good hotel to stay in St. Jean

[bigskytrekkers]

My wife and I are wondering where to stay in St. Jean for a couple days prior to walking the Camino? We want to be fairly close to the starting point for the Camino, but also want to explore in St. Jean. We were thinking a bed & breakfast, but are open to suggestions and ideas??

 

[Deleted member 3000]

Ramuntcho is very nice.

 

[naplesdon]

Hotel Central is well located and has a great dining room on the river.

 

[t2andreo]

I personally like the very centrally located Hotel Ramuntcho. Find it on Booking.com, or go direct to the property online. You can sometimes save money.

This hotel is on the corner of Rue de France, and Rue de la Citadelle, the main road in the old section.

Hope this helps.

 

[SCT]

I have stayed at both Hotel Central and Hotel Itzalpea and both were good.

 

[Robo]

Ramuntcho is very nice.

I would agree. and It's right on the Camino. well 10-20 paces from it!
I used that in 2015.
I planned to in 2018, but they cancelled my booking to make way for a tour group..........
Not best pleased.

 

[Robo]

My wife and I are wondering where to stay in St. Jean for a couple days prior to walking the Camino? We want to be fairly close to the starting point for the Camino, but also want to explore in St. Jean. We were thinking a bed & breakfast, but are open to suggestions and ideas??

St Jean is not a big place.
If you look on Booking.com and view the hotels in the map view.
Anything within the circle is very close to places to eat, the Camino, and the Pilgrim office.
Like 200 metres or less close!

Obviously depending on dates and the 'filters' you set you may see 20-30+ places to stay.

 

[Steven Light]

My wife and I stayed at Maison Donamaria and loved it. A short walk from the town center. Quiet and with the nicest, sweetest owner.

 

[DenyseB]

My wife and I are wondering where to stay in St. Jean for a couple days prior to walking the Camino? We want to be fairly close to the starting point for the Camino, but also want to explore in St. Jean. We were thinking a bed & breakfast, but are open to suggestions and ideas??

I have stayed twice at Maison Donamaria.....Francois is a fantastic host. He lives right on the river. Breakfast is awesome. He is online. The house is a refurbished old stone house....so comfortable. He is soooo accommodating.

 

[Steven Light]

Exactly

 

[easygoing]

My wife and I are wondering where to stay in St. Jean for a couple days prior to walking the Camino? We want to be fairly close to the starting point for the Camino, but also want to explore in St. Jean. We were thinking a bed & breakfast, but are open to suggestions and ideas??

I stayed in two different hotels my first two caminos but now I always stay at albergue Beilari because of meeting other pilgrims at the community dinner and the host Joseph is so positive and loving. The hotels we're nice but the first one the staff spoke only french. And the second one we picked up the keys at a bar down the street and never saw another person at the hotel.
However, that may be what you are looking for. Buen Camino

 

[Brenda54]

I have stayed twice at Maison Donamaria.....Francois is a fantastic host. He lives right on the river. Breakfast is awesome. He is online. The house is a refurbished old stone house....so comfortable. He is soooo accommodating.

Yes! It was one of the best places I stayed during myCamino. Lovely house and Francois is so very accomodating!

 

[josephmcclain]

I always stay in Beilari. The experience you will have there is simply the most amazing portal to the Camino. It is very unique and Saint Jean is fun to explore. Don´t miss the spice shop across from the church!!

 

[MaryLynn]

Beilari would be my first (and only) pick. Warm, welcoming, and on the Camino, across from the Pilgrim’s office. You can stay two nights. You might meet guests who become your life-long friends, like I did. It makes for a great beginning to your Camino.

