Hotel stays

[Canadian Alberta guy]

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?

 

[SYates]

Hotels are best booked in advance, as they not only cater to pilgrims but also to the wider public, if you want to stay in pilgrims accommodation (albergues) you will be fine without booking. Depending where you start and how tired you might be on arrival it might be a good idea to book your first night anyway. Buen Camino, SY

 

[C clearly]

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?

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.

 

[marbuck]

We 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.

 

[MTtoCamino]

We 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.

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 difficult

 

[tyrrek]

I've never booked hotels in advance, and have generally only had any difficulty during public/local holidays. That said, it's 4 years since I walked that route at that time of year. Funnily enough, I tried to get into a hostal in Mansilla a couple of weeks ago and it was booked out due to the puente holiday. Without being asked, the lady called another place round the corner, they had vacancies and all was well.

 

[scruffy1]

Booking is a great idea, from day to day! Booking means you m-u-s-t make it in to wherever you have booked come the very hot place or high water. Booking too far ahead will absolutely kill any spontaneity. It can be a burden should you meet some lovely people who stop earlier or stay elsewhere, it can be a burden should you discover a village town or monastery which you just cannot pass, it can be a burden if you walk in the front door and know immediately that this place is not for you. I would recommend a making list of several places which seem inviting start by asking on the forum and through say Tripadvisor so if one place is completo you can go to the next. Most Fridays/Saturdays the popular hotels will be booked solid and so book early, that too is another consideration. Your credential will make a wonderful lifesaver for the albergue should all your other options fail. Buen Camino

 

[t2andreo]

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.

 

[jmcarp]

We booked a hotel in Pamplona for the night of arrival in Spain (bus from Madrid airport to Pamplona), then the following night in SJPP prior to our first day of walking. After that, the only hotels we booked were for rest days in Burgos and Leon, which we reserved by telephone the day before we arrived. This gave us maximum flexibility and didn't tie us too far in advance to specific dates. Other than that, we stayed in albergues, and didn't make any advance arrangements except for a couple of places in the last 100 km. We called ahead to those the evening before.

 

[haikutaxi]

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.

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.

 

[Annette london]

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?

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.

 

[sillydoll]

I walked 5 'spontaneous' Caminos, staying only in albergues but by 2009 I was tired of sleeping in overflow places, on the floor in kitchens or passages, or having to walk on because a place was "Completo!"

I have walked with groups (you have to book ahead because you can't stay in random albergues) and on my own and I now know where I would like to stop and stay and am happy to book everything ahead of time. I like being able to lie in or get up with the dawn. I like choosing to have breakfast or have it later; like sauntering along, waiting for a church to open, having a long leisurely lunch (I'm not a big dinner person), taking a detour if I feel like it and not having to join the race for beds.
It is a comfort to me to know that I have a bed and a hot shower waiting for me at the end of the day no matter how short or long the day is.

 

[Robert V J Varman ofs]

I plan to stay in albergues but I would like the option to stay overnight in a proper hotel from time to time. I will be taking pot luck.

 

[Thomas Hourihan]

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.
I truly believe that too much of the Camino is over thought.... Let the journey take hold and direct (AND BOOK) when you knock on the door.
And do stay in a good hotel at least once a week if you can afford 45-55 Euro for a great room - the quiet you need after a week of restless pilgrims rustling at 5am.

 

[november_moon]

We did a mix of alburgues and hotels. When we stayed in hotels, we usually found some wifi around lunch time and got on booking.com to see what was available and made a booking for that night. It worked out well that way - by lunch time we had a pretty good idea about how far we'd want to walk that day.

 

[Happy Hiker]

2013 we walked the Frances starting April 23 from SJPDP aiming totally for hotels or pensions or other private accommodation. After the first 3 days realised it was getting harder to find so from there we called ahead 2 days from info in the Brierlys book & all was fine. Having booked & giving them 5pm arrival times we didn't have to rush in early to start looking. Hoping to do the same on the VDLP in March.

 

[Returning2TheTrail]

I'm looking at treating myself to a hotel stay in Leon in June. looking at the Hotel Q!H (behind the cathedral) which has a spa access for a bit of a sauna and a swim. I am booking it via Booking.com. I don't have to pay anything up front and cancel for free >48hours before check-in, so if I'm a bit behind in my schedule I can cancel it for no financial loss.

If I don't end up staying there, I'm not worried, but psychologically, knowing there is a private room, swim and steam midway through the walk IF needed, will be good for my mind.

Otherwise I'll just be staying in alberques with the rest of the herd.

 

[rappahannock_rev]

I've stayed in at least one or two alberges on each of my walks, but I prefer to stay in cheap hotels: (1) Because I snore, and have no wish to ruin other's sleep. (2) Because I am accustomed to, and comfortable, with solitude. And (3) Because I can (now, in my dotage) afford it.

On my next walk I doubt that I'll have any trouble whatsoever finding a bed for the night. I'll use booking.com to book a day or two ahead, and be flexible.