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Accommodations definition Help!

Renascer

Active Member
Time of past OR future Camino
2021
This is a newbie question about accommodations offered on the camino and i would like to understand the different setup between them. Since the experience will be new to me i am trying to understand the layout and difference of accommodations regarding possibilites to get a private room. Hotels and B&B i already know those since is what i used on vacation so far. I am a bit confused about Hostels, albergues, pension, pousada.... The days when i dont want to be sharing a room with anyone which of these always offer a private room? Do Hostels and Albergues always have private rooms too? Or Albergue is only shared? I am looking at booking.com but seems like some have some doesn't. It is a little confusing. Not sure if i am understanding the layout differences of these.
 
Technical backpack for day trips with backpack cover and internal compartment for the hydration bladder. Ideal daypack for excursions where we need a medium capacity backpack. The back with Air Flow System creates large air channels that will keep our back as cool as possible.

€83,-
Albergues are pilgrims hostels with shared sleeping spaces. Some, but definitely not all private albergues have some private rooms. Some with ensuite bath, others with shared bath.

Pensiones have private rooms and shared or private baths. The reception hours are limited.

Hostales are like small hotels, often family run. They have private rooms with private baths. Often they are just one floor of a building, and like pensiones the hours that you can check in are limited.

A casa rural is similar to a B&B.

Another option that you will encounter are bars that have a few rooms upstairs available.
 
Ok. all these names 🙂 are starting to make sense... interesting online says room and also i will ask when i get there but i wanted to clarify now before hand.
 
The one from Galicia (the round) and the one from Castilla & Leon. Individually numbered and made by the same people that make the ones you see on your walk.
I am looking at booking.com but seems like some have some doesn't. It is a little confusing.
Booking.com will say whether it's a bed in a dorm or a private room, and if it's a private room it should say if the bathroom is also private. You can also use filters on booking.com to sort out shared accommodations.
 
The 2024 Camino guides will be coming out little by little. Here is a collection of the ones that are out so far.
Booking. com does not represent a whole world of very good accommodations. I walked a week ago, and found the Booking . com listed places overbooked and crowded, while other places just as clean and good had no pilgrims at all. Hopefully this will iron itself out in time.. but I would never book everything through them, they represent such a small slice of the selection.
 
Booking. com does not represent a whole world of very good accommodations. I walked a week ago, and found the Booking . com listed places overbooked and crowded, while other places just as clean and good had no pilgrims at all. Hopefully this will iron itself out in time.. but I would never book everything through them, they represent such a small slice of the selection.
Yes, and sometimes reserving directly with the hotel (VS through Booking.com) produces a lower price for the same type of room.

It is prudent to maintain situational and market awareness, and compare and contrast prices.
 
I'm not sure about Portugal but in Spain the hotels will have a star rating. This does not rate the quality of the hotel but rather the quantity of services the hotel has. Think of services such as pool, dining room, air conditioning, private bath, etc. The more services the hotel has the more stars it gets to display.

 
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I know many people mock the Brierly book. But many who did not have it had book envy because of all of the info so concisely laid out in it. Besides route, alternative route, distance, elevation, every stop listed the albergues with info such as:
20/5 12€, + 30€, and stated which meals if any were provided.
Translation of above:
20 beds divided between 5 rooms. + indicated private rooms exist and the price (depending on availability)

48/4 would indicate 12 beds per room, while 164/1 indicates one huge room with everyone in it. After one of those, a private room in an albergues or a private room in a pension or Casa Rural can be a nice treat. 😉.
 
I know many people mock the Brierly book. But many who did not have it had book envy because of all of the info so concisely laid out in it. Besides route, alternative route, distance, elevation, every stop listed the albergues with info such as:
20/5 12€, + 30€, and stated which meals if any were provided.
Translation of above:
20 beds divided between 5 rooms. + indicated private rooms exist and the price (depending on availability)

48/4 would indicate 12 beds per room, while 164/1 indicates one huge room with everyone in it. After one of those, a private room in an albergues or a private room in a pension or Casa Rural can be a nice treat. 😉.
Oh dear that helped so much! i got that book and bringing with me. I will check in detail and by you explaining that will help so much. I appreciate you sharing.♥️
 
Last edited:
Booking. com does not represent a whole world of very good accommodations. I walked a week ago, and found the Booking . com listed places overbooked and crowded, while other places just as clean and good had no pilgrims at all. Hopefully this will iron itself out in time.. but I would never book everything through them, they represent such a small slice of the selection.
Booking.com is really only as good as the folks who offer their accommodation through it. If the property owners do not keep their details regards bookings and availabilities up to date then there are problems. So if an owner offers 3 rooms through BC but subsequently books out two of them privately and doesn't update the BC details, then guess what happens. I have found booking.com to be reliable, though clearly more expensive than direct booking, the one time I was "overbooked" they went out of their way to ensure I got a room for the night.
I use the filters a lot to get the type of accommodation I want rather than a general list.
 
St James' Way - Self-guided 4-7 day Walking Packages, Reading to Southampton, 110 kms
Booking. com does not represent a whole world of very good accommodations. I walked a week ago, and found the Booking . com listed places overbooked and crowded, while other places just as clean and good had no pilgrims at all. Hopefully this will iron itself out in time.. but I would never book everything through them, they represent such a small slice of the selection.
Is there another booking agency you like?
I've only used booking.com
 
48/4 would indicate 12 beds per room, while 164/1 indicates one huge room with everyone in it. After one of those, a private room in an albergues or a private room in a pension or Casa Rural can be a nice treat. 😉.

Just be aware that not all rooms necessarily have the same amount of beds.
48/4 could, for example, also mean 1 room for 20, 2 rooms for 12 and 1 room for 4 pilgrims – or any other distribution that adds up to 48 beds.
🛌🛌🛌🛌🛌🛌🛌🛌🛌🛌
In a 164/1 setting, on the other hand, there is no escaping the joys of communal living. ;)
 
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Just be aware that not all rooms necessarily have the same amount of beds.
48/4 could, for example, also mean 1 room for 20, 2 rooms for 12 and 1 room for 4 pilgrims – or any other distribution that adds up to 48 beds.
🛌🛌🛌🛌🛌🛌🛌🛌🛌🛌
In a 164/1 setting, on the other hand, there is no escaping the joys of communal living. ;)
Than makes sense to get informed. Glad i asked the question. This is all new to me. Thank u.
 
I'm not sure about Portugal but in Spain the hotels will have a star rating. This does not rate the quality of the hotel but rather the quantity of services the hotel has. Think of services such as pool, dining room, air conditioning, private bath, etc. The more services the hotel has the more stars it gets to display.

When searching for hotels at home or abroad I pay very little attention to the stars based on amenities, especially if I'm only staying a night or two. Stars are important to me, but are secondary to the Guest ratings/reviews. I go for the highest ones based more on cleanliness, location and attractiveness, and possibly a good breakfast.
 
Booking. com does not represent a whole world of very good accommodations. I walked a week ago, and found the Booking . com listed places overbooked and crowded, while other places just as clean and good had no pilgrims at all. Hopefully this will iron itself out in time.. but I would never book everything through them, they represent such a small slice of the selection.


Yep! Let alone their less than ethical views on paying taxes and treating their ground staff in a decent way.


Of course this was a well kept secret so it is a good thing it gets examined.

I will always book directly.
 
A selection of Camino Jewellery
I only use Booking.com for my Caminos and they seem to offer the most variety of smallish quirky places to stay over hotels.com, which we often use in the US.
Booking.com has a great layout to keep everything in order nicely and works well for a non-techy person like me. I had only felt the need to pre-plan each night in 2019 on the Rota Vicentina/Portuguese Camino and it was a godsend. I used it again for 2020, but of course had to cancel all my reservations.
I have never had the problems yet that others have mentioned, knock on wood.

I would love to be able to call or email private accomodations when planning as @SabineP is able to do, but I know very little Spanish and do not wish to wait to hear back anyway, especially when trying to reserve 20+ different ones to have to organize and keep track of. Using booking.com saves me all the extra angst, headache and work...that's just me.
 
