Albergues without blankets

[Deleted member 3000]

The question keeps coming up about blankets in albergues. I have never encountered an albergue without blankets, but it would be nice to have a comprehensive list of places that do not have blankets.

So list the places you have stayed that did not have blankets, and help pilgrims avoid them.

I begin the list with "all albergues I have stayed in have blankets." As a corollary, Albergue del Monasterio de las Benedictinas in Leon did not have pillows.

 

[wisepilgrim]

I should be so lucky as you falcon. Unless they were hiding, I didn't have the pleasure of using a blanket in the redone municipal albergue in Melide. I am not sure that any of the Xunta albergues still have them, but I stand to be corrected by the next poster.

A few on the Primitivo are without as well. I will dig though my photos and report back which ones.

 

[fraluchi]

So list the places you have stayed that did not have blankets, and help pilgrims avoid them.

Listing albergues which do not have blankets should be useful to the albergue operators. Many pilgrims who are well-equipped and stay at albergues during reasonable temperature conditions will not be concerned about a possible lack of blankets.
The problem of listing such albergues on this Forum, is the updating of information. It has also happened to this pilgrim, that unless specifically asked for, a blanket (manta) wasn't evident.
Some time ago I wrote about asking for a "cobija" (LAM for "manta") and being stared at as if from another planet :lol:

 

[Charleston Tom]

Given the potential for bed bug infestation...I would be very reluctant to use albergue blankets.

 

[peregrina2000]

I am digging into my memory to identify some of these blanket-free albergues. One was Laza and one was A Gudina, but there are others. Also, I think the private albergue in Hospital de Orbigo didn't have any.This past summer on the primitivo there was one place without blankets, and I think it was Ponte Ferreira. It is true that in some places when I was told there were no blankets, a smile and some pleading produced one.

I suppose Charleston Tom is right. I was bitten by bedbugs in Zafra and assume that the little critters were hiding out in that nice fluffy comforter I had on top of my bag. So it's a dilemma.

Buen camino, Laurie

 

[Deleted member 3000]

It is good to know all the albergues without blankets, but this topic is under the Camino Frances, where a number of pilgrims are worried about being cold at night. Keep up the hot tips, but perhaps only for the Camino Frances? :wink:

 

[wisepilgrim]

The Albergue in Ponte Ferreira (the privado) definitely had blankets. Both upstairs and down.
Lugo municipal on the other hand did not.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

I think the private albergue in Hospital de Orbigo didn't have any.

There is one parochial and two private albergues in Hospital de Orbigo. Do you remember which one did not have blankets? I have stayed in both Karl Leisner and San Miguel, and they had blankets when I was there.

Albergue parroquial Karl Leisner.
Albergue San Miguel.
Albergue Verde.

 

[mspath]

Late last November In Ponferrada, the Albergue de peregrinos San Nicolás de Flüe, had NO blankets nor had it during any of my past caminos. A few days later the recently renovated Xunta de Galicia albergue in O Cebriero had only a very few blankets for 104 bunks. Nevertheless both albergues were well heated; heat was MOST welcome since outside was a rough mix of cold rain, dense fog and sleet.

Margaret

 

[peregrina2000]

Well, you've shown me that my memory is even worse than I remember. I will go back through my journals to try to be more specific, but my recent caminos have all been something other than the Frances, so my information may be so outdated that it's not relevant. Blanket availability may also have something to do with time of year. I remember one albergue (but I won't even hazard a guess as to where it was) where I was told that their blankets had been put away for the summer, so even though it was pretty darn cold and rainy, it was summer so we couldn't have a blanket. :cry:

 

[BlackDog]

There are no blankets in Roncevalles where I slept last night but it is quite warm so they are not necessary even with just a silk liner.

Sent from my GT-N7000 using Tapatalk 2

 

[nreyn12]

The only places I found that didn't have blankets were Roncesvalles (2011), Burgos (2011, the new municipal, near the cathedral), and Ferreiros (2008, between Sarria and Portomarin). The hospitalero at Roncesvalles reluctantly gave me a sleeping bag someone had left behind to use as a blanket, but I didn't need it afterall.

If you don't see blankets, ask: Hay (pronounced eye) una manta?

Nancy

 

[Deleted member 3000]

Burgos had blankets in March of 2012. It may be a seasonal thing. "Hay!"

Ferreiros just opened after a remodel, so they may have obtained blankets. The objects on the beds appear to be disposable sheets.

 

[sulu]

Ribadiso had a few blankets but not sufficient. Roncesvalles and Ferreiros were the other 2 that I remember, and I remember because I was cold, where the albergues are well heated it is not a problem I suppose.
Sue

 

[Deleted member 3000]

Budget cuts may have affected xunta albergues in Galicia; 8 a.m. checkout, disposable bedding (implying no blankets), no kitchen equipment, and no more donativo. From the Xunta:

OCCUPATION
The priority order for hostel occupation will be as follows:

Physically challenged pilgrims.
Pilgrims travelling on foot.
Pilgrims travelling by horse.
Pilgrims travelling by bicycle.
People travelling with support vehicles.

Beds will be assigned upon the pilgrims' arrival at the hostels. Under no circumstances will bookings be possible.

ACCOMODATION AND USE
The use of the hostel to spend the night and/or the use of any of its services or facilities will entail the payment of 5 € per person, per day, which will be acknowledged by the receipt to be delivered upon payment by the hostel manager.

