Villafranca St Nicholas Hospital

[Rayoflight]

Please do not use the massage service at this hostel. Had to get police involved after the male masseuse claimed I had missed an appointment and therefore stole my backpack and demanded €50 to get back. Police involved and I got my backpack returned- however this man showed up again in El Cebreiro the following day and waited for me outside the bar. I had to be escorted to a taxi for safety and I asked to be taken to Sarria police station as I believed I was being stalked.
I now have emergency number to call which is 062 if this man or any other is harassing me. Otherwise I have felt very safe in the Camino. Please also note that St Nicholas Hospital is not staffed at night and this man sleeps on the premises

 

[SabsP]

Please do not use the massage service at this hostel. Had to get police involved after the male masseuse claimed I had missed an appointment and therefore stole my backpack and demanded €50 to get back. Police involved and I got my backpack returned- however this man showed up again in El Cebreiro the following day and waited for me outside the bar. I had to be escorted to a taxi for safety and I asked to be taken to Sarria police station as I believed I was being stalked.
I now have emergency number to call which is 062 if this man or any other is harassing me. Otherwise I have felt very safe in the Camino. Please also note that St Nicholas Hospital is not staffed at night and this man sleeps on the premises

Thank you for your post. Good that you reported this and the police took it seriously.

 

[trecile]

Can you clarify exactly where this happened?
Was it at Albergue-Hospedería San Nicolás El Real in Villafranca del Bierzo?

 

[Gerdie Schreuders]

Can you clarify exactly where this happened?
Was it at Albergue-Hospedería San Nicolás El Real in Villafranca del Bierzo?

I stayed there two nights ago and found it very scary to stay in this big (bit spooky) building all my myself. Even in a private room. Nobody in the albergue either! San Nicolas El Real. Looks fantastic on the outside. But I wouldn’t stay there on my own again.

 

[Rayoflight]

Can you clarify exactly where this happened?
Was it at Albergue-Hospedería San Nicolás El Real in Villafranca del Bierzo?

Yes that is correct.

 

[Rayoflight]

I stayed there two nights ago and found it very scary to stay in this big (bit spooky) building all my myself. Even in a private room. Nobody in the albergue either! San Nicolas El Real. Looks fantastic on the outside. But I wouldn’t stay there on my own again.

Yes indeed, the only “ staff member “ on the premises is this masseuse
The door is not locked at night also and anyone can walk in from the car park at the back

 

[trecile]

I stayed there two nights ago and found it very scary to stay in this big (bit spooky) building all my myself. Even in a private room. Nobody in the albergue either! San Nicolas El Real. Looks fantastic on the outside. But I wouldn’t stay there on my own again.

That's quite different than when I stayed there in 2016 and 2017.

Back then there was a poster in the lobby advertising massage services, but the masseur did not work for the hostal. He arrived by car with his equipment