Accommodation in May /June 2024

[Bazzaboy]

Partner & I intend walking Camino Frances in May/June next year. Will we need to book accommodation?

 

[Anhalter]

Going from my CF May/June last year: no (exceptions apply)
Going from many posts on the forum: maybe

Nobody knows how busy it will be next year.

 

[Anniesantiago]

Partner & I intend walking Camino Frances in May/June next year. Will we need to book accommodation?

Yes, unless you're very flexible and willing to walk or taxi to the next village if the albergue is full.
I'm SHOCKED at the number of people who say they're going in May.
I've booked all my lodging for 7 people for May.

 

[Ahaj]

What be already booked for May and came across several places full already- I’m only booking as far as Burgos.
Some places thou have come back to say they will not open bookings for May til December for one place and Feb and March in two other cases. I'm a travel agents daughter and too old to feel I have to race to get a bed so I’m taking the safer option for me and have booked. Also note that a few places were shown as full on Booking.com but when emailed directly came back with space. I found the combination of Booking.com and Wise Pilgrim worked for me.

 

[Ahaj]

What be already booked for May and came across several places full already- I’m only booking as far as Burgos.
Some places thou have come back to say they will not open bookings for May til December for one place and Feb and March in two other cases. What m a travel agents daughter and too old to feel I have to race to get a bed so I’m taking the safer option for me and have booked. Also note that a few places were shown as full on Booking.com but when emailed directly came back with space. I found the combination of Booking.com and Wise Pilgrim worked for me.

Sorry my predictive text changes I’d or I m to What!

 

[David Tallan]

Partner & I intend walking Camino Frances in May/June next year. Will we need to book accommodation?

You don't say where you will be starting. Patterns for busy time vary significantly between those starting from SJPP and those starting from Sarria, for example.

Assuming you are starting from SJPP the general advice is to book the first few days, perhaps as far as Pamplona. Then, if you'd rather not book go ahead and wing it. You will probably be okay. If you find that this isn't the case, there are a number of strategies to cope with the situation, including starting to book a day or two ahead, shifting to stopping between the standard "stage ends" or varying when you leave in the morning.

 

[CWBuff]

Yes, unless you're very flexible and willing to walk or taxi to the next village if the albergue is full.
I'm SHOCKED at the number of people who say they're going in May.
I've booked all my lodging for 7 people for May.

So... you're going?.... in May?

 

[Anniesantiago]

So... you're going?.... in May?

Yup.
I'd already made ALL of my reservations. So we will be in the herd.
And actually, I'm trying to figure out which Camino to walk BEFORE I pick up the group and I think I'm honing in on either flying to Santiago, catching a bus to Astorga and walking backwards to Logroño ... or walking from Logroño to Astorga in APRIL. I've been missing the Meseta and all those sweet little albergues...

 

[DoughnutANZ]

In addition to @David Tallan s excellent advice, the amount of busyness that you encounter will depend on when in May you start.

The big numbers tend to occur across two to three weeks. They ramp up slowly but then fall quite quickly.

A week after the peak can be very comfortable and there is no pressure to reserve.

Traditionally the May peak from St. Jean Pied de Port occurs mid month but this year it occurred two weeks earlier.

There has been conjecture that the earlier peak this year was related to Easter being late in April and May Day holiday (1st May) occuring very close so that people were able to get an extra week holiday after Easter by only sacrificing one or two days of their annual leave.

You might like to check when Easter will be next year.

 

[Tincatinker]

Partner & I intend walking Camino Frances in May/June next year. Will we need to book accommodation?

That rather depends on what style of accommodation you require. If you are seeking Double-bedded private rooms with en-suite bathroom facilities then yes you probably need to book. Some above seem to suggest that you should have already booked. If you are planning to use Albergues then you'll find some do not take bookings and some do. Narrative reports from this year suggest many Albergues remained only half-full while key-board warriors fought over the last available en-suite in Northern Spain.

It is advisable to book, where available, the accommodations between St Jean and Pamplona as there appears to be an undersupply at peak times, Saturday to Monday particularly.

 

[Sweetie]

Yes, unless you're very flexible and willing to walk or taxi to the next village if the albergue is full.
I'm SHOCKED at the number of people who say they're going in May.
I've booked all my lodging for 7 people for May.

Hi, I haven’t booked anywhere yet. Can you recommend a website for accommodation / albergues along the way.

 

[David Tallan]

Hi, I haven’t booked anywhere yet. Can you recommend a website for accommodation / albergues along the way.

Gronze.com is frequently recommended and one that I use. It is in Spanush, but if you don't want to practice your Spanish, your web browser may translate it for you. I know that Chrome does and I've heard that Safari may, too.

 

[Tincatinker]

Www.Gronze.com.

Hi, I haven’t booked anywhere yet. Can you recommend a website for accommodation / albergues along the way.

Why not? When are you walking? Where from, where to?

Berking.con, and Tripeadvertiser are recommended.

 

[Anniesantiago]

Hi, I haven’t booked anywhere yet. Can you recommend a website for accommodation / albergues along the way.

I use Gronze and Booking.com