Short Camino in May 2005

[Tooky]

My husband and I are making plans to hike on the Camino from Sarria into Santiago this May. This will be in the middle of a much longer trip around Spain and Portugal, via car, plane, etc., and we are not planning on bringing any camping equipment (sleeping bags, mats, food) which we might need to stay in the albergues.

We would like to stay in hotels or hostals which would provide a little more than the basics. Does anyone have recommendations on these types of accommodations between Sarria and Santiago? We do have Davies & Cole's Walking the Camino de Santiago, in which some hotels and hostals are listed for some of the villages and towns, but we were wondering if anyone out there has some strong recommendations. Also, would it be wise to have advance reservations for these types of places?

This will be our first time on the Camino, and we hope to do 20-25 km per day. We would appreciate any advice.

Thanks! Tooky

 

[William Marques]

Short Camino

The first thing to do is to buy the Confaternity of St James Guidebook available through the bookshop at http://www.csj.org.uk
They have up to date details of small and large hotels and hostales (pensions) as well as the refugios with phone numbers, addresses, cost and comments. We have stayed in hotels and refugios on that section and if you are after a little comfort the hotel way is good though you may miss a little of the contact with fellow pilgrims you will get by staying in refugios. We tended to book ahead on the day by mobile phone when we knew how far we would get.
Reasonably priced hotels we have stayed in on that section which were good at the time 3 and 7 years ago.
Hotel Villajardin - Portomarin
Casa Frade - Arzua
Hostal Suso - Santiago
Buen Camino
William

 

[Pilgrim]

Hotels Sarria - Santiago

Firstly, good luck on the Camino an experience not to be missed.

I cannot comment about hotels between your two points, but can on hotels at those two places. I fully agree that the Hotel Suso in Santiago is good. As to Sarria I arrived there tired and not fully recovered from a bout of food poisoning. I had made myself a promise that if the hostal was not open when I arrived I would take an hotel room. Fortunately I arrived twenty minutes before opening so treated myself to a room at the Hotel Alfonso IX part of the NH hotel chain. Excellent room with ensuite bathroom, good hotel restaurant and bar to eat at. In case you think it was merely good compared to sleeping on floors at poor village donativos, (hostals run on a sharing basis), I took my wife there six months later as I travelled the route by car, it was still good

Ultreya! Pilgrim

 

[yuricksl]

Short camino in May(reply to Tooky)

I got a great file from a member of another board, which I will send you via email: it has a plan using hotels and hostals rather than pilgrim refuges. If you want to walk minus luggage, you would have to arrange for taxis to carry your stuff ahead. Just email me at yuricksl@chartermi.net and I will send it to you. I tried to copy it into the box but it did not line up properly. Buen camino! Sue

 

[GASpangler]

Sarria

The Alfonso IX in Sarria is an absolute oasis. I must say it was a real treat to stay there in '03; just a touch of luxury before getting all Pilgrim again. You may wish to book ahead, I found no rooms available my last time through. Retail rates range from about 60 to 100 USD, but they offer a Pilgrim discount if you ask. It's not hard to find, right on the Camino as you enter town, and the breakfast is not to be missed. I brought a group of 14 there for breakfast, and they were very accommodating even though we stayed in the public albergue. Their phone is +34 913 984 400.

 

[GASpangler]

Another good place ...

There is a Casa Rural in O Pino which is very nice, and right on the Camino ...

CASA DO ACIVRO
Rua, 28 bajo
15821 O PINO (A Coruña)
España
Telephone: +34 981 511 316
Fax: +34 981 814 303
eMail: cacivro@ocamino.com

Nice for lunch or dinner, and a perfect place to stay the last night before Santiago. As you head through the old town of Rua (O Pino), watch to the right. They are very accommodating, and the prices are reasonable. In the high season you will need a reservation, on the low season you might get lucky.

Buen Camino,

 

[sillydoll]

There is an excellent guide which gives all the hotels, hostals, pensions, fondas, etc. Obtainable free from most tourist offices: Guia oficial de Hoteles y Campings del Camino de Santiago".

 

[GASpangler]

Guia

I just got my copy in the mail.
Fabulous book. Loads of useful information.

Since most of us are far far away from a Spanish tourist office ...
Email Manuel Jurado Alcudia at
Manuel.jurado@tourspain.es
and request one. He'll put it in the post

 

[joanna]

Hi I'm planning to walk Sarria to Santiago this coming May. Did you find it too cold or too wet at that time of year?
Thanks, j

 

[JohnnieWalker]

Gosh - that's an old thread!

The weather in May is much improved - it will be much warmer than preivous months and you may very well need sunscreen!

Enjoy

John

 

[Deleted member 3000]

Sarria Start

If you start in Sarria, there are some great tips in these comments. The Alfonso IX is fantastic.