Albergues between Burgos and Leon

[lckgj]

I have been planning my rough intinerary for next walk between Burgos and Leon (starting 4 June) and did a little research on this forum to see if anywhere particularly interesting to stay was mentioned. I stumbled across the terrible experince that some pilgrims had whilst staying at the Albergue Virgen de la Guia in Rabe de la Calzada - what a dreadful woman!
This had been my planned first stop as I am travelling from Madrid to Burgos and only wanted to do a short stint in that same afternoon. I was wondering if the situation had been resolved (ie the albergue changed hands?) or whether it was still best avoided. I will be arriving relatively late and therefore don't want to risk not finding anywhere with spaces.
If anyone has any recommendations for any of the albergues en route from Burgos to Leon then I would be grateful for their comments- not necessarily looking for poshest, but clean, friendly and interesting location are always welcome attributes. Also, although I have guide books I have often passed albergues that I didn't know existed or even some that are listed and have now closed.
Many thanks.

 

[Anonymous]

Albergue Virgen de la Guia in Rabe de la Calzada - what a dreadful woman! I was wondering if the situation had been resolved (ie the albergue changed hands?) or whether it was still best avoided.

lckgj, hi. I haven't heard anything to the effect that the situation has been resolved, but let me make a suggestion. If u think it's feasible, meet the "hospitalera from hell!" Am not saying staying at her albergue, but rather dropping by, checking her out and specially the crammed sleeping quarters mentioned in the letter, giving us ur impression (u will be helping us out). Or at least let us know if she's still there. Hopefully she will be and gone through some kind of Camino-like personal transformation leading to treating pilgrims with kindness and respect. I happened to have gone to her albergue by chance to check it out, I always like to do that anywhere in the world I spend the night at (with exceptions), instead of automatically signing in. After seeing that the sleeping room was too small and there was no ventilation, am allergic and need air, I walked out, not without hearing nasty words from her as a result of my decision to leave. As I thanked her on my way out, she shouted the old, unrelated in this case, adage: "the tourist demands, the pilgrim thanks." Not when I pay for a service! Buen Camino, xm 8)

 

[rioja routard]

recommendations

Hola

I stayed last July at Itero del Castillo at the Hermitage Hospital San Nicolas which was nice.

I believe Boadilla del Camino is good as it has a pool (60 km west of Burgos)

I've just got back from Fromista to Leon and I will recommend the good places I stayed.

Villalcazar de Sirga was nice when I stayed last July.

Albergue Espirtu Santo at Carrión de los Condes, not the municiple but a college run by nuns.

Albergueria Laganares at San Nicolas de Real Camino, really nice people and a clean run hostal with a pleasant evening meal.

The best was El Nogal in El Burgo Ranero, for €10 I had a private room, and amazingly slept for 12 hours!

Another lovely family run Auberge which has just been newly renovated is El Delfin Verde at Puente Villarente, (tel 987 31 20 65). Although on a busy road it is fairly quiet and the river surroundings are nice. It was great to walk down to the Rio Porma and soak my hot feet in icy water.

It is 6 km after Mansilla de las Mulas.

Enjoy + buen camino

 

[marktqm]

Ickgj,

Please do us a favor and do what xm asks you to do. We'd be grateful if you could 'validate' the stuff we have been hearing about Rabe de las Calzadas. Not that we don't believe the pilgrims who reported the event, but let's give the 'hospitalera from hell' a chance to redeem herself.

The albergue in Bercianos del Real Camino looks like it's about to fall apart but the experience is wonderful. First of all, there's a free welcome drink. It's donativo but you all have to pitch in for dinner. I was made to buy a kilo of tomatoes. Some pilgrims cooked, some prepared the tables, and we all ate together with the nuns who were running the place for a fortnight. Some of us went to mass in the village chapel, and afterwards had a special pilgrims 'thank you' service in the albergue's chapel, and ended the day watching the sunset. Some of us sang O Sole Mio at the top of our voices.

