Booking procedures for Albergues, Pensions, Hostels

[Angel-hart]

Could someone weigh in on the booking procedures for booking while on the Comino? I know there is probably not a single answer so: Is there telephoning to reserve a place ahead. Do most places have someone who speaks say English, French, German for booking. Is there a universal language other than Spanish? Can this be done on line? How does the money for payment work? Credit cards online is not the safest thing when traveling?

I posts of people leaving at 04:30am to get a spot in the next town. Do you really have to leave that early? Walk in the dark, miss so much etc. Some think its mean spirited others say its what you need to do?

Angelhart

 

[dougfitz]

You are correct, there is no simple answer. Private albergues might allow bookings, but others don't. Other accommodation operates like any other commercial provider, and can be booked. Do not expect there to be online booking or payment systems, or to find someone who has a second language.

 

[AJ]

Booking private albergues seems to be getting more common. Very many people I spoke to this year on the Frances booked ahead and for the first time I was asked in several albergues whether I had a booking.

 

[Alan Pearce]

Booking private albergues seems to be getting more common. Very many people I spoke to this year on the Frances booked ahead and for the first time I was asked in several albergues whether I had a booking.

As was I.

Alan

Be brave. Life is joyous.

 

[MichaelSG]

For albergues, cash is the only payment method that I know of. Municipal albergues won't take reservations but many private ones do. I would suggest only booking those a day in advance. I always paid cash even in pensions and B&Bs. I'm not sure if they allowed credit cards but I know they would be happier with cash. Everywhere we have stayed, we paid when we arrived.

Finally, yes pilgrims often leave to start walking early. From what I saw, almost everyone left between 5:00 and 7:00am. I dont know how that could ever be called mean-spirited. I found the best time for me was to start an hour before sunrise. Walking before the heat of the day was fantastic and very enjoyable. I may have missed the scenery in the distance but the stars, fresh crisp air, looming sunrise, seeing villages coming to life, etc. definitely were worth the exchange.

 

[Angel-hart]

For albergues, cash is the only payment method that I know of. Municipal albergues won't take reservations but many private ones do. I would suggest only booking those a day in advance. I always paid cash even in pensions and B&Bs. I'm not sure if they allowed credit cards but I know they would be happier with cash. Everywhere we have stayed, we paid when we arrived.

Finally, yes pilgrims often leave to start walking early. From what I saw, almost everyone left between 5:00 and 7:00am. I dont know how that could ever be called mean-spirited. I found the best time for me was to start an hour before sunrise. Walking before the heat of the day was fantastic and very enjoyable. I may have missed the scenery in the distance but the stars, fresh crisp air, looming sunrise, seeing villages coming to life, etc. definitely were worth the exchange.

Thank you MichelSG: Good info on the albergues, Personally I like to walk in the early am. The time between dark and sunrise is a great time. In April and May 5-7 sounds perfect. Ive read a number of posts referencing folks being loud at 4:00AM etc.. Just curious:
as for "mean spirited" a recent documentary of a pilgrims Comino the term was used stating that it defeated his Comino spirit(his opinion).

Thanks Again
Angelhart

 

[Angel-hart]

You are correct, there is no simple answer. Private albergues might allow bookings, but others don't. Other accommodation operates like any other commercial provider, and can be booked. Do not expect there to be online booking or payment systems, or to find someone who has a second language.

Thanks for the info: Language was as I figured I'm a retired Merchant Seaman and sailed pretty much the globe, Ive found when many different languages are spoken as on the Comino a default language comes into use. Sounds like European Spanish is the one. Fair enough

Angelhart

 

[dougfitz]

You will find other English speakers on the Camino, and a variety of languages where volunteer hospitaleros are running the albergues, but my observation is that having a second language is not that common in Spain.

 

[HeidiL]

Not everyone leaves early. It depends on the time of year and the expected temperature. We never start before sunrise, then I'd just have to carry my sleepy husband, who is a lot bigger than me...

 

[sillydoll]

If you book ahead, you must confirm later in the day that you are still coming. Most places will give your bed away if you don't arrive by a certain time.