RULES OF CONDUCT
The use of the aforementioned hostel facilities by pilgrims will be subject to their compliance with the following conditions:

The maximum period of stay will be of a single night, except for sickness or other force majeure cases.
Hostels will close their doors at 22:00 pm.
Hostel checkout must take place before 8:00 am.
In order to prevent disturbances during sleeping time, lights will be turned off at 22:30, with the exception of the communal areas.
Users must show proper diligence when it comes to the maintenance of the facilities, making them clean and tidy. Therefore, trash must be picked up and thrown into the corresponding containers.
No misuse of the water or light services will be allowed.
Clothes will be hung out to dry solely on the laundry ropes.

The non-compliance with any of the aforementioned duties, as well as any behaviour that could be deemed disturbing of the smooth running of the hostels, will empower their managers to force any offenders to leave. Offenders might also be subject to further liability, including non-admittance to any other hostel of the network.

SERVICES AND FACILITIES

Beds with disposable bed linen
Kitchen use (without kitchenware)
Showers (with hot water)

 

[Deleted member 3000]

The private albergue in Ferreiros does have blankets:

Yes, we have. Thank you Tom for your attention. Sincerely,

José Manuel López
Casa Cruceiro de Ferreiros

2012/9/11 Tom

Do you have blankets in your albergue? Thanks you for the information.

 

[Casa Cruceiro]

Hello. The photo of the bunk beds belongs to our new Private Albergue "Casa Cruceiro de Ferreiros", in Ferreiros, not to the municipal one. We have blankets in our Albergue and disposable sheets for all of our beds. It's a new and small albergue and please you can take a look in our web http://casacruceirodeferreiros.blogspot.com.es/.

Thank you for your attention.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

O Cebreiro has no blankets, even on request.

 

[jennysa]

The question keeps coming up about blankets in albergues. I have never encountered an albergue without blankets, but it would be nice to have a comprehensive list of places that do not have blankets.

So list the places you have stayed that did not have blankets, and help pilgrims avoid them.

I begin the list with "all albergues I have stayed in have blankets." As a corollary, Albergue del Monasterio de las Benedictinas in Leon did not have pillows.

Municipal albergue at Palais de Ray didn't have blankets.

 

[Kiwi-family]

Municipal at Triacastela has no blankets.
O' Cebreiro
Melide

And there were a few more, but my memory fails me. Triacastela is memorable because it was the night we really froze, even with our longjohns, fleece jackets and every stitch of clothing on! It turned out someone had opened the windows out in the hall - and of course the doors were only half height so the cool night air whistled on in.

 

[StuartM]

I dont recall blankets in Monte de Gozo. I ended up not staying after checking in so never looked that hard, might have been available somewhere.

 

[Avenelite]

I dont recall blankets in Monte de Gozo. I ended up not staying after checking in so never looked that hard, might have been available somewhere.

Is there any chance of an update to this issue? I notice that the comments all date from 2012. What is the latest on albergues that do not have blankets? Anyone out there with some recent experiences in 2014? I have a vested interest as am planning to go with the silk liner only...

 

[Anniesantiago]

So list the places you have stayed that did not have blankets, and help pilgrims avoid them.
.

So here is the list so far?

Roncesvalles (one of the coldest places) did not have blankets.
Obanos had them, but the hospitalero refused to hand them out!
O Cebreiro (another cold place) did not have them
Ferreiros did not have blankets
Melide
Municipal at Triacastella
Municipal at Palas de Rei
St. Nicholas de Flue in Ponferrada
Ribadiso has them, but not enough for everyone
Monte de Gozo

Any more?

 

[Deleted member 3000]

And the ones with blankets (all the rest in this list):

http://caminodesantiago.consumer.es/albergues/#camino-frances

 

[Silverton]

And of course there are several other routes where many albergues no longer supply blankets. They present one more problem for hospitaleros in dealing with bedbug infestations. Paper? 'fitted' sheets and pillowslips are supplied throughout Galicia--as a barrier to chinches, but few of them supply blankets. I shared an albergue in Outeiro with 30 Dublin students on a charity-week-camino who had been ill-advised not to pack sleeping bags. It was March, and those sheets were very inadequate duvets! Another year, in April, I shared dorms in San Luis de Flué in Ponferrada, and in Foncebadón, with women without sleeping bags who were irate not to find free blankets. One cold night in Sarria, I bundled my poncho around my sleeping bag for added warmth, and then woke up bathed in perspiration/condensation when unexpected underfloor heating was turned on! We all learn by trial and error.
I think it's up to each pilgrim to plan independently according to his/her own metabolism, the time of year, as well as weather and altitude variations.
If you are sure you can keep warm by layering-up in bed, then a silk liner sheet may be enough in the summer; if not, you'd be advised to carry a light sleeping bag, or maybe a fleece blanket, and not rely on getting a complimentary blanket when you may need one.
Admittedly, I've never walked in the summer--I'd have melted! My bedroll weighs under 800g/1lb12oz and I love it--the supermarket-buy sleeping bag is an unzipped duvet over my silk liner, and my pillowslip doubles as nighttime valuables-store. Gosh, now I've blown my security system!

 

[Jola Dvr]

I will be traveling through Sep. How warm does it get in Alberuges in that time of the year? Do you guys think I could get away with just carry a light fleece blanket instead of sleeping bag?
Also, do people carry their own sheets? I read that some Albergues provide disposable sheets but not all.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

Do you guys think I could get away with just carry a light fleece blanket instead of sleeping bag?

Honestly, only you know how warm you need to be to sleep comfortably. I use a nylon liner and albergue blankets when necessary virtually all year around. There will be cool evenings in some albergues. A liner and blankets should be sufficient. It can still be hot in September, and rooms can be sweltering. The problem is being modest while keeping cool. A sleeping bag will become a mattress cover.