TO BOOK OR NOT TO BOOK

[wilkinsonsworld]

Hi everyone

I am not sure if this has been covered somewhere on the site already, but I am going to be doing the Camino from SJPP from 21st September 2011 to Santiago (allowing myself 40 days) and I was wondering if it is essential to book accommodation in advance. Your comments on this would be appreciated as I'm not sure how far I will manage each day so don't quite know where or when I will be at certain destinations. Any suggestions?? :?:

Best wishes
Jane

 

[JohnnieWalker]

Hi - I'm not sure whether you want to book hostals/hotels or beds in the private albergues along the Camino Frances. Perhaps it is best not to plan to much in advance and just start walking to see what distances you are comfortable with. Stamina and distance come quite quickly in my experience. On routes where I am booking ahead I often just do it in the morning when I am leaving one place or at most a couple of days in advance once I know my likely destinations.

Regards

John

 

[Jochen_Schmidtke]

Re: Booking is against the rules

Hi Jane.
There are different types of refuges: i.e religues, municipal, state run, refuges run by religous orders, religues local or foreign groups and private refuges.
Many of them are associated to the Saint James Congregation of Santiago (Archico­fradía Universal del Apóstol San­tiago). Their rules say that booking in advance is not allowed. Most refuges stick to these rules. But the private refuges can do what they want and so they accept booking in advance.
Have a look onto my home page. Although it is written in German you will be able to decipher the important things.
Buen Camino
Jochen

 

[Anniesantiago]

I walked the Frances twice in September and had no problem finding beds anywhere.

 

[colinPeter]

Hi Jane,
I guess one of the questions would be, how far ahead you were thinking of booking.
When we walked in April 2009, we booked well ahead for SJPP @ L'Esprit du Chemin and also for the albergue @ Orrison. Beyond that it is probably a bit restrictive to book to far ahead.
Like others have said it is not neccessary to book ahead, but you can, if you feel like you would be more comfortable doing so. Take a mobile phone, a list of accommodation, write out a few phrases of Spannish, "do you have a bed for tonight (or tomorrow night), how much, thank you, my name is". I think you will find most people will be very helpfull and are used to people not being fluent in spannish. Another option is to ask someone, were you stay one night, if they would ring ahead for you, and book for the next night. But as has been mentioned this will have to be in private albergues, hostels, hotels etc.
Buen Camino
Col

 

[wilkinsonsworld]

Hi everyone

Thanks very much for your replies. I am glad that I don't have to book as I wouldn't like to feel pressurised into being at a certain place on a given day. Glad to hear that I can do it my way.

Appreciate your replies.

Warm wishes
Jane

 

[camino-david]

Hi Jane,
I walked last year (a Holy Year thus very busy) from Sept 14 to end of Oct, and didn't book anywhere except L'Esprit bdu Chemin in St Jean and the refugio at Orisson. I had no problems getting a bed anywhere. We might meet again this year as I will be walking about the same time as you. Camino-David from Sydney.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

Many new accommodations were opened last year, so this year beds may be easy to find in a lot of places. The Red Albergue system has several of the new places, and may have additional ones when it publishes a new brochure in 2011. There are many more albergues that are not part of the private Red Albergue system.

http://www.redalberguessantiago.com/documents/50.html

There is no reliable website listing all the accommodations, but Mundicamino and Eroski Consumer have the best updates.

http://www.mundicamino.com/ingles/rutas.cfm?id=15

http://caminodesantiago.consumer.es/

While it has not specific information on accommodations, the Godesalco site is accurate and up to date on showing where accommodations can be found. Do a Google map search on a location to find accommodations (key words: albergue, hostal, hotel, etc.). Note that the "official" Camino Frances starts at Roncesvalles, so you need to go to the Le Puy route to find information on the first day out of St. Jean Pied de Port.

http://www.godesalco.com/plan/frances

 

[wilkinsonsworld]

Hi Jane,
I walked last year (a Holy Year thus very busy) from Sept 14 to end of Oct, and didn't book anywhere except L'Esprit bdu Chemin in St Jean and the refugio at Orisson. I had no problems getting a bed anywhere. We might meet again this year as I will be walking about the same time as you. Camino-David from Sydney.

Great. Well, who knows, we might cross paths - thanks for the info. How far ahead do you recommend I book for those two places?

Jane

 

[wilkinsonsworld]

Thanks falcon269, for your helpful information. Will look up the sites you have given.

Best wishes
Jane

 

[jeff001]

One problem with booking more than 2-3 days ahead is that you are tied into what might turn out to be an impossible/undesireable schedule. If you need to take time off for illness or injury or just an extra day for rest or sightseeing you have to deal with all of the remaining reservations.

 

[lakelly]

I also was wondering about this. I am only walking from Sarria, in April, but don't want to pre-book but just to go with the flow. Still, I am apprehensive about being unable to find available lodgings on the way of any type. Is this very unlikely, I hope?
Lin

 

[hel&scott]

As said before - you can't book a bed in albergues it is on a first come first served basis and really depends on how many are walking the same time you are. But the French route has a wealth of places to stay (including private albergues and pensions / hotels) so it's not that much of a problem. Try not to become too obsessed over it and its not the end of the world if you end up sleeping on the floor.

If you stay at some of the places between the main towns / advertised route stops you'll also find it easier. In holy years it can get pretty cut throat with people rushing to secure a bed, which kinda ruins the point of the camino. Still 2011 should be easier!