 

[nathanael]

Could someone weigh in on the booking procedures for booking while on the Comino? I know there is probably not a single answer so: Is there telephoning to reserve a place ahead. Do most places have someone who speaks say English, French, German for booking. Is there a universal language other than Spanish? Can this be done on line? How does the money for payment work? Credit cards online is not the safest thing when traveling?

I posts of people leaving at 04:30am to get a spot in the next town. Do you really have to leave that early? Walk in the dark, miss so much etc. Some think its mean spirited others say its what you need to do?

Angelhart

I don't like the idea of booking but it seems the way things are going now I walked the last two weeks on the Camino del Norte with two ladies and if we didn't we were unable to find accommodation...what has happened on the Camino. The simplicity and carefree life has been lost.

 

[nreyn12]

Booking from the trail is pretty easy if you have a Spanish phone or a Spanish SIM card in your home-country phone. Keep in mind that the person on the other end of the phone already knows what you want, and they will likely know a few words of 'hospitality English.' If you aren't confident to make the call yourself, you can always ask the host where you're staying to call for the next night. Or your new Spanish pilgrim friends will gladly make the call for you. If you use another person's phone, it's courteous to offer to pay for the call, say one euro.

To increase your success rate, write down what you want - how many people, bed or a room, what day your are arriving, and what time you expect to arrive by - and give that to the person making the call for you. I always give a late arrival time, say 6:00pm, and say that I will call if I will arrive after that time. If you do that, you don't have to call again to confirm.

Many hotels and other private accommodations can be booked on booking.com, using a smartphone and WiFi. Easy. (Although the rates are higher than if you called to book.) If you call to make a booking at a hotel, you will probably need to give a credit card number. Usually hostales (small hotels), pensiones (guesthouses), or Casa Rurales (like a B&B) do not ask for a credit card. For payment, hotels and some hostales take credit card, but cash is the way of life at smaller places and albergues.

Most important: If you change your plans and will not keep a reservation, be sure to call to cancel so they can sell the bed or room to someone else.

You may want to check out the app 'Wise Pilgrim.' It lists most of the albergues and some of the private accommodations, and even gives the email addresses and phone numbers for easy reference when booking. For the private accommodations, it will show ones that can be booked through booking.com.

Personally, I like to book places in advance. That way I don't have to rush out in the morning and can enjoy a leisurely coffee before walking. I then can also take the day slowly without worrying if I will have a bed or a room.

Good luck!

 

[basquelady]

Booking from the trail is pretty easy if you have a Spanish phone or a Spanish SIM card in your home-country phone. Keep in mind that the person on the other end of the phone already knows what you want, and they will likely know a few words of 'hospitality English.' If you aren't confident to make the call yourself, you can always ask the host where you're staying to call for the next night. Or your new Spanish pilgrim friends will gladly make the call for you. If you use another person's phone, it's courteous to offer to pay for the call, say one euro.

To increase your success rate, write down what you want - how many people, bed or a room, what day your are arriving, and what time you expect to arrive by - and give that to the person making the call for you. I always give a late arrival time, say 6:00pm, and say that I will call if I will arrive after that time. If you do that, you don't have to call again to confirm.

Many hotels and other private accommodations can be booked on booking.com, using a smartphone and WiFi. Easy. (Although the rates are higher than if you called to book.) If you call to make a booking at a hotel, you will probably need to give a credit card number. Usually hostales (small hotels), pensiones (guesthouses), or Casa Rurales (like a B&B) do not ask for a credit card. For payment, hotels and some hostales take credit card, but cash is the way of life at smaller places and albergues.

Most important: If you change your plans and will not keep a reservation, be sure to call to cancel so they can sell the bed or room to someone else.

You may want to check out the app 'Wise Pilgrim.' It lists most of the albergues and some of the private accommodations, and even gives the email addresses and phone numbers for easy reference when booking. For the private accommodations, it will show ones that can be booked through booking.com.

Personally, I like to book places in advance. That way I don't have to rush out in the morning and can enjoy a leisurely coffee before walking. I then can also take the day slowly without worrying if I will have a bed or a room.

Good luck!

Most important to start your phone conversation with "Buenos días/tardes" and wait for the expected reply to your greeting. Works wonders on the phone and also in shops.

