Question on Hotels

[rometimed]

Hi everyone,

I walked the Camino in 2015 and am re-doing the walk this coming 2020 with a number of people I met on that adventure.

When I did that walk I had booked Orisson but nothing else along the 'French Route.'

This time around I do want to mostly stick to this adventurous aspect but there are a few of the bigger locals I was thinking about booking into early for my rest days.

My question: As I understood it, during my first Camino, many hotels and the like offer discounted rates to pilgrams. Is this tradition still carried on? Can you book like this or are the "pilgram" rates considered to be for those coming in that day, 1st come 1st serve?

Thank you very much!

 

[trecile]

Hi everyone,

I walked the Camino in 2015 and am re-doing the walk this coming 2020 with a number of people I met on that adventure.

When I did that walk I had booked Orisson but nothing else along the 'French Route.'

This time around I do want to mostly stick to this adventurous aspect but there are a few of the bigger locals I was thinking about booking into early for my rest days.

My question: As I understood it, during my first Camino, many hotels and the like offer discounted rates to pilgrams. Is this tradition still carried on? Can you book like this or are the "pilgram" rates considered to be for those coming in that day, 1st come 1st serve?

Thank you very much!

I'm sure that each property has its own "rules" for offering pilgrim rates. Email or phone them to ask.

 

[C clearly]

I wouldn't expect the low-to-mid priced hotels/hostales to offer pilgrim discounts, especially on the Camino Frances. I

 

[oursonpolaire]

I have received pilgrim rates-- sometimes on asking, and sometimes offered-- but generally from the sort of hotel which receives commercial travellers/businessfolk. As @C clearly notes, there should be no expectation of receiving pilgrim rates on the Camino Francese, although I won't say that it never happens.

 

[trecile]

I think that all of the Paradors offer pilgrim rates.

 

[Kathor1]

I think that all of the Paradors offer pilgrim rates.

Yes, that's true. The Parador in Santiago offers their pilgrim rate all year round, it's a 15% reduction, see here. They offer the same 15% reduction to everyone else, from the 1st of
October 2017 [sic] until the 27th of December 2019, see here. That discounted rate is currently 141,96 € for 1 night.

On Booking.com - where we are so often told to contact hotels directly because it will be cheaper - you can currently book 1 night at the Santiago Parador for 95 €, or 120 € with breakfast included!

I've never asked for a pilgrim discount and I recall only two smallish hotels where I stayed at, one in the South West of France and the other in Navarra, that explicitly offered rates that they labelled pilgrim rates. San Martin Piñario in Santiago apparently has cheaper pilgrim rooms on one floor but I didn't ask for one of those when I stayed there. Their standard room felt authentic and austere enough for me .

 

[t2andreo]

Since 2015, things have gotten far more busy along the Camino Frances. Businesses that might have offered discounts in the past may no longer feel the need to do so in order to attract customers. Your concern ought to be not scoring a discount, but getting a room or a bed.

If walking with a group, I suggest you consider booking several nights out, on a rolling basis, to try to obtain double rooms (habitaciones con dos camas, por dos personas - rooms with two beds, for two people).

You do not necessarily need to book the entire journey. But making reservations every three or four days may reduce the anxiety. This is especially the case once you hit Sarria on the way into Santiago. That segment has become so popular, especially with guided groups, that advance reservations are strongly advised, especially from May through August.

There are not a lot of new beds coming on line before the 2021 Holy Year. As a result, occupancy rates will increase.

Finally, DO NOT arrive at Santiago without confirmed room reservations somewhere, even if only a guaranteed bed reserved in a private albergue. Especially on weekends, Santiago frequently fills up from May through August.

Hope this helps.

 

[gloria lowe]

Yes, that's true. The Parador in Santiago offers their pilgrim rate all year round, it's a 15% reduction, see here. They offer the same 15% reduction to everyone else, from the 1st of
October 2017 [sic] until the 27th of December 2019, see here. That discounted rate is currently 141,96 € for 1 night.

On Booking.com - where we are so often told to contact hotels directly because it will be cheaper - you can currently book 1 night at the Santiago Parador for 95 €, or 120 € with breakfast included!

I've never asked for a pilgrim discount and I recall only two smallish hotels where I stayed at, one in the South West of France and the other in Navarra, that explicitly offered rates that they labelled pilgrim rates. San Martin Piñario in Santiago apparently has cheaper pilgrim rooms on one floor but I didn't ask for one of those when I stayed there. Their standard room felt authentic and austere enough for me .

