To book or not to book?

[Darren John]

Hello all....

With a very short time till I leave for my very 1st Camino along the French way I keep wondering if it would be wise to book albergues ahead of time to insure I always have a bed for the night but another part of me tells me not to worry and just arrive at albergues along the way in hope there will always be room. What would you recommend? to book or not to book?

Much Thanks

 

[wayfarer]

I would book for St. Jean, the rest can be done as you walk if required.
Enjoy.

 

[jsalt]

What @wayfarer said. Buen Camino. Jill

 

[Darren John]

Thanks wayfarer! I've booked my 1st night long ago but from there I was just planning to see where I stop each night but would you recommend booking nearer Sara as it can get very busy the last 100km?

 

[jsalt]

Hi Darren
I walk in the afternoons after Sarria, to avoid the crowds, and have never had a problem finding a bed. However, I am usually avoiding albergues by then, and looking for private rooms, e.g. Pension Meson next to the albergue in Eirexe, 20 euro for a single room with bathroom. Even though I arrived there quite late one evening in July last year, after walking 35 kms, they still had availability. Jill

 

[Darren John]

Hi Darren
I walk in the afternoons after Sarria, to avoid the crowds, and have never had a problem finding a bed. However, I am usually avoiding albergues by then, and looking for private rooms, e.g. Pension Meson next to the albergue in Eirexe, 20 euro for a single room with bathroom. Even though I arrived there quite late one evening in July last year, after walking 35 kms, they still had availability. Jill

Thanks for this advice jsalt! will do, much thanks

 

[wayfarer]

Yes I would, in Sarria we stayed at the DP crystal just as you enter the town, right on the Camino, good food and lovely staff.
http://dpcristal.com/
http://www.booking.com/hotel/es/dpc...dcid=4;dist=0&sb_price_type=total&type=total&

 

[Darren John]

Yes I would, in Sarria we stayed at the DP crystal just as you enter the town, right on the Camino, good food and lovely staff.
http://dpcristal.com/
http://www.booking.com/hotel/es/dpcristal.en-gb.html?aid=356998;label=gog235jc-hotel-XX-es-dpcristal-unspec-ie-com-L:en-O:unk-B:unk-N:XX-S:bo-U:XX;sid=a4ada8c11a6bb402d2c8b07ef67e0517;dcid=4;dist=0&sb_price_type=total&type=total&

WOW! DP crystal looks amazing, thanks for your help

 

[wayfarer]

Yes we have had two great nights there. In the morning come out the front door, turn left and left again and you are on the Camino. I hope to use it again God willing.

 

[Peter Fransiscus]

Hello all....

With a very short time till I leave for my very 1st Camino along the French way I keep wondering if it would be wise to book albergues ahead of time to insure I always have a bed for the night but another part of me tells me not to worry and just arrive at albergues along the way in hope there will always be room. What would you recommend? to book or not to book?

Much Thanks

Hi Darren, just make a booking for the first night. And for rest of your journey you can book when you feel the need .
Wish you all the best on your journey and a Buen Camino, Peter.

 

[Peregrino Falcon]

I never booked a night anywhere on the Camino Frances, (in autumn). Some of the albergues are very spartan and that's part of the experience, stepping back in time, hoping there's a bed, (for me there always was), and entering some of those old albergues through a low archway is like stepping into your great grandma's dimly lit musty basement in a house they somehow held onto through the Great Depression.

 

[WildPlace]

This is something that worried my friend and I when we first walked the Frances in September/October 2013, we booked in SJPP and for Orisson but after that we mostly just chanced it - some days we had planned to walk to a specific destination but then liked a town on the way or the weather was wet or we were tired we would just stop and find somewhere. If we got to somewhere and didn't like the look of it we would walk a wee bit further. It worked well for us. When we were nearing Leon we booked a room at the Parador a few days ahead because we got a good deal online.

We never failed to find a bed for the night

This year I'm walking with different friends and we've booked at SJPP and the next night at Valcarlos, also a night in Viskarret (the next night after Roncesvalles) as these particular friends want to start off very easily with walking only around 12km a day for the first week to see how they do. We'll probably book a couple of nights in Pamplona nearer the time as well so that we can have a rest day there.

Buen camino @Darren John

 

[Phillypilgrim]

I've done it all, as far "no booking" and "booking".
Be flexible, put Booking.com (I liked it) on your phone, and take it one day at a time.
One word of wisdom if I may. Sometimes while in an albergue while clothes are drying and there is time to kill before dinner, folks are calling ahead and then reporting to all within earshot, that such and such albergue is already full!
My personal experience in 4 separate instances, these same "full" albergues DID have beds available. Some private albergues will accept a certain number of reservations, and save some beds for walk-ins. But every place has a different policy. If you are alone, it is easier to find a bunk I think.
It's all good.

 

[domigee]

What Wayfarer said

Except maybe Santiago, I've always booked a room ahead for various reasons but even then, I am sure it is not really necessary.

Even when walking at what is one of the busiest times (I think? July/Aug.) I have ALWAYS found a bed. Ok, sometimes if you arrive late, it may not be the best beds! Ponferrada comes to mind, in the basement....Yikes!
But hey, it's only one night! Oh and Pereje.... Under the roof on mattresses once....And yetthat was one of the most memorable nights, great fun

I really wouldn't worry.