LIVE from the Camino Where to stay if not following stops in guidebook

[Pilgrino21]

Updated 16 Nov 2021

Hello all,

Wasn't planning to post at all but I felt that I now have a responsibility to spread the word based on my stays so far on the CF.

>Valcarlos (and Roncesvalles): Municipales are open
>Espinal: Hostal Rural Haizea
>Trinidad de Arre: Monastery/Albergue/Church
>Uterga: Casa Baztan (on FB too)
>Villatuerta - Albergue Etxeurdina (new in 2021)

Please see disclaimer below for more info.

Call or email ahead if you want more certainty and/or if you're Spanish is decent enough.

Or like me, just show up unannounced and perhaps the lady of the house and her children in Uterga will make things happen. Muchas gracias por todo!

Support these places by staying or eating there. Many are open outside the main stops or in big cities. If your schedule/condition allows, consider them.

This is it for now. This Camino ain't gonna finish itself.

Buen Camino!

****Disclaimer****
1. First time/novice here, Camino and in Spain. I'm learning as I go.
2. Keeping my interactions/updates limited to stay as present to the experience as I can.
- so if I don't respond directly I'm not ignoring you (I'm a bit busy at the moment);
- minimize inadvertently ruffling feathers by appearing critical or disrespectful;
3. Info above based on my experience on the ground and the resources* I'm using (see list below).
4. This is mainly for those on the camino now or planning during winter.

*Resources I'm using to date:
- Gronze.com (my go-to site. Very accurate with when certain ones are open and for how long; contact info; photos; other useful tips, etc.). Hasn't let me down.
- Booking.com (indirectly only when using Gronze. I've seen two of my stays appear 'Sold Out' but have availability. Dunno why exactly but not speculating
- Aprinca.com (good to use/verify with others above)
- AlberguesLot.appcamino.com (got this from Roncesvalles tourist office. It includes other options beyond CF of real time availability)
- CaminoNinja app/Camino.love (recommended as of today and I think will be my new go-to resource with Gronze going forward, esp for winter availability = told by the local host).

 

[Eugene Carroll]

Hello all,

Wasn't planning to post at all but I felt that I now have a responsibility to spread the word based on my stays so far on the CF, now.

Valcarlos (and Roncesvalles): Municipales are open
Espinal: Hostal Rural Haizea
Trinidad de Arre: Monastery/Albergue/Church
Uterga: Casa Baztan (on FB too)

Despite the info on Gronze/Booking.com, these places are wide open.

Call or email ahead if you want more certainty and/or if you're Spanish is decent enough. Or like me, just show up unannounced and perhaps the lady of the house and her children in Uterga will make things happen. Muchas gracias por todo!

Support these places by staying or eating there.

This is it for now. This Camino ain't gonna finish itself.

Buen Camino!

Thanks and I have enjoyed a similar experience. I also started in St Jean and have had no problems finding a place to stay, without phoning ahead, or cafés/ restaurants. In Santo Domingo tonight and only a handful of Pilgrims in the Municipal.

 

[TrvlDad1]

Hello all,

Wasn't planning to post at all but I felt that I now have a responsibility to spread the word based on my stays so far on the CF, now.

Valcarlos (and Roncesvalles): Municipales are open
Espinal: Hostal Rural Haizea
Trinidad de Arre: Monastery/Albergue/Church
Uterga: Casa Baztan (on FB too)

Despite the info on Gronze/Booking.com, these places are wide open.

Call or email ahead if you want more certainty and/or if you're Spanish is decent enough. Or like me, just show up unannounced and perhaps the lady of the house and her children in Uterga will make things happen. Muchas gracias por todo!

Support these places by staying or eating there.

This is it for now. This Camino ain't gonna finish itself.

Buen Camino!

Thank you, very helpful!
Did any of the places you stayed indicate if or how long before they plan to close for the winter, and if so, any info when they will reopen (Easter is late next year so curious about reopening dates). Thanks again and Buen Camino.

 

[Gerard Hazelebach]

Hello all,

Wasn't planning to post at all but I felt that I now have a responsibility to spread the word based on my stays so far on the CF, now.

Valcarlos (and Roncesvalles): Municipales are open
Espinal: Hostal Rural Haizea
Trinidad de Arre: Monastery/Albergue/Church
Uterga: Casa Baztan (on FB too)

Despite the info on Gronze/Booking.com, these places are wide open.

Call or email ahead if you want more certainty and/or if you're Spanish is decent enough. Or like me, just show up unannounced and perhaps the lady of the house and her children in Uterga will make things happen. Muchas gracias por todo!

Support these places by staying or eating there.

