How to book my own lodging - what sites to use

[MarkS]

Hopefully a simple question here. We are going to start the Camino Frances early May. If we choose to book our lodgings ourselves, just a few days in advance, rather than go with a travel service that wants to book the entire way from SJPdP to Santiago, what online site do I use to make my bookings?

 

[Seger]

I found the booking.com site worked well. Easy to track what days I had booked ahead. I used Gronze also but sometimes I didn't see a reply until later when I could access my email.

 

[J Willhaus]

Probably the most comprehensive would be to use an App or use Gronze.com to get the information. There is no one central location for booking. Some albergues and hotels use Booking.com, but don't release all the beds and rooms there so it can sometimes look full. I always find it easier to call or send a WhatsApp directly to the place I want a bed, unless they have a website with a place to make reservations directly.

Edit: I want to reinforce that Booking.com does not have all the beds available on the Camino so don't panic if it seems they are showing no vacancies on Booking.com.

 

[ShoshTrvls]

I use Gronze to identify possible places, go to booking.com, tripadvisor, etc. to read reviews (and in particular, to make sure that the place is not too far off the Camino, as some are) -- these two steps done in advance of the trip so I have a list of potential places -- and then I book by sending an email or whatsapp text directly to the albergue.

 

[alexwalker]

Hopefully a simple question here. We are going to start the Camino Frances early May. If we choose to book our lodgings ourselves, just a few days in advance, rather than go with a travel service that wants to book the entire way from SJPdP to Santiago, what online site do I use to make my bookings?

Pay attention to what @J Willhaus said. Booking dot com does not have access to all rooms/beds in any place: The sites may still have places. The best is to book ahead by phone/Whatsapp/email a day or two ahead. It will take a small effort re Spanish language, though. A good app on your phone will be a great help to you.

Also remember: Booking dot com charges the albergues a fee, reducing their income: Better to book directly, in order to support local communities economically, IMHO.

Personally, after 16 years on different Caminos, I use the @wisepilgrim apps, also for the Camino Frances; It has all I need, including phone numbers and Whatsapp assistance for reserving a bed at most of the albergues/hostals/hotels. At some 5€ it is a bargain. It is also a good tool for planning your walk.

Buen Camino!

 

[trecile]

Gronze is great to identify places where you want to stay. It's only in Spanish, but if you use the Chrome browser it will translate automatically to English or the language of your choice. They list the contact information for each property, and those that use booking.com have a link for that. When I contact a place directly I like to use WhatsApp.

El Camino de Santiago | Gronze.com

Bienvenido a Gronze, tu Guía del Camino de Santiago: Información práctica, actualizada y participativa de los principales Caminos de Santiago.

www.gronze.com

 

[woody66]

Gronze and Wise Pilgrim both are simple to use pretty comprehensive info and more than enough for the Frances!

 

[Walking2]

Hopefully a simple question here. We are going to start the Camino Frances early May. If we choose to book our lodgings ourselves, just a few days in advance, rather than go with a travel service that wants to book the entire way from SJPdP to Santiago, what online site do I use to make my bookings?

I have been using onlypilgrims.com very successfully. If I were more confident with my Spanish language, I might go directly to WhatsApp.

 

[dbier]

Let me underline one point.

If the app gives you WhatsApp contact information for a destination, download WhatsApp and use it. Several accommodations do not respond in a timely manner to straight email, and may not be able to answer a phone, but will respond quickly to WhatsApp.

This is not a judgement statement, but an observation based on personal experience and on reading this forum.

When in Rome....

 

[trecile]

The Wise Pilgrim app has a feature that will compose a message for you in Spanish (or Portuguese or French, depending on the route), that makes it really easy.

You just long press on WhatsApp number.



Then you choose the date, number of people, and type of accommodation you are inquiring about.



And the message is created for you.

At this point I save the number to my contacts.



Which is really easy because all the information is already filled out.

 

[MarkS]

The Wise Pilgrim app has a feature that will compose a message for you in Spanish (or Portuguese or French, depending on the route), that makes it really easy.

You just long press on WhatsApp number.

View attachment 165850

Then you choose the date, number of people, and type of accommodation you are inquiring about.

View attachment 165851

And the message is created for you.

At this point I save the number to my contacts.

View attachment 165852

Which is really easy because all the information is already filled out.

View attachment 165853

Thank you trecile!

 

[Bdmckillop]

Hopefully a simple question here. We are going to start the Camino Frances early May. If we choose to book our lodgings ourselves, just a few days in advance, rather than go with a travel service that wants to book the entire way from SJPdP to Santiago, what online site do I use to make my bookings?

Hello there
We booked the majority of our stays using Booking.com and several via phone. It worked very well for us and we appreciated knowing our daily destination. We also started May 1 and completed June 9.

