Rosemary Boyd
New Member
- Time of past OR future Camino
- future
For 2024 Pilgrims: €50,- donation = 1 year with no ads on the forum + 90% off any 2024 Guide. More here. (Discount code sent to you by Private Message after your donation) |
---|
I am trying to book albergues from Canada and my e-mails are not being returned.
Hi Rosemary. Most of the albergues are closed right now. So response time can be weeks. If you are like me and want to plan now I suggest you use the pilgrim booking site I use....Good Morning!
I have my trusty John Brierley guide book. I am trying to book albergues from Canada and my e-mails are not being returned. Is calling better?
I would appreciate any tips or suggestions.
Thank you!
Rosemary
If you must book ahead use onlypilgrims.com. Cuts out the money making hotels websites. And please, if you cannot make it to the next bed, do phone ahead to cancel it so a weary pilgrim can have it. Stayed in an albergue in Uterga a few years ago and got the last 'not reserved' bed. About 12 beds had reserved signs on them, next morning ten still only had little reserved signs, the excuse for pilgrims had not turned up, had not cancelled, the albergue lost money and quite a few weary pilgrims were turned away. As we left the dinner table that night, the hospitalera was livid and swore she would never allow so many reservations again. Book your first night or two. When you get close, say 3 to 5 days, to Santiago, book your last few nights. But why tie yourself into daily destinations and deprive yourself of the spontaneity of the camino. I have walked 5 times since 2013 and never had to sleep under the stars or taxi to another town. Got turned away from one albergue in El Acebo but walked around the corner to the parochial and got a bed. Have seen others turned away but they always found somewhere. In Santa Catalina 4 elderly ladies waited out side the albergues and offered beds in their homes to pilgrims turned away from the albergues. Once again reservations had taken up most of the beds and the albergue I was in did not fill up. BTW the dinner in Uterga albergue is excellentGood Morning!
I have my trusty John Brierley guide book. I am trying to book albergues from Canada and my e-mails are not being returned. Is calling better?
I would appreciate any tips or suggestions.
Thank you!
Rosemary
The owner may have lost money but maybe not. I only can speak for the only pilgrims booking site and Orrison. If you book through only pilgrims you pay in advance. If you cancel 7 days before your arrival time you get a refund. I have tried to cancel after that so someone can get the bed and it's often difficult to reach the owner of the albergue. As for Orrison, no refunds is the rule. When I book privately I am told to call 24 hours before my booking to confirm, which I do if I expect a bed. So perhaps the owner needs to to have the phone call 24 hours before arriving rule.If you must book ahead use onlypilgrims.com. Cuts out the money making hotels websites. And please, if you cannot make it to the next bed, do phone ahead to cancel it so a weary pilgrim can have it. Stayed in an albergue in Uterga a few years ago and got the last 'not reserved' bed. About 12 beds had reserved signs on them, next morning ten still only had little reserved signs, the excuse for pilgrims had not turned up, had not cancelled, the albergue lost money and quite a few weary pilgrims were turned away. As we left the dinner table that night, the hospitalera was livid and swore she would never allow so many reservations again. Book your first night or two. When you get close, say 3 to 5 days, to Santiago, book your last few nights. But why tie yourself into daily destinations and deprive yourself of the spontaneity of the camino. I have walked 5 times since 2013 and never had to sleep under the stars or taxi to another town. Got turned away from one albergue in El Acebo but walked around the corner to the parochial and got a bed. Have seen others turned away but they always found somewhere. In Santa Catalina 4 elderly ladies waited out side the albergues and offered beds in their homes to pilgrims turned away from the albergues. Once again reservations had taken up most of the beds and the albergue I was in did not fill up. BTW the dinner in Uterga albergue is excellent
And sending a weary pilgrim down the road when a bed is lying empty is not unfair. It really is quite simple to phone and let the hospitaleros know you aint coming. I do believe most albergues have telephone numbers. Most pilgrims booking ahead that I have met phone the albergue the night before so it is just as easy to phone and cancel. Some albergues do say that if you have not turned up by 4pm and not phoned to either cancel or confirm you are still coming, then the bed will not be held for you. However, the few hospitaleros I know well tend to be reluctant to do so and will push it to 5 but feel really bad about turning others away. It is just my personal opinion but I believe that mass bookings months in advance is not helping the ethos of the caminoThe owner may have lost money but maybe not. I only can speak for the only pilgrims booking site and Orrison. If you book through only pilgrims you pay in advance. If you cancel 7 days before your arrival time you get a refund. I have tried to cancel after that so someone can get the bed and it's often difficult to reach the owner of the albergue. As for Orrison, no refunds is the rule. When I book privately I am told to call 24 hours before my booking to confirm, which I do if I expect a bed. So perhaps the owner needs to to have the phone call 24 hours before arriving rule.
I wish they offered the bed for free when it is already paid for. I have only cancelled because of injury and I can't speak for the no shows at the place you spoke about but selling a bunk twice seems unfair.
Don’t be discouraged. I am from Canada too. If your trying to get an alburgue in SJPDP try bellarie it’s awesome but they don’t always reply until end January February. Same with Orisson a must to stay on day 1. They do t reply either but will eventually. It’s easy wherever your from but we had to learn from fellow pilgrims that there is a date they all start replying. You do need a place ie Orisson unless you are walking right thru Ronchevalles. Go on their site send the email. They will reply. Hope it helps. Buen Camino.Good Morning!
I have my trusty John Brierley guide book. I am trying to book albergues from Canada and my e-mails are not being returned. Is calling better?
I would appreciate any tips or suggestions.
Thank you!
Rosemary
Thank you!As a hospitalero myself I can indeed tell that many albergues are in a deep deep wintersleep at the moment. The season is long and tyring.
Also, there is hardly any albergue which is fully booked for any day this coming season. Beilari in SJPdP en Orrison might be an exeption. So no need to rush at all! In 99% of the places there are beds available 1-2 days before.
Besides, there are only very few albergues on booking and even less on onlypilgrims. For most albergues there is no need to because by far most, people use guidebooks or apps. Use booking only in case of emergency, I'm afraid you otherwise will miss the best camino places.
We use cookies and similar technologies for the following purposes:
Do you accept cookies and these technologies?
We use cookies and similar technologies for the following purposes:
Do you accept cookies and these technologies?