What is the one albergue you would avoid?

[Kanga]

I say this without reference to any particular post on this thread, but perhaps there is now too much choice of accommodation and too many expectations. As Margaret Meredith says, the Camino is not a walk in the park - and that statement IMO applies not just to physical stamina. Psychological resilience is also needed. The endurance required for this pilgrimage is not only about sore feet.

When I first walked the Camino 14 years ago we were happy to find any refugio (literally "refuge") about every 25-35 kilometres. Beds with old singing springs were the norm. Hot water was an unexpected bonus. Those who walked a few years earlier did not even have the luxury of a specific sleeping place but often had to sleep in church porches or with kindly local families (which is how a couple of currently maligned albergues started).

Did it put me off? Far from it! Part of the camaraderie on the Camino is the shared experience of snoring, bad accommodation and a grumpy host - and becomes hilariously amusing in the re-telling. Not that I'm advocating deliberate self flagellation, but a bit of tolerance for the unexpected climbs on the road.

 

[Diefenbaker]

Hi,
I walked the Camino Frances back in 2010 and don't remember ever encountering any rude or unhelpful people anywhere on the camino. I tended to judge a place by the toilets and washrooms mostly and for that reason only I would not stay at the large Santa Maria de las Benedictinas Monastery in Leon again. There were two large dorms in use, housing about 80 pilgrims in each, which wasn't a problem but there were only 2 toilets, 2 sinks and two showers for men (And presumably the same number for women) so using the toilets and showering involved waiting in long queues for each. Understandably, the showers weren't cleaned during the evenings so when I went to the toilet at 2am I had to mop the floor first as the entire floor of the washroom was under about 1cm of water. I washed at 5am to make sure I didn't have to join the inevitable long queue an hour or so later. The Monastery was very clean, the nuns very welcoming and you paid what you could afford for the night but it was the experience of the washrooms that put me off.
I also had a bad stay at the xunta albergue in Portomarin but that may have been a one off. After Sarria I noticed that the xunta albergues either didn't have or didn't enforce a curfew which meant that many of the 'Party Pilgrims' that had started that morning in Sarria were coming back at all hours very drunk and very noisy. Luckily I didn't meet so many of them at the last few albergues, just outside the bars en route.
Reading about the albergue in Hontanas makes me feel glad I missed that one, if it's the one at the bottom of the hill that was referred to. I stayed at the much smaller one above the little store/café across the path and it was one of the best on the camino. It was especially funny watching the two ladies that ran the main albergue shepherd in any peregrino that walked down the hill.

 

[musicagl]

Hi all,
I am just back from a month on the Camino Frances and wanted to add a couple to this list. The funny thing is, though, that none of them were actually bad - they just weren't as good as so many of the others I stayed in.

To skip:

Sansol: after Los Arcos; walk on to Torres del Rio instead, and stay at Casa Mari.

Viana, Andres Munoz: this is the one with the three-high bunk beds. Luckily I had the bottom bunk, but I couldn't work out how I'd have gotten in or out of the upper two, if I'd had to. In general the place felt dirty, and the terrace overlooking Logrono was closed off.

Terradillos de los Templarios, Jacques de Molay: supposedly 20+ years serving pilgrims, maybe time for a break. They advertised beds (as opposed to bunk beds) on the signs coming into town, but that accounted for only a small percentage of their beds. The rest are, in fact, bunk beds in over-crowded dorm rooms, with open ceilings between the rooms so you hear the snorers from all the rooms, not just yours. And the food was disappointing.

Eirexe: very dirty showers; the very overcrowded dorm room had 18 beds and four wall heaters, all of which got turned on.

The happy news is that a night shared with a group of your favorite pilgrim friends can over-ride inferior facilities.

Nancy

I, on the other hand, had a wonderful experience at Jacques de Molay in May of 2012. And loved the food. Oh well! To each his own.

 

[MichaelSG]

I enjoyed reading this thread. It's mostly a good laugh as I do understand that one person's "worst albergue" may be someone else's best one. I also had a giggle with the stories of our good friend, the hospitalera in Rabe del la Cazada. I would never tell someone to avoid the place - at least in hindsight. She was the inspiration for some of our best stories on the Camino. What doesn't kill you only makes you stronger but I looked back at my blog and was reminded what I wrote at the time. I assure you that it was written with tongue-in-cheek. At least partially.... sort of....

