Non albergue stays

[freetobe]

I am on a budget (read - good value / cheap ) but will be requiring stopovers at Pamplona, Burgos, Leon, Santiago (and who knows where else) of more than one night which means an albergue is out. So: Do I move from one albergue to another - NOT IDEAL - or how do I investigate good value options. Any recommendations of how to go about it or actual accommodation places would be much appreciated.

 

[HighlandsHiker]

Hi freetobe - I think that might just be for the municipals/parroquiales. Maybe try booking for 2 nights in the private albergues in those places via Booking.com to see if it will accept the reservation or emailing one of the private ones? Others are saying they were able to book 2 consecutive nights that way. There are also some inexpensive pensions around. I stayed in one in Leon that was part of an apartment section of a large office building for 22 Euro and also stayed at the Hospederia San Martin Pinario in Santiago by emailing them directly for a peregrino/a room - they give you one of the old monks' cells on the 4th floor - pretty Spartan and a bit crumbly, but perfectly adequate and part of a beautiful historic complex. We spoke on the UK site - so glad you're continuing your journey!

 

[bmcbride]

I am on a budget (read - good value / cheap ) but will be requiring stopovers at Pamplona, Burgos, Leon, Santiago (and who knows where else) of more than one night which means an albergue is out. So: Do I move from one albergue to another - NOT IDEAL - or how do I investigate good value options. Any recommendations of how to go about it or actual accommodation places would be much appreciated.

In Pamplona, I am staying at the Albergue Plaza Catedral for 3 nights, and was able to book through booking.com (there are several other private hostels listed there). In Santiago, I booked directly with the hotel (San Martin Pinario) by email and got their pilgrim rate. I would suggest that you use a booking site to check out accomodation in Burgos and Leon.

 

[natefaith]

For sure in Santiago you should have no problem booking something for more than one night. Most albergues here are used to tourists and pilgrims staying for multiple nights.

Along the trail, as @HighlandsHiker mentioned, it's usually the municipal albergues that only let you stay one night (understandably). However, having said that, I have run into a private albergue that also needed everyone to leave by 8am - not in Santiago, but in Astorga. So...you may need to look into cheaper pensiones, hostales, and hotels instead of albergues if you want to be able to stay more than one night in certain cities. Just a note in case you didn't know that a hostal is not the same as a youth hostel. A hostal usually has private rooms, whereas albergues usually have dormitories.

Booking.com is an excellent website and will filter choices for you by price if you like.
Buen Camino!
Faith

 

[C clearly]

I have run into a private albergue that also needed everyone to leave by 8am

It is very possible that they insist that everyone leave by 8 a.m., so they can do cleaning, etc., without having pilgrims lolling about, coming and going. However, they might still allow you to come back for another night when they re-open later in the day. They might even allow you to leave your things in the albergue while you go away as required for a few hours.

 

[natefaith]

Very true @C clearly ! Best to check with each hostel then, or see if they have stipulations when you book.

 

[freetobe]

Hi freetobe - I think that might just be for the municipals/parroquiales. Maybe try booking for 2 nights in the private albergues in those places via Booking.com to see if it will accept the reservation or emailing one of the private ones? Others are saying they were able to book 2 consecutive nights that way. There are also some inexpensive pensions around. I stayed in one in Leon that was part of an apartment section of a large office building for 22 Euro and also stayed at the Hospederia San Martin Pinario in Santiago by emailing them directly for a peregrino/a room - they give you one of the old monks' cells on the 4th floor - pretty Spartan and a bit crumbly, but perfectly adequate and part of a beautiful historic complex. We spoke on the UK site - so glad you're continuing your journey!

Thanks for that. I will enquire at the private albergues. Not travelling until Sept/Oct but thought I would start looking at places not to miss n the way.

 

[freetobe]

In Pamplona, I am staying at the Albergue Plaza Catedral for 3 nights, and was able to book through booking.com (there are several other private hostels listed there). In Santiago, I booked directly with the hotel (San Martin Pinario) by email and got their pilgrim rate. I would suggest that you use a booking site to check out accomodation in Burgos and Leon.

OK - will do. I suspect I will need to do that when I am on the road so to speak. One never knows where one will be or how one is going to rock up along the way.

 

[freetobe]

For sure in Santiago you should have no problem booking something for more than one night. Most albergues here are used to tourists and pilgrims staying for multiple nights.

Along the trail, as @HighlandsHiker mentioned, it's usually the municipal albergues that only let you stay one night (understandably). However, having said that, I have run into a private albergue that also needed everyone to leave by 8am - not in Santiago, but in Astorga. So...you may need to look into cheaper pensiones, hostales, and hotels instead of albergues if you want to be able to stay more than one night in certain cities. Just a note in case you didn't know that a hostal is not the same as a youth hostel. A hostal usually has private rooms, whereas albergues usually have dormitories.

Booking.com is an excellent website and will filter choices for you by price if you like.
Buen Camino!
Faith

Thank you for mentioning the difference between a hostal and an albergue. I still hadn't grasped that. Cheers

 

[natefaith]

I should clarify one more thing - the albergues here also are not youth hostels. That is, people of any age can stay in them .