Albergue Santibanez de Valdeiglesia

[Kardan]

Did not enjoy the stay at this albergue. The 2 toilets & showers were outside and John Brierley's book described a tranquil interior with orchard to the rear. The orchard was overgrown & not pleasant to sit in. The man who ran the albergue was quite rude & wouldn't even let you see the inside of the albergue before checking in - I think his statement was this is an albergue not a hotel. We were pretty tired when we arrived here & did not feel capable of walking another 7.2km. The only bar in the town closed at 2 p.m. & only opened for us when we found out where the owner lived & knocked on his door to open the bar. There were no cooking facilities in the albergue & the owner cooked a meal which was average. Would not recommend staying at this albergue.

 

[oboemargot]

Just to provide another perspective- this was one of my favorite stays. Smaller rooms with only 3 bunkbeds, the garden was comfortable (except the flies that tend to be everywhere in this part of Spain,) showers with warm water and a meal provided in a town that didn't have so much as a bar or a shop. I liked to say it was a very impressive name for a town with nothing

 

[BeatriceKarjalainen]

I read your posts and decided to stop in one village before. Didn't want to chance. The alberge here in Villares de Órbigo is really nice.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

Kardan, Sep 23, 2009

With four years passing since the review, and no additional comments by other pilgrims, perhaps this post was just a "flaming," and should not be given much credence. Lots of bars close. Lots of albergue meals are not gourmet. I can tell you that Hercule is a very fun hospitalero, a bit of a Camino character. He held a no-charge queimada when I was there, and he had a couple in the kitchen doing the cooking. Who know; he may have cleared out the garden a bit!

 

[BeatriceKarjalainen]

It might be good or bad so I didn't push those extra 2,5 km to find out. And I'm really happy that I stayed here in Villares de Órbigo as the couple running the albergue are lovely. I have the whole place for my self and just finished a lovely meal with them.

But is good of you to point out that the review was old. I missed that when I read it. My guided says "not well maintained" about the place and it was also a reason for me not to go those extra km to there.

 

[HighlandHind]

I loved it here. The food was delicious and the garden a great place to hang out. One of my favourites, not for the facilities, but the people and the memories.

 

[BeatriceKarjalainen]

I talked with one person staying there the night I stayed in the town before. He really hated it. So it seams to be a place you love or hate

 

[SYates]

I talked with one person staying there the night I stayed in the town before. He really hated it. So it seams to be a place you love or hate

There are many like this on the Camino: San Bol, San Anton, Manjarin ...

 

[Deleted member 3000]

San Bol, San Anton, Manjarin

Santibanez is several cuts above all of these!

 

[sharondb]

I stayed there in 2010. I really liked it. We had a communal dinner and sat around outside and talked until midnight. The garden may have been a bit overgrown but it had character.

 

[SYates]

There are many like this on the Camino: San Bol, San Anton, Manjarin ...

Santibanez is several cuts above all of these!

I know ;-) I was referring to the love/hate factor, not the facilities of the refugio ;-) SY