Yellowfriend
Active Member
- Time of past OR future Camino
- Porto- Santiago / Fisterra- Muxia sept 2016
SJPP- Santiago may 2017planninh
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I think your last Camino sounds lovely. There are lots of websites, one is gronze, that lists albergues, pensions, etc and if they have private rooms. for example http://www.gronze.com/etapa/zubiri/pamplona . another is http://www.consumer.es/ everyone has a favorite. Many people book private rooms in albergues so they get the best of both worlds. Usually they book at most one day ahead, or the day of, to allow for flexibility. Some people just walk in and ask if a private room is available.hi,
I just finished the Camino portugues as a luxury pilgrimI walked alone but hotels were booked and my luggage was send. Now I want to travel with my luggage because I think that it Will give me more freedom where and when to stop. but sleeping in albergues is something where I am not sure off because of all the noise. But I like to meet people and talk to them. That was so nice on the Camino. Should it also be possible to book little hotels or private rooms on my way instead of sleeping in bulkbeds? And where can I find these places? I Will download the app from Amazon, is that enough? Or can I use a guide? Are there more people who are doing it this way? Or is it actually 'notdone'... I think I Will start at SJPP.
I plan to go begin may.
Thank you
Thank you!I think your last Camino sounds lovely. There are lots of websites, one is gronze, that lists albergues, pensions, etc and if they have private rooms. for example http://www.gronze.com/etapa/zubiri/pamplona . another is http://www.consumer.es/ everyone has a favorite. Many people book private rooms in albergues so they get the best of both worlds. Usually they book at most one day ahead, or the day of, to allow for flexibility. Some people just walk in and ask if a private room is available.
if you find a place you like on some booking website, you may want to try contacting them directly--you may save them the fee the booking site charges and they may give you a better deal. Also, I used the CSJ.org guide and it often had pensions listed in addition to albergues.
Buen Camino
Thank you! I just orderd your book and am Reading itMost of us actually sleep in albergues and after having walked 20-25km also quite soundly ;-) Just try it out for a few nights and if you still don't like it - you always can book more private accommodation - nothing is set in stone in the end. Buen Camino, SY
yes, definitely. For me, especially the parochial ones...two favorites for me on the Frances were San Miguel in Estella and Domus Dei in Foncebadon.I would tend to stay as small Albergues where there was a communal meal for dinner.
hi,
I just finished the Camino portugues as a luxury pilgrimI walked alone but hotels were booked and my luggage was send. Now I want to travel with my luggage because I think that it Will give me more freedom where and when to stop. but sleeping in albergues is something where I am not sure off because of all the noise. But I like to meet people and talk to them. That was so nice on the Camino. Should it also be possible to book little hotels or private rooms on my way instead of sleeping in bulkbeds? And where can I find these places? I Will download the app from Amazon, is that enough? Or can I use a guide? Are there more people who are doing it this way? Or is it actually 'notdone'... I think I Will start at SJPP.
I plan to go begin may.
Thank you
We mostly used gronze.com and it was all very easy.
I tried Albergues for 20 nights and eventually hated them - it's not the noise but the smells the personal habits the hogging the one only toilet for 20 minutes the strange 'gloop' the blocked drains in showers the people getting up at 4am to start walking the trying to get clothes dry plus so much more that is very wearing .... I then started booking private rooms and my Camino was transformed.Most of us actually sleep in albergues and after having walked 20-25km also quite soundly ;-) Just try it out for a few nights and if you still don't like it - you always can book more private accommodation - nothing is set in stone in the end. Buen Camino, SY
Via email direct or via a website both of which contact details I'd access via gronze.com (it's in Spanish but very easy to understand/guess and navigate if like me you're non Spanish speaking. I'd look at gronze.com first then click on each auberge to see if there were private rooms if not I'd scroll down to the hostels and check out each one, some have booking.com links. A few times I'd send a message via the hostel website .... English worked ok if you're really clear i.e. date of night of stay on one line then next line number of beds then next line number of rooms then next line names of people staying then next line estimated time of arrival then last line mobile number. This worked every time and I usually got a reply within 12 hours often just an hour. Good luck.Thank you!
