen," because "the last Jacobean also said they would come many did not, were even less than the previous year. "
Because, in his view, the traditional route between San Juan de Ortega and Atapuerca "is not sufficiently well publicized." He believes that "propaganda is poorly made or poorly focused." "The people of this area we feel and suffer every day," laments almost dejected.
Jacqueline will continue in her post this Jacobean, but next year may be another face and other hands those who attend to the pilgrims, who will certainly not forget the French who arrived in Atapuerca to make them walk a little easier.

 

[iosu]

Each of them has indeed a history and are up for sale since quite some time. When I look at the prices published by the agency, and consider the financial aspects of a hospitality operation (apart from the aspects which David - above - has put in such a colourful and realistic way ) as an "albergue", I wouldn't touch any of the properties with a "walking stick".
The subject arose already a few years ago, and at the time Rebekah put her finger on the "sore" with wise advice.

Would you like to buy a nice albergue? CASA DE LA ABUELA IN LOS ARCOS,contacto@casadelaabuela.com

 

[fraluchi]

Would you like to buy a nice albergue? CASA DE LA ABUELA IN LOS ARCOS

It is a "nice" place, mainly because of its young owners, a good location and efficient set-up. But it has its heavy price with the chores which David (above) so realistically painted. They have been exemplary hosts on the Camino.
If the owners sell the property they can come with their two young children to a promised vacation at our place in Costa Rica! Si Dios quiere.

 

[Arn]

Timing is everything!
Location is everything!
Reb...knows everything!

Four years since the original post and things have not gotten better...with one exception...the number of pilgrims on Camino.

Is now the right time?
Is the location still the right location?
What does Reb think?

 

[Alyssa]

Funny story. It was raining and cold when my wife and I walked through Cirueña last year. We were particularly somber for some reason. I mumbled to her, "This looks like a prison camp…" She laughed and replied, "How'd you do that? You just read my mind?" It looked like an American suburb had failed and I didn't feel at all disappointed as we walked into the village center and returned to the real Spain.

I wondered what the heck that place was when I walked through it! You have described it perfectly!! It freaked me out a little actually...

 

[Thornley]

I wondered what the heck that place was when I walked through it! You have described it perfectly!! It freaked me out a little actually...View attachment 13768 View attachment 13769

When you borrow money to develop or money to buy an albergue/pension then you will have a very big chance of ending up like those condo's close to Ciruena.
The GFC caused this but the reason behind the mess which did not originated in Spain is still the same .............don't borrow.

We actually had a great day when in Ciruena.
Sold cold drinks in the park at the end of the long/steep rise .....local kids from these condo's
Went to golf club for a beer and ended up purchasing 2 great golf shirts for a wonderful price.
Stayed in the village at " Casa Victoria " , charming host Maria , the wine was cold , the roof top beer garden was great for a afternoon snooze and the bed in a private room , very, very comfortable.

 

[Bajaracer]

I wondered what the heck that place was when I walked through it! You have described it perfectly!! It freaked me out a little actually...View attachment 13768 View attachment 13769

That house stuck out like a sore thumb, an american style house with a Spanish roof.

 

[Tokku]

I'd be interested in this but as far as things look, things are not looking good in the market for buying a albergue. And it is gonna be a little hard to find and buy out but i'd like to be apart of it somehow if it truly is gonna happen.

 

[Rebekah Scott]

Don't even think about buying an albergue until you have volunteered as a hospitalero a few times.
The albergue business is not all it seems.
(sometimes it is more!)

 

[David]

Oh and my Spanish is excellant.

Hopeless at Spanish .. but I speak Esperanto like a native ....

 

[vagabond]

Hello! I am happy to see there is some renewed interest in this idea. Starting an albergue is something I have been actively working on since I walked the Camino at the end of last year. I have been in Spain/Portugal/France for some time now speaking with other albergue owners, volunteering as a hospitalero and looking for the right property along one of the Caminos. I've learned that there are plenty of legal hurdles, but it is possible for a non-European to remain in Spain and set up an albergue without investing 160k for residency. In terms of real estate prices, unfortunately being on the Camino inflates the price of buildings considerably, although renting is an option as well.