This is it for now. This Camino ain't gonna finish itself.

Buen Camino!

You might want to inform Gronze so that they can update

 

[NorthernLight]

Gronze is wonderful, but is not necessarily the go-to resource for winter openings on the Frances … what you want is aprinca.com !

Pagina nueva 1

@Pilgrino21
@Eugene Carroll

 

[MichelleElynHogan]

The greatest experiences are had when you are able to immerse yourself into the surroundings. To do this, language (communication) is essential, of course. The better the communication, the better the potential for the experience.

The Poster knows this and is having a marvelous time.

Ultreia!

 

[Kathar1na]

Gronze is wonderful, but is not necessarily the go-to resource for winter openings on the Frances … what you want is aprinca.com ! http://www.aprinca.com/alberguesinvierno/

I was a bit surprised about the comment about Gronze.com so I had a look. All 5 places mentioned in the first post are listed in Gronze as open all year, including information for which ones it is recommended to contact them for confirmation in winter ("en invierno") and one of the five being closed from 15-30 November only.

Aren't both the aprinca list and Gronze useful information sources in winter because aprinca concentrates on municipal, parochial and association run albergues but not so much on private albergues?

 

[NorthernLight]

Gronze is wonderful, and I would not mean to imply otherwise. I found aprinca to be my first point of reference when I walked in November.

I’m going to edit my earlier post. Thanks Kathar1na, for adding more facts.

 

[EL LECHERO]

Thanks and I have enjoyed a similar experience. I also started in St Jean and have had no problems finding a place to stay, without phoning ahead, or cafés/ restaurants. In Santo Domingo tonight and only a handful of Pilgrims in the Municipal.

Do you exclusively seekout/ stay in Municipal Albergues? I am walking solo in March and don't plan on making reservations. When I walked with my wife in 2016 it made more sense to stay in Pensions as it was just as cheap and we had our privacy but this time I'm planning on being more minimal and spontaneous.

 

[C clearly]

Thanks for the update on your Camino.

Despite the info on Gronze/Booking.com, these places are wide open.

I don't understand the "despite". Was there some conflicting information in Gronze or Booking?

 

[J Willhaus]

Do you exclusively seekout/ stay in Municipal Albergues? I am walking solo in March and don't plan on making reservations. When I walked with my wife in 2016 it made more sense to stay in Pensions as it was just as cheap and we had our privacy but this time I'm planning on being more minimal and spontaneous.

A lot of the municipals and public albergues don't take reservations. It is good to know if they are open though and Gronze can usually help with that (and so can the winter albergue link). With COVID restrictions this fall my husband said more people were making reservations and wanting private rooms rather than staying in the munis.

 

[Eugene Carroll]

A lot of the municipals and public albergues don't take reservations. It is good to know if they are open though and Gronze can usually help with that (and so can the winter albergue link). With COVID restrictions this fall my husband said more people were making reservations and wanting private rooms rather than staying in the munis.

In a nutshell, walking the Camino (Frances) in winter is not anything different from pre covid status. Cold. wet, sometimes sunny and always brilliant. Decide

 

[Kathar1na]

The list http://www.aprinca.com/alberguesinvierno/ has the following information for the 99 albergues currently on the list:

​

35 - reservation recommended​

15 - reservation necessary​

1 - reservation necessary on public holidays​

1 - reservation & phone number​

3 - do not take reservations​

So more than half of them - 52 in total - require or prefer reservations during the winter months (November to February). The list is updated daily during this time.

 

[Eugene Carroll]

Do you exclusively seekout/ stay in Municipal Albergues? I am walking solo in March and don't plan on making reservations. When I walked with my wife in 2016 it made more sense to stay in Pensions as it was just as cheap and we had our privacy but this time I'm planning on being more minimal and spontaneous.

Hello El Lechero, Well I don’t have a definite accommodation plan or requirement on the Camino. I basically go for Municipal Albergues for the obvious benefits, and every say, 4th or 5th night, book into a hotel. I am in the Municipal in Beldorado tonight however I will stay for two nights in a hotel when I get to Burgos. Mix it up! Hopefully I have answered your question

 

[Eugene Carroll]

The list http://www.aprinca.com/alberguesinvierno/ has the following information for the 99 albergues currently on the list:

​

35 - reservation recommended​

15 - reservation necessary​

1 - reservation necessary on public holidays​

1 - reservation & phone number​

3 - do not take reservations​

So more than half of them - 52 in total - require or prefer reservations during the winter months (November to February). The list is updated daily during this time.

Thanks for an excellent piece of analysis. Very helpful as I am currently walking the CF.