What about a nice hot shower?

[JocelynAPV]

Hello everybody!
I know, maybe this is not the most important question in the world, but I´m doing the Camino Francés in July with my husband, and he have a big deal about hot water in the shower, and since we are doing this mostly for me, I will like to make his travel the most confortable possible.
Please, if any of you know from any albergue with hot water I would love to know, for try to stick to them.
Thank you,
Buen Camino

 

[stefano69]

Hello???? This is Europe not Uganda!!!!

 

[whariwharangi]

Most if not all the albergues have showers with hot water. The supply of hot water may be limited depending on the number of users in a short period of time.

 

[qpqp]

All of the private albergues and most of the municipal ones will have ample hot water for showers. There are, however, a couple of municipal albergues that are substandard and have a tendency to run out of hot water in the late afternoon. I did the camino last May and I ended up having cold showers in the municipal albergues in Larrasoana, Puenta la Reina, and Palas de Rei. That's not to say that you should avoid the municipal albergues. The ones in Roncesvalles, Santo Domingo de Calzada, and Ponferrada were amongst the best places I stayed at on the Camino, and the showers there were first rate.

 

[Phillypilgrim]

I had a hot shower every day for 41 days. The BEST shower (in my opinion) is at the vegetarian private albergue "Albergue Verde" in Hospital de Orbigo. It was a multi faucet massage shower with tons of hot water! It was also my favorite Pilgrims's meal!

 

[RobertS26]

About once a week I checked into a three or four star hotel along the way and soaked in a bathtub. I know that purists think this is sacrilege, but if you husband wants to occasionally stand in a steaming hot shower for 20 minutes without having a line of angry pilgrims waiting on him, you will have plenty of opportunities to book the occasional hotel. For example, there are Parador hotels in Santo Domingo, Leon, Villafranca, and Santiago. I highly recommend them all. Buen Camino

 

[november_moon]

we plan to spend the occasional night in hotels to recharge too. Long hot shower in a private bathroom is one of the reasons ;

 

[ManyMiles2Go]

... and since we are doing this mostly for me, I will like to make his travel the most confortable possible...

I agree with the posts above, no problem with hot water for the showers.

Hot shower aside, I believe your husband will be pleasantly surprised how much your Camino will be just as much for him as it is for you. Buen Camino!!!

Jim

 

[ManyMiles2Go]

About once a week I checked into a three or four star hotel along the way and soaked in a bathtub. I know that purists think this is sacrilege, but if you husband wants to occasionally stand in a steaming hot shower for 20 minutes without having a line of angry pilgrims waiting on him, you will have plenty of opportunities to book the occasional hotel. For example, there are Parador hotels in Santo Domingo, Leon, Villafranca, and Santiago. I highly recommend them all. Buen Camino

After seeing the movie, The Way, we also stayed in the Leon Parador (just not the real fancy room like in the movie). It was a real treat!! Lovely architecture and history in that building

 

[Kanga]

we also stayed in the Leon Parador (just not the real fancy room like in the movie). It was a real treat!! Lovely architecture and history in that building

Do look out for special deals at the Paradors - walking one year with my daughter we got a great rate at Leon because she was under 28, and now they also do a "Golden Oldies" rate. You have to book ahead.

Leon is an amazing building, fascinating, but best of all - the endless buffet breakfast included in our special rate. We'd walked a double day to get there (40 kms plus) so we felt justified sitting in that dining room and eating solidly for 2 or 3 hours! Needless to say we staggered out and walked a very short distance that day.

 

[Harington]

Of course most albergues have hot water, but you need to get there before the G*****s (DON'T MENTION THE WAR!). Seriously, anyone who spends more than five minutes in a shower in an albergue is pretty selfish. Also remember that (apart from in Galicia) Spain is short of water.

 

[JocelynAPV]

It´s really a relieve to know that in most albergues we´ll find hot water... for a quick shower, of course
Thank you all
Buen Camino

 

[Olivares]

I got a rate of $90 at the Parador en Leon, peak Summer season, includes breakfast....yes, I jumped on that one!

 

[RobertS26]

Do look out for special deals at the Paradors.

