2010 - Booking accommodation

:!: :!: Please do not forget that Ivar offers this very service and is very familiar with what is available. I know that he has made efforts to put together a good offering of accommodations.

http://www.caminotravelcenter.com/ I

I think this is a fine piece of work by Sil which will assist all pilgrims thinking of using an agency to book accommodation along the routes. Normally I wouldn't book in advance of going on pilgrimage but for my most recent Camino over New Year I decided to use the Camino Travel Centre to book. This was because I knew that many places would be closed at that time of the year and given the predicted adverse weather I wanted to be sure of both a bed and hot food.

My experience of the Camino Travel Centre was very good indeed. Frank who works with Ivar put in a considerable amount of effort contacting hostals and hotels to establish whether or not they would be open and whether or not food would be available. He discovered places not in the CSJ guide. Everything worked out well. The places which were booked were waiting for us - even on New Years Day and the Feast of the Kings when I have had difficulty before. Thank you to Frank.

What I didn't do and what I would advise anyone else to do is to shop around using Sil's list. The way it works is that travel agents get a discount from hostals and hotels but charge clients the full price. Therefore there is room for negotiation and asking several agencies to quote for your trip may give a pleasant surprise. Also look for and additional charges - I understand from Frank that usually the Camino Travel Centre charges 5 euros to print off a Ryanair Boarding Pass. This can be done in less than 15 minutes in a cyber cafe for 25 centimes.

Thanks to Sil for the information that pilgrims can use to shop around.