Accommodation costs

[HeatherWriter]

Hi all,
Can you tell me if I am right in thinking that it's possible to get accommodation along the Camino Frances for as little as 5 euros/night? This is what I'd been told and budgeting for (starting around the start of October 2012), but reading through the forum, I see a lot of places for 25 euros and up. I've looked through Guy's (?) wonderful spreadsheet and it seems things are a lot more expensive than I thought.
Help!
Thanks,
Heather

 

[tyrrek]

Hi all,
Can you tell me if I am right in thinking that it's possible to get accommodation along the Camino Frances for as little as 5 euros/night? This is what I'd been told and budgeting for (starting around the start of October 2012), but reading through the forum, I see a lot of places for 25 euros and up.

Hi Heather!

It's possible to find some albergues for 5 Euros, but I found 7 or 8 Euros more common when I was there 2 months ago. I think 25 Euros would be for a private room, and even they are often cheaper per person if you share.

Edit: It will obviously cost a bit more if food is included.

Buen Camino!

 

[HeatherWriter]

Whew! Thank you! Was thinking I was going to have to rejig my whole trip! :lol:

 

[CaminoGen]

Last year, I paid between 5 an 11 Euros for my rooms. I got a single room in Seminario Menor in Santiago for 15 Euros or something...

If you go in a donativo albergue, please leave money; donativo does not mean free.

Buen camino

 

[tyrrek]

Last year, I paid between 5 an 11 Euros for my rooms. I got a single room in Seminario Menor in Santiago for 15 Euros or something...

If you go in a donativo albergue, please leave money; donativo does not mean free.

Buen camino

Hi CaminoGen! Is that the fantastic place up the steps by the side of the Cathedral? If so it was 23 Euros very recently for a single pilgrim room on 4th floor (much more on the other floors!) and not much cheaper per person if you share a room. I also stayed there last year, and I think it was the same price.
Buen Camino!

 

[robmcd]

I stayed there a few days ago and I can confirm I paid 23 euros which included breakfast. I was very pleased with the accommodation.

 

[hieronimus]

I`ve finished camino on 7th of May 2012, prices for a place in alberguie were between $4 - $9 euros,
Once I have paid 10 Euros but included brekfast. It is possible that during summer month when there is more pilgrims prices will change. And I have to say that this time camino was a lot less expensive then during holy year 2010.

jeremy

 

[annakappa]

Heather - there are Albergues that only charge €5,however it doesn't mean that there will be one right in the village where you want to stay the night! It could be that you arrive in a village totally shattered and the only Albergue available charges €10! Personally. I think you should budget at least €8 a day, so as to even things out a bit. Anne

 

[fraluchi]

Can you tell me if I am right in thinking that it's possible to get accommodation along the Camino Frances for as little as 5 euros/night?

I seriously would doubt it. Municipal albergues charge from 4 Euros upwards, "donación albergues¨should not receive less from a pilgrim, and as one gets nearer to Santiago the rates gradually increase. A "cheap" bed may mean lining up early at a potentially economical place, depending upon the time of year, week-ends, holiday periods, availability of albergues in your destination, and other imponderables. Personally I budget 12 Euros a night, which doesn't mean that I will necessarily spend it! :roll:

 

[siseale94]

Tanks all, this has been a helpful thread. In general, do prices go up or down in the fall or stay roughly the same. I begin Oct 3 or 4th depending on how quickly I defeat jet lag.

 

[tyrrek]

Tanks all, this has been a helpful thread. In general, do prices go up or down in the fall or stay roughly the same. I begin Oct 3 or 4th depending on how quickly I defeat jet lag.

Hi Si!

I think they stay pretty much the same over the year. Any changes would probably just be down to general inflation and increase in running costs. As I said previously, 7-8 Euros was fairly typical this spring. Sometimes more, sometimes less.

Buen Camino!

 

[letendre]

How much should I allow each day on the camino

Hi all,
Can you tell me if I am right in thinking that it's possible to get accommodation along the Camino Frances for as little as 5 euros/night? This is what I'd been told and budgeting for (starting around the start of October 2012), but reading through the forum, I see a lot of places for 25 euros and up. I've looked through Guy's (?) wonderful spreadsheet and it seems things are a lot more expensive than I thought.
Help!
Thanks,
Heather

On the page below, you will read informations about Our budget for a married couple for 65 days of Puy-en-Velay to Saint-Jacques de Compostela (summer 2010 prices) Accommodation (hotel, camping, lodging, board, albergue). 
We have hiked another time this year during june 2012 between Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port. The prices were similar as in 2010.

http://alaquarelle.wordpress.com/2011/12/08/how-much-should-i-allow-each-day-on-the-camino/

 

[markss]

Last year, I paid between 5 an 11 Euros for my rooms. I got a single room in Seminario Menor in Santiago for 15 Euros or something...

If you go in a donativo albergue, please leave money; donativo does not mean free.

Buen camino

Hi CaminoGen! Is that the fantastic place up the steps by the side of the Cathedral? If so it was 23 Euros very recently for a single pilgrim room on 4th floor (much more on the other floors!) and not much cheaper per person if you share a room. I also stayed there last year, and I think it was the same price.
Buen Camino!

These are two different places although similar in name. The place across from the side of the Cathedral called Seminario MAYOR is in the 23 euro range for the pilgrim section. Upon my arrival there this past June all the pilgrim rooms were occupied. They offered a regular room in the hotel portion for 50 euro (actually it may have been 60 euro, don't quite remember). When I asked instead if they could recommend a less expensive place to stay they dropped the price of the hotel room to 35 euro and so there I stayed. Great deal for central Santiago!

There is also an Albergue Seminario MENOR outside the old part of Santiago. It is quite large and has both an open area where at the time I was there in 2010 beds were 7 euro, or a private small room without bath for 15 euro.

 

[whariwharangi]

I'm not sure what would be appropriate for donations at a donativo Albergue.

My guess is that it should be the same amount as is expected from non-donativo Albergues ... subject to ability to pay of course. But how much is that?

 

[wawpdx]

I think "What is a fair amount to leave at a donativo albergue?" is a difficult question. They are not free. They have the same maintenance bills to pay as any other albergue so you really do need to let your conscience be your guide.

That said, if you leave enough to repay what you receive, you could never afford a Camino with only donativos! Given that all (well, almost all) albergues have a soft place to lay your sleeping bag, electricity, toilets, showers, a place to wash clothes, chairs to sit on, shouldn't you pay more when you get so much more than shelter?

What does it add on that it feels like an oasis of caring? What does it add on that you are fed? What does it add on that they make a point of translating information into several languages because they care that you know what is being said? What does it add on that you leave knowing that future pilgrims will be praying for you, just as you prayed for those ahead of you on the journey? What does it add on that a hospitalero makes coffee the night before to leave in thermoses for morning, because.... What does it add on that your feet are a concern to someone else? What does it add on that ....?

My most embarrassing moment on the Camino was when I was eying an open donation box, trying to figure out how much money one puts in. The hospitalero sincerely said that, if I needed money to continue, I could take some.

I left more in donativos than I usually paid in required fees. As time has passed, I am a little unsure which places were donativos and which "felt like donativos". In my mind, this is a compliment to those idealists who need to know that they can continue to support Pilgrims and their own family, so consequently, they can not rely on random generosity. Do what you can do.