How did you book your rooms?
I cannot understand and/or think of another way to do this other than "just walk, follow the yellow arrows and find Albergues to share with fellow pilgrims..."hi,
I just finished the Camino portugues as a luxury pilgrimI walked alone but hotels were booked and my luggage was send. Now I want to travel with my luggage because I think that it Will give me more freedom where and when to stop. but sleeping in albergues is something where I am not sure off because of all the noise. But I like to meet people and talk to them. That was so nice on the Camino. Should it also be possible to book little hotels or private rooms on my way instead of sleeping in bulkbeds? And where can I find these places? I Will download the app from Amazon, is that enough? Or can I use a guide? Are there more people who are doing it this way? Or is it actually 'notdone'... I think I Will start at SJPP.
I plan to go begin may.
Thank you
I began my Camino thinking just as you advise to walk to follow arrows and to simply arrive and take a bed as it presented itself-however it didn't work for me at all and also I suspect will not work for others. Privacy and personal space became very important to me- much as many pilgrims find walking alone to be important. Once I decided to let go of the idea that Albergues in terms of sharing sleeping space with up to 40 others was an integral part of the Camino I was able to decide what I needed to achieve a sense of well being and peacefulness. If I do return to complete my Camino from Leon-I would aim to camp in a tent or use private rooms. (I would however recommend Auberge Beluze which was like staying in the house of a good friend).I cannot understand and/or think of another way to do this other than "just walk, follow the yellow arrows and find Albergues to share with fellow pilgrims..."
Just walk with your heart open, and follow the yellow arrows... Don't mind too much about anything else (ok... maybe the bed bugs once in a while)... And everything will turn out just fine!
Sleeping in ALbergues, with others, with all that noise and energy is (IMHO) a good part of what makes the Camino, The Camino... Even with the annoyance that comes with it ( Snorers, etc!).
But in a way, that just mimics pitfalls we face in our own lives...
Buen CAmino and please, once you do it again the way you are feeling like to do ( sleeping in albergues, carrying your own stuff, etc) , do let us know what are your thoughts about this new experience!
Good luck!
Ultreia
Thank you! I Will let you know, can't wait to be back on the Camino....I cannot understand and/or think of another way to do this other than "just walk, follow the yellow arrows and find Albergues to share with fellow pilgrims..."
Just walk with your heart open, and follow the yellow arrows... Don't mind too much about anything else (ok... maybe the bed bugs once in a while)... And everything will turn out just fine!
Sleeping in ALbergues, with others, with all that noise and energy is (IMHO) a good part of what makes the Camino, The Camino... Even with the annoyance that comes with it ( Snorers, etc!).
But in a way, that just mimics pitfalls we face in our own lives...
Buen CAmino and please, once you do it again the way you are feeling like to do ( sleeping in albergues, carrying your own stuff, etc) , do let us know what are your thoughts about this new experience!
Good luck!
Ultreia
Thank you! For me the personal space and time to be alone , because of all the impressions of the day to get Some quiteness inside in my mind also like you....I Will see how I am doing it the next time.I began my Camino thinking just as you advise to walk to follow arrows and to simply arrive and take a bed as it presented itself-however it didn't work for me at all and also I suspect will not work for others. Privacy and personal space became very important to me- much as many pilgrims find walking alone to be important. Once I decided to let go of the idea that Albergues in terms of sharing sleeping space with up to 40 others was an integral part of the Camino I was able to decide what I needed to achieve a sense of well being and peacefulness. If I do return to complete my Camino from Leon-I would aim to camp in a tent or use private rooms. (I would however recommend Auberge Beluze which was like staying in the house of a good friend).
Thank you! For me it felt the same on my last Camino. I liked the quiteness in my hotel after talking and eating with so many nice people.The last thing I would do is to tell you HOW you should walk YOUR Camino. There is no such thing as "not done" when it comes to walking YOUR Camino.
While many pilgrims use albergues a lot of pilgrims also use the smaller inns, hostels, and hotels along the Camino. It is not a coincidence there has been an incredible surge of those along the various Caminos in the last 15-20 years.
