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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.I am looking at booking.com but seems like some have some doesn't. It is a little confusing.
Yes i was looking at that. But you did clarify better.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.
Yes, and sometimes reserving directly with the hotel (VS through Booking.com) produces a lower price for the same type of room.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.
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.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..
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.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?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.
How about expedia.com?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..
Than makes sense to get informed. Glad i asked the question. This is all new to me. Thank u.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.
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.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.
Spanish Hotel Star Ratings Explained - BenidormSeriously
Spanish Hotel Star Ratings Explained Here is a general guideline of what to commonly expect from each star rating grade in Spain.www.benidormseriously.com
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.
I've never used them. I'll take a peek.How about expedia.com?
"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...
Even if your Spanish is good enough you often have to wait a day or so to get a response by email.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.
Yes, and what is nice is that more and more albergue options are being offered on Booking.com and possibly other booking sites.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.
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.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.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.
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.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..
Very enlightening and funny at the same time. Lol. Removed the confusion. Thank you.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.
Will most of the apps show the ATMs too?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.
Yes they do.Will most of the apps show the ATMs too?
ThanksYes 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.
You made me curious! Why they mock?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:
I understand, sympathize and have seen this on the forum mentioned a number of times.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 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.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.
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.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.
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.You made me curious! Why they mock?
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.On the Gronze app I believe you look at the name of the town and across you will see symbols for services.
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.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.
I think that @NeiaBrazil is doing the Camino Portuguese.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.
Will do the Portuguese one. Thank you.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.
Correct. I want your memory!I think that @NeiaBrazil is doing the Camino Portuguese.
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.perhaps booking direct with the owner could be a help.
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 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).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 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.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!)
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.
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.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.
Oh i see. Thank you for sharing that. I didn't know.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.
(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.Oh i see. Thank you for sharing that. I didn't know.
Thanks for correcting all my little boo boos haha. Also some of us pseudo Mexican interlopers don’t need the translator.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.
Unless I missed it above....no one mentioned that Hotels.com is the same type of site as Booking.com.
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.I find that Hotels.com and Booking.com will often have different hotels on offer.
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.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:
Gronze Maps | Camino de Santiago | Gronze.com
Gronze Maps es la App de Gronze.com para usar en ruta (on the road). Muestra los tracks y alojamientos en el mapa y la ubicación del usuario en tiempo real. Contiene toda la información actualizada sobre los servicios y alojamientos en conexión con Gronze.com. Funciona en cualquier dispositivo...www.gronze.com
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.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
Interesting.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.
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.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.
Are you not aware that a pandemic has changed a lot about the availability of lodging in Spain?Apparently I have been living under a rock.
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.Of course, if someone prefers booking through online platforms only or mostly, that's fine. But it is not necessary,
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!Why exactly is it better to book with an agency/website instead to call directly? Is it not possible anymore to book by phone?
Me too!I hope I'll get by with my old school way next year, though
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