11 September – Cardenuella Riopico > Burgos > Tardajos > Rabe del la Calzada (24.8km, 7 hours)
The big story of today should be about Burgos. There is an incredibly boring walk around the airport and through an industrial area this large city. There is a stunning cathedral and old town. There are shops to get everything you need. There are people and tall buildings everywhere. There is a nice walk out of town through the suburbs. But nothing they have compares to the hospitalera in our albergue in tiny Rabe del la Calzada. She is crazier than a loon and scares the hell out of me. Shortly after we walk into this quaint little village, we arrive at the town square (actually, it’s a triangle and I should have taken this as a bad omen and run quick as I could to another place). On one side of the square is the municipal albergue. I’ve heard good things about it and pilgrims seem to be streaming there. Just opposite is a beautiful home with a banner proudly proclaiming that they have been giving comfort and lodging to pilgrims for the past 800 years. How could we pass up a private albergue with that experience? (If you know the answer to that question, where the hell were you a few hours ago?). We go to the door which is covered by the strings of beads that this area of Spain uses to keep flies outside. There is a sign that says we should ring the bell but we can’t find one. We push aside the beads and call in several times with no reply so we enter the front vestibule. Again we call out but only a pilgrim emerges from the nearby room. We seem to have woken her but she suggests we take off our shoes and aim for the kitchen. While doing just that, from the depths of the darkness of the inner sanctum emerges a woman with a scowl so frightening that I start to tremble. She demands to know why we were inside her house so I stutter a reply and apology as best I could. That doesn’t seem to work, so I ask if we should go outside again and try to find the doorbell. She crosses her arms and stares daggers. I stand with one shoe on and limp to the doorway. She stops me only as I reach the beads. She orders us to finish taking off our shoes and report to her office post-haste with only our credencials and passport. I consider stripping naked but think better of it. Her office is a two story covered courtyard in the middle of the house and the walls are covered with Camino paraphernalia. She examines our papers as if we are Iranians at Israeli immigration. She reads us the riot act about many things including the mandatory dinner, the ban on importing bedbugs and the fact that she provides for everything a pilgrim needs and nothing that they don’t. An example of the latter is electricity for charging phones or cameras. They didn’t have those in the 13th century so we sure don’t need them now she insists. In fact, every electrical outlet is taped over except one in the bathroom that has a sign above it warning about misuse. There are many more signs in several languages posted around the pilgrim’s room warning about the evils of drink and punishments for disturbing the peace, ie., we would immediately denounced to the police and our credencials would be retired. We are also led into the bedroom where everything we are not using that night is enclosed in a plastic trash bag so the bedbugs cannot escape. Nothing is allowed to be placed on the bed except our liner and, under the covers, our body. We shower and escape to the bar for lunch a.s.a.p., taking June, our fellow pilgrim, with us. We meet Joe and Oliver, Kim’s friends, there and tell them our story. They suggest we arm ourselves that night. We stay at the bar as long as possible and make plans for taking turns that night to stand guard at the bedroom door. None of us want to be killed in this place. Eventually we are kicked out of the pub at siesta time. Worried about returning to the albergue, we check to see if there is anything else open. Sadly there is not so we sneak back to the square and quietly sit on the bench outside. Jose then turned up with his friend and we warned him as best as possible but it was to no avail. He wanted to stay with us rather than at the municipal albergue. I beg him to come to his senses but he tries to push past through the beaded door. I warn him of her craziness, “She’s Loco!”, but he proceeds anyway so I frantically struggle to hold him back while I search for the doorbell so at least he won’t be scolded. “My God!” I cry, “I can’t find the bell”! Suddenly a wrinkled hand appears through the beads from inside the house, pointing up and to my left towards the doorbell. She’s heard every word! Run, Michael Run!!!! We survive dinner but I make sure the hospitalera and her husband taste the food before I do. We weren’t poisoned. To her credit, the food was outstanding and plentiful. She also gave us a lovely blessing and speech about how we were entering phase two of our Camino. Tomorrow our walk will take us to the meseta, the high, flat as a pancake, plains. The landlady insists on leaving us breakfast since we say we will head off before she gets up (we’re planning on a 1:00am escape ). I am sure she was angry to find out that we didn’t take the food with us but I wasn’t sure we could find a cat to taste it for us. Just in case of trouble, we run the first few hundred meters of the next day’s walk. It’s nice to be alive.

