Albergues; good, better, best?

[Roamin' Rob]

Because my two teenaged Daughters will be hiking the Camino Frances with me, I prefer to not stay in the most rustic, basic Albergues. With all due respect to all the Albergue proprietors, is there any rating system for Albergues? I've seen several Albergue Directories; are they useful and accurate? Which one would anyone recommend?

 

[SabsP]

The Eroski site is one where customers give their opinion. Coloured and biased of course but a good start.

http://caminodesantiago.consumer.es/los-caminos-de-santiago/frances/

I remember a very good private one in Portomarin called Ultreia where the atmosphere was like in a donativo one.

And even if the modern well equipped albergues are your preference do try out one or two donativos or parroquials .Your daughters might be positively surprised and I'm sure they will treasure the experience.
Tosantos and Grañon come to mind.

Happy prepping.

 

[Mark Lee]

On two Caminos Frances I stayed in every type albergue there was, but none were really rustic, per se, just more crowded.
As a whole, the private albergues cost a few euros more, but are less crowded and have more amenities. On my second Camino I stayed primarily in private ones. I figured since I could afford it, what the heck and also maybe by doing so I freed a bunk space for someone who's budget necessitated staying in the municipals.
Maybe map out a plan for which towns y'all want to stay in, and then research the private albergues in each one and make a list.
cheers

 

[Deleted member 3000]

I am not aware of any albergue rating system. Hostales and pensiones have a star rating, but I have not found it to be particularly accurate. The Red de Albergue coalition has tried to create standards for its members on issues like number of toilets and showers per bed. While a few albergues have private rooms, in general they are all dormitory facilities with four to ninety beds in a room, and almost never an en suite bathroom.

 

[C clearly]

Some albergues are nicer than others, in part depending on one's personal style and mood. Many provide more of a service than a consumer product. I'd expect that even the private ones must be quite marginal as "businesses" so I'm not sure I'd like to see them rated in a way that suggests that they are competing for our business. It is definitely useful to have the information on what facilities are available at each albergue, so a person can judge whether that is the service they seek. And I am certainly eager to read comments about people's experiences in various albergues. But a rating system might be very problematic - Granon, for example, could be called "rustic" in camino terms. It would be rated very highly by many pilgrims, but it would not be the choice for many others, even though they might have the greatest respect for it.

A star system (good, better, best) simply wouldn't work due to the extremely subjective nature of the pilgrimage experience. Hostales and pensiones are different and the rating system seems more appropriate.

 

[mspath]

When weary after walking for 6 hours while carrying my pack all I ask is a simple shelter with preferably a lower bunk for resting, working toilet, hot shower, and when possible pleasant companions and something to eat. Simplicity beats any rating system! Is anything else really necessary? Luxury is heat in winter as well as an electric socket to charge my phone.

 

[Anemone del Camino]

The best nights will often be spent In the most simple places because of the company. And the one on th CF I would not go to again is actually a MUST, at least once in a life time for the experience of what the Camimo MUST have be before all this commercialisation.

 

[annakappa]

The Eroski site is one where customers give their opinion. Coloured and biased of course but a good start.

http://caminodesantiago.consumer.es/los-caminos-de-santiago/frances/



Happy prepping.

As Sabine mentioned, the Eroski site is worth checking out. It is in Spanish, but names all albergues along the Way ( unless very, very recently opened). People add it it freely, so there are always new opinions coming in. Check it out!

 

[SabsP]

Why colored and biased?

Ondo Ibili !

Well because it is a personal reflection of individuals with different tastes and ideas. Bit like critical reports on Booking.com or Tripadvisor. What is good / excellent for one person might be bad/ mediocre to someone else. There is not such a thing as an objective critic.

 

[Tincatinker]

A 'good" Albergue is one you remember with some affection, perhaps because of its location, architecture, comfort or even a communal meal with some laughter and song. A "better" Albergue meets all the above criteria and made you want to linger in the morning, perhaps just to thank the hospitelera, perhaps to help with the clean-up. The best Albergue is the one you are in tonight, welcomed, showered, rested and with another day to come on the Camino.
All the rest is just stuff, baggage, garbage, tripped-out-advisor bleugh.
And every teen-ager I have ever known has been able to cope with extremes of "rusticity" that would bring Ranolph Fiennes to his knees usually without leaving their own bedroom.

 

[SabsP]

Then according to you this forum is also colored and biased. As people express their opinions, likes and dislikes.

I think the Eroski guide is a great source of info about the Camino. Back in 1999 Eroski came out with a printed edition of their guide. They printed 20,000 copies. It was simple but extremely helpful. I was very lucky to get a copy back them. I twas also free. Nowadays there guide is on internet and as an app too. The app is extremely helpful as it gives all sort of info. Btw the app version does´t give people´s review. And it is also FREE. I´d dare to say nothing can beat it. But that is MHO.

Ondo Ibili !

I'm with you. My original post did not say otherwise. I simply want to say that there is no such thing as objective info. Clear enough?

 

[Rebekah Scott]

rating albergues is the kind of consumeristic noise that seperates the pilgrim from the tourist. This is a pilgrimage. If you want to fully experience this place, set aside the striving and searching for "best" and just stop where you can find a bed and a meal.
The tourist demands. The pilgrims is thankful for what comes his way.

 

[jmcarp]

Sometimes the best albergues are those with the least amenities. But that's usually an opinion, and opinions are, above all else, subjective.

 

[domigee]

But that's just it, I don't expect 'amenities' in an albergue. I just need a place to sleep and somewhere to buy food or have a meal.
if I want tourist comfort I pay for it in a casa rural or a hotel.