As far as I can see, the criteria and definitions for hotels / hostales / etc. are of little relevance to a pilgrim choosing accommodation:
"To be considered a hotel, an establishment must offer tourist accommodation and other complementary services and occupy a complete building or a separate part of it : that is...

If you come across a formal edifice with more than a hundred rooms, a gym, a concierge desk, and a permanently staffed front-desk ... chances are it qualifies as a hotel. But in the small towns away from the cities and resorts, the distinctions between small hotels and a reasonably sized hostales are blurred. I've stayed at hotels with threadbare carpets and rusty plumbing ... and bijou hostales with luxury amenities.

If what counts is a private room where you can rest without being disturbed by the snores and farts of your fellow pilgrims, you will find that in any type of accommodation other than an albergue (and even in some albergues). You can more or less ignore what the place is classified as, and choose according to price, facilities, and reviews (bearing in mind that some reviews are written by disgruntled idiots, and some are written by unscrupulous competitors, and almost all are written by people with different outlooks to you).

What may surprise you is that albergues are often very comfortable places to stay while doing the camino, because they're set up with pilgrims in mind.
 
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I would love to be able to call or email private accomodations when planning as @SabineP is able to do, but I know very little Spanish and do not wish to wait to hear back anyway, especially when trying to reserve 20+ different ones to have to organize and keep track of. Using booking.com saves me all the extra angst, headache and work...that's just me.
Even if your Spanish is good enough you often have to wait a day or so to get a response by email.
And if you need to cancel it is much easier to do using booking.com.
But, as others have said there are any places to stay that aren't on booking.com. You can usually find all the accommodations along the Camino on Gronze.com.
If you do choose to use booking.com make sure that the places that you book are on the Camino, and not 5 km away! You can do this by checking Gronze or a Camino app like Buen Camino or Wise Pilgrim.
 
What may surprise you is that albergues are often very comfortable places to stay while doing the camino, because they're set up with pilgrims in mind.
Yes, and what is nice is that more and more albergue options are being offered on Booking.com and possibly other booking sites.
 
If you do choose to use booking.com make sure that the places that you book are on the Camino, and not 5 km away! You can do this by checking Gronze or a Camino app like Buen Camino or Wise Pilgrim.
Good point. I had to double check locations, especially for the second half of the Norte to make sure the listing was on or very near the trail. It can often be deceiving. I have yet to use gronze.com, but so many of you mention it positively...I will give it a look see.
 
The 2024 Camino guides will be coming out little by little. Here is a collection of the ones that are out so far.
I have used booking.com a lot for years because it is easy to book - and easy to cancel if needed.
That often means a higher price than at direct booking. Even then I think the owner gets a lower income since they pay a part of the amount to the booking company. In these times when small places have trouble surviving, perhaps booking direct with the owner could be a help. The big worldwide booking companies will manage anyway.😉
 
If you do choose to use booking.com make sure that the places that you book are on the Camino, and not 5 km away! You can do this by checking Gronze or a Camino app like Buen Camino or Wise Pilgrim.
Yep, that is where the filters are so useful. I did use BC a few times on the Camino when I decided to have a longer walking day but wanted to ensure a bed for the night or to sort out decent hotels for my three zero days. I do tend to use them a lot in the UK when doing long distance walks as at times accommodation is well off track and I can plan my routes to my bed in a timely manner. I tend to camp out in summer though.
 
I know many people mock the Brierly book. But many who did not have it had book envy because of all of the info so concisely laid out in it. Besides route, alternative route, distance, elevation, every stop listed the albergues with info such as:
20/5 12€, + 30€, and stated which meals if any were provided.
Translation of above:
20 beds divided between 5 rooms. + indicated private rooms exist and the price (depending on availability)

48/4 would indicate 12 beds per room, while 164/1 indicates one huge room with everyone in it. After one of those, a private room in an albergues or a private room in a pension or Casa Rural can be a nice treat. 😉.
You can also get that I information on the Wise Pilgrim and Buen Camino apps as well as Gronze.com plus they give more info about wifi if there is a restaurant attached or laundry blankets etc. These days especially it is good to have a few guides to refer to as no one guide is complete and none are completely accurate regarding what is open. Especially important if you are walking off peak times regardless of the pandemic. Those are all free too.
 
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As far as I can see, the criteria and definitions for hotels / hostales / etc. are of little relevance to a pilgrim choosing accommodation:


If you come across a formal edifice with more than a hundred rooms, a gym, a concierge desk, and a permanently staffed front-desk ... chances are it qualifies as a hotel. But in the small towns away from the cities and resorts, the distinctions between small hotels and a reasonably sized hostales are blurred. I've stayed at hotels with threadbare carpets and rusty plumbing ... and bijou hostales with luxury amenities.

If what counts is a private room where you can rest without being disturbed by the snores and farts of your fellow pilgrims, you will find that in any type of accommodation other than an albergue (and even in some albergues). You can more or less ignore what the place is classified as, and choose according to price, facilities, and reviews (bearing in mind that some reviews are written by disgruntled idiots, and some are written by unscrupulous competitors, and almost all are written by people with different outlooks to you).

What may surprise you is that albergues are often very comfortable places to stay while doing the camino, because they're set up with pilgrims in mind.
Very enlightening and funny at the same time. Lol. Removed the confusion. Thank you.
 
You can also get that I information on the Wise Pilgrim and Buen Camino apps as well as Gronze.com plus they give more info about wifi if there is a restaurant attached or laundry blankets etc. These days especially it is good to have a few guides to refer to as no one guide is complete and none are completely accurate regarding what is open. Especially important if you are walking off peak times regardless of the pandemic. Those are all free too.
Will most of the apps show the ATMs too?
 
The one from Galicia (the round) and the one from Castilla & Leon. Individually numbered and made by the same people that make the ones you see on your walk.
Yes they do.
On the Gronze app I believe you look at the name of the town and across you will see symbols for services. The ones that have a
Globe means the town has everything. I do not think Gronze had an icon for ATM’s but the other two do.
Thanks
 
I know many people mock the Brierly book. But many who did not have it had book envy because of all of the info so concisely laid out in it. Besides route, alternative route, distance, elevation, every stop listed the albergues with info such as:
You made me curious! Why they mock?
 
I have used booking.com a lot for years because it is easy to book - and easy to cancel if needed.
That often means a higher price than at direct booking. Even then I think the owner gets a lower income since they pay a part of the amount to the booking company. In these times when small places have trouble surviving, perhaps booking direct with the owner could be a help. The big worldwide booking companies will manage anyway.😉
I understand, sympathize and have seen this on the forum mentioned a number of times.
Unfortunately it is not a good option for me.😐
 
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Booking.com is really only as good as the folks who offer their accommodation through it. If the property owners do not keep their details regards bookings and availabilities up to date then there are problems. So if an owner offers 3 rooms through BC but subsequently books out two of them privately and doesn't update the BC details, then guess what happens. I have found booking.com to be reliable, though clearly more expensive than direct booking, the one time I was "overbooked" they went out of their way to ensure I got a room for the night.
I use the filters a lot to get the type of accommodation I want rather than a general list.
I have used booking.com for years during my travels in many different countries and have never been disappointed. I think it comes down to how much a person wants to spend, as well. There are many reviews of the rooms and I think they are pretty accurate. For less expensive choices, booking.com is probably not the best place to look. For this year, I have chosen to use booking.com because it states the private accommodations that adhere to their Safe and Clean program that is running because of the virus. Also I don't think they have many choices of communal places so if someone wants to be with the community, other choices as suggested here are probably better.
 
When searching for hotels at home or abroad I pay very little attention to the stars based on amenities, especially if I'm only staying a night or two. Stars are important to me, but are secondary to the Guest ratings/reviews. I go for the highest ones based more on cleanliness, location and attractiveness, and possibly a good breakfast.
Ditto, but typically the breakfasts in Portugal, even in business hotels, don't start serving before 7:30 at the very earliest. It seems a lot of pilgrims like to be out and walking before that. So unless you're having a day off and sleeping in, the lodging's breakfast may be irrelevant to your needs.

As far as stars go, I'm not sure exactly what a 1-star Portuguese hotel means. 2-stars usually means a little bar or breakfast room downstairs/down the hall, with perfectly adequate rooms and a reasonable price. Cheaper ones usually have washrooms down the hall rather than ensuite, but almost always really clean! Things may be old and somewhat tired, but generally, Portuguese public spaces inc. hotel rooms are among the cleanest I've found anywhere.
 
You made me curious! Why they mock?
Some people have trouble with St John's spiritual concept of Camino. You'll need to read his guides to understand that. He has also been criticised for imprecision in distances. Most users failing to appreciate that kilometres undertaken after mid-day, and particularly after enjoying a menu del dia are approximately 50% longer than kilometres walked in the morning.

Then there are those who seem to feel that the stages as expressed in his guides are compulsory and, for example, resent having to pass through Pamplona party town just so they can get to Cizur Menor on schedule
 
The focus is on reducing the risk of failure through being well prepared. 2nd ed.
On the Gronze app I believe you look at the name of the town and across you will see symbols for services.
Just to clarify, Gronze is not an app. It is a website - Gronze.com, and it is very useful. However it is only in Spanish. Fortunately, if you use the Chrome browser it will automatically translate to English. Unfortunately, it also translates some place names. For example Cirueña translates to Plum, Los Arcos changes to The Arches, and Ventosa becomes Sucker.
 
Oh dear that helped so much! i got that book and bringing with me. I will check in detail and by you explaining that will help so much. I appreciate you sharing.♥️
If you are going in September, be aware that the foot traffic will likely be heavy between SJPdP and Pamplona and then between Sarria and SdC. Booking ahead for those sections may be wise.
 
I've always used Booking.com, AirBnB and Gronzo to book places. Yes, I know there are those who think its best to just call a place or wing it but I don't want to be without a room or bed after walking all day. And I want the convenience of using a site that has what I need at my finger tips rather than mucking about calling. And as one poster already said, I can cancel with no hassle AND if there is an overbook I have been accommodated somewhere else with no hassle. Ultimately, do what works for you. Booking sites at least give you an idea of what the place looks like and the options for beds or rooms. You can always call them up personally after if you are adverse to booking sites or to see if there is better deal. Some people like the convenience of technology in booking and some people like to keep it old school. Neither is wrong or better. Its simply whats most comfortable for you. Same with booking ahead versus just walking and finding a bed wherever you land. Encourage people to do what feels right for them. Not what feels right for you <3 :)
 
Technical backpack for day trips with backpack cover and internal compartment for the hydration bladder. Ideal daypack for excursions where we need a medium capacity backpack. The back with Air Flow System creates large air channels that will keep our back as cool as possible.

€83,-
A selection of Camino Jewellery
perhaps booking direct with the owner could be a help.
When I stay at hotels in the US, I have often called directly to the hotel I'm inerested in to compare rates with the online booking sites. I have never yet found a better price by booking direct with the hotel...it has always been the same price, so I no longer bother to check.🤷
 
When I stay at hotels in the US, I have often called directly to the hotel I m inerested to compare rates with the online booking sites. I have never yet found a better price by booking direct with the hotel...it has always been the same price, so I no longer bother to check.🤷
Yes sometimes for me was also that calling them directly was even more and i needed to tell them whats their advertized rate. Crazy. So many times i just went back online. No time to tell and discuss with them that they are charging more over the phone than the advertised. I stopped calling too. I Just book online.
 
When I stay at hotels in the US, I have often called directly to the hotel I'm inerested in to compare rates with the online booking sites. I have never yet found a better price by booking direct with the hotel...it has always been the same price, so I no longer bother to check.🤷
I've found in Portugal, with the smaller places, you often *do* save a euro or two. Plus sometimes they have little rooms that they don't bother puttiing on booking.com but have available for someone who's trying to travel cheaply. My partner and I have stayed in a few of these, when really desperate for a room (not on the caminho).