Other than that, in the bar we also ran into Monoe, a Japanese pilgrim we have seen several times. Her husband made us origami cranes to carry with us. Our friends were surprised that we didn’t stay in Burgos but I have an aversion to the big cities here. The smaller towns are so lovely and full of, ummmm, characters. Finally, I don’t know if it was a coincidence or not but that was the last we saw of our friend, Jose. I hope the end was peaceful for him.

 

[xin loi]

Old woman in Rabe albergue won't let you stay unless you started in SJPDP--still yells at everyone.

 

[danielc]

I have never stayed at the municipal albergue in Logrono, even though I've been there three times. Each time I got there, it was already full! A shame to hear that the hospitalero was acting that way. It isn't as though that albergue is the only game in town. The church further down has/had a small albergue in its parish hall, where I stayed once & liked it (except for having to sleep on the floor). The other times, I stayed in a pensione & also the Hotel Portales. If bad news continues to be reported about the main albergue in Logrono, I would suggest people budget accordingly for a pensione or a hotel.

Kelly

I also stayed at the church / parish albergue in Logorno and it was a good experience

 

[Jochen_Schmidtke]

Old woman in Rabe albergue won't let you stay unless you started in SJPDP--still yells at everyone.

On the camino she is called "The Hospitalera from Hell."
Buen Camino
Jochen

 

[ivar]

[Some posts in this thread has been removed]

 

[taozenqi]

[Some posts in this thread has been removed]

Not much on censorship, but high on civility. Thanks Ivar for all you do!

 

[Alfonso_Rey]

In Nájera, the Albergue Sancho III- La Judería

It isn't really an albergue, just a bunch of rooms with twice as many beds in each room as there should be. Bathrooms are deplorable. Traffic all night long on the busy street below. Worst of all is the owner, the most unpleasant, disagreeable man I met on the Camino.

 

[Anemone del Camino]

Santa Irene was not a good place for me in the state I arrived. It was a long rainy day of over 30km with a 2 hour forced break while we waited in the middle of a forest for a drunken pilgrim to be picked up by an ambulance. Well, I guess you can imagine that it wasnt one of my better days

Arriving in Santa Irene to the noisiest albergue I ever stayed in and to no hot water (or no water at all for half of the time) wasnt really what I hoped for. Also there was no shop or bar in the village whatsoever (no prob for me as I had food) but a fair few people were stuck without having a decent dinner.

Obviously that all wouldnt have been so bad without the rain and the long walk but for me it was the one place where I wouldnt stay again.

The privar'te un Sta Irene as of June 2015 is judt lovely!

 

[Anemone del Camino]

They had some major renovation going on this spring, so the problems may be solved. Their view is gone, however, because of new construction. Sunset on their veranda was quite beautiful.

Was there in 2013 and it was the pits. And this business of "helping" people in rehab...I don't buy it.

 

[Snigelanna]

Just back from a wonderful short walk from Sarria to Santiago. Many great places to stay. Just one big mistake. Hostal Labrador in Hospital da Cruz. Body full of big bites in the morning. Checked the beds in the evening but did not see anything. The whole place was quite sad. We were the only ones staying there that night. Drunk loud man shouting in the restaurant all evening. I had a feeling that we should have continued as soon as we arrived but tried not to be so negative... I should have listened to that voice. Walk one extra km and there are good places to stay! No more problems with bites on my camino but I still have huge red lumbs in face, arms and legs.

