Albergues - open?

[Catholic Deacon]

Hi all. We are starting from Ferrol on Sunday March 20th. We have two children aged 9 and 14 and was hoping because of this to stay in pre-booked accommodation. However as it is the Easter holidays, many hotels etc seemed to fully booked.

Will the Albergues be open at this time of year and is it suitable for children to stay in them? I am presuming that we would need to take sleeping bags? Do we need pillows? Is there any heating? Will there be room?

Any advice greatly appreciated - thank you!

 

[Tincatinker]

Hi @Catholic Deacon you might find http://www.gronze.com/camino-de-santiago/caminos/guia-del-camino-ingles for checking opening times of Albergues. I've never found an Albergue that wasn't suitable for children. I have encountered occasionally a child that wasn't suitable for Albergues . You'll know your own children and how they conduct themselves in the presence of strangers and strange environments.

In Galicia in March I would take sleeping bags even though there may be blankets available. I've only walked the Ingles in late summer so have no recollections regarding heating. I think it is unlikely that the Ingles will be particularly busy even over Easter. Though it is a popular time to walk for Spaniards most will be walking from Sarria, not Ferrol.

Your challenge will be finding accommodation in Santiago but even there there is a wealth of places.

Buen Camino

 

[Tia Valeria]

Gronze has many places listed for 'on Camino' accommodation but turgalicia has others that might need a diversion or a taxi to reach and then return to the same place next day to continue walking. We did this for Ordes from Calle de Poulo (sello when we arrived) and next day the taxi driver signed our credenciales at Calle de Poulo as it was too early for the bar to be open. We also had sellos from all the places we stayed. Worth trying in case the albergues are very busy too.
Have you managed to book anywhere and which places are the problem? Then suggestions might be easier to make.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

Will the Albergues be open at this time of year

Virtually all the albergues are municipal albergues, and are open. You may have to phone to get a key.

 

[Catholic Deacon]

Tia, as we are going to take 8-10 days we thought we would try your suggested stages, which I have seen on another thread. We have booked a hotel in Ferrol and the next night we have a room booked at the Hotel Kensington. The first problem is Monday 21st and Pontedeume as there seems to be nothing for 2 adults and 2 children unless we pay for two rooms which we cannot afford to do. I have checked on Gonze but all the hostels seem to have no family rooms. The hotel Iberia where you stayed is also fully booked. It looks as if we may have chance the Albergue!

 

[Catholic Deacon]

Have continued checking hotels etc. along the route and although there is availability, most require us to book 2 rooms. I think therefore we have to stay on the Albergues all the way and then treat ourselves somewhere nice in Santiago itself

 

[Tia Valeria]

@Catholic Deacon - I have sent you a PM . Maybe you can mix albergue and rooms, although there are more albergues now than when we first walked.

Have you downloaded @JohnnieWalker 's guide? Link from the forum for a donation .

 

[Catholic Deacon]

@Tia Valeria Have got a copy from the CSJ - not looking at it too much as don't want to be too scared! It's been a long time!

 

[Tia Valeria]

Not sure which year you have but we have a note that at the top of the hill out of Pontedeume there is a broken sign - it was still broken last year. The note goes in after the photo of and direction about right turn to San Miguel de Breamo (3kms) - and shope behind bar. At house No 70 - turn right between 2 houses following the sign on the road. The broken sign is on a wall/post. Might be mended or replaced now, but 'just in case' it is good to know.

 

[mylifeonvacation]

The first problem is Monday 21st and Pontedeume as there seems to be nothing for 2 adults and 2 children unless we pay for two rooms which we cannot afford to do.

Hotel Sarga in Cabanas (just on the other side of the bridge from Pontedeume) isn't available? I just looked on Booking.com and it appears not, but I didn't know if you contacted them directly.

This link contains a lot of great information about accommodations on the Ingles. I downloaded Mig's map to the "maps.me" app on my phone and it is fantastic for showing the hotels/pensiones/albergues in relation to the route: https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/camino-ingles-oct-2014.29467/#post-250246

 

[Harington]

Hi @Catholic Deacon you might find http://www.gronze.com/camino-de-santiago/caminos/guia-del-camino-ingles for checking opening times of Albergues. I've never found an Albergue that wasn't suitable for children. I have encountered occasionally a child that wasn't suitable for Albergues . You'll know your own children and how they conduct themselves in the presence of strangers and strange environments.

In Galicia in March I would take sleeping bags even though there may be blankets available. I've only walked the Ingles in late summer so have no recollections regarding heating. I think it is unlikely that the Ingles will be particularly busy even over Easter. Though it is a popular time to walk for Spaniards most will be walking from Sarria, not Ferrol.

Your challenge will be finding accommodation in Santiago but even there there is a wealth of places.

Buen Camino

Hmmm. Mid-September last year a couple of the albergues (Pontedeume and Bruma) were full. Specially Bruma because people walking from A Coruña join before there. I think people who might otherwise just do from Sarria have read about the vast crowds, and decide to do a different short route.

 

[Catholic Deacon]

Hotel Sarga in Cabanas (just on the other side of the bridge from Pontedeume) isn't available? I just looked on Booking.com and it appears not, but I didn't know if you contacted them directly.

This link contains a lot of great information about accommodations on the Ingles. I downloaded Mig's map to the "maps.me" app on my phone and it is fantastic for showing the hotels/pensiones/albergues in relation to the route: https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/camino-ingles-oct-2014.29467/#post-250246

Thanks for this. The problem we have is the need for a family room. It seems the only way is to book two rooms and we do not have the money to do that all the way to Santiago.

 

[mylifeonvacation]

The problem we have is the need for a family room.

Sorry! I keep thinking of American hotels where rooms where a room with two beds fits a family of four. Not so in Spain (and the rest of Europe), so that is a tough one.