I believe NeiaBrazil speaks Portuguese, so she's at a real advantage here, with the little places where no-one speaks English (and there are a *lot* of those in central Portugal!)

[edit] I think in North America there's an assumption that everyone uses booking.com, and thus it's crazy not to, as a hotel-operator. And there's a certain profit margin designed in, that depends on volume of bookings. And they're mostly franchises or chains, so there's not much wiggle-room at the individual hotel level for making price changes.

With the small Portuguese places, there's often very little profit margin, particularly in the family-run places, and they really don't want to give part of their profit away to booking.com and similar. But because they're happy to see you, they'll often give you the same price, or just over, what they *net* from booking.com after paying the service fee.
 
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I've found in Portugal, with the smaller places, you often *do* save a euro or two. Plus sometimes they have little rooms that they don't bother puttiing on booking.com but have available for someone who's trying to travel cheaply. My partner and I have stayed in a few of these, when really desperate for a room (not on the caminho).

I believe NeiaBrazil speaks Portuguese, so she's at a real advantage here, with the little places where no-one speaks English (and there are a *lot* of those in central Portugal!)
I speak 4 languages, Portuguese is my mother language but i had no idea it could help in that way there. Well... good to know. Thanks for the tip. 😉
 
When I stay at hotels in the US, I have often called directly to the hotel I'm inerested in to compare rates with the online booking sites. I have never yet found a better price by booking direct with the hotel...it has always been the same price, so I no longer bother to check.🤷

I would agree. Most times when I go directly to the hotels own website their price is the same as bookings. One can also compare website prices, including the hotels website listing at Trivago.com. However, Trivago does not usually include the tax so one needs t consider that when looking at their prices. Most of the time, Booking’s direct website includes taxes, except at some locations like Airports.
 
This is a newbie question about accommodations offered on the camino and i would like to understand the different setup between them. Since the experience will be new to me i am trying to understand the layout and difference of accommodations regarding possibilites to get a private room. Hotels and B&B i already know those since is what i used on vacation so far. I am a bit confused about Hostels, albergues, pension, pousada.... The days when i dont want to be sharing a room with anyone which of these always offer a private room? Do Hostels and Albergues always have private rooms too? Or Albergue is only shared? I am looking at booking.com but seems like some have some doesn't. It is a little confusing. Not sure if i am understanding the layout differences of these.
Albergues cater to pilgrims. Check In is in the afternoon and everyone is chased out the next morning, usually early. Hostels allow multiple day stays so they cater to just about anyone. The clients in an hostel can be pilgrims, students, day workers, just about anyone on a frugal budget. Always felt safe in an albergue, not always in a hostel. Perhaps that's why hostels typically have lockers and albergues don't.
 
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Albergues cater to pilgrims. Check In is in the afternoon and everyone is chased out the next morning, usually early. Hostels allow multiple day stays so they cater to just about anyone. The clients in an hostel can be pilgrims, students, day workers, just about anyone on a frugal budget. Always felt safe in an albergue, not always in a hostel. Perhaps that's why hostels typically have lockers and albergues don't.
Oh i see. Thank you for sharing that. I didn't know.
 
Oh i see. Thank you for sharing that. I didn't know.
(Chased out and stay more than one day ) That is not necessarily the case with private albergues. They will allow you stay longer…room permitting. The time or departure depends upon your quarters…if you are staying in shared or private rooms. Usually private rooms have a later check-out time.
 
Just to clarify, Gronze is not an app. It is a website - Gronze.com, and it is very useful. However it is only in Spanish. Fortunately, if you use the Chrome browser it will automatically translate to English. Unfortunately, it also translates some place names. For example Cirueña translates to Plum, Los Arcos changes to The Arches, and Ventosa becomes Sucker.
Thanks for correcting all my little boo boos haha. Also some of us pseudo Mexican interlopers don’t need the translator. 😄Also I was poking around on Gronze and according to what I read it looks like they are developing a beta version of an app. Whatever that means. They had a link for it but I didn’t go to it. I think it is for mapping. If you are interested and didn’t know about it, here it is:
 
Down bag (90/10 duvet) of 700 fills with 180 g (6.34 ounces) of filling. Mummy-shaped structure, ideal when you are looking for lightness with great heating performance.