 

[jennie]

I just finished St Jean to Burgos in May 2013. The worst I heard about was San Juan de Ortega. We heard it was very dirty from a couple of Americans who were doing the camino backwards. So we went on to Ages and had a great time in the municipal. We emailed some friends who were a day behind us to avoid San Juan. They didn't get the email and stayed. They also confirmed it was dirty.

my sis and i stayed there and yes it was very dirty,grumpy guy on the door,, mice seen not that they would be the end of the world but mattresses were very very grubby and thin,quite a few people skipped the usual evening shower as did i due to the slimy dirty showers . . that was really the one and only i would avoid if/when i return to the camino.

 

[clearskiescamino]

Yes, I have heard the albergue in San Juan is dire, I have walked on to Atapuerca in both 2013 and this year. However, the albergue in Atapuerca is pretty flimsy, you would swear it is made of cardboard. I think Ages is a better spot to stop off in.
I had good friends with me on both occasions however so the positives greatly outweighted the negatives

 

[Icacos]

my sis and i stayed there and yes it was very dirty,grumpy guy on the door,, mice seen not that they would be the end of the world but mattresses were very very grubby and thin,quite a few people skipped the usual evening shower as did i due to the slimy dirty showers . . that was really the one and only i would avoid if/when i return to the camino.

A lot has been written about the dear old monastery in San Juan de Ortega (I'm not ashamed to say that I call the old structure a 'treasure'). Actually, I believe that everyone should stay there at least once ... As it sort of puts things in perspective, and after that one is less likely to find much to complain about. I didn't encounter any bed bugs when I stayed there in 2013 and that was enough for me. As to the grumpy guy at the door. I believe he just arrives to let peregrinos in. After that, he disappears and is not seen again. How wonderful is that ?! Look on the bright side.

 

[jennie]

A lot has been written about the dear old monastery in San Juan de Ortega (I'm not ashamed to say that I call the old structure a 'treasure'). Actually, I believe that everyone should stay there at least once ... As it sort of puts things in perspective, and after that one is less likely to find much to complain about. I didn't encounter any bed bugs when I stayed there in 2013 and that was enough for me. As to the grumpy guy at the door. I believe he just arrives to let peregrinos in. After that, he disappears and is not seen again. How wonderful is that ?! Look on the bright side.

although i said i would avoid it next time round,, it IS part of the journey to be grateful for a bed to lie on and be grateful when its a good one and accept it with grace when its not so good !!thats part of the fun for me ,, you just never know !

 

[Icacos]

although i said i would avoid it next time round,, it IS part of the journey to be grateful for a bed to lie on and be grateful when its a good one and accept it with grace when its not so good !!thats part of the fun for me ,, you just never know !

There is one well-known member of this Forum who said something like, "Once is just the right number of times to stay there."

 

[GettingThere]

A lot has been written about the dear old monastery in San Juan de Ortega (I'm not ashamed to say that I call the old structure a 'treasure'). Actually, I believe that everyone should stay there at least once ... As it sort of puts things in perspective, and after that one is less likely to find much to complain about. I didn't encounter any bed bugs when I stayed there in 2013 and that was enough for me. As to the grumpy guy at the door. I believe he just arrives to let peregrinos in. After that, he disappears and is not seen again. How wonderful is that ?! Look on the bright side.

There was major renovation going on in San Juan when we went through this year - mainly to the church and monastery buildings at that time, but the signage outside referred to a planned new albergue and pilgrim welcome centre. So the end of an era may be in sight... (Best San Juan memory - someone playing the trumpet in the construction site office at lunchtime, and people dancing!)

 

[dma14]

The albergue in Larrasoana. I was in the overflow building downstairs, top bunk, next to restrooms. Upstairs wasn't much better. In fact, I would recommend skipping Larrasoana all together, especially on Sundays, when nothing is open and it is difficult to find somewhere to eat.

I stayed here in May 2014 and agree that it was terrible! There was one shower & toilet upstairs for about 25 people and the bathroom flooded when you took a shower. The mop to clean up was useless. It felt kind of dirty... I would also recommend skipping Larrasoana - just a few kms further on is much nicer albergue in Zuriain where we stopped for breakfast next morning.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

There was one shower & toilet upstairs for about 25 people and the bathroom flooded when you took a shower.

But back in the day, the garlic soup made up for it!

 

[dma14]

But back in the day, the garlic soup made up for it!

