Albergue La Fábrica in Tardajos - new owner?

[Luka]

Has anyone recently stayed here? I tried to reach them, but the contact form on the website doesn't work. I sent them an e-mail, but got no response. Could it be that there has been a change of ownership?

 

[naplesdon]

I saw a post within the past 6 months from someone praising the accommodations. I stayed there 3 years ago and walked past it last year and it looked like it was still in operation.
I think Casa Magica is suffering from the same issue, new owner as of 1 May and hard to get the information out. She told me they wouldn't make it into the guidebooks until next year.
Did you think to contact the new (fairly new) place at the corner on the way to Rabe to find out anything?

 

[Luka]

Did you think to contact the new (fairly new) place at the corner on the way to Rabe to find out anything?

I am not that familiar with the Francés to immediately understand which place you are talking about...

 

[Thornley]

Has anyone recently stayed here? I tried to reach them, but the contact form on the website doesn't work. I sent them an e-mail, but got no response. Could it be that there has been a change of ownership?

Booking .com
$57 Oz for a single , $70 a double
I tried a date mid June and there was 4 rooms left

Casa Magica

My favourite place Don ,
The story of how the banks destroyed those beautiful people still makes my blood boil.

Good luck Luca

 

[Luka]

Booking .com
$57 Oz for a single , $70 a double
I tried a date mid June and there was 4 rooms left

Thank you! But I would like to book a bunk bed and I would prefer to book it straight at the albergue, so they won't have to pay fees to a booking site. I will try their phone number on a more decent hour.

 

[naplesdon]

Luka, the other place I mentioned in Tardajos is La Casa de Beli. If you are looking for a bunk bed then walk a few k's farther to Rabe, there are a couple of small places there that include dinner. The tiny cafe in town is fun and if you are lucky the sisters will ask you to the convent for their evening vespers.

 

[naplesdon]

Booking .com
$57 Oz for a single , $70 a double
I tried a date mid June and there was 4 rooms left

My favourite place Don ,
The story of how the banks destroyed those beautiful people still makes my blood boil.

Good luck Luca

I really wish I knew what destroyed Miguel's treasure at Casa Magica. The first time I stayed there it was truly magic, you could cook for yourself in their massive kitchen, and of course finding their terrace was mind blowing. He massaged on my feet and said I was walking the Camino with/for someone else. As was the case I was walking the Camino for my daughter who had recently committed suicide and he could feel that.
That year I had been walking for a few days with some eccentric designers from London and they wanted to film the shabby chic decor, they were blown away that a place like that could exist in the middle of no where.
The second time his wife had left him and he was detached but had hired a chef to prepare an extraordinary paella for everyone staying there.
The third time I walked with friends and he had come back to life with a different cook but still served an extraordinary paella.
Every time I visited he would remember me like I had been there yesterday, not last year.
The final time I visited him he was a hollow person and I wandered on to Estella.
EDIT: Malvina and her husband will turn the place around in 2019.

 

[Thornley]

I would like to book a bunk bed

One room with quadruple bunks , rest private for singles and or couples.
The reviews are very good , its up market and i get the impression that the quadruple would be booked as a group.

won't have to pay fees to a booking site.

Admirable but sometimes not practical

really wish I knew what destroyed Miguel's treasure at Casa Magica. The first time I stayed there it was truly magic,

I can only relate to 6 years ago Don and it was when the Banks were foreclosing on most properties after the GFC . The young couple had a 50% debt , had never missed a payment and were doing up the property as well. The husband [ spouse from the village ] had to move away to work in the quarries to assist with the repayments as they had doubled , with the bank also requesting a deduction on the loan.
The wife's [ Sth America ?? i think ] family had a quid and assisted for as long as they could .
We had a couple dine with us who had just received prior to walking the bad news and would require Chemo on return , it had and still does have a special place with us.
And that big beautiful dog...
**There was also a little push for a communal albergue under way within the village ....thats another story mate.

 

[Bala]

Has anyone recently stayed here? I tried to reach them, but the contact form on the website doesn't work. I sent them an e-mail, but got no response. Could it be that there has been a change of ownership?

I stayed there mid-April, 2018. Beautiful place, very good food, big, fluffy comforters on each bed, gorgeous bathroom.

I have no idea if the ownership has changed since then, but the building had been completely renovated by a local family, and the "kids" (in their 30s?) were running it. It looked like the whole project was a labor of love, start to finish, with photos of the renovation work on the walls of the bar. The owner/manager was clearly very proud of the whole operation and was a lot of fun to talk to.

So I'd be surprised to learn it had changed hands, but you never know. The bar was packed with locals. However, there were only 2 pilgrims staying that night, me and another man, and two other men who appeared to be construction workers and did not stay in the 2-bunk dorm with us.

So business wasn't booming. But it wasn't anywhere else on the meseta, either. At least not anywhere I stayed. That was mid-April. I'd hate to think they couldn't make a go of it.

Edit to correct date.

 

[Luka]

Thanks @Bala, now I even more would like to stay there! Whether it changed owners or not, this means you can still stay there as a pilgrim.

 

[Bala]

Thanks @Bala, now I even more would like to stay there! Whether it changed owners or not, this means you can still stay there as a pilgrim.

@Luka, I am really sorry, I stayed April of last year. I just corrected my post. My apologies for the mixup.

I hope you at least stop by to see what the situation is. I'd like to think there is some simple explanation for their lack of contact. After all the work and pride they put into it, it would be sad if it's no longer operating. I was a walk-in, so I don't know what the phone/email system was like last year. Let us know if you find out anything.

 

[Kathar1na]

In one of the recent comments on Booking.com from April 2019, a guest mentions that "the new owner George was very friendly and welcoming". I wonder why the previous owners left. I, too, remember that the extended family helped with running the place, some lived and worked in Germany and were just helping out during a busy period, others had returned to live permanently in Tardajos. The restaurant was apparently popular with the locals.

 

[lt56ny]

Thank you! But I would like to book a bunk bed and I would prefer to book it straight at the albergue, so they won't have to pay fees to a booking site. I will try their phone number on a more decent hour.

I have noticed when I have tried to book something on Booking.com they never offer the bunk beds as an option. It is only the private rooms. You do have to call the albergue directly. I learned that the first time I tried to book at San Martin Pinario in Santiago. You could book the rooms but to get a pilgrim room you have to call them. I believe this is the same for all hotels that also have pilgrim bunk beds. Bookings does show listings from Hostels that have shared bedrooms. I have booked in hostels on Bookings many times successfully. Buen Camino

 

[Kathar1na]

a guest mentions that "the new owner George was very friendly and welcoming"

Silly me, I should have guessed that the name is not George. It's Jorge and the email address is given as jorge@alberguelafabrica.com

 

[Luka]

Thanks a lot, @Kathar1na! Jorge makes sense. I e-mailed to cristina@alberguefabrica.com, but got no response. Now I will try Jorge.

 

[Luka]

Jorge replied. He said that they already had my reservation. So the mail to Cristina did arrive, but they only forgot to send a confirmation back.

 

[cactusthorn]

Has anyone recently stayed here? I tried to reach them, but the contact form on the website doesn't work. I sent them an e-mail, but got no response. Could it be that there has been a change of ownership?

new phone numbers for Casa Magica: 948 732 313; whatsapp +34674709574