€149,-
Unless I missed it above....no one mentioned that Hotels.com is the same type of site as Booking.com.
My experience is good with both.
But, as Reb points out above, they do not give a true picture of what is available in a rural area. The majority of the small properties in small towns and rural areas do not list with these companies.

I find that Hotels.com and Booking.com will often have different hotels on offer. It will depend on where the local owners choose to list their property..often with both sites...but not always. The prices seem to be close to the same.

I often check both when in an area that I am not familiar with. I do use the sites to learn what is available and then attempt to call the property direct to try to save the owner the cost of the listing company.
 
Unless I missed it above....no one mentioned that Hotels.com is the same type of site as Booking.com.

I find that Hotels.com and Booking.com will often have different hotels on offer.
I like both sites. In the US I use Hotels.com more often if staying in a city and want a generic, hotel chain type property.
For Europe and the Camino I much prefer Booking.com because I find they have a much better selection of small hotels, guest houses, and albergue type of lodgings to choose from.
 
Thanks for correcting all my little boo boos haha. Also some of us pseudo Mexican interlopers don’t need the translator. 😄Also I was poking around on Gronze and according to what I read it looks like they are developing a beta version of an app. Whatever that means. They had a link for it but I didn’t go to it. I think it is for mapping. If you are interested and didn’t know about it, here it is:
Interesting. I checked it out, and it's a web based application. In other words you must be connected to the internet to use it. It is not an app that you download to your phone.
 
€2,-/day will present your project to thousands of visitors each day. All interested in the Camino de Santiago.
When I stay at hotels in the US, I have often called directly to the hotel I'm inerested in to compare rates with the online booking sites. I have never yet found a better price by booking direct with the hotel...it has always been the same price, so I no longer bother to check.🤷
That is because Berking.com has market dominance and requires hotels that use its services sign agreements that prevent the hotels from offering cheaper rates.

Anti-competition authorities in many countries have initiated proceedings against Berking.com, see https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Booking.com

PS. The more that we use their correct name when mentioning them on the Internet the higher they rank in search engines, thanks @Tincatinker 😉
 
That is because Berking.com has market dominance and requires hotels that use its services sign agreements that prevent the hotels from offering cheaper rates.

Anti-competition authorities in many countries have initiated proceedings against Berking.com, see https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Booking.com

PS. The more that we use their correct name when mentioning them on the Internet the higher they rank in search engines, thanks @Tincatinker 😉

Aren't they a jolly bunch...:mad:
 
€2,-/day will present your project to thousands of visitors each day. All interested in the Camino de Santiago.
Booking.com is just fine for those of us who use it and appreciate it. I think you'll find that it is only those rooms offered by the owners to booking.com that may be restricted to a particular price range. The owner is free to offer and/or withdraw as many rooms as they want through the portal on any dates they choose. Booking.com pay an awful lot more for targeted advertising and marketing than many small owners could afford for the amount they pay by way of the commission. However this is worthy of its own topic as it is so far removed from the OP.
 
I like both sites. In the US I use Hotels.com more often if staying in a city and want a generic, hotel chain type property.
For Europe and the Camino I much prefer Booking.com because I find they have a much better selection of small hotels, guest houses, and albergue type of lodgings to choose from.
Interesting.
 
I've used Booking.com for years, both for European travels and in the US. A few times where there was a dispute with a place we were staying they were happy to intercede and help resolve the issue. That said, around one third of places we stay on the camino, we've arranged via Gronze.com and contact places directly. I had one case in which a private albergue quoted a price for a private room with a private bathroom. I double checked the price on Booking.com and found out it was cheaper. I contacted the private albergue and the place lowered the price to what Booking.com listed. Bob
 
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Interesting. I checked it out, and it's a web based application. In other words you must be connected to the internet to use it. It is not an app that you download to your phone.
See that is why tech and me are not friends. I saw the word aplicación and then saw that there were separate addresses for Apple and Android so I figured it was an app. Another web page I probably will never go to. Now off to the New York Newspapers to read about my Yankees. Those are things I understand. Nice simple jock stuff.
 
