Help! Nowhere to stay in or around San Sebastián

[Mandygoingplaces]

First day on the Camino and have spent most of the afternoon since arriving in San Sebastian walking around looking for accommodation speaking to people. All of the hostels adespite arriving here at midday from the run. I'm now looking to take a taxi to Orio to try and find a room but that will mean missing out a chunk of the Camino. Any help gladly appreciated!

 

[OzAnnie]

Hi Mandy
Have you been looking at gronze.com ?
There are a few listed there and most that are on booking are saying sold out. However on gronze the phone number direct is often listed. Try calling direct and you may strike it lucky.

A busy time on the Norte right now. Good luck .
I’ve stayed in ‘room in the city ‘ in San Sebastián before - Although booking dot com shows it complete., it’s very central - (walk around and check/ask- as it has a lot of places).

I stayed Orio on my camino Norte. Beautiful setting up there.
Buen camino
Annie

 

[Mandygoingplaces]

Hi Mandy
Have you been looking at gronze.com ?
There are a few listed there and most that are on booking are saying sold out. However on gronze the phone number direct is often listed. Try calling direct and you may strike it lucky.

A busy time on the Norte right now. Good luck .
I’ve stayed in ‘room in the city ‘ in San Sebastián before - Although booking dot com shows it complete., it’s very central - (walk around and check/ask- as it has a lot of places).

I stayed Orio on my camino Norte. Beautiful setting up there.
Buen camino
Annie

Thank you Annie. Apparently the problem in San Sebastion is that the main pilgrim albergue (80 beds) is shut. I ended up meeting up with other stranded pilgrims and we've now found a lovely (but full) hostel willing to give us tents to camp in Olia. A warning to other pilgrims hoping to find accommodation in San Sebastian- book ahead!

 

[VNwalking]

I'm sorry this is too late for you, @Mandygoingplaces , but for future reference if anyone behind you is in the same fix:
It'd be very easy to go off-piste for the night - take a commuter train to Astigarraga, Hernani, Beasain, or Tolosa (on the Vasco) and find accommodation there, then take the train back down to San Sebastian in the morning to continue on your way. Tolosa or Beasain are especially nice towns, with good food and very good connections. And Beasain has one of the nicest albergues on any camino.
Edit - I have just looked it up and there are even trains through the night to both Tolosa and Beasain. So it's not too late if you are on Spanish time.

 

[OzAnnie]

I'm sorry this is too late for you, @Mandygoingplaces , but for future reference if anyone behind you is in the same fix:
It'd be very easy to go off-piste for the night - take a commuter train to Astigarraga, Hernani, Beasain, or Tolosa (on the Vasco) and find accommodation there, then take the train back down to San Sebastian in the morning to continue on your way. Tolosa or Beasain are especially nice towns, with good food and very good connections. And Beasain has one of the nicest albergues on any camino.
Edit - I have just looked it up and there are even trains through the night to both Tolosa and Beasain. So it's not too late if you are on Spanish time.

Great idea VN - thinking outside the obvious places!
They look like nice places to check out regardless , time permitting.

Also Mandy - compounding your current time ., it’s august holidays in spain? and a coastal draw card.

 

[Antonius Vaessen]

About 4 km before san Sebastian there is a beautifull place called los doce tribus . It is an albergue run by a spirituacommunity, it has a beautifull garden. It is donativo, special rules apply, no alcohol, bottled drinks like coca cola, separated dormitory for men and women. At dinner time, soms onze of the community wil talk about this place and their motivation. For people who are still walking and don't have a reservation it would be a nice place to stay, if you can live with the mentioned restrictions.

 

[OzAnnie]

Hi Antonius @Antonius Vaessen
surprised to hear this mentioned now. In 2014 I was walking past this place and thought it looked very nice, when 'lo and behold' two ladies were coming toward me (uphill) with their shopping bags.. They invited me to come and have my morning tea etc there and relax. It was indeed a pleasant community and peaceful gardens.
The community group ( in English - I believe they are another religious group..called ' the twelve tribes'. actually have locations all over the world.. One not far from where I live here in Oz. I had intended stopping in San Sebastian for lunch...but after the rest there and lovely food.. I pushed on further as I had already split this stage into two days..... I only stopped for a break in SS and continued on to Orio for the night..
Staying at Orio had been the suggestion of the hospitalero from the previous night (I stopped first night at Pasajes de San Juan)..

Years later I came back to SS to enjoy it for a few days.. Always nice to have time to do it justice.
this is all bringing back some lovely memories and I hope I'm fit enough to one day try this route again.

 

[Mandygoingplaces]

About 4 km before san Sebastian there is a beautifull place called los doce tribus . It is an albergue run by a spirituacommunity, it has a beautifull garden. It is donativo, special rules apply, no alcohol, bottled drinks like coca cola, separated dormitory for men and women. At dinner time, soms onze of the community wil talk about this place and their motivation. For people who are still walking and don't have a reservation it would be a nice place to stay, if you can live with the mentioned restrictions.

Thank you Antonius, I had called them and they were very willing to help but I hadn't appreciated how far back the way I had come it was! I too would like to do this route again one day and spend more time in and around the Albergues of San Sebastian. I can highly recommend the Albergue in Orio though, and what a lovely town too.

 

[Hez]

I'm going back to the Norte in April so was reading back through posts and came across this. I thought I would be remiss if I didn't post a warning that the Twelve Tribes is a fairly well known cult which I personally would steer clear of - https://www.splcenter.org/fighting-hate/intelligence-report/2018/darkness

 

[Antonius Vaessen]

I did not know this when I stayed there and did not notice anything of the opinions mentioned in this article. This is not to say that it is not true, some of the more positive things I recognize. If I would have known this we probably would have walked on,. I don't want to support groups like this. Making use of their services might be seen and made use by them for public relations purposes

 

[Kanga]

Yes, this is certainly a very controversial group, with controversial beliefs and practises.