Thankfully they didn't cook for us! I guess it didn't help that this was only my second night staying in a hostel ever and the experience in Roncesvalles was so much more pleasant.

 

[templarsoul]

Some were definitely better than others, but the ONLY albergue I'd never recommend would be "Crispeta" in Trabadelo. Ironically, the accomdations were fantastic, but the owner and his partner/wife? were beyond rude. Ignoring the pleas from myself at least two other rooms of pilgrims, they sat outside, below the windows and raised hell until at least 1am. Several of us couldn't get to our trekking poles (locked in their main room) and one Italian bicigrino informed me that there was a sign where the bikes were parked that they didn't open until 7am. Among our group of highly upset pilgrims, not one had been told this or seen any other signs. To add insult to injury, the lady partner showed up 15 minutes late and would not speak a word to any of us. Her attitude spoke volumes, we were cattle and she couldn't have cared any less.

 

[Anemone del Camino]

You are discussing two different albergues in two different villages. San Juan de Ortega served the garlic soup. But the bidden treasure is the morcilla sold at the "cafe" at the end of the monastery. Almost made up for the colapsed mattereses. Grateful for voltaren, but also for the experience. It's one night and the tourist demands, the pilgrim gives thanks. Been there, glad I did, done that

 

[Kanga]

This happened so many years ago that I think it is safe to tell. We arrived and were greeted with great kindness by the religious brothers. Simple large dormitory with about 20 bunks very close together in pairs, just enough room to squeeze between the rows. But lovely new mattresses.

Nice day and garden, so we all sat outside until time for bed. Lights out. Then it started.

What had not been obvious during the day, with people moving about and talking, making noise, was that all the bunks had been fitted with thin metal sheet bases. Flexible metal. I don't know where they had come from but I suspect not from a bedding store. Flexible metal makes noises when it bends. Which it does. Constantly. Every time someone rolled or settled in their bunk, the metal would groan loudly. And moving in bed is infectious - as soon as one person moved, and the bed groaned, the rest of us would do the same. Someone started giggling. It was impossible not to. The laughing got louder and louder, as did the groaning beds. We were rolling around with laughter, hysterical with laughter. I don't know how and when we all got to sleep.

The next year the beds had wooden bases. I really miss the metal ones.

 

[Icacos]

.......Someone started giggling. It was impossible not to. The laughing got louder and louder, as did the groaning beds. We were rolling around with laughter, hysterical with laughter. I don't know how and when we all got to sleep.

@Kanga, I am laughing just thinking of the laughter you describe. Isn't it wonderful to laugh at these things! It reminds me of the time my companion and I went into uncontrollable giggles when I sat on my bunk in what I know now is a much maligned albergue, and my bottom almost hit the floor. A little later, after my companion returned from her first visit to the bathroom, I was set off again into another round of uncontrollable giggles by the expression of complete horror on her face.

 

[LesBrass]

The albergue in Larrasoana. I was in the overflow building downstairs, top bunk, next to restrooms. Upstairs wasn't much better. In fact, I would recommend skipping Larrasoana all together, especially on Sundays, when nothing is open and it is difficult to find somewhere to eat.

I was in the overflow... Top bunk with mo ladders and thought the bathrooms were as grim as the beds... I avoided the town on my second walk.

 

[jimmy_88]

I would for sure avoid the albergue in Alto do Poio (Albergue El Puerto). Filfthy and infested with BED BUGS. I was there 15 days ago and I had to leave 30 minutes later. There was bed bug poop on the bed slats and dead bed bug on the floor. Two girls were working there on that day, one was polite, the other one extremely rude. I truly enjoyed shouting back at this last one.

The only other option in Alto do Poio is the wayyy too outdated hotel across the street. The owner is the hateful man in his sixties already described in this thread, but at least the rooms are clean.

 

[AlanB]

I was in the overflow... Top bunk with mo ladders and thought the bathrooms were as grim as the beds... I avoided the town on my second walk.

The new albergue at the east end of the village is very nice though. Opposite the very friendly supermarket/bar

 

[NualaOC]

The only other option in Alto do Poio is the wayyy too outdated hotel across the street. The owner is the hateful man in his sixties already described in this thread, but at least the rooms are clean.