Mark

 

[lckgj]

Thanks for your replies! More experiences welcome.
I will try to look in at the albergue in Rabe de las Calzadas and possibly may still have no option but to stay there. It is generally the company of the other peregrinos that make for the most memorable stays so I shall try to go with an open mind.
For future reference others might be interested to know I had a memorable stay in Belorado at the Cuatro Cantones. The owners invited several of us to share their supper of fresh mushrooms with garlic- fabulous.
I would also recommend the albergue at Granon. I didn't stay there as I had overnighted in Santo Domingo de la Calzada but I was accosted in the street when walking through Granon at breakfast time by two ladies who called themselves "The Kissing Sisters of the Camino". They insisted I joined them for breakfast in the church. I was made very welcome and as it was November it was a struggle to leave the roaring fire and the jovial company and start heading on to Belorado.
A little while ago I think there was a poll for the most interesting albergues - I couldn't find it using the search, can anyone give me a link to it?
Thanks

 

[Minkey]

Or... Do yourself a favour and stay in Tardajos. Whilst I was there, the hospitalero was a very, very kind man and did everything he could to welcome and help me.

Of course the hospitalero from hell could've changed her ways, but... Is that a risk you'd want to take? Why line her pockets?

 

[Anonymous]

My respects to lc! I tell ya, after the negative experience I had with the "hospitalera from hell," I wouldn't want to see her face and have to deal with poss unncessary spiritual agravations in my Camino. I imagine the alternative is still there, the albergue that used to belong to a great human being, Marivi. Best, xm 8)

 

[WolverineDG]

I think Marivi has moved on, although her albergue is still listed in the paper you get in SJPdP.

Updated info on albergues is always welcome, in my opinion. My personal suggestion is to stay in Los Arcos unless you can make it to Viana. The albergue Casa Mari is nice, but small & there is no food in Torres del Rio except at the tienda & vending machines at Casa Mari. (I´ll post more of that on my blog when I get home).

dg

 

[Anonymous]

I understand that Marivi, who was in delicate health, sold it, but I don't know if it's still an albergue. May be nice to check it out, Rabe is a tranquil place to spend the night-away from oui know who.... Best, xm

 

[Minkey]

Second the remarks about Los Arcos, just avoid the first albergue you come across on the way into town. Head down towards the church!

 

[lckgj]

I was looking for info on the albergues between Burgos and Leon and so have already passed Los Arcos and Viana! I really liked the albergue in Viana - the only problem was finding somewhere to eat. The only bar serving pilgrims meals was so dense with cigarette smoke that I couldn't bear to eat there. I ate in the bar of the smart hotel but really needed something more substantial than the snacks they were offering and was too bedraggled and scruffy to eat in the main hotel restaurant. The bullfighting on the tv was memorable!

 

[William Marques]

I too would mention the Tardajos refugio. It was small simple and clean.

And again. The nuns at the convent in Carrion de los Condes have a great refugio with small rooms (not big dormitories).

 

[marktqm]

William probably meant the Monastery de Sta Clara. The other refugio in Carrion run by nuns, the Espiritu Santo, has large dormitories and the most number of bathrooms per pilgrim ratio. And clean too.

Mark

 

[oursonpolaire]

With respect to the albergue in Tardajos, just after Burgos, I would offer a caution. After a late night in Burgos (these things happen on the Camino, no?) and taking some time to look at the spectacular Monasterio Real de Las Huelgas south of the park at the west end of Burgos. I struggled into Tardajos at about 3 pm and the hospitalero told me that I had not walked far enough, and that I should go to Tardajos. I was not old and I was not ill; he would not let me stay.

Too tired to go on, I took a room above the café in the village. I had dinner that night in the comedor with a Swedish pilgrim in her 60s and she told me that he had done the same thing to several other pilgrims and then complained to her that hardly anybody was staying at the albergue that evening.