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Protocol: spending more than one night in an albergue

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LeslieC

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Time of past OR future Camino
2001 - SJPP to Santo Domingo
2025 - the rest!
Hola, todos.
It seems entirely likely this has been asked before, but I haven't been able to find any discussion.
If (when!) one decides to have a day off from walking, is it possible to stay in an albergue for more than one night? The answer may well be "it depends on the albergue and how busy they are", but I'd be interested to know if there's a generally-accepted rule that, say, non-walking days should be followed by a room in a hotel.
Gracias.
 
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This is the correct answer.
There's usually no problem spending multiple nights in private albergues, provided they aren't completely booked.
 
Great - thanks, people.
 
You can usually stay in private albergues for more than one night, as has already been written here. But be aware, you should know that you still usually have to leave the albergue at 8 a.m. so that it can be cleaned and you can only go back in after the official opening time. At least that's my experience.

So if you want to take a cosy day off, you should consider whether you want to stay in an albergue or if it would be better to stay in a casa rural or hotel.
 
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I think if you ask the owners most will give you a bit of leeway most will obliged, unless booked up, you may have to check out and in again. I have done it a few times private albergue should be more accommodating.
 
Absolutely correct. Private albergues are business-run.

In addition, due to blister problems, I was once allowed to stay 4 consecutive nights in the municipal albergue in Merida (on the VdlP).
 
alexwalker said:
Absolutely correct. Private albergues are business-run.

In addition, due to blister problems, I was once allowed to stay 4 consecutive nights in the municipal albergue in Merida (on the VdlP).
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This answer I like. While there are norms, there are exceptions. The hospitaleros who granted you that extension should be honoured!
 
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We used the four bunk room halfway up the stairs at Guacelmo as the infirmary for stop overs: I remember a NZ lady with a stomach bug and an American man with the biggest blisters in Spain staying for more than one night but generally it's one night and then you move on . . . or go private.
 
Lindsay53 said:
My understanding is only one night and you must then move on, unless you are ill. If you want a rest day then a hotel is the answer.
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Indeed only onenight stay is allowed unless you are ill. They will make an exception in that case probably after a doctors visit. When there is an abuncance of beds there could be an extra night but that is not policy. To stay in the same place more than one day you could swap albergues is there is more than one available or combine albergue with a private owned place.
 
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"It depends on the albergue." Probably the biggest factor is whether it is a municipal/parochial/association albergue or a private albergue. A private albergue, especially one that is not exclusively for pilgrims, is more likely to allow more than one night. The others tend to be more strict about pushing pilgrims along, unless there is a clear medical reason for the extra stay.

On my previous Caminos, I spent the second night in a hotel. On future Caminos I will probably spend the first night in a hotel and the second in the albergue, to facilitate staying up late before my rest day, sleeping in on my rest day, and getting up early when I have to start walking again.
 
David Tallan said:
On future Caminos I will probably spend the first night in a hotel and the second in the albergue, to facilitate staying up late before my rest day, sleeping in on my rest day, and getting up early when I have to start walking again.
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Smart/good plan.
 
Kirkie said:
This answer I like. While there are norms, there are exceptions. The hospitaleros who granted you that extension should be honoured!
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Indeed, I remember back in 2001 an Australian hospitalera at Santo Domingo de la Cazalda who kept an elderly Irish lady there for three nights using the simple expedient of hiding her boots - Hester had undergone a double hip replacement and had dreadful blisters on both feet so there was good reason.
She did make it to SdC in the end though.
 
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It’s up to the Albergues and Hospitelero ie sick or injured it’s very doubtful you will be turfed out. It’s also your attitude and the hospitelero but expect to be on the streets as they ask you to leave for cleaning and return on opening usually 2pm also a lot of hotels checkins are around this time. Funny thing about rest days is you end up walking around chosen rest day city
 
A. Light in hotel every so often is nice little treat. If I am staying somewhere for two nights, I would stay in the private room for both of them. Enjoy that lay in on the non walking day.
 
My wife was unwell in Astorga we stayed at the albergue with th pilgrim statue outside. We stayed a second night. We waited outside on a bench until the albergue was cleaned after which someone came and showed us to our own room . We couldn't thank them enough
 
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I've managed to book extra days can't remember exactly which ones but they are probably private Albergues. I have 4 days in Sarria only because I found out too late it was Easter and 4 days in Santiago de Compostela at the end as I would like to have a look around and will also go to Vigo for the day. I had no trouble adding to my initial bookings. Hope that helps
 
Yes, this is so true (on both points). I was a hospi in the municipal in Zamora and we had a German pilgrim who was obviously in distress. A fellow hospi (a real hardcore volunteer who worked by the book and then some) insisted she first have a letter from a doctor. I put my foot down, sure there may be those who fake it but the majority do not. I then took the pilgrim to the nearest Centro de Salud to help translate.

In Grañon during my first hospitalera stint we even had a pilgrim stay almost a week before we kicked him out the door to continue his Camino. He was a lovely Valenciano with awful blisters. It was great having him during that week, we put him to work fixing things and was a great cook. Of course this is an exception. All four hospitaleras agreed to his stay and also that it was at one point time that he move on. Yes there are "rules" but as a volunteer hospitalera you may choose how you enforce them (don't tell anyone I said this!).
 
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