If someone is also seriously considering an albergue project and interested in potentially joining me, I would love to talk more, as I am currently pursuing this venture alone. My email is elanweisz@gmail.com, please send me a note if you'd like to talk more. I'd also be happy to refer you to some albergues for sale that I've looked at if you are interested in that route.

--
Hi! I´ve been thinking the same since doing my camino in ´10 & ´12. From what I remember there was this splendid, yet abandoned villa in, I believe, a small village called "Poblacíon de campos" just after leaving Fromista. It had obviously some renovation/construction needs but I definitely could see the charm in that one! Other than that re-building one of the ruined houses in Manjarin/Foncebadon would be a pearl! Also the little hamlet of San Cristobal do Real/San Cristobo after Triacastela on the left-side route going to Samos has definitely that spiritfull atmosphere so typical for the camino and all of these are a situated along the Camino Frances. Another option would be to set up in Cirauqui, the quaint labyrinthine town just after Puente de la Reina.

// Vagabond

 

[Deleted member 3000]

I´ve been thinking the same since doing my camino in ´10 & ´12

Amerigrino has not visited the Forum since posting this thread. You may need a different partner with a more sustained interest. Be sure to read about Spanish bureaucracy before acquiring anything but a turnkey operation.

 

[naplesdon]

I have an Aussie friend who married a French guy, bought an old farm near St. Emilion and turned it into a really wonder gite with 5 apartments. Then she got a divorce..... Oh, the stories she could tell you about being a hospitalier in a foreign land, it would make you think more than twice.

 

[Anemone del Camino]

Would you like to buy a nice albergue? CASA DE LA ABUELA IN LOS ARCOS,contacto@casadelaabuela.com

Not quite on topic, but this hospitalero was the smartest one around in my opinion, prefering to do laundry for us, rather than having us make a mess he would then have to clean up. He gives you a mesh bag upon arrival, you bring it back to him, and a couple of hours later your clothes magically appear clean and folded. With young children needing to go to school, I am not surprised they want to head back to Madrid. Pitty though that it will the end of that family's history in that house and village.

 

[Anemone del Camino]

Would you really want a refugio? Really? ... Surely much better and much more fun would be to run a lunch and first aid stop, where pilgrims stop and laze around for a while. Early mornings and evenings would be free time - you could stay closed whenever you needed to be elsewhere ... just a thought.

I like what the owner of the ermita just outside of Triacastela and those of the Hospital del Alma have done: restaured ancient buldings with lots of love to make them available to pilgrims who want to come in, rest, medidate, pray. These owners live on the premices as well. They are doing something for the community by restauring, for the pilgrims by offering a welcoming place along their way. No exchange of money. A different way to be part of the Camino.

 

[Rebekah Scott]

It's a wonderful dream, and it costs everything. You have to be willing to change your entire life, live in a different language among people who often drive you insane, hang on through long, lonesome off-season months, and never-ending Kafka-esque days of often-demanding, self-absorbed Pilgrim Pilgrim Pilgrims in the on-season. At the end of it all you may find yourself exhausted, exploited, broke... and full of a Peace that Passes Understanding.

Don't do this if you have never been a volunteer hospitalero. Don't do this unless you have a reliable source of independent income. Do not try doing this alone, or without very good Spanish language skills. Don't do this unless you have a solid spirituality and/or a rich inner life.
And you MUST have a sense of humor.

 

[KinkyOne]

Amerigrino has not visited the Forum since posting this thread. You may need a different partner with a more sustained interest. Be sure to read about Spanish bureaucracy before acquiring anything but a turnkey operation.

Dear Falcon,
I have an impression that most of the time you are not reading posts that have been posted before yours really well. For example, happened several times when I was the first to answer with a link and as third, fourth or... poster you've posted the same link(s)
In this reply of yours you wrote: "Amerigrino has not visited the Forum since posting this thread" and less than 6 hours were in-between. Wow, poor guy maybe went to bed or whatever... Only Chuck Norris could do more I guess... Did you wanted to say anything about OP with that???

