Cost for staying at albergue

[Mari Ulfsdotter]

Hi, I need some advise about travelling budget... how much does it cost to stay at albergue?
I understand that the price can vary along the way, but for example Orisson is 35 euro, is that about what it costs? or Orisson are counted as one of the more expensive places?
I have based my budget on this calculatur ( http://caminoteca.com/en/camino-frances/cost-calculator ) but now it feels like I have underestimated the cost .. So what is your experience ?

 

[nidarosa]

Orisson is particularly expensive for a bunk bed, but you do get the evening meal as well. Normally the albergues cost between €5-10, but with no meal included in the price. Some are donativo, which means you pay what you can/want, but that does not mean free - leave the same price there as you would anywhere else (or a bit more). Don't base your budget calculations on Orisson! Buen Camino,

Linda

 

[Mari Ulfsdotter]

Orisson is particularly expensive for a bunk bed, but you do get the evening meal as well. Normally the albergues cost between €5-10, but with no meal included in the price. Some are donativo, which means you can pay what you can, but that does not mean free - leave the same price there as you would anywhere else (or a bit more). Don't base your budget calculations on Orisson! Buen Camino,

Linda

Thank you, just what I thougt but I got a little bit worried when I saw the price at Orisson ... so thank you

 

[Marc S.]

Hello Mari. Orison is an expensive place. You can easily walk the Frances and stay every night in an albergue for 5-10 euro per night, there are many albergues in this price category. This way it is possible to control your budget. I had a look at the cost calculator (I had never seen it before) and it seems rather realistic to me.

 

[Tincatinker]

Mari, Orisson is a privately run business and their charge for bed, evening meal and breakfast seems reasonable. As an alternative try Claridges at €2000 per night (admittedly you get your own room and private bathroom ) Municipal, Parrochial and Association Albergues will charge between €5 & €10 for a bed, private Albergues between €10 & 15. An evening meal and or breakfast is going to cost more in addition. The donativo Albergues, as the name suggests, depend on the donations made by those that stay the night. Many will provide a communal meal. Many are totally dependent on the generosity of parishioners and local traders because pilgrims conflate donativo with "free".

There are several excellent threads here on the forum on budgets and costs - a search using those terms will take you to a wealth of information - consensus would suggest that the Camino is "do-able" on €25 per day, that €35 per day is more realistic and that €50 per day allows for an occasional private room, an up-market meal, transport if needed and other contingencies.

Buen camino

 

[clearskiescamino]

It all depends on what type of accomodation you would like to stay in. You have municipals who charge from €5-€10 to the more expensive private albergues who can change up to €18 which would include dinner. Should you prefer to have a private room, the cost will be more expensive obviously, but €5-€10 is the average for your typical albergue!

 

[naplesdon]

Hi, I need some advise about travelling budget... how much does it cost to stay at albergue?
I understand that the price can vary along the way, but for example Orisson is 35 euro, is that about what it costs? or Orisson are counted as one of the more expensive places?
I have based my budget on this calculatur ( http://caminoteca.com/en/camino-frances/cost-calculator ) but now it feels like I have underestimated the cost .. So what is your experience ?

I think you can do a daily budget for around 35 or less. Orisson is a special place and nice to start your Camino experience from.
If I was to travel on the low side I would say 3-5 for breakfast, no lunch, no beer and wine at the end of a day and 5 to 10 for a public albergue, then dinner for 10+. So that is 25! Right? I'd like to live on a budget like that but then I like a beer or 2 at the end of the day and sometimes a lunch is nice, the pilgrims meal can be very grim even with free wine, so I end up finding myself spending about 50 euros a day.

 

[Mari Ulfsdotter]

Hello Mari. Orison is an expensive place. You can easily walk the Frances and stay every night in an albergue for 5-10 euro per night, there are many albergues in this price category. This way it is possible to control your budget. I had a look at the cost calculator (I had never seen it before) and it seems rather realistic to me.

Thank you Marc

 

[Mari Ulfsdotter]

I think you can do a daily budget for around 35 or less. Orisson is a special place and nice to start your Camino experience from.
If I was to travel on the low side I would say 3-5 for breakfast, no lunch, no beer and wine at the end of a day and 5 to 10 for a public albergue, then dinner for 10+. So that is 25! Right? I'd like to live on a budget like that but then I like a beer or 2 at the end of the day and sometimes a lunch is nice, the pilgrims meal can be very grim even with free wine, so I end up finding myself spending about 50 euros a day.

