I stayed in Maison Errecaldia for 2 whole nights before I began the Camino. I had travelled from Australia and it had taken well over 30+ hrs of flights with one night in Paris before training it to SJ. It was absolutely necessary for my daughter and I to have our last pig-out in luxury before we began, and to spend time in this GORGEOUS town of SJPP that I had heard SO MUCH OF for soooooo long. I loved it, and needed it and after all the travelling - I was happy to know that I was absolutely certain of the accommodation I was going to at my last pit stop before walking out that door into the great unknown. SJ is a wonderful place to breathe and eat and observe. I had thought I had missed out -not staying in an albergue with others, but you really do get plenty of opportunity to catch up on that experience once you head out the door.