Using online booking options (almost every town and village along the Camino has a place with some manner of internet service), or bring a list with phones, or simply show up. In the bigger towns I just showed up; you will be amazed the great resource that Offices of Tourism are as well as the local bars always have info on local lodging possibilities.
I have done a combination of caminos (walked the Camino every year from 2011-2014); albergues, smaller inns, hostals, hotels. If I can avoid sleeping in a room with other people, I definitely will. I had plenty wonderful company on the trail, plenty meals with pilgrims, group sightseeing, etc....I did extremely well interacting with other pilgrims without having to sleep in a dormitory with others.
Thank you for your nice wordsHi Yellowfriend!
What you do is exactly what YOU want to do, and feels right for YOU.
My first camino was totally albergue. My last camino was totally small hotels. You can tread all the diaries on the web site.
You don't need to book in advance! Just turn up at reception: if they're full, they often phone around for you to find a bed.
Just relax: "go with the flow": by not booking ahead, you're not committed to reaching a certain point by a certain time which equals more freedom.
I have reached that certain age when I need the toilet a couple of times at night. No way could I sleep in a bunk bed on the top!
Some albergues do have private, single rooms. Always worth asking.
But, ultimately, you do what you enjoy most.
Blessings from England.....
Hi.hi,
I just finished the Camino portugues as a luxury pilgrimI walked alone but hotels were booked and my luggage was send. Now I want to travel with my luggage because I think that it Will give me more freedom where and when to stop. but sleeping in albergues is something where I am not sure off because of all the noise. But I like to meet people and talk to them. That was so nice on the Camino. Should it also be possible to book little hotels or private rooms on my way instead of sleeping in bulkbeds? And where can I find these places? I Will download the app from Amazon, is that enough? Or can I use a guide? Are there more people who are doing it this way? Or is it actually 'notdone'... I think I Will start at SJPP.
I plan to go begin may.
Thank you
I found that the albergues had people from different nationalities, and all different walks of life. In many ways, it they are a great equalizer of classes and professions. At hotels, and inns, everyone has a bit of money to rely on. (Some have more than a bit.) At the albergues, the conversation was often on what people had seen that day, the weather, a cautious "why are you walking the Camino?", and what's for dinner. We all wear similar clothes, we don't have cars to judge one another by. --- I was two days at an albergue once (taking a break because of my feet), when a man I had shared dinner with the evening before offered to look at my infected blisters. I laughed him off as my feet were pretty ugly, but he then explained he was a doctor. I had had no idea, and we had talked for hours. Our professions never came up.
thank you i will look up that wayThere's lots of good advice from many folks posted here. You can often use booking.com to book accommodations on the Frances. There are so many options on the route, a huge infrastructure that it's near impossible to go wrong. I agree, the albergues can wear a bit thin after a time, but I typically use them together with small hostels and cheap hotels tossed in to have a break. Booking a couple of days ahead seems to work well, but keep in mind that May and September are the two busiest months out of SJPDP. I was just thiere yesterday after walking in from Le Puy and a wonderful volunteer showed me all the current data. Much higher numbers than in 2015 which was also very busy. The April and late September numbers are lower and there were quite a few peregrinos preparing to depart to Roncevalles yesterday. Today a gorgeous sunny day to cross the Pyrennes! Have fun planning your journey. Have you considered the Le Puy route to SJPDP? Less traveled and very beautiful...better food too! Alternative might be the Sabreses Camino from Zamora to Santiago, also extremely beautiful if you feel that you need to walk into Santiago again. The Frances is getting pretty full these days and there are extremely good alternatives out there with sufficient pilgrims for company and safety. Have fun with your planning!
lucky i am not alone in my wishes like being together and being alone ; ) thanksThere is a great freedom from stress and worry about finding a bed when you have booked a place ahead.
After walking the Camino 4 times without booking ahead, I have become an advocate for having accommodation booked and like thousands of other pilgrims I am no longer a part of the race for beds.
Having set stages doesn't bother me. I no longer have the urge to walk 30km a day and prefer to keep the daily stages to around 20km so booking places at the 20km is not a hardship.
People say that you miss the pilgrim experience by not staying in traditional albergues but with extreme overcrowding, more and more pilgrims are staying in private albergues or small hostales and there is more than enough opportunity to share a meal with other pilgrims without having to share a room with them.
