Rita Flower

On Camino we often try to find the cheapest accomodation. Many of us are on a budget and the albergue is a place to shower, eat and sleep. Having said that a warm, clean, welcoming albergue and the companionship of other pilgrims can make all the difference after a hard day.

There are a number of Apps that will help you find accommodation. I used gronze.com. This website also has a comments section although you need to be careful as to how much weight you give to these comments. A couple of places in which I stayed had some negative comments about cleanliness and the hosts manner, which in my mind were much exaggerated. I found these places to be OK - I would still give them a pass mark - and I spent a pleasant night there.

This Camino I have been impressed with the pilgrim accomodation - ranging in price from donativo to €20.
EDIT - the donativo albergue does not mean free. Give what you would normally pay or even a little more - to cover those who genuinely cannot pay very much.
The different types of accomodation include -
✔️ The municipal or pilgrim-only albergue’s which are often by donation. In Galicia the municipal albergues are €8 (in 2022). They are generally very new and of an exceptional standard. The pilgrim-only albergues are staffed by volunteers or municipal employees and are committed to the Camino. They rarely take bookings.
✔️ The Turistica (private) Albergues which are more like backpacker hostels and follow certain government regulations. They always cost €15. You can book ahead with these.
✔️ Other private albergues vary in style and standard and range, but are generally good to excellent as they are in competition with each other - generally around the €15 mark.
✔️ Normal ‘hostals’ and hotels which usually cost from €30 upwards for a single room with bathroom.

The bathrooms in all the albergue I used were very modern with a good supply of hot water.

Many albergues have lounges and fully functioning kitchens so you can buy food at the local supermarket or tiende / shop and cook a meal. Most albergues in Galicia have a kitchen but no crockery, cutlery or cooking pots. A strange state of affairs in 2022.

Some Albergues provide a meal and/or breakfast but this was not very common on the Via and generally happens only when you are situated some distance from shops and bars. Usually the local bar is open between 7 and 8 am so you can get breakfast there - but check the night before.

Sleeping ranges from rather cramped dorms with bunk beds (not the norm) spacious dorms with bunk beds, dorms with single beds. Sometimes there are options for twin or single rooms and of course that is more expensive. Some come with sheets, blankets and towels, and some with paper sheets which are not too bad these days. That’s where you need your own sleep sheet and sleeping bag.
There is also normal hotel and Casa Rural accomodation which range from €35 - €100+ depending on the level of luxury.

On VDLP I easily found options that fit my budget and needs for that night - which ranged from small donativo albergues all the way up to a standard hotels on occasions when they were the best options.

Buen Camino. Czytaj więcej