Pre-book accommodation?

[5Vincent]

I am planning to walk the Camino Francés in July & August. Apologies if this information is available elsewhere, but I’m not sure whether I need (or can) to book accommodation for each night in advance. Please could someone advise?

 

[Lirsy]

July and August are very crowded months. If I was you, I would book for the fist two nights (SJPdP & Roncesvalles??).

Buen Camino & Ultreia!!

 

[Deleted member 3000]

If you find that the crowds are creating a problem, you can start booking. I suggest one day at a time.

 

[5Vincent]

Thanks!

 

[grayland]

Many pilgrims use booking.com or hotels.com to book when things appear crowded.
Booking while walking during the day is usually early enough.

The main concern with pre-booking is that it pre determines where you must stop each night.
It takes away the option to walk further or to stop early if desired. It also may separate you from new friends you will meet along the way as they will be staying somewhere else.

 

[Kurt5280]

I would book advanced reservations in Biarritz, SJPdP, Orrison, Roncesvalles, Pamplona, and Santiago...and for hotel rooms try booking.com or for B&B rooms try tripadvisor.

 

[JillGat]

I am planning to walk the Camino Francés in July & August. Apologies if this information is available elsewhere, but I’m not sure whether I need (or can) to book accommodation for each night in advance. Please could someone advise?

I would say play it by ear as you go. If you will arrive at your destination early in the day, most places will have accommodations for you. Especially if you are solo and don't have to find more than one bed in an albergue. Bring an up-to-date guidebook or phone app like WisePilgrim, which will give you contact info. for albergues and pensiones in coming towns, if you think you might need it. If you get the sense there will be a bottleneck, with a lot of pilgrims arriving in one town at the same time, you can book ahead while you walk (if you don't speak Spanish, you can ask someone working in a bar along the way or in your previous albergue to call for you... most are happy to do it). You will get a feel for this as you walk, as pilgrims are always talking about it. I did this occasionally when I read about a nice albergue I wanted to stay in or when I wanted to walk until later in the day and didn't want to worry about it.

The problem with booking everything in advance is that you don't have the freedom to decide as you go where you want to stop and stay. That's a really nice thing on the Camino.

 

[Lirsy]

I would book advanced reservations in Biarritz, SJPdP, Orrison, Roncesvalles, Pamplona, and Santiago...and for hotel rooms try booking.com or for B&B rooms try tripadvisor.

I would only book one or max. 2 days. You never know how long you want to walk every day (depending on weather, your condition that day,...).

If you intend to stay mostly in albergues, I would take a camino guide as gronze instead of a more generic site.
Gronze (https://www.gronze.com/) is in Spanish, but you just need to know like 5 or 7 words to understand it (... google translate ). There you will find all the albergues, contact phone and email, cost, period in which they are open, distances,...

 

[wisepilgrim]

Gronze (https://www.gronze.com/) is in Spanish, but you just need to know like 5 or 7 words to understand it (... google translate ). There you will find all the albergues, contact phone and email, cost, period in which they are open, distances,...

Or you could use the very much in English site: www.wisepilgrim.com with a bit more information and links to booking.com for both cities and individual properties.

 

[Bflojim]

We booked all 33 nights in advance with followthrcamino.com as well as lugguge forwarding.

 

[grayland]

We booked all 33 nights in advance with followthrcamino.com as well as lugguge forwarding.

We are happy this worked well for you.
However....it may be good to point out for those planning a Camino that pre-booking to this extent is very unusual.

Most folks book the first couple of nights and then simply book themselves on a daily basis... if needed.
Really is a simple thing and does no require a third party.
Booking. com or hotels. Com for most things.
Guidebook or hospitalero for albergues.

Long range booking can limit where and when you stop.

 

[ElizabethOwen700]

We booked all 33 nights in advance with followthrcamino.com as well as lugguge forwarding.

What was your experience with this? Did it detract or add to the pilgramage?

 

[trecile]

What was your experience with this? Did it detract or add to the pilgramage?

The post that you quoted is over 4 years old, and that member hasn't been on the forum since then. You should probably start your own thread to pose your question.

 

[C clearly]

What was your experience with this? Did it detract or add to the pilgramage?

You should probably start your own thread to pose your question.

Or add the question to this thread.