Accommodation and stamping of passport - hostel/hotel??

[joyful46]

:? Hello to experienced and novice pilgrims
I am thrilled to have stumbled upon this forum to gain some valuable advice for my camino in October 2011. I am a cold frog and winter (3 June) in my part of Australia is now a low 11.8 c at 8 am and will probably lift to 18 c during the middle of the day. So you can see I am spoilt rotten and getting very nervous after reading another account of walking the Camino in October through rain and slush, what am I throwing myself into??? Oh well I guess this is part of the experience and nothing worthwhile is ever easy.

I am walking solo and not sure of my personal ability to manage dormitory accommodation in albergues; I have been told that rooms in private homes or small hotels are often available and this might be an option for me when I am feeling that I need a quiet sleeping space or when I want to stay another day to explore a village or to rest. Not sure of the single cost for such accommodation.

Is there a list of such accommodation options available so that I have an alternative when planning my sections? Hopeful that someone can help me. signed: :wink: joyful46

 

[Deleted member 3000]

Sites such as this one show the accommodations available on each stage:

http://www.mundicamino.com/ingles/rutas.cfm?id=15

Surf around it, and take a look.

Hape Kerkeling, the German humorist, did the Camino in hotels/hostals, so you can too! Some love the albergues, some hate them. If you try them, you will know for yourself.

October is good walking weather unless you insist on heat!

Have fun!

 

[annelise]

Hi Joyful46 - Just returned yesterday after five weeks on the camino. I chose to alternate between albergues (most of them very good - others also good but sometimes somewhat cramped for space) and hostales.

The price of a room in hostales with bathroom varied between 30 and 50 Euros per night with the odd ones a bit higher, but believe me, if you arrive after a full day of soaking thunderstorms or a long walk, you would wish to pay any price! Please PM me if you wish details of places and prices of hostales I have been in (between Roncesvalles and Astorga) and I will send them to you when I have sorted my notes out.

 

[William Marques]

I did not see any question about the stamping of passports in your post but to reassure you the hotels and hostales will all have stamps and the pilgrims office in Santiago do not care where you stayed. Stamps can also be found at churches, albergues, bars, tourist offices and many other places. One of my most valued was from the little church at O Cebreiro.

 

[mmm042]

Hi.

I always stay in casa rurales; as someone mentioned, the price is around $30-60, which can sometimes get you AMAZING properties. I stayed in several entire homes by myself! Often laundry facilities are available, and often breakfast/dinner are included or an option to add on for a modest fee. Here's a site I've found useful to find places:

http://www.toprural.com/

Just make sure to read the text closely. Sometimes they're homes that can only be rented in their entirety, meaning you can only rent, say, a 5-bedroom home for 300 euros/night. In the situation I mentioned above, I was able to rent my room for 40 euros/night, but since no one else rented a room for that same night, I had the entire house to myself.

Melanie

 

[+@^^]

accommodation ranges from wild camping, to the penthouse in a 5 star hotel
with costs ranging from zero to a very lot
and God did not create all albergues alike
so not all are dorm-like
generally you will have options
.
on the vdlp in Oct 2010
i generally spent my rest days in hostals
and mostly paid circa 20Euro a pop
for that, i got a bed with real linen with hot and cold running water and a television set
i wasnt really in the chocolate-on-your-pilow at bed-time league
so i was as happy as a pig in palestine
.
re sellos - if the building has a door with a cash register inside, its probably got a passport stamp

 

[WolverineDG]

Even if you stay in a place that does not have a sello, chances are some place in town, or along your way that particular day, does---a bar, a church, a store.

Kelly

 

[Whizzer]

I came across a list of the LES REFUGES SUR LE CAMINO FRANCÈS. Is this some hostel list?


http://www.xacobeo.fr/ZE2.03.aub-PDF_1.pdf

 

[Trudy]

Can't comment on the weather in October as I've only walked in May/June. But, as far as accommodation is concerned, it's really worth trying albergue accommodation. I'm a bit introverted, but found I quickly adapted to dormitory accommodation, surprised myself really. Though I did stay in hotels every 5 or 6 days to get a bit of piece and quiet, and my own bathroom!

I really suggest you get a copy of the Confraternity of St James Guide to the Camino Frances (guess that's the route you're walking). This will give you a live of all accommodation in every village and town, including phone number and prices. Also included is information on distances between villages/towns, a little bit of sightseeing, bed number in albergues and info on facilities such as kitchens, and information on facilities in towns etc. The guide is updated each January from feedback from the previous year's pilgrims. You can buy the guide through the CSJ's website and shipping to Australia is quick. Have a look at the Bookshop on http://www.csj.org.uk