¿Dónde vas a dormir? |

In previous weeks I wrote about decisions you have to make before you embark on this adventure that is the Camino de Santiago. If you missed these posts and you would like to read them as well as learn some more Spanish, just click on the questions ¿Cómo vas a hacer el Camino? and ¿Qué vas a llevar en la mochila?

I have a new question for you this week:

¿Dónde vas a dormir?

…or Where are you going to sleep?

When choosing accommodation, you have a few options, depending on your circumstances and the type of experience you want to have.

• For some, you can only have a true pilgrim experience if you stay in public albergues (hostels). I will write another post just on albergues, but you should know, at least, that you need your stamped credencial to stay in them and that they operate on a first-come first-served basis, which means you cannot book them in advance. An albergue is a basic type of accommodation. They usually have big, shared rooms, with literas (bunk beds). The number of people per room varies from one albergue to another. The prices per night range from €6 to €12. Some of them ask for a voluntary donation only.

• Private albergues are a bit more expensive but they have the advantage that you can book a space in advance. Apart from that they don’t differ much from the public albergues: mostly shared dorms with several literas, although some of them also have private rooms.

• Hostales and pensiones (guesthouses). They are usually small family-run businesses, with less services than hotels. You’re more likely to find  rooms with private bathrooms in this kind of accommodation.

• Hoteles (hotels). In bigger towns you will find a wide range of hotels for all budgets and offering different services.

You don’t have to stay in the same type of accommodation every night. You could go for albergues most nights, but then one day you feel like pampering yourself, or you need more privacy, or… whatever and you give the albergue a miss for a night or two. No problem! Also, if you are travelling as a part of a group, it might be difficult to get literas for everybody in the albergue. So, have you decided where you are going to stay during your Camino?

Why don’t you leave a comment saying: Voy a dormir en… and complete with un albergue/una pensión/un hostal/un hotel. But before you answer, you might want to check the rest of available accommodations in this other post: ¿Dónde vas a dormir? (II)

If you prefer to listen, check this podcast episode:

Looking for the podcast transcripts? Click here to find them.

Today’s Spanish words

For the pronunciation of credencial, check this other post.

¡Buen Camino!