We counted on there always being the option of sleeping in albergues. At the same time we knew we wouldn’t always want to, and that every so often we’d treat ourselves to more privacy. We’re human, we like sex and we like peace and quiet. We didn’t think much about the second one for the first few days, but then it got better. So much for the note aimed at couples 😊
Every albergue is different, they can’t be generalised and they’re not always equally cheap or expensive. In 2016 the price of albergues was apparently half what it is now. Between commerce and inflation, the cost of a bed has doubled. As a veteran pilgrim would put it – that’s rocket-fuelled price growth.
Every albergue on the route is listed in the web app gronze.com. A beautifully complete list of albergues that are currently open, what services they offer, including contacts and information on the number of beds. The more sophisticated albergues will also offer breakfast for a surcharge, laundry, even a dryer.
In almost all of them you’ll get a hospital-style disposable sheet and a pillowcase. We’d recommend bringing a sleeping bag – they don’t lend those out.
Types of albergue
Donativo
Marked with the letter D in the app, these are the ones where you pay whatever you think is right. These are the places where you’ll find the best of what the road has to offer: likeable people, volunteers, shelter and tradition.
It was exactly that traditional pilgrim evening and morning that we wanted to experience. At our first donativo albergue we were given dinner and then breakfast. I wrote more about it in this story. Some people do it selflessly; others do it selflessly too, but it’s also how they make a living.
You can also reserve a bed in these albergues by phone.
Municipal
Albergues run by the town. Very cheap (under 10 €), but beds can’t be reserved. First come, first served.
Privately owned
Albergues that are sometimes nicely, sometimes less nicely equipped. Sometimes expensive, sometimes cheap. The price generally sits between 10 and 15 €. Booking is possible almost every time. And you’ll always find the coveted stamp here too!
What to watch out for
Here’s a tip that will save you nerves, time and energy when looking for a bed. For planning stages we use the excellent web app (sadly they don’t have a mobile one) Gronze.com, where you’ll find all the available accommodation in the towns along the route.
Based on our experience before covid and even more so from 2023, WE RECOMMEND booking your accommodation in advance. Most albergues use Booking.com so you can reserve everything ahead of time. Wondering why on earth you’d do that? The number of pilgrims is genuinely huge. People set off on the Camino as early as 5 in the morning – partly to avoid the midday heat and partly to be first to claim their spot in the cheapest and most popular albergues. There’s nothing wrong with that.
For us the Camino wasn’t a race, so despite our initial reluctance (we wanted to behave like pilgrims of old and leave our fate in the hands of a higher power), after three days we changed our minds and started booking. Either through Booking or through Gronze, which also lists phone numbers – and most owners use WhatsApp. Booking looked something like this:
