There are many places to stay along the Camino Francés:
- Albergues: dormitories accommodating 4 to 120 beds with communal bathrooms. Albergues can be run by the church (parroquial), by the local municipality (municipal), or by individuals (privado). Some are priced on a donation basis (donativos), using the money from one day’s collection to buy the meal ingredients for the next day. Some albergues have private or semi-private accommodations for an extra charge. Others have kitchen facilities providing a more communal atmosphere.
- Refugios: (another word for albergues). In 2011, “albergue” was the more commonly used term.
- Pensiones: private rooms with a shared bath (sometimes down the hall)
- Casas Rurales: private homes resembling a B & B, often outside of town
- Hoteles: hotels
- Paradors: historic buildings converted into five-star hotels
Be open to all possibilities. If your body tells you to keep walking, do so. If you are tired, stop early. If you are concerned about not finding lodging, ask the proprietor where you stayed the night to phone ahead to make a reservation.
Since there are often many choices for accommodations in each town, I am listing the places I stayed at, with comments. I hope this list will help you make a decision as where to stay.
Albergue Municipal de Peregrinos
TOWN | NAME | TYPE | COMMENT |
Roncesvalles | Albergue | Large dormitory-style | |
St-Jean-Pied-de-Port, FR | L’Auberge du Pèlerin | Private | Clean, nice veranda with clothes line. Near pilgrim’s office |
Valcarlos | Hotel | Clean rooms, hot shower/bath. Good restaurant. Personable. | |
Roncesvalles | Albergue | Camped on church grounds. Hot showers, clean washroom. | |
Espinal | Camping Urrobi | Campground | Clean washrooms, quiet, Sunday meal in early in afternoon |
Zubiri | El Palo de Avellano “The Hazel Stick” | Private Hostel | Super clean, wonderful food, large sitting room |
Pomplona | Albergue de Peregrinos (Jesús y María) | Municipal | Large, noisy (high ceilings reverberate snoring) |
Puente la Reina | Albergue de los Padres Reparadores | Parroquial | Large communal kitchen, nice showers. Allows camping on grounds. |
Estella | Albergue San Miguel Arcangel | Parroquial, Donativo | Our first communal experience; clean, dining outdoors. |
Los Arcos | Casa de Austria | Private | Old-fashion wringer for drying clothes. Crowded. Sangria available for purchase. |
Logroño | Alberque Parroquia de Santiago el Real | Parroquial, Donativo | Mattresses on the floor. Only two showers and toilets. Nice shared meal. |
Logroño | Camping La Playa | Private | Clean campground with tent sites and bungalows.Hot showers and well-maintained restrooms |
Navarrette | La Casa del Peregrino | Private | 6 twin beds and 7 bunk beds. Nice kitchen |
Nájera | Albergue de Periginos | Municipal | Large room with lots of beds (92) |
Azofra | Albergue Municipal de Peregrinos | Municipal | All rooms are doubles. Bath down the hall. Large communal kitchen. Spring-fed wading pool. Laundry facilities |
Cirueña | Albergue Virgen de Guadalupe | Private | Beds and meals served on the second floor, bathrooms & shower (2) on the first floor. Musty-smelling sitting room, tasty supper |
Grañon | Hospital de PerigrinosAlberque San Juan Bautista | Parroquial, Donativo | Mattresses on the floor below bell tower. Wonderful sitting/dining area with rocking chairs, piano, and other instruments. One of my favorite places on the Camino |
Belorado | Alberque Paroquial | Parroquial, Donativo | Kitchen used to be a church in the parish hall. The bunks are on the second floor, bathrooms and showers are on the first floor. |
Villafranca Montes de Oca, | Hotel San Anton Abad | Private | 3-Star hotel with modern albergue. Upscale pilgrims menu. We stayed in the hotel, but all the pilgrims raved about the albergue. We liked it so much, we stayed there on our second trip. |
Agés | La Taberna de Ages | Municipal | Modern, nice showers |
Burgos | Albergue Municipal de Burgos | Municipal | Clean, elevators to sleep quarters, large communal kitchen |
Hornillos del Camino | Albergue Municipal | Municipal | Kitchen limited to microwave. 14 bunks. When full, mats are put on gym floor (30). Only 2 showers for everyone. |
Casterjeriz | Camping Camino de Santiago | Private | Campsites, laundry, hot showers, restaurant in camp store |
Frómista | Albergue Municipal de Frómista | Municipal | Clean, no kitchen |
Carrión | Albergue Santa Clara | Parroquial | 4 twin beds per room, washroom with clothes line in courtyard |
Terradillos de los Templarios | Albergue Perigrinos Jacques de Molay | Private | New, like a chalet. Walls don’t go to the ceiling so lights and noise can be disturbing. Nice sitting area. Different pilgrims menu. |
Molinaseca | Albergue Santa Marina | Private | New, each room has only 6 bunks (12 sleepers), plenty of windows and air. Serves supper. |
Villafranca de Bierzo | Albergue Vina Femita | Private | Very new. Twin beds with linen. Reading lamps next to the bed. Space-age shower. Good food. Rated “Three-shells” by the new rules of hostels in Castilla y León tourist lodge. |
Piedrafita Del Cebrero | Hostal Rebollal | Private | This is not exactly on the Camino. We stayed here because we got lost. Pricy. Good food. Average room. Very nice staff. |
Sarria | Casa Peltre | Private | Modern, Classy. One room with 14 beds, rooms with 4 bed on the second floor. Bright, reading desk, large sitting room some kitchen. We very much enjoyed our stay here. |
Triacastela | Albergue Aitzemea | Private | Old stone-walled interior. Kitchen limited to microwave. There is a large table in the sitting room. Sleeps 44. |
Portomarín | O Mirador | Private | Comfortable, but tight quarters |
Mellide | Alberque de Melide | Municipal | Sleeps 156 but was not very busy the night we stayed and had a room to ourselves so it was quiet. |
Arzúa | Albergue Ultreia | Private | Sleep Quarters above the cafe. Kitchen limited to microwave. No hot water for showers and we were the first to arrive. Hopefully, that has been since addressed. Sleeps 39. |
O Pedrouzo | Albergue Porta de Santiago | Private | Bright color scheme resembles a converted storefront. Lockers for security. |
Santiago | Mundoalbergue | Private | Have bunks with a queen-size mattress on the bottom. Clean, Friendly staff. Since there is no curfew, people arrive and leave at all hours, making it difficult to sleep. Otherwise, a good place to end the Camino. |
Thank you for these great postings. I am planning my journey in May or June this year.