 

[Tincatinker]

I totally agree that at least managing the niceties in Spanish is important. You may find these phrases useful if trying to reserve a room with bathroom and balcony : Hola, buenas tardes, soy un peregrino. No tengo ni español. No te comprendo. Me gustaría reservar una habitación con salón de baile y un borde del acantilado. Si esto está disponible por favor me esperaría. ¿alguien habla inglés? ¡Hola! ¡Hola!

Most of the accommodation providers along or within a few kilometres of the Caminos are well versed in Spanglish, Germanol and Francospiel. There were times when first Latin, then French and then English were declared as universal languages (which I always thought was a bit hard on the Martians) but these days trying hard and smiling work pretty well.

For those without Google Translate my suggestions above will get you a room with a Ballroom on the edge of a cliff - but at least there won't be any snorers (except you).

 

[Kanga]

Just take care when using booking.com that you look at the map. What is very close by motor vehicle can be a planet away at the end of a long day on foot.

 

[sillydoll]

"The simplicity and carefree life has been lost."

It depends on which timeframe one refers to. Compared to today with over 450 albergues, rooms offered in homes, homes converted to pensiones, dedicated paths created to avoid roads, yellow arrows to follow, dozens of websites to help in the planning, and the advent of Google in 1998 to help with everything else, the modern Camino wasn't really easy or carefree for early pilgrims.

When "The Camino" was reanimated in the late 1970's and early 1980's there were no albergues or other cheap accommodation, no yellow arrows , few dedicated paths and no pilgrim meals.

In 1971 Don Elias Valina Sampedro wrote in his book ‘Caminos a Compostela’. “In the 1970’s there survived only a remote memory of the Jacobean pilgrimage. The church of St Mary’s as well as the ancient inn and pilgrim hospital was “little more than a dunghill” -

In 1974 Edwin Mullins published a book “The Pilgrimage to Santiago”. In it he recounts how it was for a pilgrim on foot in the early 1970’s: “It was more often a question of dropping into village bars and enquiring politely where the old road might be.”

The developing Camino infrastructure with its dedicated paths, pilgrim shelters, pilgrim meals etc., is unique and is resulting in a culture of expectation and entitlement. I hear things like this every day.
"We should be able to stop and find a bed when we want one"
"I walked 30 km and there were pilgrims in the albergue who only walked 20 km."
" I started in St Jean and 'they' only started in Sarria." (Inferring that preference should be given to those who walk long distances.)
"The pilgrim's mass should only be for pilgrims who have walked, not for 'tourist pilgrims'. "

What is happening to the Camino spirit? A pecking order has developed with the perception that 'walking' pilgrims are top of the pile and deserve extra privilege, cycling or horseback pilgrims second, and the other 10 million pilgrims (mostly Catholic) who travel to the tomb of Saint James each year are bottom of the list.

 

[Angel-hart]

Booking from the trail is pretty easy if you have a Spanish phone or a Spanish SIM card in your home-country phone. Keep in mind that the person on the other end of the phone already knows what you want, and they will likely know a few words of 'hospitality English.' If you aren't confident to make the call yourself, you can always ask the host where you're staying to call for the next night. Or your new Spanish pilgrim friends will gladly make the call for you. If you use another person's phone, it's courteous to offer to pay for the call, say one euro.

To increase your success rate, write down what you want - how many people, bed or a room, what day your are arriving, and what time you expect to arrive by - and give that to the person making the call for you. I always give a late arrival time, say 6:00pm, and say that I will call if I will arrive after that time. If you do that, you don't have to call again to confirm.

Many hotels and other private accommodations can be booked on booking.com, using a smartphone and WiFi. Easy. (Although the rates are higher than if you called to book.) If you call to make a booking at a hotel, you will probably need to give a credit card number. Usually hostales (small hotels), pensiones (guesthouses), or Casa Rurales (like a B&B) do not ask for a credit card. For payment, hotels and some hostales take credit card, but cash is the way of life at smaller places and albergues.

Most important: If you change your plans and will not keep a reservation, be sure to call to cancel so they can sell the bed or room to someone else.