 

[williamlittig]

"Bookings" is effective for finding and securing lodging but if you have any problems or need to cancel while in Spain. You will be frustrated. We found a Hostal closed with a cryptic note it was 3: PM. We found other lodging and were "charged". We were ahead of schedule (weather) and couldn't cancel "charged" although we went to the place early the day before.
I use Brierley's guide. / godesalco.com / gronze.com / for planning but scheduling our whole way was an expensive mistake. Lesson learned. We could have done it daily but as we were five and I was the planner.

 

[kamleman]

We have done 4 Caminos, and for all of them booked all accommodation in advance for the entire trip. We know what we can comfortably walk each day, so based on that choose accommodation from booking, Gronze or Google maps. I only have basic Spanish but Google translate works fine for drafting mails. True though that not all places do email,and sometimes a call is needed. The wisepilgrim app that auto drafts WhatsApp is a brilliant tool I did not know about, and would be really useful. Buen Camino

 

[Doingit]

Hopefully a simple question here. We are going to start the Camino Frances early May. If we choose to book our lodgings ourselves, just a few days in advance, rather than go with a travel service that wants to book the entire way from SJPdP to Santiago, what online site do I use to make my bookings?

Hi,you get a listing of all the albergues in SJPP from the pilgrim’s office. I just booked my first night inSJPP and then used the list to reserve next one or not. What’s app , called he day before the albergue as well as used Gonze.

 

[Thomas1962]

There is no real app for booking. Mail, whatsapp and phone are the way. If you don't speak Spanish, you can ask others to phone for you, it is a quit.common thing on the Camino. 90% of the pilgrims do it like this.
Booking can be handy, but know that the by far most of the real pilgrim places are not on booking. You will miss these if you just use that.

 

[Waka]

The Wise Pilgrim app has a feature that will compose a message for you in Spanish (or Portuguese or French, depending on the route), that makes it really easy.

You just long press on WhatsApp number.

View attachment 165850

Then you choose the date, number of people, and type of accommodation you are inquiring about.

View attachment 165851

And the message is created for you.

At this point I save the number to my contacts.

View attachment 165852

Which is really easy because all the information is already filled out.

View attachment 165853

I love wise Pilgrim but I have to say I didn't know that. I'm proof that you're never to old to learn. Thank you for this useful information, must have a play now.

 

[peregrina2000]

An albergue owner recently told me that they also prefer WhatsApp to phone reservations because it cuts down on the “no-shows.” When people are identifiable they seem less likely to do boorish things.

 

[Camino Chrissy]

We could have done it daily but as we were five and I was the planner.

I was the planner for five in 2020, the year of lockdowns and cancellations. I'd booked everything through Booking.com and it was a godsend! It took me less than 15 minutes to cancel a full month of reservations. I wouldn't let "one bad apple spoil the whole bunch".

 

[TulasiPriya]

I use Gronze to identify possible places, go to booking.com, tripadvisor, etc. to read reviews (and in particular, to make sure that the place is not too far off the Camino, as some are) -- these two steps done in advance of the trip so I have a list of potential places -- and then I book by sending an email or whatsapp text directly to the albergue.

Hi. If you inquire directly to the albergue, does it have to be in Spanish?

 

[TulasiPriya]

I use Gronze to identify possible places, go to booking.com, tripadvisor, etc. to read reviews (and in particular, to make sure that the place is not too far off the Camino, as some are) -- these two steps done in advance of the trip so I have a list of potential places -- and then I book by sending an email or whatsapp text directly to the albergue.

Oops, nevermind, I've seen other posts that say that WisePilgrim will compose in Spanish for you. That's helpful.

 

[Ken & Liz]

I have booked 59 days from SJPdP to SDC. and 59 days LE PUY to SJPdP and alway used Spanish or French in my opening greeting. Then the inquiry said we were from New Zealand and at the age of 79 & 80 were prebooking our nights. All places responded quickly and easily. Politeness and respect got me 118 booked nights. I used Gronze for distance and altitude days then identified the places and went direct or booking.com

 

[TulasiPriya]

I have booked 59 days from SJPdP to SDC. and 59 days LE PUY to SJPdP and alway used Spanish or French in my opening greeting. Then the inquiry said we were from New Zealand and at the age of 79 & 80 were prebooking our nights. All places responded quickly and easily. Politeness and respect got me 118 booked nights. I used Gronze for distance and altitude days then identified the places and went direct or booking.com

Thanks for the reply. I'm not sure what you mean by "distance and altitude days," and what the rest of that sentence means in relation to that. Do you mean days when the altitude or distance was too much for you to take on?

 

[Ken & Liz]

No you need to judge the distance taking on to account the terrain. If its a climb of 2 to 300meters then maybe you need to shorten the distance. If it's flat then lengthen the distance.