Private accommodation - Hike without a sleeping bag?

[dr.alger]

Hello-
I wanted to see if it's possible to hike the whole Camino and stay in B&B's so as not to carry a sleeping bag. My wife as a poor sleeper and needs to have her private room.

Thanks for your assistance,
-Dave

 

[Kanga]

Yes Dave, it is possible. I would get a copy of Miam Miam Dodo, which shows all accommodation within 5 km of the trail - available here
It is in French, but absolutely self evident, no need to speak it.

Also you could try this site (Gronze), which shows accommodation right on the camino - just open up the stage you want.

 

[mspath]

The handy on line Gronze site ( in easy Spanish ) mentioned by Kanga lists all geographic locations in east to west sequence. Tap on each location to see pilgrim albergues printed in brown ink plus regular tourist accommodation in black. Booking.com links are also cited.

Happy research and Buen camino!

 

[Kurt5280]

There is nothing wrong with wanting a long hot shower (hot bath if you are lucky) and a full uninterrupted night sleep...I don't know about real B&Bs but there are plenty of small hotels with continental breakfasts (no eggs but sliced meat and cheese) that worked just fine for me...or at many Albergues just ask for a "single room with a bath" if you don't want to sleep in a room full of Pilgrims and share a shower...also in some places there are national owned Albergues in historic buildings...like former Monasteries converted into hotels that are quiet impressive at a moderate to high price...I stayed a night in a converted Monastery with a giant room, king-sized bed, large bath tub, and a great continental breakfast for only 65 Euros/night...but I slept all night in the large hot bath tub and felt like a completely different person the next day...but after my third sleep deprived night in an Albergue I tossed my sleeping bag into the "lost and found box"...and started paying a little more for a good night sleep in small hotel at a low to moderate price of 25-50 Euros/night.

 

[Lmsundaze]

I also want to stay primarily in private rooms because of issues I don't want to share. However I am bringing a sleeping bag because I want more flexibility with respect to where I can stop. I'll see what happens.

 

[Mark Lee]

Hello-
I wanted to see if it's possible to hike the whole Camino and stay in B&B's so as not to carry a sleeping bag. My wife as a poor sleeper and needs to have her private room.

Thanks for your assistance,
-Dave

Yeah, that would be easy enough to do. By "B&B" I assume you mean small hotels (or large hotels in the bigger cities on the Camino), pension houses and casa rural's. They are everywhere.
Just plan out your Camino at home. Using a guidebook decide on how many kilometers a day you want to walk and where you want to stop each day, and from there locate accommodations where you want to stay and make advance reservations when you can.

 

[Tia Valeria]

There are also some small hotels/hostals/pensiones that provide bedrooms, private shower/bathroom etc but not breakfast. They are good value too and breakfast is often just in the cafe next door. We have walked without sleeping bags successfully using private accommodation, but not on the Francés. It should be fairly easy to find places and if you have a schedule then booking.com is one way to go as you can cancel or amend bookings fairly easily. Just check out each hotel's cancellation/amendment/payment info under the (i) as a few do charge for changes, or take money a week in advance..... also you could phone/email direct to places to book or , importantly, to cancel if plans change.
Buen Camino

 

[Deleted member 3000]

I wanted to see if it's possible to hike the whole Camino and stay in B&B's so as not to carry a sleeping bag.

Yes. I use booking.com for reservations a day or two ahead. That avoids a conversation in Spanish. If you speak Spanish, the phone is better!

 

[dr.alger]

Dear Kanga-thank you SO much for this quick reply and resources. You have put our family at peace regarding a very important part of the journey. -Dave

 

[shubertj]

I also want to stay primarily in private rooms because of issues I don't want to share. However I am bringing a sleeping bag because I want more flexibility with respect to where I can stop. I'll see what happens.

You can stay in private lodgings the whole Camino, they provide blankets. If your really concerned all you might need is a sleeping bag liner.

 

[Pingüigrino]

I think its not a good idea. Lately more and more public albergues are removing blankets due the bed bugs problem. You could find yourself in a remote town with no other acomodation than a public albergue and no sleeping bag, no blanquets, no heating. A wonderfull rest, for sure.

 

[marbuck]

We no longer carry a sleeping bag. We have always found private rooms on both the Camino Francis and the Le Puy route. Plus it saves a kilo of weight in your pack.

 

[purplesage]

Hello-
I wanted to see if it's possible to hike the whole Camino and stay in B&B's so as not to carry a sleeping bag. My wife as a poor sleeper and needs to have her private room.

Thanks for your assistance,
-Dave

honestly, Dave... speaking for myself, After a day's walk, a great hot shower and a nice evening meal, you wont bother about sleeping. YOU WILL... wife included. Even if you both snore... u wouldn't mind/care. Albergues, my fellow pilgrim !!! Its where life begins. Buen Camino Caesar

 

[Mark Lee]

honestly, Dave... speaking for myself, After a day's walk, a great hot shower and a nice evening meal, you wont bother about sleeping. YOU WILL... wife included. Even if you both snore... u wouldn't mind/care. Albergues, my fellow pilgrim !!! Its where life begins. Buen Camino Caesar

Albergues are alright. Especially for the younger Camino crowd. Cool to hang out in when you've met fellow pilgrims you're walking with. Making dinner together, etc. Can't say communal living on the Camino held any special fascination with me. Did enough of it in the military and working overseas.
Honestly, if I was walking the CF with my wife or girlfriend and could afford it? Heck, we be getting a private room every night.

