Canadian Alberta guy
New Member
- Time of past OR future Camino
- Camino France
Planning on doing Camino France late April until late May. Should I book my hotel in advance or it quiet enough we can book when we get in to town?
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It's not clear if you are talking about booking your entire route before arriving in Spain, or a day or two in advance of arriving in a particular town, or just booking your first night in your starting town. Booking everything in advance would severely limit your flexibility, booking a day or two in advance would be a good idea if you want to ensure a particular type of accommodation (like hotels), and booking the first night at your starting point would be a good idea to simplify your start.Planning on doing Camino France late April until late May. Should I book my hotel in advance or it quiet enough we can book when we get in to town?
Very interesting Marbuck I arrived SJPDP the 6th of April 2014 & finished May 11 in Finnesterre I did not pre-book any. I am not sure when you started but it shows how quickly it can change. Easter in Burgose Was the only day I had to walk to a different Alburgue to find a bed. I just realized you mentioned Private accommodation, yes that would make it much more difficultWe walked the C/F in April/May of 2014 staying in private rooms. For the first couple of nights we were lucky and found places to stay but the further we got into the walk we found we had to book each night in advance. There are a lot of supported walkers and they stay in private accommodation that has been pre-booked for them so in some towns it is hard to find a room. So I suggest you book at least a night in advance.
I too like booking.com and have used it with great success. While walking the Portuguese coastal route we scored a double room in a four-star hotel (in October at a beach resort) for 28.50 euros (and that included a bountiful breakfast buffet). I generally just decide how far I want to walk the next day and book the evening before. You can specify your price range and get alerts on deals along the way ... accommodations range from small private albergues up to business and resort hotels and all have been reviewed by people who have actually stayed in the establishments.Knowing you have a bed for the night, ahead of time, is a blessing and one less thing to worry about. I use Booking.com (there are other sites but I favor this one) and book 3-4 days in advance once I know my pace and progress. Once the booking is made I can manage it through the app on my smart phone.
Also, asking the English-speaking hospitalero or hostal desk clerk to phone ahead to made a verbal reservation down the road is perfectly acceptable. I also use Google Translate and e-Mail to send a reservation request ahead by e-mail if the accommodation does not have a web site. In three Caminos, this has worked well for me.
I hope this helps.
Hi there, we walked this year in June- July and only booked ahead once or twice for hotels, pensions or private rooms in albergues. We never had a problem getting a place even when not booking. It all depends on how far you want to or are able to walk. We found the Miam Miam Do Do invaluable as it gives info on every place to stay on the Camino. The book is reviewed each year so get the 2016 version from Amazon. We did not want to book ahead too much as we like to take pot luck-- mostly. we never bothered with breakfast either as liked to have a very early start. Plenty of places on the road to eat later. Hope this helps. Best wishes Annette.Planning on doing Camino France late April until late May. Should I book my hotel in advance or it quiet enough we can book when we get in to town?
I have walked the CF this Fall - Sept 23 - Oct 25). Every respondee has made reservations of various kinds; I did not make one booking and never failed finding the accommodations I was seeking - albergues to hotels.Planning on doing Camino France late April until late May. Should I book my hotel in advance or it quiet enough we can book when we get in to town?