How to use luggage service if I'm staying at Airbnb?

[Ricoinrio]

Hi all, it's my first Camino. I plan to use Airbnb for accommodation. Can I still leave my backpack at hostels even though I'm not a guest there? It's a great forum. So many helpful advices and kind hearted people. Thank you all!

 

[J Willhaus]

Yes, having your backpack delivered somewhere does not mean you have a reservation there, just that it will be delivered there. You need to leave your backpack by 8 am somewhere (hotel or albergue) and coordinate with the transfer service.

 

[Rosalinda]

Hi all, it's my first Camino. I plan to use Airbnb for accommodation. Can I still leave my backpack at hostels even though I'm not a guest there? It's a great forum. So many helpful advices and kind hearted people. Thank you all!

We never stayed in albergues (stayed in hotels or casa rurales) and needed our bags transported. I contacted the baggage transfer company and prebooked and prearranged with them.

 

[pepi]

The private Albergues usually accept to receive your pack without you having to stay there.
Be cautious with Municipals though, some of them frown on transporting backpacks or downright refuse pilgrims that do not carry, and some may give you a bad time. With hostals, hotels, pensions etc. you will depend on the mood of the receptionist...
Another solution: When calling Jacotrans, explain that you go Airbnb and let them pick a place, they generally know the friendly ones.
Buen Camino

 

[Stroller]

Some albergues will not accept you dropping your pack for collection by Jacotrans if you have not stayed with them.

 

[naplesdon]

I have no experience with baggage transfer service but walked one time in 2013 with someone who was using it on CP. The service refused to deliver to public albergues because there is generally no one there to receive the bag until after 1 or 2pm. They didn't want to deal with the liability of a lost luggage, so they would promise to deliver it to a bar nearby the destination. This caused some great distress for my friend because it usually meant having to search for "said bar ." I am sure things have improved in the past several years and if you are walking the CF, I am sure the operation is slightly more efficient.
I do however have many experiences with Airbnb's and I have found so many of these properties are now operated by absentee owners who could care less about your comfort and ease, they just want to leave a key in a drop box somewhere and expect you to show up with your luggage rather than facilitate your arrival.
I was waiting for someone like pepi to chime in with a post before I did.
My advice is to totally idiot proof your arrangements. Make absolutely the luggage will be picked-up and delivered to someone you have vetted before you make your reservations, also remember some of these Airbnb places may not be directly on the Camino.

 

[Tincatinker]

Hi all, it's my first Camino. I plan to use Airbnb for accommodation.

That may seem like a great plan but it is going to very much depend on which Camino you are planning to walk and where you are planning to stay when there is no viable Airbnb. You'll probably be fine in most of the cities along the Frances, subject to local licensing and festivities. There will be a bar/cafe where the transporters will drop your luggage. In the little towns in the in-between places... buena suerte

 

[Ricoinrio]

My bad for not having provided with more details. Our party of 4 will be doing the Camino Frances starting from Sarria. We're prepared to walk to the closest alberques to drop our bags before 8 and have them delivered to alberques/hostels at the next stop. It sounds like not all alberques/hostels would allow us to drop bags at their place in the morning if we're not guests there. Is that the situation? Thank you so much for sharing your experiences with me. We sincerely appreciate it.
Rico

 

[trecile]

My bad for not having provided with more details. Our party of 4 will be doing the Camino Frances starting from Sarria. We're prepared to walk to the closest alberques to drop our bags before 8 and have them delivered to alberques/hostels at the next stop. It sounds like not all alberques/hostels would allow us to drop bags at their place in the morning if we're not guests there. Is that the situation? Thank you so much for sharing your experiences with me. We sincerely appreciate it.
Rico

I would write to Jacotrans, Caminofacil and/or some of the other luggage transfer providers and ask them.

 

[Ricoinrio]

I would write to Jacotrans, Caminofacil and/or some of the other luggage transfer providers and ask them.

Thank you!

 

[pepi]

I have no experience with baggage transfer service but walked one time in 2013 with someone who was using it on CP. The service refused to deliver to public albergues because there is generally no one there to receive the bag until after 1 or 2pm. They didn't want to deal with the liability of a lost luggage, so they would promise to deliver it to a bar nearby the destination. This caused some great distress for my friend because it usually meant having to search for "said bar ." I am sure things have improved in the past several years and if you are walking the CF, I am sure the operation is slightly more efficient.
I do however have many experiences with Airbnb's and I have found so many of these properties are now operated by absentee owners who could care less about your comfort and ease, they just want to leave a key in a drop box somewhere and expect you to show up with your luggage rather than facilitate your arrival.
I was waiting for someone like pepi to chime in with a post before I did.
My advice is to totally idiot proof your arrangements. Make absolutely the luggage will be picked-up and delivered to someone you have vetted before you make your reservations, also remember some of these Airbnb places may not be directly on the Camino.

Things have changed since 2013 in regards to Jacotrans & Co.
I however fully share your doubts on AirBnB, this might work only in the few large cities along the CF, if at all; just replied to the OP.
I would definitely recommend using either (booked) albergues and Hostals, in which case the transport problem is solved; everything else is risky

 

[Tincatinker]

My bad for not having provided with more details. Our party of 4 will be doing the Camino Frances starting from Sarria. We're prepared to walk to the closest alberques to drop our bags before 8 and have them delivered to alberques/hostels at the next stop. It sounds like not all alberques/hostels would allow us to drop bags at their place in the morning if we're not guests there. Is that the situation? Thank you so much for sharing your experiences with me. We sincerely appreciate it.
Rico

Personally l would be surprised if you were able to secure the 4 or 5 congruent reservations that you will require via Airbnb. If you’re researches show that that is possible I strongly urge you to make the necessary reservations now and resolve the transport issues once you know exactly where you will be staying. I suspect that many opportunities will be “off” Camino.
The Camino from Sarria has a plethora of accommodation options that are geared to pilgrim requirements. Airbnb hosts generally cater to a different market

 

[Maria Esh]

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Hi all, it's my first Camino. I plan to use Airbnb for accommodation. Can I still leave my backpack at hostels even though I'm not a guest there? It's a great forum. So many helpful advices and kind hearted people. Thank you all!