Thank you

 

[Mari Ulfsdotter]

Mari, Orisson is a privately run business and their charge for bed, evening meal and breakfast seems reasonable. As an alternative try Claridges at €2000 per night (admittedly you get your own room and private bathroom ) Municipal, Parrochial and Association Albergues will charge between €5 & €10 for a bed, private Albergues between €10 & 15. An evening meal and or breakfast is going to cost more in addition. The donativo Albergues, as the name suggests, depend on the donations made by those that stay the night. Many will provide a communal meal. Many are totally dependent on the generosity of parishioners and local traders because pilgrims conflate donativo with "free".

There are several excellent threads here on the forum on budgets and costs - a search using those terms will take you to a wealth of information - consensus would suggest that the Camino is "do-able" on €25 per day, that €35 per day is more realistic and that €50 per day allows for an occasional private room, an up-market meal, transport if needed and other contingencies.

Buen camino

Thank you

 

[naplesdon]

I would like to add a comment to anyone following this thread. Donativos should not be considered as free. We try our best to provide a full three course communal dinner with wine and breakfast. We clean the dormitory and toilets every day. Pilgrims, why would you take advantage of such a service? IMHO, 2o euros is the least you should leave when staying someplace "for free."

 

[Deleted member 3000]

why would you take advantage of such a service?

Why offer it for free???

 

[naplesdon]

Why offer it for free???

Because it is, what it is! Oliver and I had a guest at San Anton who was traveling "sans argent." She had the resources to pay but was on a "pilgimage of poverty." Need I say more?

 

[oursonpolaire]

Donativo is not the Castilian word for free. I have always assumed that most pilgrims can leave 10-12 euro in the donativo box, and make it 20 euro if they get dinner. Prosperous pilgrims should feel free to be even more generous as there are other pilgrims who can afford very little or, at times, nothing at all.

 

[Robo]

I had a guest at San Anton who was traveling "sans argent." She had the resources to pay but was on a "pilgimage of poverty."

OK, so how does that work ? Why would those who can afford it............effectively beg ?

 

[Deleted member 3000]

So what is your experience ?

The cost for almost all albergues is listed here:
http://www.gronze.com/camino-de-santiago/caminos/guia-del-camino-frances

 

[Mari Ulfsdotter]

The cost for almost all albergues is listed here:
http://www.gronze.com/camino-de-santiago/caminos/guia-del-camino-frances

Perfect ! Thank you

 

[domigee]

I loved the donativo box at Grañon : "leave what you can and take what you need". Very moving.

 

[peregrina2000]

I learned a lot about donativo albergues when I walked with LTfit this summer, she frequently can be found hospitalera-ing -- Zamora, Granon, Ponferrada, Najera, etc. She volunteers with the "HosVol" (think that's right) group, Hospitaleros Voluntarios, who make agreements with the owners of albergues to take over the job of hospitaleros. They will only work with donativo albergues. Why? Because they are trying to keep the "pilgrim spirit" alive, and they do a marvelous job. They know there are many well-heeled pilgrims who leave nothing, yet that's the pilgrims' problem, not their problem. It would be very hard for me to adopt that attitude, essentially one that says -- if you rip me off, you're the worse for it, not me. But that seems to be how they do it. Buen camino, Laurie.

 

[Mark Lee]

OK, so how does that work ? Why would those who can afford it............effectively beg ?

Probably because they read or heard somewhere that is the way to walk the Camino, or could just be they are a cheap charlie or crazy.....
ha ha

 

[Bajaracer]

If you are less than generous with others, others will be less than generous with you.

 

[Bajaracer]

Being realistic about albergue cost, €7-10 per day, and €10-15 after Sarria.

 

[Pathfinder075]

If you pay 10 euros a night on avg then give 10 euros.

But regardless you will always get people who take the piss. Its unavoidable in modern society. Not everyone is like that. Most people have some sense of honour. But their are the odd few who let everyone else down.

 

[BrienC]

I had budgeted 20€ per day for my July Camino Francés. Planned to tent camp and 20 was to cover food, beer, wine, campgrounds and occasional albergue. My traveling companion and I sent the tent home and stayed mostly at private hostels (even a three star hotel in Logoño) Things change. But, my eventual cost was still less than 40€ per day. So that's a reasonable range to consider.
As to donativos, I think it all works out in the end. Some donate more than they can afford, some don't. Some donate way more than they need, because they can. Whatever the motivations. And it all works out in the end. Karma baby