Booking hostels ahead or Not?

[Cailin O Eire]

Hi, I did Sarria to Santiago last April Easter week, very busy along the route, we had nothing booked ahead for the first two nights but after that we found we needed to as it was getting increasingly difficult to get a hostel in the towns we had ear marked to stay in. Of course we were following John Brierlys guide so every one seemed to have the same idea, I'm going back doing from St Jean Pied De Port and walking for 5 days I'm wondering in June 1st to 6th will I need to book ahead or what is the norm? I want to stay in hostels as opposed to private room. Any suggestions be great
Also if I walk for 5 days will it be difficult to get back to Biarritz from where I end up? .Thanks in advance

 

[Deleted member 3000]

There will be fewer pilgrims than in the last 100km, but enough to fill the beds in some places. Depending on where you plan to stop, booking may again be advisable for peace of mind.

 

[naplesdon]

I would not worry about booking to far ahead (except SJPdP or Orisson) and just go with the flow. You can always book your next stop the night before.
Falcon recently posted a link that ALSA is gong start bus service from Pamplona to Biarritz, there is bus service from Logrono to San Sebastian and bus service from San Sebastian to Biarritz.

 

[Walter1407]

Stages in guide books are a necessary tool to provide orientation. A guide book which I used some years ago explicitly recommended that one should not follow the stages outlined there. This made sense as the longest stage listed was 43km and the shortest just 10km. I sometimes prefer spending the night in a village rather than in a town. Villages are very rarely the end point of guide book stages.

 

[Cailin O Eire]

I would not worry about booking to far ahead (except SJPdP or Orisson) and just go with the flow. You can always book your next stop the night before.
Falcon recently posted a link that ALSA is gong start bus service from Pamplona to Biarritz, there is bus service from Logrono to San Sebastian and bus service from San Sebastian to Biarritz.

I hadn't even thought about booking St JPdeP that is actually probably a good idea, it was more when I get there should I ring ahead each day and book myself in somewhere, ideally I would rather just see where my legs take me but there is a possibility I will be travelling alone and I guess the idea of having no where at the end of the day doesn't appeal, I wouldn't be the fastest walker so I wouldn't anticipate getting to the next stop ahead of the posse . I presume though enough places would be open that it should be okay, I'd love to just go with the flow as you say

 

[Cailin O Eire]

W

Stages in guide books are a necessary tool to provide orientation. A guide book which I used some years ago explicitly recommended that one should not follow the stages outlined there. This made sense as the longest stage listed was 43km and the shortest just 10km. I sometimes prefer spending the night in a village rather than in a town. Villages are very rarely the end point of guide book stages.

Would you have always found accomodation in the villages, I might re think my plans and do something like that, stop x amount of Km ahead if towns or end stages or after depending on how long short the stages are, good point, thank you

 

[Walter1407]

Would you have always found accomodation in the villages, I might re think my plans and do something like that, stop x amount of Km ahead if towns or end stages or after depending on how long short the stages are, good point, thank you

I or rather we always found accommodation somewhere. The information contained in the various guide books was very useful. In Spain we booked ahead about half the time, and always if we wanted to stay in a village with only one or two albergues or hostals. The only real problem we ever encountered was in Portomarin where on arrival we had to check out about ten places before we got rooms in a rather expensive hotel. Portomarin is 100km from Santiago, i.e. the minimum distance to get a Compostela. But things have changed since; there is more accommodation available these days. - I second the reommendation of the Don from Biarritz. Do book Orisson (or Honto) if you want to stay there. In any case, June should not be too busy, so you should have a choice of where to stay.

 

[NualaOC]

Also if I walk for 5 days will it be difficult to get back to Biarritz from where I end up? .Thanks in advance

Have you already booked your flights? If getting back to Biarritz turns out to be very difficult, would you consider flying home from Madrid? I know that probably sounds a bit daft, but there's a direct bus from Pamplona to Madrid Airport. It takes about 5 hours - which could be less than it will take you to get back to Biarritz using 2 or more bus connections.
You can also get a train from Pamplona to Madrid (city), which takes as little as 3 hours and 10 mins. It's easy enough to get a train or bus connection from the city to the airport.