 

[purplesage]

Albergues are alright. Especially for the younger Camino crowd. Cool to hang out in when you've met fellow pilgrims you're walking with. Making dinner together, etc. Can't say communal living on the Camino held any special fascination with me. Did enough of it in the military and working overseas.
Honestly, if I was walking the CF with my wife or girlfriend and could afford it? Heck, we be getting a private room every night.

I hear ya Mike.. I hear ya loud n clear. Buen Camino Caesar

 

[J F Gregory]

Albergues are alright. Especially for the younger Camino crowd. Cool to hang out in when you've met fellow pilgrims you're walking with. Making dinner together, etc. Can't say communal living on the Camino held any special fascination with me. Did enough of it in the military and working overseas.
Honestly, if I was walking the CF with my wife or girlfriend and could afford it? Heck, we be getting a private room every night.

Over the years my wife and I have traveled through out Europe, the Middle East and Western Africa. We both enjoy hostels and meeting others on similar journeys. We attempt to get private sleeping areas, but sometimes are not successful. We will enjoy a private accommodation a couple of times a week with bath attached for a bit of quietness. I like being around the younger crowd it reminds days gone by, many days, way to many days. My wife told me that I am living my mid-life crisis ( I prefer the term adventure) and that be the case if I may live to be 130 years old.

 

[Nearly 60]

Yes Dave, it is possible. I would get a copy of Miam Miam Dodo, which shows all accommodation within 5 km of the trail - available here
It is in French, but absolutely self evident, no need to speak it.

Also you could try this site (Gronze), which shows accommodation right on the camino - just open up the stage you want.

 

[Nearly 60]

Hi is this in English

 

[Anniesantiago]

Depending on when you're going, I'd get a Brierley's myself, make a walking plan that sounds feasible, and book your rooms ahead on booking.com. PM me if you want suggestions.

 

[Lizremedy]

We no longer carry a sleeping bag. We have always found private rooms on both the Camino Francis and the Le Puy route. Plus it saves a kilo of weight in your pack.

Hi fellow Pilgrim
Would you be willing to share names or recommendations of accommodation you used with private double rooms? We are doing our first Camino cycling Burgos to Santiago in Oct and with work demands, Im not finding time to do all the guide searching. So would love to piggyback on someone else's recommendations.
Many thanks
Liz

 

[Lizremedy]

There is nothing wrong with wanting a long hot shower (hot bath if you are lucky) and a full uninterrupted night sleep...I don't know about real B&Bs but there are plenty of small hotels with continental breakfasts (no eggs but sliced meat and cheese) that worked just fine for me...or at many Albergues just ask for a "single room with a bath" if you don't want to sleep in a room full of Pilgrims and share a shower...also in some places there are national owned Albergues in historic buildings...like former Monasteries converted into hotels that are quiet impressive at a moderate to high price...I stayed a night in a converted Monastery with a giant room, king-sized bed, large bath tub, and a great continental breakfast for only 65 Euros/night...but I slept all night in the large hot bath tub and felt like a completely different person the next day...but after my third sleep deprived night in an Albergue I tossed my sleeping bag into the "lost and found box"...and started paying a little more for a good night sleep in small hotel at a low to moderate price of 25-50 Euros/night.

Hi fellow Pilgrim
Would you be willing to share names or recommendations of accommodation you used with private double rooms? We are doing our first Camino cycling Burgos to Santiago in Oct and with work demands, Im not finding time to do all the guide searching. So would love to piggyback on someone else's recommendations.
Many thanks
Liz

 

[C clearly]

All of this information is nicely organized in guide books, camino planning sites, and booking.com or hotels.com. You know what distances you will cycle, and what towns you will want.

 

[Shazenalan]

We are 60+, enjoy albergues, and like privacy. We found albergues with double rooms, and took only a silk sleeping bag with us during September. All in all this ticked a lot of boxes for us, and may be an option worth trying. Buen Camino (from Chamartin, waiting for the train to Fromista to start Camino part 2 tomorrow morning. )

 

[Kurt5280]

Hi fellow Pilgrim
Would you be willing to share names or recommendations of accommodation you used with private double rooms? We are doing our first Camino cycling Burgos to Santiago in Oct and with work demands, Im not finding time to do all the guide searching. So would love to piggyback on someone else's recommendations.
Many thanks
Liz

Liz - I would recommend prebooking a hotel a night or two in Burgos...and in Leon too...but most importantly prebook your room in Santiago...but otherwise I just biked until I saw a small hotel or similar and asked for a room...some days when I knew I wanted to stop in a certain town for sightseeing so I would prebook using booking.com and have a room ready...many small towns have a sign or signs on the Camino with all of the accomodations in town listed on them...also most of the Smartphone Apps list all of the various types of accommodations along the Camino...only time you may have a problem finding a small hotel will be between Burgos and Leon where bikers are not so welcome...and in the larger cities of Burgos, Leon, and Santiago.

 

[YoloRover]

Hello-
I wanted to see if it's possible to hike the whole Camino and stay in B&B's so as not to carry a sleeping bag. My wife as a poor sleeper and needs to have her private room.

Thanks for your assistance,
-Dave

I stayed in private rooms which always had blankets so I did not need any sleeping bag or towel. If you stay in albergues it is advisable and sometimes even if they have sheet or blankets, it may not be clean. Imo it's so worth the extra money to get a private room. The Camino and Spain is one of the cheapest vacations I have ever taken.