So You Want to Run Your Own Albergue?

[Rebekah Scott]

I can´t tell you how many English-speaking pilgrims dream the dream of moving to Spain and opening up their own albergue along the camino. It is a wonderful idea. Because I did something similar a few years ago, and I still help with hospitalero duties at several foreign-owned places, pilgrims often ask for tips or advice. Here is what I tell them, more or less. (this is adapted from a recent communication):

Do not do this alone. You need at least two, and better, three people to properly run and maintain an albergue year-round. You are taking on a HUGE enterprise, and the odds are stacked against you. First you need to have clear answers to a bunch of questions:

Is at least one of you a citizen of an EU country? Can one of you become an EU citizen?
Is at least one of you Spanish? Is at least one of you a fluent Spanish speaker?
How old are you? How healthy are you?
Are you serious about uprooting your comfortable present life, and completely rebooting?
Do you have independent income or wealth?
Do you have experience in the hospitality industry?
Do you hope to make a living at this?
Have you ever served as a hospitalero before?
How many different languages do you have between you?
Does at least one of you know about DIY and building maintenance?
Do the people in your group have a tested, rock-solid relationship?
Do you want to have a private house that takes in the occasional pilgrim or two, or do you want a full-on albergue operation? Is this place to be a hobby, or a business, or a charitable enterprise?
What happens if one of you dies, gets ill, or pulls out?
Do you have a particular site in mind? Why do you like it so well?
What region or autonomous community do you have in mind? Are you able to patiently deal with bureaucrats and regulations?
Who will be in charge?
Are you in debt? Are your finances and family relationships in order?
Do you have a strong inner life?
How do you deal with long stretches of solitude and/or boredom?

The first step, without a doubt, is to get trained and volunteer as a hospitalero -- that will show you the hard reality of your dream.

Don´t spend any money on that "dream albergue" until you know exactly what you are doing!

 

[SYates]

Excellent points, Rebekah! I would also add that it is very important to volunteer both in "high" as well as in "low" season to get the full spectrum as the more challenging pilgrims are often around in winter. Not for nothing is the Camino sometimes nicknamed the "longest psychiatry couch in Europe". How do you cope with somebody with serious issues?
Another thing many people tend to underestimate is the relationship with your neighbors, pilgrims come and go, your neighbors stay! SY

 

[fortview]

Hi Rebekah, great reality check! Some of the hospitaleros looked SO exhausted, and were so looking forward to closing for the winter.
One of the conversations we had with some of our "camino family", that got us through some hard times walking, was a creation of our fantasy albergue. This went on and on, and got more and more fantastical!
Seriously though, RESPECT to you, and all the other hard working albergue owners, who put up with us all
Helen

 

[vicrev]

I have a Gite in France,at times, it can be somewhat of a downer,after reading Rebekah's post,Iv'e got it easy.........nothing but admiration for any albergue owners/managers..........................Vicrev

 

[t2andreo]

I rather suspect that many pilgrims like the "idea" and "romance" of having an albuergue along the Camino. However, I sincerely doubt that many have a full grasp of the consequences of their actions.

In fact, I sometimes think you have the best of both worlds. You live on (or around the block) from the Camino but are not "part of" the Camino. You enjoy the environment and atmosphere of the Camino without being immersed in it. You can have as much or as little of the Camino as you feel at that particular point in time.

Your life is interwoven to the Camino, but not so as to be inseparable. You can lock the doors and take a vacation if you wish - something no albuergue owner can ever do unless they close in the off-season.

As you desire, you can have guests in your home. They are just that, guests, and they likely behave accordingly. Yet, if any pilgrim in need showed up at your door seeking help, I am just as certain that you would provide assistance to the limits of your ability.

Your points are all spot-on, well chosen and equally well-stated. Thank you for making these points.

That said, I too wish I could have a "little home on the Camino..." [sigh] One is envious...sort of...

 

[David]

Ha - nice post Rebekah .. so many people want to 'buy the holiday'. France is filled with English folk who went there on holiday then went back and bought a place. I met a couple who were in a DIY shop (Castorama) looking blankly at plumbing fittings. They didn't speak or read French and didn't know that there are many more sizes of pipes and fittings in France than there are in the UK - it was day one for them and they looked a little grey.

I think you could add another to the list

How much sleep do you need !

 

[vicrev]

That was probably me, David.............,I could write a book about renovating in France.......I think there is a saying''where angels fear to tread " well, I did , with size 15 hobnail boots !...................keep smiling.....Vicrev

 

[David]

That was probably me, David.............,I could write a book about renovating in France.......I think there is a saying''where angels fear to tread " well, I did , with size 15 hobnail boots !...................keep smiling.....Vicrev

Hahaha - me too. I lived in the Charente for some years, south of Angouleme - renovated then opened as a gite, made a small flat in the barn to hide in when folk were in the house - usual stuff - have been back in the uk seven years now and still miss living in France

 

[vicrev]

I know this is getting off topic,but what saved us in the DIY Brico's is the French trait of everything being so "must be right" was the little diagrams & pictures on most of the products,to tell you what it was for & how to use it...........but,being from the land of Oz & knowing everything about everything, I bought a bucket of made up plaster,thought it looked a bit thin,dried all lumpy ,turned out to be carpet glue !!!......sorry for being off topic folks & for rambling on.................Vicrev

 

[bimblingalong]

A thought provoking list for sure, am headin back on a search mission next year....to determine where I should buy.....some of these issues I have addressed, but not all......work in progress...many thanks for the homework

 

[SYates]

Do yourself a favor and volunteer first as a hospitalero for several months - that way you get first hand experience about what it means running an albergue long term! SY

A thought provoking list for sure, am headin back on a search mission next year....to determine where I should buy.....some of these issues I have addressed, but not all......work in progress...many thanks for the homework

 

[bimblingalong]

Do yourself a favor and volunteer first as a hospitalero for several months - that way you get first hand experience about what it means running an albergue long term! SY

Absolutely, that's on the cards for 2015!!....part of my mission this next trip to firm up a position...

 

[Rebekah Scott]

Bimbling, hope you will stop by when you´re in town.

 

[bimblingalong]

Bimbling, hope you will stop by when you´re in town.

Certainly will try & swing by, I have a strange route planned, but missed you last time I came thru', so will definitely make the effort next year....thanks for the post, definitely has the grey matter stirring!!