Well, I just received another (this is the third) reservation cancellation from Booking.com. Said that due to "conditions beyond our control" they have to cancel my reservation. This is a reservation I made recently when another cancellation took place. When I made the reservation it was "non refundable". I immediately contacted the place, saying that my credit card had already paid for the room and asked if I will get a refund. Yes! Now I'm checking once again to find a place in a nearby town with a nice private room. Bob
 
Makes me long for the days of 2005 camino; completo twice (hospitalero set us up at hotel), overflow/floor twice. never needed a phone. Only the handout sheet from SJPdP used for towns, albergues, distances and Brierly for history, spiritual ideas etc. May 2016 Leon-SdC camino with daughter was much more like tourist traveling in Northern Spain--phones, reservations, pack services.... Still a delight but modern drive to monetize, simplify, disrupt existing processes has changed much. But, I always hated my parents for " I remember when Cokes were 5c, in bottles and in a big red cooler"
 
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Apparently I have been living under a rock. Never used booking.com or anything like it on about 4000km of Caminos so far, in Spain, France, Germany and a little bit of Luxemburg. Never needed it.

If I want to book a place, I make a phone call. If you don't speak the language, you can ask a fellow pilgrim or the tourist office to make the call. In rural areas many places will probably not be on a booking service website at all.

Use guide books. Keep your eyes open for places along the way advertising. Ask locals. Ask the tourist office. Sometimes the hospitalero of one place can make a booking for you in next town or at least call somewhere to ask if they still have a bed available.

The days where nothing goes to plan and you end up somewhere completely different than you thought you would are some of the most memorable!

Once in France, the town I ended up in was almost fully booked, only expensive single rooms available (which were out of my budget). Camp site far outside of town and a big storm coming. But the tourist office led me to a private person's home for the night. They had a room for pilgrims that was not listed anywhere (non commercial). The hosts were still at work, but told me on the phone "front door is open, just go in and make yourself at home". In Germany a tourist office arranged a room in a catholic home for the elderly since everything else was full (donativo). Once on a non camino hike, I ended up in a garden shed that a local had made into a cute shelter for hikers. Got there by asking in a bar. None of these places were in any guide book and certainly couldn't be booked ahead.

Of course, if someone prefers booking through online platforms only or mostly, that's fine. But it is not necessary, and you'll be reduced to a smaller selection of places and miss out on a lot of interesting experiences.
 
Apparently I have been living under a rock.
Are you not aware that a pandemic has changed a lot about the availability of lodging in Spain?
Of course, if someone prefers booking through online platforms only or mostly, that's fine. But it is not necessary,
It WAS not necessary, but has become more of an issue this year. One's experience in years past is interesting, and provide some background information perspective for current pilgrims, but the "need" to reserve this year should be assessed with up-to-date information.
 
@C clearly I am aware that it is different in the pandemic. "Living under a rock" was more in regard to technology. I've walked a "pandemic camino" last year (not in Spain, but it certainly was more tricky to find accomodation than usual). I still prefer making a phone call directly to the place where I want to stay. Maybe that's naive, though. Why exactly is it better to book with an agency/website instead to call directly? Is it not possible anymore to book by phone?
 
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Why exactly is it better to book with an agency/website instead to call directly? Is it not possible anymore to book by phone?
No it isn't better to do it online that by phone. I should have been clearer, and sorry about my interpretation of the "under the rock" phrase! :confused:
 
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@C clearly It's fine 🙂 I understand that if things get too busy, places might stop answering the phone (try booking a campsite right now at the german coast!). One has to adjust then. I hope I'll get by with my old school way next year, though 🙈
 
€2,-/day will present your project to thousands of visitors each day. All interested in the Camino de Santiago.

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