The Camino de Santiago offers many different possibilities in terms of accommodation, each of them with its advantages and disadvantages.
On the one hand, we find the classic “Albergues” (or hostels) for Pilgrims, that can be public or private. In general terms, public albergues usually entail more requirements than the private ones: those who walk the Camino take priority over those who cycle, it is not possible to stay there if you are using the luggage transfer service, you can’t book in advance… but at the same time, the price is really cheap!
Generally, the main slogan of an albergue is SHARING: sharing a room, sharing the bathroom, the table, breakfast, free time… which implies this social part of the Camino de Santiago, that is the most important thing for many Pilgrims. It entails anecdotes, fun, interacting with people from all over the world… but at the same time, problems to sleep due to the noise, queues at the bathroom or the showers, and a lack of privacy.
And that’s exactly the good thing about hotels, country cottages, guesthouses… or any kind of accommodation that involves a private room ensuite. After a long walking day, there’s nothing better than a comfortable mattress, away from the racket and the noise.
There are many different opinions and anecdotes, and we love to know about all of them, that’s why we have launched the campaign #HotelVSAlbergueGW on our social networks.
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Do not hesitate to share your experiences, we are looking forward to reading all of them!