Bilbao might also be an option - but again, you may have to get at least 2 buses.

Buen Camino!
Nuala

 

[Cailin O Eire]

Have you already booked your flights? If getting back to Biarritz turns out to be very difficult, would you consider flying home from Madrid? I know that probably sounds a bit daft, but there's a direct bus from Pamplona to Madrid Airport. It takes about 5 hours - which could be less than it will take you to get back to Biarritz using 2 or more bus connections.
You can also get a train from Pamplona to Madrid (city), which takes as little as 3 hours and 10 mins. It's easy enough to get a train or bus connection from the city to the airport.

Bilbao might also be an option - but again, you may have to get at least 2 buses.

Buen Camino!
Nuala

Thanks Nuala, I wasn't thinking and booked return from Biarritz. I didn't think when I was booking I was just glad to have the flights booked so I had the wheels in motion :-/ I must figure it out, plenty of time but I like to be organised, thank you

 

[NualaOC]

It will all work out fine! The journey back to Biarritz will be part of the fun.
It can be difficult to figure out the buses online as some of the smaller bus companies don't have good websites. However, the local tourist offices have brilliant information about all of the transport options - so don't worry if you haven't sorted everything before you go.
Nuala

 

[RoamingTheWorld]

I see booking accommodations as counter to the "the Camino provides" philosophy but I know I am in the minority. And I did have some hellishly long days (http://www.roamfarandwide.com/camino-de-santiago-day-38-villafranca-del-bierzo-to-alto-do-poio/) because of my personal stance. It all depends on your philosophy I guess.

 

[Walter1407]

I see booking accommodations as counter to the "the Camino provides" philosophy but I know I am in the minority. And I did have some hellishly long days (http://www.roamfarandwide.com/camino-de-santiago-day-38-villafranca-del-bierzo-to-alto-do-poio/) because of my personal stance. It all depends on your philosophy I guess.

It does not all depend on one's philosophy. It depends more on people's limits due to age and health (and on common sense).

 

[Cailin O Eire]

It will all work out fine! The journey back to Biarritz will be part of the fun.
It can be difficult to figure out the buses online as some of the smaller bus companies don't have good websites. However, the local tourist offices have brilliant information about all of the transport options - so don't worry if you haven't sorted everything before you go.
Nuala

Thanks a million Nuala, ya I think now I'll put it to one side until closer to the time. Would love to be heading off in the morning. Thanks again

 

[camino-david]

You can book ahead only in private hostels. Hostels where you cannot book ahead include municipal, parochial, Xunta (in Galacia), and religious such as monasteries and convents. Having said that, I have never booked ahead except at the start of a Camino, such as at Seville, St. Jean Pied de Port and Orisson. I have walked in April, May, June, Sept and Oct. Many people book accommodation in Santiago a few days ahead - not a bad idea but I never have and always found somewhere to stay that is comfortable and a reasonable price.

 

[camino-david]

To my previous post I should add that at Easter and other festival times it is wise to book ahead

 

[Cailin O Eire]

To my previous post I should add that at Easter and other festival times it is wise to book ahead

Thanks very much for your feedback, I hope to be able to go with the flow and have the joy of stopping when my feet are ready and I see a place to stay, towards the end of the Sarria to Santiago trip last year we started booking ahead as it was proving difficult to get places but it was Easter, however as a result we passed some lovely spots in the country and had to keep walking to where we had booked in the town. It's the possibility that I will be travelling alone this time and a night under the stars wouldn't be an option ! Thanks again

 

[RoamingTheWorld]

It does not all depend on one's philosophy. It depends more on people's limits due to age and health (and on common sense).

I suppose that's your philosophy.