K1

 

[David]

Falcon hasn't posted on the forum since posting his last comment

 

[KinkyOne]

Falcon hasn't posted on the forum since posting his last comment

AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
David, did you know that Chuck Norris once answered the phone twice???

 

[Thornley]

Dear Falcon,
I have an impression that most of the time you are not reading posts that have been posted before yours really well. For example, happened several times when I was the first to answer with a link and as third, fourth or... poster you've posted the same link(s)
In this reply of yours you wrote: "Amerigrino has not visited the Forum since posting this thread" and less than 6 hours were in-between. Wow, poor guy maybe went to bed or whatever... Only Chuck Norris could do more I guess... Did you wanted to say anything about OP with that???

K1

Amerigrino is somewhere between Lisbon and Santiago.
He commenced in May ******2013.
His last post was on 31st May , 2013.

Rebekah is the only one who knows anything on this subject and her advice should be followed.

 

[Kathy F.]

local rumor has it the shiny new Albergue de los Templarios on the way into Terradillos de los Templarios is also for sale. It´s only been open for two years, has solar hot water, restaurant, swimming pool, etc. Just needs a bit of character, really...

Reb.

Rebekah, you have your finger on the pulse . . .

 

[Rebekah Scott]

I am only one person in one place. The camino is way big. Miracles are known to occur out there. I am ready to help out just about anybody who wants to give it a try, but I gotta tell ya: it's not a retirement plan, or a fun hobby. It's a calling.

 

[Rebekah Scott]

Oh, and as for Amerigrino: He stayed here with us for a while, he visited a long list of available albergues, he talked to all kinds of people all over the caminos, and in the end he decided to not go into the albergue business after all.
After a stint as a wildlife ranger in Florida, he now is working for a natural foods marketing concern in Portland, Oregon. He is a brilliant young man, and I wish him well.

 

[alexwalker]

If I remember correctly, this albergue is an isolated place, outside the nearest pueblo:

https://alberguelostemplariosing.wordpress.com/
https://alberguelostemplariosing.wordpress.com/the-pictures-of-the-path/

I remember I passed it and thought that if I went there, there nothing else than the albergue there. When I settle for the day, I like to walk around and have a look at "my" place for the evening/night.

 

[Anemone del Camino]

Oh, and as for Amerigrino: He stayed here with us for a while, he visited a long list of available albergues, he talked to all kinds of people all over the caminos, and in the end he decided to not go into the albergue business after all.
After a stint as a wildlife ranger in Florida, he now is working for a natural foods marketing concern in Portland, Oregon. He is a brilliant young man, and I wish him well.

So glad to read this. We are quick to judge when someone does not post back.

 

[KinkyOne]

If I remember correctly, this albergue is an isolated place, outside the nearest pueblo:

https://alberguelostemplariosing.wordpress.com/
https://alberguelostemplariosing.wordpress.com/the-pictures-of-the-path/

I remember I passed it and thought that if I went there, there nothing else than the albergue there. When I settle for the day, I like to walk around and have a look at "my" place for the evening/night.

I remember it different. Well, it was 4 years since I was walking that stretch so I might be mistaken. But in my memory this albergue is only some 50mts after the cemetery on the left at the entrance to the village. So I think it is not so isolated, but have no real recolection of what else one can find in the village though. Nothing much else I guess...

 

[fraluchi]

[...] as for Amerigrino: [...] he visited a long list of available albergues, he talked to all kinds of people all over the caminos, and in the end he decided to not go into the albergue business after all.

Our advice since 2010 in respect of this subject on the Forum may also have played a role in his decision taking. Even if not, he's a wise guy!
Should we maybe start a new thread like "Want to lease/rent a nice albergue?"
Now where are the feasibility study experts, who are able to value the risks of "short term Camino fans"?