Accommodation at weekends near Madrid

[eamann]

I plan to arrive in Manzanares on Thursday 14 September, Cercedilla on Friday 15 and La Granja de SI on Saturday 16. If I wanted to offer myself more comfort than an albergue, is there a risk that the hostales and hotels would all be taken up by people from Madrid coming up into the hills for the weekend? Should I book ahead, especially for Saturday night?

Thank you in advance for your advice!

 

[timr]

Hello @eamann Just to encourage you....but I cannot really help as I stayed in albergues in those places in May of this year.
I was a Friday in Manzanares, Saturday in Cercedilla and Sunday in La Granja. It was obviously a popular area for recreational walkers and cyclists and climbers. And the weather was good. But if it is any indication, in the Youth Hostel in Cercedilla, there were only about 25 people (and something like 80 beds) and in the very nice albergue http://www.alberguelagranja.es/ in Real Sitio San Ildefonso I was alone. So for a weekend 'in the season' it didn't seem to be overrun.
I stayed with RayyRosa in Manzanares - in their own house. http://www.rayyrosa.com/casa-de-acogida-la-encomienda and it was a memorable and hugely enjoyable stay.
I guess if you know the exact dates it is worth booking.

 

[eamann]

Go raibh míle maith agat Timr for going to the trouble to reply! You are too modest - I find your comments most helpful!

In fact I have solved my problem by shifting my date of arrival in Madrid back two days so that I do the stretch up to Segovia, including a detour to La Granja de SI, during the week and arrive in Segovia on Friday night.

I too intend to take advantage of the albergues, but sometimes after a particularly bad day, e.g., if it has rained all day and you are soaking wet, I like to pamper myself in a hostal or small hotel.

Thank you in particular for the news that RayyRosa put up people in their house. That is not mentioned in the CSJ ebook I have just purchased and I hadn’t read about it before this. I am going to contact them.

Slán agus beannacht!

 

[timr]

@eamann you could not meet two more interesting or kinder or enthusiastic people than Ray and Rosa and "when they are there, they are there" so do check. As it will be mid-week in school time, they will surely be there, as Rosa teaches in a kindergarten.
The youth hostel in Cercedilla gave me double room, ensuite, to myself for ??€20. There is a hotel almost next door. www.los-frutales.com The hostel does meals, (but no alcohol). The advantage of the Youth hostel (it is the Villa Castora one here - confusingly there is a second one further up the hill) is that it is on the road out of the town and cuts a km or two off the climb off the next morning. That stretch to Puerta de Fonfria is the most exertion of the route (although I stopped this time in Valladolid, so cannot speak for what comes after that.)
You can see my thoughts here.

 

[eamann]

Thanks once more, Tim! I read with interest (I noted all of your bits of advice into my CSJ ebook) and amusement your account of your walk to Valladolid.

 

[Kanga]

@timr where are you finding your accommodation? The ones you have quoted are not mentioned in my CSJ guide, nor Gronze, nor the list I downloaded from the forum resource section.

 

[timr]

@timr where are you finding your accommodation? The ones you have quoted are not mentioned in my CSJ guide, nor Gronze, nor the list I downloaded from the forum resource section.

Hello @Kanga
No! I relied almost exclusively on the CSJ guide for my walk. Have you got the 2017 Kindle version by JohnnieWalker?
I stayed in a hostal in Tres Cantos. Hostal Tres Cantos on booking.com
I stayed with RayyRosa in Manzanares - in their own house. http://www.rayyrosa.com/casa-de-acogida-la-encomienda and it was a memorable and hugely enjoyable stay. (This is not mentioned in CSJ guide.)
The Villa Castora youth hostel is in the CSJ guide p 16
In La Granja de San Ildefonso (off the main route) I stayed in
http://www.alberguelagranja.es/como-llegar.html
I stayed in a hostal in Segovia. Duermevela on booking.com
Añe as detailed in CSJ book. (No bar or shop. Bar at weekend only.)
In Nava de la Asunción 4 beds (ONLY) in buildings of polideportivo. Phone numbers as in CSJ guide. This may be in a different site - it is quite new, but the numbers are not changed. The caretaker will come and give you the key.
Villeguilo as detailed in CSJ guide. (Key from mayor - inquire at bar).
Alcazarén as detailed in CSJ guide. (Key from Turismo (or bars I think).)
Puente Duero - albergue run by indomitable Arturo, in the town, as listed in CSJ guide.
I sadly then walked on to Valladolid and home. I shall return.

 

[Kanga]

Thanks so much @timr - I have got the 2017 Kindle CSJ guide but obviously did not look closely enough. I'm going to print out your post and stick it in my bag somewhere.