More accommodation than you'll ever need.

[Corned Beef]

With the drop in availability of albergues and smaller hostals due to CV19, you may turn your search to AirBnB. There seems to have been an explosion in availability of these self-catered places now so finding them should not be a problem.

One site that delights in swamping you with AirBnB choices is this one which, for example, shows 206 choices within Burgos alone.

https://www.airdna.co/vacation-rental-data/app/es/burgos/burgos/overview

So much choice may put you off but in the lesser known areas, like Portomarin, they will show some choice. May be useful when planning your next Camino - or just your recovery holiday after completing one.

 

[Marbe2]

With the drop in availability of albergues and smaller hostals due to CV19, you may turn your search to AirBnB. There seems to have been an explosion in availability of these self-catered places now so finding them should not be a problem.

One site that delights in swamping you with AirBnB choices is this one which, for example, shows 206 choices within Burgos alone.

https://www.airdna.co/vacation-rental-data/app/es/burgos/burgos/overview

So much choice may put you off but in the lesser known areas, like Portomarin, they will show some choice. May be useful when planning your next Camino - or just your recovery holiday after completing one.

Hi, Is your listed site actually airbnb? Seems like a different site?

I would only use airbnb while walking a Camino, if I was in need of a last minute reservation,as my experience with airbnb has been cancellations usually cost me the entire amount of the reservation including booking fee and cleaning fee! But if you definitely know you will be arriving in a particular town, using airbnb is an option. Also, I have found a number of airbnb listings do appear on booking.com

 

[debigetsout]

Something else to consider is the impact of AirBnB on local home sales and rental markets. The service has been demonstrated to make local housing far less available and far less affordable for local people. I would want to know what regulations are in place to counter this trend before booking using the service.

 

[gollygolly]

Each to their own, and I am conscious that there are many who do not like uncertainty and especially wish to walk and have certainty as to where they are staying on a particular night.

My own approach is to generally wait until arriving at the 'destination' of the day, and then sort out accommodation directly with the establishment.

There are a number of sites, such as Tripadvisor, Booking.com, Expedia, eDreams, Airbnb and others, that may guide as to some of the possible offering, though these are not comprehensive. There are opportunities of accommodation that might not be listed, or are listed though are shown as not being available. Frequently when the online site is stating that there is no room available, there is a room available. I am also aware that any place that is booked via these sites is also paying a commission.

My personal suggestion is to try and 'relax' about making advance reservations, unless there is absolute certainty that where you are booking is where you wish to stay.

 

[Niels]

... and in these Covid 19 times, I would be a lot more insecure in booking a private home.

 

[Sue127]

Hi, Is your listed site actually airbnb? Seems like a different site?

I would only use airbnb while walking a Camino, if I was in need of a last minute reservation,as my experience with airbnb has been cancellations usually cost me the entire amount of the reservation including booking fee and cleaning fee! But if you definitely know you will be arriving in a particular town, using airbnb is an option. Also, I have found a number of airbnb listings do appear on booking.com

Airbnb is also like booking.com as a provider, the price you see is not the price the owners get, so if possible, book direct.

 

[Tincatinker]

A friend of mine, a chef of high skill though little renown (yet), lost his rented flat in Newquay, Cornwall this spring. As the owner cheerfully explained "you're paying me £1000 a month. I can get that for a long-weekend on AirBnB".

Apparently it is really difficult to get skilled or even competent catering staff in Cornwall just now. Go figure.

 

[KSterndahl]

If the average price is €81 a night, that would make it a very expensive Camino!

 

[Lindsay53]

A friend of mine, a chef of high skill though little renown (yet), lost his rented flat in Newquay, Cornwall this spring. As the owner cheerfully explained "you're paying me £1000 a month. I can get that for a long-weekend on AirBnB".

Apparently it is really difficult to get skilled or even competent catering staff in Cornwall just now. Go figure.

That sort of profiteering is unethical, if not illegal. Can your friend appeal his eviction?

 

[Kathor1]

It is good to be aware of the devastating effects that AirBnB and similar can have on the market for renting or buying of homes for locals. Amsterdam was in the news recently because the city administration took drastic measures against “overtourism” and to reduce this kind of holiday rental accommodations considerably. The situation in Burgos does not look as bad as elsewhere.

AirBnB isn’t my first choice but we actually stayed once in an AirBnB in Burgos during Semana Santa because nothing else was available or ridiculously expensive. This was with a family who rent out two rooms in their apartment. It’s not very different from staying chez l’habitant in France or in Scotland where we did the same as far back as 40 years ago.

