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San Juan de Ortega accommodation

1elantra

Active Member
Time of past OR future Camino
way of St James
Does anyone have suggestion for accommodation in St Juan please? Ive emailed 3 and had no response from any of then. Bit stuck here. Thanks
 
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€46,-
None of the accommodation in San Juan de Ortega is open at the moment. They will not open until late March or early April. I am not surprised that they have not replied to your emails. When do you expect to be there?
 
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None of the accommodation in San Juan de Ortega is open at the moment. They will not open until late March or early April. I am not surprised that they have not replied to your emails. When do you expect to be there?
Oh ok thanks. Hoping mid April
 
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Walk on to Ages or Atapuerca (recommended). San Juan de Ortega is not recommended. Been there.
Yes, walk on to Agés. In 2016, I stayed at the Albergue El Pajar de Agés. It was quite nice, modern with a couple good café/bars in this small village. Based on the Gronze comments, it still seems to get pretty good reviews. Very pleased to have made Agés on of my stopping points.

 
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I actually enjoyed the very simple nature of the pilgrim albergue in San Juan de Ortega, especially being able to attend Mass next door while sitting next to the actual remains of the Saint! Dinner is a simple garlic soup and bread, but a nice reminder that you are on a pilgrimage.

If you do decide to skip staying there, certainly take a moment to visit inside the church (if it’s open) and thank SJdO for the pathways you’ve been following on your Camino.
 
I actually enjoyed the very simple nature of the pilgrim albergue in San Juan de Ortega, especially being able to attend Mass next door while sitting next to the actual remains of the Saint! Dinner is a simple garlic soup and bread, but a nice reminder that you are on a pilgrimage.

If you do decide to skip staying there, certainly take a moment to visit inside the church (if it’s open) and thank SJdO for the pathways you’ve been following on your Camino.
Yes I emailed them a couple of times. No response as yet
 
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Municipal and Parochial albergues do not take reservations. Fortunately, the pilgrim albergue there is quite large with some overflow space. In April 2018, it was nowhere near capacity. With Easter falling on April 9 this year, I’d expect it to be crowded before that date and empty afterwards.
 
I thought the Hostal La Plazuela Verde was nice in Atapuerca.
They have bunk beds built into the wall with curtains.
You have to go to the grocery store or bar in town for food.
 
The one from Galicia (the round) and the one from Castilla & Leon. Individually numbered and made by the same people that make the ones you see on your walk.
My wife and I stayed in the San Juan de Ortega albergue parroquial during our first Camino Frances in 2015. It was one of the worst albergues municipals we stayed in. Very dark, moldy/musty smell. Bathrooms also outdated, poorly lit, wet and dank. When we checked in, we were bullied by the hospitalero since we did not want to have dinner there. We ate at the nearby bar and the brothers that owned the place were quite entertaining, convincing us that the morcilla they served was best in Spain. Several other pilgrims staying in the albergue later came to the bar, saying the dinner at the albergue was terrible.

During our 4th CF in 2021, we stayed at Alojamiento Rural La Henera. It was fantastic, comfortable, quiet and we learned the place was owned by the same family that operated the bar. After dinner, Cindi and I wandered over to the albergue paroquial since we noticed construction renovation was underway. Someone gave us a tour and we were blown away how much work had been done. In fact, the entire albergue looked brand new! By now I'm guessing the work has been done and they are accepting pilgrims. Cindi and I no longer stay in municipal albergues, but would not hesitate to stay there if we stayed in albergues again. Bob
 
Walk on to Ages or Atapuerca (recommended). San Juan de Ortega is not recommended. Been there.
Good to have you back, better to comment on your comment, even better to agree with your comment. Walk on Pilgrim. The two albergues in Atapuerca are very good. Never stayed in Ages.
 
The one from Galicia (the round) and the one from Castilla & Leon. Individually numbered and made by the same people that make the ones you see on your walk.
Walk on to Ages or Atapuerca (recommended). San Juan de Ortega is not recommended. Been there.
I had one of the best experiences of my Camino in SJdO. The accommodations themselves may be nothing to write home about, but the mass was quite moving and the energy in the albergue was just incredible the night I was there.
 