I just booked the Parador yesterday for 2 nights in October for 324€. The only choice was with breakfast. If you sign up for their Amigo card you get better rates. Booking dot coms are over $200. I saw no cheaper

 

[Saint Mike II]

I think that all of the Paradors offer pilgrim rates.

Well that is a surprise. Back in 2015 when I stayed in the Parador in Leon and joined the Amigos I was advised that the pilgrim discount was not available in Santiago. Something about the numbers of pilgrims and tourists etc.
But I understand they still do the breakfast/lunch/dinner to the first 10 pilgrims who show up in the morning, only now you eat with the staff not in main guest dinning room. (If someone has updated info I am happy to be corrected). Cheers

 

[Kathor1]

Back in 2015

The queuing up for free food has been abolished. 10 tickets are now distributed by the Pilgrims Office to the first 10 pilgrims who get their Compostela and want such a ticket.

As one can see on www.parador.es, their pilgrim discount is 15% on the price for a standard room; that price varies depending on the day of stay and the offer is limited so there is no guarantee that everyone will get it on their chosen day. They currently have a Cyber Monday offer of 95€ for a room, ie much cheaper than the pilgrim rate.

 

[Terry Callery]

I did all three of my Caminos in February and never really had a problem with getting a bed anywhere Spain or Portugal. Hotels and Pensions and Casa Rurals are not as expensive as one might think, if you consider the perks and discounts. Let's say a nice three star hotel is 55 Euros regular price for a single private room. They might offer the pilgrim rate of 40 Euros, but since you get a free breakfast buffet, it's more like a rate of 32 Euros. They do your wash for free (more often than not)) so now the rate is more like 26 Euros. "Inexpensive Albergues" will sometimes charge an extra 4 Euros for sheets and towels which are always free at the hotel/pension, so now the rate is more like 22 Euros. Often I made a sandwich at the breakfast buffet and took an apple as well, for lunch so I saved another 6 Euros that day not having to buy lunch - We are down to 16 Euros which is in the Albergue/Hostel price range. When you book ahead on Booking.com you always seem to be getting the "last room" and then you get to the hotel/pension which is less than half full! Of course it is a marketing thing to get you to book now.
Last, but not least, hotels have bath tubs! And of course NO BUNKBEDS.
Only problem with hotels/pensions is that you are likely to meet fewer other pilgrims.
Over three Caminos in the last three years, I stayed at about 100 Hotels, Quintas, Pensions,(Paradore in Tui and Ferrol) and Casa Rurals and I would estimate that 75 % of them gave me a discounted pilgrim rate.

 

[Saint Mike II]

Hola @ Terry Callery, thanks for the update. I have seen here, elsewhere on the Forum, that by booking directly with the relevant establishment you get the full pilgrim discounts. I usually get a private room every 6-10 days, the peace of a quiet room really does restore ones energies. Cheers

 

[Former member 83942]

Hi everyone,

I walked the Camino in 2015 and am re-doing the walk this coming 2020 with a number of people I met on that adventure.

When I did that walk I had booked Orisson but nothing else along the 'French Route.'

This time around I do want to mostly stick to this adventurous aspect but there are a few of the bigger locals I was thinking about booking into early for my rest days.

My question: As I understood it, during my first Camino, many hotels and the like offer discounted rates to pilgrams. Is this tradition still carried on? Can you book like this or are the "pilgram" rates considered to be for those coming in that day, 1st come 1st serve?

Thank you very much!

Hi everyone,

I walked the Camino in 2015 and am re-doing the walk this coming 2020 with a number of people I met on that adventure.

When I did that walk I had booked Orisson but nothing else along the 'French Route.'

This time around I do want to mostly stick to this adventurous aspect but there are a few of the bigger locals I was thinking about booking into early for my rest days.

My question: As I understood it, during my first Camino, many hotels and the like offer discounted rates to pilgrams. Is this tradition still carried on? Can you book like this or are the "pilgram" rates considered to be for those coming in that day, 1st come 1st serve?

Thank you very much!

In early June we hiked the Camino from Sarria onward. As we were traveling as a family, having the guarantee of a bed and hot water at the end of the day was a priority. It was clear we were pilgrims, but no mention of a discount was given...or asked for on our part. The accommodations, though obviously more expensive than an albergue were not that expensive.
It was interesting as at the end of the day, even though we researched where we were staying, we could never be sure what we were getting. It added to the adventure!