From memory, Fonfria is an easy 5 km walk from Alto do Poio. Albergue a Reboleira is well worth the walk.

 

[Houlet]

Mombuey - VdlP, May 2015 Dirty, and the beds were impossible to sleep in. It is donativo and we left exactly what the place was worth. There was no hospitalero place was full mid afternoon and a few pilgrims had to walk on. To my surprise two beds were occupied by bikers were taking siesta and left late afternoon.

 

[Thornley]

I was in the overflow... Top bunk with mo ladders and thought the bathrooms were as grim as the beds... I avoided the town on my second walk.

Spend every cent you have to stay in Hotel Akerreta and avoid Larrosoana

 

[LesBrass]

Spend every cent you have to stay in Hotel Akerreta and avoid Larrosoana

well I've made a note as I'm already starting my planning even though it's a year away... having said that I had a great plan for this April but it all went out the window as I stayed with the folks I'd met in SJPdP

 

[NualaOC]

Spend every cent you have to stay in Hotel Akerreta and avoid Larrosoana

Totally agree - Hotel Akerreta is wonderful, thanks to its amazing owner/host.

 

[Niels]

Wow, interesting question...

I try to remember them - but it is hard!
Most uncomfortable experiences were mainly because of people (waking up at 4 in the morning; snoring loud; switching on the light at 6 or because of icecold showers, "bad" beds...)

Uuuuu no, now it's coming back... ALTO DO POIO (between 0'Cebreiro and Tricastela).
This was the WORST experience I made.
Damp cold uncomfortable dirty place - they won't see me again there (and you should avaid the place too) !

I agree, Fatma. I've walked two fuld Caminos, and this is the only albergue in which I defintely won't set my feet again. I gave my review on TripAdvisor, and I hope NOT I will ever experience anything like that again.

 

[Camino Chrissy]

I have two municipals that bring back bad memories.

1.) Zubiri early in on the Frances; old, dirty, community showers in another building, unfriendly and foul smelling hospitalero in 2015; (I have read recently it is closed).

2.) Berducedo on the Primitivo; old, very little room to move between bunks as all crammed together, cold showers, tiny kitchen with a small table only, and nonfriendly hospitalero in 2016.

That said, for the minimal cost I cannot complain...and as pilgrims we should always be appreciative to have a place to lay our head.☺

 

[Lindsay53]

I agree, Fatma. I've walked two fuld Caminos, and this is the only albergue in which I defintely won't set my feet again. I gave my review on TripAdvisor, and I hope NOT I will ever experience anything like that again.

It must be under new management because I stayed there a few weeks back and it was fine. Clean, bug free and a good pilgrims meal.

 

[peregrino_tom]

I'm sure I detected a most audible collective sigh from the moderators when this thread was resuscitated on Thursday. It has been lying dormant for 4 years, sort of like Alien, waiting for fresh travellers to arrive...

 

[Mugatu]

I was under the impression that threads bordering on a yelp review were discouraged

 

[Luka]

I first decided not to contribute to this thread, but I would like to make an exception for albergue Titas in Boadillo del Camino.

I stopped there this morning with two other peregrinas for breakfast. The owner charged us 5 euro each for a bocadillo con queso and a tea/coffee. The cheese was so dried out that you could hit somebody with it. My tea was in between lukewarm and cold.

Then another peregrina asked my help because she made a reservation there and she couldn't make herself understandable. So I asked the owner about her reservation. With a grim face he answered that they didn't have any rooms. My fellow peregrina was very surprised and said to me she was sure that her friend made a reservation for her yesterday. I asked the man if they had a dorm for pilgrims maybe. Negative.

We gave up. I later looked the place up online and saw from the many (bad) reviews that they did have rooms...

 

[Chromatistes]

I am in Villafranca Montes de Oca at the albergue connected to the hotel. So far, very nice. The one I wish I had missed was Ceruena Virgen de Guadalupe. Overpriced at 13 + 7 for dinner. Not at all good value for money. Pedro is creepy and my bed had a hump in the middle. Not too comfy!

My experience at Virgen de Guadalupe in 2014 was similar. I did, however, have an excellent communal meal at Albergue Victoria that evening.