You may want to check out the app 'Wise Pilgrim.' It lists most of the albergues and some of the private accommodations, and even gives the email addresses and phone numbers for easy reference when booking. For the private accommodations, it will show ones that can be booked through booking.com.

Personally, I like to book places in advance. That way I don't have to rush out in the morning and can enjoy a leisurely coffee before walking. I then can also take the day slowly without worrying if I will have a bed or a room.

Good luck!

Thank you for the great information. I like your ideas and the fact that we don't have to rush everyday. Some days we may want to start out early and some we may not. The security of having a place helps us be more observant to our surroundings and embrace our Comino experience. We will use your advice. Thank you again


Angelhart

 

[Buz Radican]

I did not see anyone mention www.onlypilgrims.com. It is for the Camino Francis, book on line, use your credit card, have it confirmed. Some locations have only one albergue, some locations have two or three. No private rooms, just multiple bunk rooms. I used that website 10 or more times during my May/June camino. Buen Camino. The owner charges a 1 euro service charge.

 

[Anemone del Camino]

I did not see anyone mention www.onlypilgrims.com. It is for the Camino Francis, book on line, use your credit card, have it confirmed. Some locations have only one albergue, some locations have two or three. No private rooms, just multiple bunk rooms. I used that website 10 or more times during my May/June camino. Buen Camino. The owner charges a 1 euro service charge.

Great find, thank you. Now, when did albergues start costing up to 20€ for a bed and breakfast?!

 

[Angel-hart]

"The simplicity and carefree life has been lost."

It depends on which timeframe one refers to. Compared to today with over 450 albergues, rooms offered in homes, homes converted to pensiones, dedicated paths created to avoid roads, yellow arrows to follow, dozens of websites to help in the planning, and the advent of Google in 1998 to help with everything else, the modern Camino wasn't really easy or carefree for early pilgrims.

When "The Camino" was reanimated in the late 1970's and early 1980's there were no albergues or other cheap accommodation, no yellow arrows , few dedicated paths and no pilgrim meals.

In 1971 Don Elias Valina Sampedro wrote in his book ‘Caminos a Compostela’. “In the 1970’s there survived only a remote memory of the Jacobean pilgrimage. The church of St Mary’s as well as the ancient inn and pilgrim hospital was “little more than a dunghill” -

In 1974 Edwin Mullins published a book “The Pilgrimage to Santiago”. In it he recounts how it was for a pilgrim on foot in the early 1970’s: “It was more often a question of dropping into village bars and enquiring politely where the old road might be.”

The developing Camino infrastructure with its dedicated paths, pilgrim shelters, pilgrim meals etc., is unique and is resulting in a culture of expectation and entitlement. I hear things like this every day.
"We should be able to stop and find a bed when we want one"
"I walked 30 km and there were pilgrims in the albergue who only walked 20 km."
" I started in St Jean and 'they' only started in Sarria." (Inferring that preference should be given to those who walk long distances.)
"The pilgrim's mass should only be for pilgrims who have walked, not for 'tourist pilgrims'. "

What is happening to the Camino spirit? A pecking order has developed with the perception that 'walking' pilgrims are top of the pile and deserve extra privilege, cycling or horseback pilgrims second, and the other 10 million pilgrims (mostly Catholic) who travel to the tomb of Saint James each year are bottom of the list.

I am sure the Comino is in an ever changing state. To have gone on for this length of time it would have to. We are new to the Comino and our experience will be that. It is our hope that the Comino spirit that has been lit in us is good, and we can offer positive impact those we encounter. Thank you for your positive posting.

 

[nreyn12]

Great resource, http://www.onlypilgrims.com/en/, but do keep in mind that there are many more albergues than are available for booking on that site. It doesn't include the municipal or parochial albergues, or many of the private ones. That's just to say, don't panic if you are using the site to book and can't find availability!

And thank you above, for the reminder to always always start your conversation with hola, buenos dias / tardes. In Spain, the relationship is the most important part of the interaction!

 

[peregrina2000]

Most important to start your phone conversation with "Buenos días/tardes" and wait for the expected reply to your greeting. Works wonders on the phone and also in shops.

