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Is there a list of hostals?

Paulro

New Member
Is there a list of hostals along the walk, perhaps recommendations and ones you might avoid if you have the chance?

Thanks

Paul
 
A selection of Camino Jewellery
Paul - there are a number of websites that list albergues for the different routes.
If you are referring to the Camino Frances, you can download a list from http://www.redalberguessantiago.com/doc ... rgues1.pdf
or here
http://www.caminosantiago.org/cpperegri ... rgues.html
which gives albergues for all the routes in Spain including:-
Camino Francés
Camino del Norte
Camino Vasco del Interior
Camino Primitivo
Via de la Plata
El Camino del Sur
Camino Portugués
Camino Inglés
Camino Catalán
Camino del Ebro
Camino del Maestrazgo-Bajo Aragón
Camino de Andorra
Camino de Levante
Camino Mozárabe
Ruta de la Lana
Camino de Madrid
Camino de Fisterra
 
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Hi Paul,
I'm not sure what you are looking for in a hostal. Some of the albergues on the routes are new, privately owned, upmarket with modern kitchens, shiny showers, cafeterias and very little atmosphere. These are mostly big - like railway stations - and sleep over 100 people in dormitories of varying sizes. Estella (116 beds) Logrono (80) Ponferrada(160) or Azofra where the albergue is like a modern university campus res and Terradillos de los Templarios where you can choose from a 2 bed to a 20 bed dorm. All very 'nice' and comfortable.
At the other end of the scale are the small, basic albergues - some with no running water, electricity or proper toilets. These are more atmospheric and (for me) have a more spiritual hospitality than the big comfortable hostals.
At Hospital de St Nicholas you sleep in the church and the monks wash your feet. At Manjarin you sleep in a stone barn and the founder, Tomas the Templar, cooks supper and also conducts a Templar ceremony at 11 each morning. At San Bol you wash in a medicinal spring and have your meal cooked by an Italian with Rastafarian locks down to his waist. At La Faba the owner is a German hippie who only serves vegetarian food (grown in the field opposite the albergue) and sells Indian jewellry. Most of these only sleep up to 10 pilgrims, have a donativo dinner, singing and blessings.
In between these two are many municipal or church sponsored albergues , and a few larger 'traditional' refuges like Granon, Tosantos, Bercianos, Ave Fenix that are in churches, old straw and mud buildings and are often run by families who have dedicated their lives to serving pilgrims.
When you ask for recommendations, it would be useful to know what you are hoping to find - modern comforts or basic and traditional.
 

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To what extent has the number of hostals/alberges increased from 2001. I remember just going to a town and looking for the only available hostal available and having to look for other accommodations if you were late in arriving. I've mapped out a 36 day walk which takes me to familar places I'd love to visit again and some new towns I did not stay in the last time.
 
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It is a link to a pdf file brochure of the Reds de Albergue group - it takes a while to download but you can go straight to the website and open it from there. Albergues listed in this group are semi-private in that they don't belong to the municipalities or to the church - some are fairly old and basic eg (Ave Fenix at Villafranca del Bierzo) and others are large modern hostels (eg: Portomarin).

http://www.redalberguessantiago.com
 
Thank you so much for the information provided. When I asked for recommendations I did it not fully understanding the amount available and the size and services offered. I have been getting organised for about ten days now. It will be my first walk on the Camino Frances.
I can see how by choosing a more basic albergue the experience of the walk might be completely different. I think I would feel happier trying to mix the experience as much as I can sometimes using the more basic shelters and at other times enjoying the modern comforts, perhaps when soaking wet?
I am hoping to get to Finisterre and of course am finding as the day approaches myself getting slightly more apprehensive, wondering what it will be like, questioning as to whether I will do it and how I will respond to the challenge. I am excited and yet slightly scared. I am walking alone and feel it is important for me to spend some time by myself, to give me time to think about my life and people araound me who love me.
Your help makes me realise both the enormity of the task ahead but also offers support and guidance. Thank you.
 
Hi Paul,
Mixing your overnight accommodations is a good choice. If you are feeling in need of time out, book into an occasional little hostal or fonda (about 25 euro per night).
The only places I would suggest you avoid are the albergue at Melide and the municipal albergue at Arzua. Stay in the private ones and you will avoid being packed in like sardines with black algae gunge in the bathrooms and creeping mildew on the windows - yech!

A few recommendations:
Pamplona - The new albergue in the Church of Jesus y Maria
Eunate - off the trail, little albergue, very spiritual
Granon - Albergue (inside a church bell tower, warm hospitality, great communal meal at night)
Tosantos - sleep on the floor, wonderful host, service in the chapel in the attic after a shared meal.
Hospital del Orbigo (private albergue - the hospitalero is very friendly and it's a lovely place to stay)
San Anton Albergue - mind blowing!
St Nicholas - sleep inside the church, monks wash your feet, communal meal
Boadilla del camino - family run, lovely gardens, swimming pools!!
San Bol - off the path but very atmospheric (you might experience a quiemada)
Manjarin - spend the night with Tomas the Templar and enjoy his Templarios ceremony the next day (communal meals in candle light)
Villafranca del Bierzo - Ave Fenix, run by Jesus Jato (a healer) and his family.