You still can use the service, talk to your host and ask which service they work with. They will deliver your bags to any address your next stop will be. Your bags will be waiting for you inside your place

 

[DoughnutANZ]

@Maria Esh thanks for this post. It is interesting how a post from one's own experience can be both correct and incorrect at the same time.

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You still can use the service,

Correct, anyone can use the bag transfer services.

talk to your host and ask which service they work with.

It can be difficult to talk to absent AirBnB hosts at all and many wont know about the bag transfer services, unlike albergue hosts who will be as you describe.

They will deliver your bags to any address your next stop will be.

Theoretically correct. Consider the very realistic situation where the bag transfer driver who has your bag arrives at the AirBnB address to find it completely locked up and the only place to put your bag is on the street.

Would you want that driver to just leave your bag on the street by the AirBnB or would you rather that they kept it in their vehicle while they drive on to another town or perhaps leave it somewhere on their route close to the address but where there are people such as an open bar or café?

Your bags will be waiting for you inside your place

This is not possible if "your place" is locked.

 

[Maria Esh]

@Maria Esh thanks for this post. It is interesting how a post from one's own experience can be both correct and incorrect at the same time.


Correct, anyone can use the bag transfer services.


It can be difficult to talk to absent AirBnB hosts at all and many wont know about the bag transfer services, unlike albergue hosts who will be as you describe.


Theoretically correct. Consider the very realistic situation where the bag transfer driver who has your bag arrives at the AirBnB address to find it completely locked up and the only place to put your bag is on the street.

Would you want that driver to just leave your bag on the street by the AirBnB or would you rather that they kept it in their vehicle while they drive on to another town or perhaps leave it somewhere on their route close to the address but where there are people such as an open bar or café?


This is not possible if "your place" is locked.

@Maria Esh thanks for this post. It is interesting how a post from one's own experience can be both correct and incorrect at the same time.


Correct, anyone can use the bag transfer services.


It can be difficult to talk to absent AirBnB hosts at all and many wont know about the bag transfer services, unlike albergue hosts who will be as you describe.


Theoretically correct. Consider the very realistic situation where the bag transfer driver who has your bag arrives at the AirBnB address to find it completely locked up and the only place to put your bag is on the street.

Would you want that driver to just leave your bag on the street by the AirBnB or would you rather that they kept it in their vehicle while they drive on to another town or perhaps leave it somewhere on their route close to the address but where there are people such as an open bar or café?


This is not possible if "your place" is locked.

The experience that we had was: the Airbnb host gave me the number of one of the companies that they work with, once I contacted the driver, I gave them the address of the place we were going next and the host gives them the code or key to leave your bags inside. You leave a note with address and the money, we paid 5 eu. We did it in Pontevedra and Caldas del Reis, just tow weeks ago.

 

[J Willhaus]

We stayed in several AirBNB places this trip. Some owners would not let us access to leave bags before the previous night's guests vacated so checkout time may be important. Work with the transport company and the apt. owner.

 

[J Willhaus]

We found most highly rated AirBNB hosts were responsive through the chat feature on the App. Also some want you to upload your passport data ahead of time and will reach out for that anyway. We did find it hard sometimes to keep the reservations and dates straight when we got messages as some owners reached out way in advance. I made all the AirBNB reservations from the US before I left except one in Logrono. Most of ours were for tourist destinations where I was concerned about the cost of bookings in the high season. We also had several Booking.com reservations along the way that were apartments with the same requests for info prior to checkin.

Many of the transport companies use an app with drop down menues with options of places to leave bags in certain cities. Some do include hotels and holiday rentals. But I did not see any specifically for AirBNB addresses.

 

[Ricoinrio]

The experience that we had was: the Airbnb host gave me the number of one of the companies that they work with, once I contacted the driver, I gave them the address of the place we were going next and the host gives them the code or key to leave your bags inside. You leave a note with address and the money, we paid 5 eu. We did it in Pontevedra and Caldas del Reis, just tow weeks ago.

Thank you!

 

[auburnfive]

If you plan to stop in Palais de Rei, I highly recommend Apartmentos Touristico Guillermo. Wonderful apartment, and great host, you can book on booking.com, and the luggage services definitely deliver and pick up luggage to the apartment.

 

[Rosalinda]

I'm a little confused; if you are staying in airbnb's why are you leaving your backpack at hostels? Why not just have them pick up your bag at whatever place you stay? Did you already find air bnb's from Sarria to Santiago?

 

[pepi]

I'm a little confused; if you are staying in airbnb's why are you leaving your backpack at hostels? Why not just have them pick up your bag at whatever place you stay? Did you already find air bnb's from Sarria to Santiago?

Transport companies will likely refuse to pick up backpacks from individual private addresses that they don't have on their lists. Besides, they want to be paid with money placed in an attached envelope that also bears the name and phone number of the pack-owner, along with the forwarding address.....

I may be wrong and it may be a new way, but I –a veteran of 6 CF– have never heard from or talked to a Peregrino using Airbnb on the Camino regularly; has anyone on this forum heard of it, or better, experienced Airbnb for more than just on occasion?