Luggage Logistics - Need Baggage Hold Advice

[ed1chandler]

Hello, all

The wife and I are planning to walk the Camino Frances from Sarria (that's about as far as I could convince her to indulge me). The plan is to do a week's worth of "normal" sightseeing when we're done, so we're looking to bring "normal" baggage in addition to what we plan to carry on our backs while walking the Camino. So the question is ... what do we do with our other luggage while walking?

Ideally, I'd like to find a hotel in Santiago willing to hold our luggage while we walk (we would stay there, of course). Anyone know of such a hotel? Anyone have a better idea for what to do with our other luggage?

I'm all ears. Thanks in advance.

 

[vagabondette]

you can mail it to santiago and pick it up when you arrive.

BTW, you might also just consider taking less stuff. Learning to travel with less is very freeing. I'll be traveling for 3.5 months on just what I'm carrying on the camino. When I arrive in London in December I'll pick up a box of warm clothes and I may buy a sweater along the way if I need it but not having to deal with lots of luggage rocks my world.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

Virtually all the hotels will hold your baggage for you if you spend your first night with them and reserve for your return night, particularly the big ones such as the Parador. The Parador chain has a Five Night special for 550 Euro for two people for five nights at any of their hotels. As you travel around, you could go from Parador to Parador. Many of their top hotels add a supplement, so you may pay more than the 105 Euro average.

http://www.paradores-spain.com/offers/5night.html

As to your basic question, though, ask your hotel when you make your initial reservation if they will store your baggage for a week.

 

[nubblemt]

On the subject of storing luggage: anyone have advice/suggestions on a way or where to store a package near Madrid airport for pickup after we walk the Camino? We're considering an "insurance" policy" of bringing along a tent and some camp stuff in case one of us gets injured and we can't continue to walk. Then we'd go back to Madrid, pick up our camp stuff and head south to a beach rather than abort the whole trip and pay extra to fly home early. If we stay healthy, we'd simply pick up our package when we fly out of Madrid. In reality, it's not something we'll likely do, but would love some info to consider it. As always thanks and Buen Camino to all.

 

[ed1chandler]

@vagabondette: No need to preach the gospel of one-bagging. I'm already a convert. It's the wife's luggage that needs babysitting. :wink: On the subject of mailing it, do you mean just "general delivery"?

@falcon267: Awesome! That's just the kind of info I was looking for ... and the tip about the hotel special was gravy on the side. Thanks.

Also, just after I posted my original question, I noticed an ad at the bottom of the forum for a baggage hold service in Santiago. My bad.

 

[vagabondette]

@vagabondette: No need to preach the gospel of one-bagging. I'm already a convert. It's the wife's luggage that needs babysitting. :wink: On the subject of mailing it, do you mean just "general delivery"?

We women can be such pains! lol

Also, just after I posted my original question, I noticed an ad at the bottom of the forum for a baggage hold service in Santiago. My bad.

^^ this

 

[cmsmith]

If the notice you saw was from the Pension Badalada in Santiago, I recommend it. My family has used it twice with good service, and my son stayed there in March and recommends it.

CMSmith

 

[Deleted member 3000]

Pension Badalada is centrally located and reasonably priced:

http://www.badalada.es/

 

[ed1chandler]

@cmsmith: Thanks for the endorsement. Tell me, what was your son's experience with weather and crowding in March? I'm planning for early March of 2013, which I realize isn't "peak" season, but that's part of the appeal for me AND I want to be on the trail on my birthday ... and there isn't much flexibility with moving THAT date. ;-)