 

[Ali Hurley]

I stayed in two different hotels my first two caminos but now I always stay at albergue Beilari because of meeting other pilgrims at the community dinner and the host Joseph is so positive and loving. The hotels we're nice but the first one the staff spoke only french. And the second one we picked up the keys at a bar down the street and never saw another person at the hotel.
However, that may be what you are looking for. Buen Camino

I too have stayed at other hotels / albergue. But my last two times I stayed at alb Beilari, so welcoming. A beautiful start to the Camino, and Joseph and his son are fantastic hosts and cooks. Buen Camino

 

[Avian]

I will agree with several other writers and second, third & more the suggestion of Jean Francois’s BnB at Maison Donamaria. He is such a gentle soul who is very familiar with hiking the Camino. He and his gorgeous dog will put you in the right frame of mind to start your Camino. We ended our Via Frances Camino from Le Puy staying here and it was such a delight. You won’t regret it - the sound of the river outside our room still sings in my ears .

 

[Bodi]

We stayed at Gite Bidean this week and loved it. The hosts were so welcoming, kind and helpful . We had a lovely private room with bathroom. I would highly recommend it.

 

[JeepsNRoses]

I have stayed at both Hotel Central and Hotel Itzalpea and both were good.

I stayed at Itzalpea as well. It is at the top of the when you walk up from the train station. Restaurants, Carrefour grocery, Pilgrims’ office, etc. are a short but hilly walk away (slightly diff directions), as is the beginning of the Camino. I plan to stay there again May 2020. I especially loved relaxing on the front terrace reviewing photos and planning.

 

[Lynn McCoy]

My wife and I are wondering where to stay in St. Jean for a couple days prior to walking the Camino? We want to be fairly close to the starting point for the Camino, but also want to explore in St. Jean. We were thinking a bed & breakfast, but are open to suggestions and ideas??

Hotel Ramuncho

 

[t2andreo]

Your gr

I would agree. and It's right on the Camino. well 10-20 paces from it!
I used that in 2015.
I planned to in 2018, but they cancelled my booking to make way for a tour group..........
Not best pleased.

Tour groups are becoming a problem all along the CF in commercial lodging. I have had increasing problem making an keeping a solo reservation.

At the Pilgrim Office in Santiago, I am seeking an uptick in folks who are supported by the several tour firms that specialize in total logistics support for your Camino. I will not name names here. You can find them easy enough.

Their services include guaranteed room reservations, sometimes meals, baggage transport, and a 24 x 7 number to call for ANY problems along The Way.

I speak to these people. They are paying about €90 - 100 each day on average for this convenience. Coming from SJPdP, it ain’t cheap. But admittedly, and if you can afford it, it might be a good idea for many folks.

It appears the May - June and September “hip seasons” are becoming so popular with these organized tours, that solo pilgrims sometimes are being “thrown under the bus.” This will only get worse as the 2021 Holy Year approaches.

I wish I had a suggested solution, but I do not, or at least one that works without adversely affecting other affected solo pilgrims.

My only salient ideas are to walk at a time of year when the groups are less active, try another route, or (least preferable to me) is to suck it up and stay in albergues. My personal issue is not catching a bronchial illness. I am susceptible.

Hope this helps the dialog.

 

[Carmel L]

I stayed in a B & B just up the hill from the Arch way - Errecaldia. It's run by a couple of English gents. Not overly flash but clean and welcoming with all the amenities required and a nice hearty breakfast in the morning. Nice and clean and quiet, great views from the windows! for Mountain gazing!! It was nice to not have the language challenge on my first day as well. I did book some months in advance though, just to be on the safe side.
Cheers Carmel

 

[Robo]

My only salient ideas are to walk at a time of year when the groups are less active, try another route, or (least preferable to me) is to suck it up and stay in albergues. My personal issue is not catching a bronchial illness. I am susceptible.

Hope this helps the dialog.

I am really tempted to try a Winter Camino...............but...........

Coming from the UK originally I am 'designed' for cold / wet weather.

However having lived the last 25 years in Australia I'm not sure my body could stand the shock of cold 'bone chilling' weather day after day..........

 

[Bob from L.A. !]

Itzalpea!. Run by a family. Small, quaint and very accommodating.