Ten other advantages - for me - are:
1) I can sleep in if I want to - and sometimes, at my age, I just want to sleep in!
2) I can have a leisurely breakfast with other pilgrims (who also wanted to sleep in)
3) I can take my time on the path, sauntering around the villages and sitting on the bench in the square chatting to locals.
4) I can wait outside a special church or museum for it to open if I want to.
5) I can take that detour that most pilgrims ignore because of time constraints.
6) I can have a nice long lunch with other pilgrims who are also not in a hurry to get a bed before the albergue fills up.
7) I can have a siesta under a tree if I want to.
8) After sleeping in 100's of dormitories I've decided that I like to have a private room and a private bathroom.
9) I can join the other pilgrims staying at the albergue or hostal at the 9pm dinner when many pilgrims are getting into their bunks in the albergues. I could even go out and join in the Fiesta! (Then I'd need to sleep in the next day.)
10) I can walk with a daypack and send other stuff ahead. I am no longer so attached to my toiletries, washing bag, extra Crocs and metal mug that I want to carry them every day.
If I ever walk the Camino Frances again on my own, I would choose to stay in only a few traditional albergues and the rest would all be in pre-booked, private accommodation. I feel relaxed just thinking about it!
private rooms
Thank you for caring for fellow pilgrims! You are a caring person and I appreciate it.Just finished walking from SJPDP to Finisterre. Must have not been very observant as it took me quite a while before I realized how many people I walked with were sleeping in the fields because they could not afford the Albergues. Started paying for a bunk and the Pilgrim meal for those who really appreciated a bunk bed and a hot shower once a week. Very humbling to walk with these people. But it makes you feel good to buy supper for someone who cleans every morsel of food or oil off their plate with pieces of bread--they really don't eat everyday because they can not afford it.
One woman who slept in the fields told me that IF she ever hits the lottery, she will spend her money to walk the Camino Frances and stay in an albergue EVERY night. Bought her a top bunk for a night.
it makes you feel good
I don't have time to read all the other replies, but I walked the Camino Francis alone and only stayed in Albergue dorms twice. I did not have trouble finding accommodations, I found gronze.com the most helpful. I usually shared with another person, and we could usually call a day or two ahead to reserve. We do speak Spanish, but I don't think it would be necessary. Albergues are not for everyone. At 70, my bathroom needs are not consistent with sharing with many people. This is physiological, not a matter of temperament. Also, I have osteoperosis and would not be comfortable either in a top bunk or asking someone else to give up their bottom bunk for me. I met many wonderful people and had a great time. Typically, except in large cities, private rooms would cost 30-40 euros which is not bad split between 2 people. Another source of reserving is booking.com, but if you can speak some Spanish (or someone at the accommodation speaks your language) you can get a lower price calling directly. Good luck!
The perfect bunk-mate for me...I can't bear to be in the bottom bunk, and can easily climb up and down without a chair or ladderAs a vertigo sufferer (can get up that top bunk, but not down) I thank you @kelleymac ! Buen Camino, SY
Thank you. How was the weather in april/may?Wow, does it sound really crowded! We walked in March/April (Holy Week) in 2015, the albergues were often almost almost empty. Last year in April/May it was more crowded, but we only had to walk to the next village (7km further) once to find a place to sleep. And we had walked late into the evening.
It can be cold and wet, then quite warm toward the end of May. It rained on me 27 of 31 days one May. Another May, it rained only a few times. April will probably include snow and icy mornings, so delaying for a day or two can be advisable in bad weather.How was the weather in april/may?
This year it was sunny and warm. -- We had two days of clouds and the Napoleon Way was open, but we did get sleet, fog and snow way up there. But the rest of the walk was cool in the mornings and warm in the afternoons.Thank you. How was the weather in april/may?
Hi JoanneK, would you still have the list of accommodation you mention. I am walking the frances in August and would prefer to stay in private rooms. Cheers GarryMessage me your email if you'd like my list of the accommodation we used in 2014 (more or less 20km apart). It may be out of date, but is a starting point. Buen Camino
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