I stayed at San Juan de Ortega in April 2022 and it was just fine. I was disappointed no soup was served but found the morcilla served in the bar next door was definitely the best served in Spain. At least to me. It was the only morcilla I was served prior to that. Buen Camino

ps. Right after San Juan de Ortega be sure to divert a km off the Camino and visit the Atapuerca museum.
 
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The hostal La Henera is showing rooms available for booking in mid April on booking.com. The parochial albergue does not accept reservations. You may have to wait for the private albergue to reopen at Easter if you want to reserve beds there.
Went on La Henera website and they only wanted 7 days booking! Maybe that is out of season?
 
Here is another vote to walk onto Ages. I stayed at the Albergue El Pajar. Only one other gentleman in the whole place. The bunks were great and the shower hot BUT they evidently forgot to turn the heat on at night (this was early April 2022). I slept with every stich of clothes on and 3 buffs. Regardless though, I would stay again.
Here is a funny story though. There are limited options for food but the best place in town is El Alquimista. It is operated by a couple of middle aged folk and essentially, you are eating in their kitchen. There are only perhaps 7 tables and a bar on a landing a few steps up. On that landing is a high top table. The day I arrived was the Saturday before Palm Sunday so EVERYBODY in town showed up for dinner. All the tables inside were full as well as all of outside tables. The owners were hopping busy as I entered. She ushered me to the high top. She begged for forgiveness as she served all of her patrons and hollered to her husband to bring me a beer (or two). Later they gave me a tapas and asked for my patience - as long as I was warm and had a stream of beers coming my way, I was happy. In fact, the town itself with all of its residents was festive. As things simmered to a better pace for the Matron, she brought me a bean dish spontaneously accompanied by delicious hunks of bread. She then served me a fillet of chicken in sauce. Upon completing that, she brought me a giant dish of a beef stew. I had to beg her to stop feeding me but she simply laughed and served me cake. I left Ages a few pounds heavier than my arrival but I remember the town fondly for their generosity and kindness.
 
Does anyone have suggestion for accommodation in St Juan please? Ive emailed 3 and had no response from any of then. Bit stuck here. Thanks
If I were you I would continue on to Ages, much better accommodation there.
 
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I stayed at albergue parochial in San Juan de Ortega in 2002.

We pilgrims washed our clothes in a trough in front of albergue.

After Mass, parish priest gave pilgrims a tour of church in Spanish translated to English by an American Jesuit pilgrim.

Priest told us many are called to camino but few come and fewer finish so be thankful we’d made it thus far.
 
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I first visited and stayed in San Juan Ortega monastery in 2004. Since then I have repassed/revisited the beautiful monastery church but in recent years with the sadness of memory.

In 2008 Don José Maria who had been so active in helping to revitalize the camino died.

He is buried in the monastery cloister.
....May he be at peace.
 
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I've stayed at both San Juan de Ortega and Ages before. No complaints for either. Not sure why the prejudice against San Juan de Ortega?
 
Not sure why the prejudice against San Juan de Ortega?
When I was there in 2015, it was more than a bit grubby and (literally) freezing cold. And the guy running the place seemed to be the polar opposite of Don José Maria.

Fortunately it sounds like things there have changed for the better!
 
Does anyone have suggestion for accommodation in St Juan please? Ive emailed 3 and had no response from any of then. Bit stuck here. Thanks
Best pilgrim mass I attended was in San Juan De Ortega
 
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None of the accommodation in San Juan de Ortega is open at the moment. They will not open until late March or early April. I am not surprised that they have not replied to your emails. When do you expect to be there?
I just booked (for 1 night in July) through Booking.com eventhough the accomodation is closed
 
I too had a very good experience at San Juan de Ortega in August, 2022, staying at La Henera. Maybe it was because a group of people sitting around a table having beer called me by name as I dragged into town--the slowest and probably the last. A group of Australians I had met walking that day and a day or two earlier. Then a shower in my shiny tiled ensuite bathroom and then joined my new friends at the bar/restaurant for a filling, but simple dinner (and some beer and vino tinto. When we left to walk back to La Henera there was an amazing sunset with beautiful pink and gold clouds. What more could anyone ask for?
 

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