 

[Nigel Rosewell]

I hadn't even thought about booking St JPdeP that is actually probably a good idea, it was more when I get there should I ring ahead each day and book myself in somewhere, ideally I would rather just see where my legs take me but there is a possibility I will be travelling alone and I guess the idea of having no where at the end of the day doesn't appeal, I wouldn't be the fastest walker so I wouldn't anticipate getting to the next stop ahead of the posse . I presume though enough places would be open that it should be okay, I'd love to just go with the flow as you say

Im going in May?June and its my biggest worry to of not having any where to saty im going to book ahead for SJPDP and do it as i go along i guess

 

[Devon Mike]

Im going in May?June and its my biggest worry to of not having any where to saty im going to book ahead for SJPDP and do it as i go along i guess

I walked from SJPP to Santiago, then Finisterre and Muxia in May/June 2014 and again in 2015. I never book anything ahead, just go with the flow, and always found a bed in the Municipal, Parrochial, Donativo and low cost private albergues.

Will be doing exactly the same again this year in May/June.

 

[Cailin O Eire]

Im going in May?June and its my biggest worry to of not having any where to saty im going to book ahead for SJPDP and do it as i go along i guess

I encountered no issue first week of June last year, arrived in St Jean Pied De Port I think around 3 and was extremely lucky to have gotten into Bellari communal meal and breakfast met friends for the journey. We left with the birds every morning to avoid the heat as much as possible so arrived at our destination in good time maybe 2 to 3 in the day and had no problems with just arriving and hoping for the best.
Buen Camino
Rita

 

[Herb Isenberg]

Hi, I did Sarria to Santiago last April Easter week, very busy along the route, we had nothing booked ahead for the first two nights but after that we found we needed to as it was getting increasingly difficult to get a hostel in the towns we had ear marked to stay in. Of course we were following John Brierlys guide so every one seemed to have the same idea, I'm going back doing from St Jean Pied De Port and walking for 5 days I'm wondering in June 1st to 6th will I need to book ahead or what is the norm? I want to stay in hostels as opposed to private room. Any suggestions be great
Also if I walk for 5 days will it be difficult to get back to Biarritz from where I end up? .Thanks in advance

I would like to know how to book a hostel in advance as I will be there starting Mar 23 - July 7, meaning, I will be there all of June when it may be very busy/crowded. So, how do I book a hostel in advance ? Thank You !

 

[Anemone del Camino]

I would like to know how to book a hostel in advance as I will be there starting Mar 23 - July 7, meaning, I will be there all of June when it may be very busy/crowded. So, how do I book a hostel in advance ? Thank You !

Given them a call on the afternoon before you hope to get a bed at their place.

 

[Herb Isenberg]

I hadn't even thought about booking St JPdeP that is actually probably a good idea, it was more when I get there should I ring ahead each day and book myself in somewhere, ideally I would rather just see where my legs take me but there is a possibility I will be travelling alone and I guess the idea of having no where at the end of the day doesn't appeal, I wouldn't be the fastest walker so I wouldn't anticipate getting to the next stop ahead of the posse . I presume though enough places would be open that it should be okay, I'd love to just go with the flow as you say

I would like to know how to book a hostel in advance as I will be there starting Mar 23 - July 7, meaning, I will be there all of June when it may be very busy/crowded. So, how do I book a hostel in advance ? Thank You !

 

[Herb Isenberg]

Given them a call on the afternoon before you hope to get a bed at their place.

How do I give a hotel a call ? Given the phone numbers posted, is there like an "area code" ? Is there a list of complete phone numbers for hostel ? Thanks again !

 

[Anemone del Camino]

How do I give a hotel a call ? Given the phone numbers posted, is there like an "area code" ? Is there a list of complete phone numbers for hostel ? Thanks again !

If you buy a guidebook it will have thepjome numbers, as do the Ersoki and Gronze websites. Some a,bergues also advertise along the route with phone number. Just dial the number as you see it, assuming you have a local Sim card.

 

[Cailin O Eire]

How do I give a hotel a call ? Given the phone numbers posted, is there like an "area code" ? Is there a list of complete phone numbers for hostel ? Thanks again !

Another option is to ask the person running the albergue that you stay In to give suggestion and number for the next town, that's what we did.
Rita

 

[trecile]

There are apps (free and paid) that you can get that have albergue info including phone numbers.
And this website: http://santiago.forwalk.org/en/ has a lot of good information, and it's a good planning tool.