And there is just something so decadent about walking into the lobby of five star hotel with your backpack, hiking poles, and dust all over your boots. That alone is worth the price of admission.

 

[ilovelife]

About once a week I checked into a three or four star hotel along the way and soaked in a bathtub. I know that purists think this is sacrilege, but if you husband wants to occasionally stand in a steaming hot shower for 20 minutes without having a line of angry pilgrims waiting on him, you will have plenty of opportunities to book the occasional hotel. For example, there are Parador hotels in Santo Domingo, Leon, Villafranca, and Santiago. I highly recommend them all. Buen Camino

Hey Robert,

How much did those 3/4 star hotels cost?

 

[RobertS26]

Believe it or not, between 60 and 90 Euros. The Parado in Santo Domingo was only 60 Euros and it was absolutely fabulous. I think the Paradors in Leon and Santiago were 90 Euros. And again, worth every penny. Other hotels were in the range of 45 to 55 Euros, but they were not as nice as the Paradors.

 

[Anniesantiago]

Seriously, anyone who spends more than five minutes in a shower in an albergue is pretty selfish. Also remember that (apart from in Galicia) Spain is short of water.

Oh, I agree 100%!
It's hard to be in line for a shower and someone is in there using up the hot water for 20 minutes, totally self-absorbed. I know it feels good, but the rest of us would like a shower too? Makes me wish I had the power to turn off the hot water and give them a surprise!

 

[Kanga]

Oh, I agree 100%!
It's hard to be in line for a shower and someone is in there using up the hot water for 20 minutes, totally self-absorbed. I know it feels good, but the rest of us would like a shower too? Makes me wish I had the power to turn off the hot water and give them a surprise!

Reminds me of my father in the late 1950s. We had an instant electric hot water system, with a meter box over the entrance door. If any of the family (Mum excluded) started taking too long he'd time us and after 5 minutes switch off the power. The shock of a rush of cold water is very effective training!

 

[Anniesantiago]

Reminds me of my father in the late 1950s. We had an instant electric hot water system, with a meter box over the entrance door. If any of the family (Mum excluded) started taking too long he'd time us and after 5 minutes switch off the power. The shock of a rush of cold water is very effective training!

In our house, which was built in the 40's, all you have to do is turn on the hot water in the kitchen and you'll hear a scream from the bathroom! :::cackling!::::

 

[Laliibeans]

Being in Jordan where water was very scarce for 6 weeks, we only got about five showers over that period (whilst spending everyday digging in an ash pit), all cold. My digmates and I developed a very quick routine of turn water on to wet self, turn water off and shampoo/soap, turn water on and rinse, get out!

Not relaxing, but very invigorating, especially since it was winter outside and snowing!

 

[mspath]

All of us who stay in pilgrim albergues through trial and many errors eventually learn to balance soap, shampoo, and sponge in one hand while trying to regulate water temperature and/or flow with the other. The worst showers necessitate acrobatically pushing a single button to keep any water flowing; perhaps a projecting vertebrae is the answer!

The following is my earliest camino shower memory from Roncesvalles in 2004.

After attending evening mass and participating in the traditional pilgrims’ blessing I went to eat. Other diners at my table were 8 extremely well dressed and coiffed Italian men; we shared the pilgrims’ menu and chatted in French about our plans.

All of us stayed in the one room 80 bunk albergue. Installed in a buttressed medieval barn without windows, it boasted a new ventilation system and superb tiled hot-water showers and toilets in a newly excavated basement – a great example of architectural adaptive reuse! To my surprise the Italians who bunked near me all went to shower wearing thick terry robes. It was hard to imagine these carried in any backpack since they would be bulky and heavy. Next morning all were awakened at 6:30 to pack in the flickering light of 80 flashlights. Outside I discovered the Italians’ secret. At a luggage van parked nearby they stowed their night packs!...Sic transit gloria mundi.

 

[stefano69]

You know italians always use shortcuts! I'll carry my 8kgs pack on my back. I wont be really fashion but.....;-) I live in Milan don't need fashion conforts on the camino!!!!