Accommodation- book ahead?

[debcai]

Hola and grateful thanks in advance.
My husband and I plan to do the full Camino starting mid September and not taking sleeping bags - hoping to stay in private accommodation along the way.
Should we start researching and booking? My hope was that we would have no fixed itinerary and just hope to find a room wherever we stopped but friends who have done the Camino have cautioned against this. Just not wanting to be held to a timetable as I have a dodgy back and need to allow for any misbehaviour from it without the pressure to be somewhere.
Thank you

 

[Deleted member 3000]

You can find a lot of hoteles and hostales on booking.com.

 

[Kanga]

Be careful to check locations on a map. Something that is "close" by car can be a mighty long walk.

 

[trecile]

While I mostly stayed in albergues, I did stay in a few private rooms last year at the last minute. I'd probably book the first couple of nights ahead, then maybe book just one or two days ahead after that, when you have a better idea of how far you want to walk each day.

 

[debcai]

Be careful to check locations on a map. Something that is "close" by car can be a mighty long walk.

Ah, a good point! thank you

 

[debcai]

While I mostly stayed in albergues, I did stay in a few private rooms last year at the last minute. I'd probably book the first couple of nights ahead, then maybe book just one or two days ahead after that, when you have a better idea of how far you want to walk each day.

Thank you - that sounds like a good compromise.

 

[NiniSum]

I would recommend booking in at Orisson for the first night. It breaks up the climb to Roncesvalles and provides a lovely communal dinner where you get to know many of the people you will see along your Camino. http://www.refuge-orisson.com/en/
And be aware that there is a reduction in beds at the albergue in Roncesvalles. New situation announced earlier this week. See this thread https://www.caminodesantiago.me/com...imit-number-of-beds-to-183-from-monday.47560/

 

[trecile]

I would recommend booking in at Orisson for the first night. It breaks up the climb to Roncesvalles and provides a lovely communal dinner where you get to know many of the people you will see along your Camino. http://www.refuge-orisson.com/en/
And be aware that there is a reduction in beds at the albergue in Roncesvalles. New situation announced earlier this week. See this thread https://www.caminodesantiago.me/com...imit-number-of-beds-to-183-from-monday.47560/

Orisson wouldn't work for the OP, since they need to stay at places where bedding is provided.

 

[debcai]

Orisson wouldn't work for the OP, since they need to stay at places where bedding is provided.

Hi, I was confused about that as well but just checked their site and it said this;

At Orisson, the bed is provided with a fitted sheet, a pillow case and a blanket.

No towels are provided and they are not available for rent.

So I am hoping that things have changed and that we can stay without bedding? What do you think?

 

[trecile]

Hi, I was confused about that as well but just checked their site and it said this;

At Orisson, the bed is provided with a fitted sheet, a pillow case and a blanket.

No towels are provided and they are not available for rent.

So I am hoping that things have changed and that we can stay without bedding? What do you think?

All I remember was laying out my sleep sack on the bed, but I think that I was just excited to start using it for the first time.
I just looked at the picture that I took of my bed (yes, at the beginning I took pictures of the beds), and indeed there is a fitted sheet and a blanket to be used.
I was lucky to get a small room with just two single beds (not bunks!) that I shared with an older woman that I had met at the train station in Madrid.

 

[Bala]

We stayed in private rooms and found booking a day in advance was plenty of time. On a couple occasions our first choice wasn't available, but there was no trouble getting an alternative. We did not stay in any albergues, but some of them do have private rooms with private bath, so that's another possibility to look into.
If you enjoy researching, though (and we do), no reason not to start looking through some guides and online sources now to get an idea of what's out there -- everything from 5-star international luxury to cozy inns run by a local family. Gronze.com is great for online listings of all accomodations. And Goggle maps was very helpful in seeing exactly where in town, or how far off the beaten path, places are.
Larger inns and hotels may have websites or have reviews on TripAdvisor. Some of the smaller places may have nothing but a phone number and, occasionally, a Yelp review. "Pot luck" is all part of the fun.
There were a few places we did book before leaving home, but only because we wanted to stay in specific hotels. As it turned out, we could have walked into any of them on arrival and gotten a room. But that was in October. A different time might have a different outcome, so if you have your heart set on a place, go for it.
One really fun surprise of all of this is that we started running into a handful of the same fellow pilgrims night after night. No pre-planning, hadn't seen them since breakfast that morning, but lo and behold.... !! Lot of laughs and camaraderie -- it's all part of the Camino.
Enjoy your planning, enjoy your walking, and then enjoy your memories for a lifetime.

 

[Saint Mike II]

The post concerning accommodation at Roncesvalles is closed/locked. Why I will not question. However I have long been of the opinion that there was far greater chance of accommodation log jammed in the section between St Jean and Pamplona. After that pilgrims can adjust their days as see fit? I have pre-booked Orisson but will take pot luck (Camino provides etc) for the next 3 or 4 days after that.

What will happen in Roncesvalles in the coming months or years only time will tell!

( moderator feel free to move if you find a better place! Cheers)