The problem is not the renting as such, it’s the scale of it. And like it or not, we who travel, in great numbers and often, are part of the problem. It is also up to the individual countries and towns how they regulate the market for letting and buying real estate, short and long-term letting, second home ownership, mortgage and tax bonuses, purchase for investment purposes etc etc etc

 

[BlackRocker57]

Airbnb is also like booking.com as a provider, the price you see is not the price the owners get, so if possible, book direct.

agree absolutely with this … booking.com takes 15% commission so owners lose a good deal on each booking …

 

[BlackRocker57]

It is good to be aware of the devastating effects that AirBnB and similar can have on the market for renting or buying of homes for locals. Amsterdam was in the news recently because the city administration took drastic measures against “overtourism” and to reduce this kind of holiday rental accommodations considerably. The situation in Burgos does not look as bad as elsewhere.

AirBnB isn’t my first choice but we actually stayed once in an AirBnB in Burgos during Semana Santa because nothing else was available or ridiculously expensive. This was with a family who rent out two rooms in their apartment. It’s not very different from staying chez l’habitant in France or in Scotland where we did the same as far back as 40 years ago.

The problem is not the renting as such, it’s the scale of it. And like it or not, we who travel, in great numbers and often, are part of the problem.

shocking impact in many European cities … and others around the world too …

 

[BlackRocker57]

That sort of profiteering is unethical, if not illegal. Can your friend appeal his eviction?

disgusting

 

[Tincatinker]

That sort of profiteering is unethical, if not illegal. Can your friend appeal his eviction?

The average rental contract in the UK is 6 months. Perhaps none will be surprised that a winter rental in "Holiday" areas is easily obtained. October through March, "gi's your money". April through September? Another quote - "I can't afford to have you live here".

I used to use Airbnb when it was a peer to peer exchange. These days I fart in its direction.

 

[stinmd]

Each to their own, and I am conscious that there are many who do not like uncertainty and especially wish to walk and have certainty as to where they are staying on a particular night.

My own approach is to generally wait until arriving at the 'destination' of the day, and then sort out accommodation directly with the establishment.

There are a number of sites, such as Tripadvisor, Booking.com, Expedia, eDreams, Airbnb and others, that may guide as to some of the possible offering, though these are not comprehensive. There are opportunities of accommodation that might not be listed, or are listed though are shown as not being available. Frequently when the online site is stating that there is no room available, there is a room available. I am also aware that any place that is booked via these sites is also paying a commission.

My personal suggestion is to try and 'relax' about making advance reservations, unless there is absolute certainty that where you are booking is where you wish to stay.

Personally, one of the things that draws me to the Camino is serendipity - the idea that you never know where or when you'll end up at the end of a day. I have never booked in advance in any of my five Caminos (2015-2019). Of course, things might have changed post-pandemic.

 

[OTH86]

Personally, one of the things that draws me to the Camino is serendipity - the idea that you never know where or when you'll end up at the end of a day. I have never booked in advance in any of my five Caminos (2015-2019). Of course, things might have changed post-pandemic.

But serendipity hasn't changed...

 

[natcire]

agree absolutely with this … booking.com takes 15% commission so owners lose a good deal on each booking …

2 years ago, we stayed in a Madrid 3 bedroom apartment, 10 min walk from Plaza Mayor for 5-days, and in conversation with the owner, she said booking charges her 30% commission. That is robbery, I told her. She offered to rent the place to me directly next time I am in Madrid.

 

[henrythedog]

That is robbery,

But is it?

That’s for quite sophisticated global marketing, advertising, an online multi-lingual booking system, 24/7 contact centre, a transparent policy on changes and cancellations which is honoured instantaneously, immediate online confirmation etc etc.

The variable costs associated with renting are not huge - but the worst thing you can have is a ‘void’ - a period where you have no booking and thus no income.

Many landlords on Booking offer to ‘bait and switch’ to a direct booking next time, despite you only finding them in the first place via booking.

Everyone has a choice - property owners and renters - don’t use a platform and cut out the middleman. But you didn’t. Because it was easy perhaps? And you presumably thought it was fair value?

I generally book direct in Spain and it’s often no cheaper - but if I have to change or cancel it would be much more difficult than the one click on Booking; I’m just conscious that they offer only a proportion of rooms in the proportion of premises which use them.

 

[Molly Cassidy]

If the average price is €81 a night, that would make it a very expensive Camino!

Not if you're sharing with friends.