I'm sure other forum members can add their favourites to this list.
 
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Re: Second Refuge at Pamplona

Quotation from Silidoll:
Pamplona - The new albergue in the Church of Jesus y Maria
The Confraternity of Saint James from Paderborn, Germany has set up a new refuge at Pamplona. It lies at the entrance of the town just 300 meter from the Puente Magdalena which all the pilgrims have to cross on their way into town. It is a small cosy house with only 23 places in bunks. We serve breakfast.
here is the link
 
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Hello Jochen,
We passed your albergue on the way into Pamplona last year. There have been good reports about it from pilgrims.
Will you accept a peregrino for one night until they can get the bus to Roncesvalles? Some albergues only accept pilgrims who have already started walking.
 
I was one of those happy pilgrims that stayed at Paderborn. There I was introduced to the centrifuge dryer.
Jochen was that you playing the gaita at 6 am??
Hahahaha,
Lillian
 
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Re:Yes there is......................

Remember..................

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Near to monument to
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and near to..................HERRITO TAVERNA.

Saludos........................
 
Popping in here with my first post and to ask for clarification

so...the municpal albergues are on a first come first serve basis??----but can some of the private ones be booked in advance?? Is that generally a good thing--and are the private ones generaly "better"--I suppose depending on what experience you are looking for and what kind of travelling you've done in the past.

But my fear...and yes, I plan to work on this, but as a non-Spanish speaker I can imagine it is a horror to speak on the phone. Picking up enough of another language to use when you are there in person to find an ATM, gt a meal, directions, etc is one thing but booking accomodation on the phone might be another when you have no non-verbal to help.

So..talk to me..how does this all work in the real world?....(and keep us all from micro-manging things that can't be managed I guess....fear of the unkown..)

Lynda
 
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If you have a Red de Albergues leaflet with all their albergues listed and your cell phone with you you could ask any Spanish person or the hospitalero or cafe bar owner to phone ahead for you.
 
Red Albergues leaflet? So when I get to Leon next Thursday at around 6.00 pm I will make my way to the Cathedral to collect my passport? and what else should I be picking up there?
The route looks reasonably well planned but I guess when I look at it on paper it might be easier than the actual thing!!!
Thanks for your help so far.

Paul
 
Re: Casa Paderborn at Pamplona is open this year from March 16th

Because of the early Easter feast this year the Casa Paderborn at Pamplona opens its doors this year already on March 16th. :D
So if you start in March your Camino we will welcome you at the Casa Paderborn.
Buen Camino
Jochen
 
St James' Way - Self-guided 4-7 day Walking Packages, Reading to Southampton, 110 kms
Hi Linda,

I never had a problem finding a place to stay and never called ahead. (Was walking in August, as well.) It all worked out somehow.

I liked the Confraternity albergue in Rabanal, the parish albergues in both Viana and Longrono, slept on the floor, but had amazing experiences.

Belorado-The one next to the cathedral

The food at San Bol is always fantastic, but you might not get any sleep. (If you don't stay there, it is a lovely place to spend the afternoon before moving on to Hontanas.)

The private one in Xan Julian was fabulous.

There was a new place in the next village past Portomarin, it's over near the church. I only ate breakfast there (which was a good deal), don't know how much it is to stay there. (I was the only person who stopped in, it was a short distance off the Camino.)

Buen Camino,
Liz

There seem to be a lot of other accomodation options in Melide.

It's really more about the fellow travellers and the hospitaleros than it is about the accomodations themselves.
 
Hi Lynda,
I walked the Francés in July/Aug and had no problems finding plaaces to stay. And I stayed at albergues all along the Way. The trick, I think, is to avoid the cities and big towns and go for the villages before or after the cities ...most people (especially groups) tend to go to the towns for the cafe's bars, restaurants, etc., but I preferred the ambience of a quiet outdoor bar/cafe in a rural setting and found the food to be quite good as well!

Regarding Spanish, I suggest you take a small phrase book with you. People can give you words... an ATM is a "cajero" but you will have to write them down and you will never have the right list when you need it! Additionally, you will find many people along the Way who will have more than one language and Pilgrims will always help each other out! Granted, the phone in a foreign language can be quite daunting.

In terms of the fear of the unknown, that is real. But just face the fear... Spain is a friendly and very safe country. You're walking the Camino where the people are friendly and accustomed to seeing Pilgrims of all nationalities and languages. Most are more than willing to assist Pilgrims in any way they can. You may be surprised that if you engage and think about learning a little bit of Spanish you will pick up quite a bit through the full immersion technique! I think hte worry of anticipation is worse than the actual thing!

Buen Camino
 
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