This is SUCH good advice. I can't tell you how many times I've seen people from the US walk into a small store on the Camino and get right down to business. That's how we do it here, but it is deemed rude by the shopkeeper in Spain. Cultural norms in Spain (and I know this is true in France as well) typically expect a few pleasantries before business. So since the shopkeeper thinks the customer has been rude, his or her attitude to the customer is likely to be less than pleasant. So how ironic is this -- both the US customer and the Spanish shopkeeper leave this transaction with the unshakable conviction that the other is rude!! And that's how cultural stereotypes are born......

 

[Phillypilgrim]

We should start our interactions with "Hi, how are you today?" here in the states too!

 

[Angel-hart]

This is SUCH good advice. I can't tell you how many times I've seen people from the US walk into a small store on the Camino and get right down to business. That's how we do it here, but it is deemed rude by the shopkeeper in Spain. Cultural norms in Spain (and I know this is true in France as well) typically expect a few pleasantries before business. So since the shopkeeper thinks the customer has been rude, his or her attitude to the customer is likely to be less than pleasant. So how ironic is this -- both the US customer and the Spanish shopkeeper leave this transaction with the unshakable conviction that the other is rude!! And that's how cultural stereotypes are born......[/QUOTE

As stated: very good advice, in my interactions as a merchant marine(sailor) I was in charge of the house on ships and did the supply and resupply during the voyage, dealing with unique and interesting cultural greetings. I contend, you have to know When and How to greet, wether it's: verbally, shaking hands, bow, hug or embrace to do business. It precedes language or maybe is a part of it? Thanks for the heads up. Great information!

 

[SYates]

Could someone weigh in on the booking procedures for booking while on the Comino? I know there is probably not a single answer so: Is there telephoning to reserve a place ahead.

Some private albergues allow booking ahead, but municipal/church albergues operate normally after a first come, first served system. In April/May you shouldn't have a problem to find a free bed, so I wouldn't worry and enjoy the freedom of not booking ahead.

Do most places have someone who speaks say English, French, German for booking.
Not very many, you might be lucky and find somebody that speaks something else then Spanish in person, but speaking a foreign language on the phone is a completely different ball game.

Is there a universal language other than Spanish?
Amongst non-Spanish pilgrims it is English. French is perhaps the most widely spoken foreign language amongst the older generation and English amongst younger Spaniards but don't expect too much from this information.

Can this be done on line?
See http://www.onlypilgrims.com/en/, but you will pay more then when you would simply turn up as the middle man wants to earn also something.

How does the money for payment work? Credit cards online is not the safest thing when traveling?
With the above mentioned exception the albergues on the Camino are cash only. Make sure your credit/debit card has a pin for use at ATMs to take money out.

Do you really have to leave that early?
Within reason it is up to you when you want to go up and start walking. Determining factors are the noise the earlier pilgrims make and the kick-out time of the albergue. Realistically you will soon fall in with the flow as you are tired in the evenings and typically go to bed earlish.

Buen Camino, SY

 

[Cheryl Emmanuel]

You are correct, there is no simple answer. Private albergues might allow bookings, but others don't. Other accommodation operates like any other commercial provider, and can be booked. Do not expect there to be online booking or payment systems, or to find someone who has a second language.

Planning to leave Astorga beginning of April 2016 with my two daughters. Would we be wise to book our accomodation ahead or wing it?

 

[HeidiL]

I tend to book for the first night (in the place I intend to start walking from) and the last night (not too far from the airport). Especially if you can afford to be a bit flexible and pay for a better hotel once in a while, you'll find somewhere to sleep.

(If you are planning to arrive somewhere quite late, in a place where there is only one albergue, phoning ahead the same morning makes sense. Then you won't have to walk a surprise X km after you thought you'd arrived for the evening.)

 

[Anemone del Camino]

Hola, buenas tardes, soy un peregrino. No tengo ni español. No te comprendo. Me gustaría reservar una habitación con salón de baile y un borde del acantilado. Si esto está disponible por favor me esperaría. ¿alguien habla inglés? ¡Hola! ¡Hola!
.

It had never occurred to me to book a dancing hall in an albergue nor the edge of a precipice! Surely un cuarto de bano & un balcon are enough for my pilgrim needs.