O lagar de Jesús

O Lagar de Jesus is a welcoming, comfortable albergue in an old converted farmhouse. Ana and Alias were wonderful hosts, and the communal dinner was amazing. The courtyard was a lovely place to hang out and meet people. A memorable Camiño experience all around.

The bathrooms were clean, but there were only three for all the guests. The place is about 5km out of Padrón along the Camino, which makes for a shorter 20km walk to Santiago, but there isn’t much nearby and there are no kitchen facilities. Cats were everywhere, including in the bedrooms and helping themselves at the breakfast table. Our dorm had 10 beds, not the advertised 8, and the adjoining room had 8 beds but could only be reached through ours. There was no etiquette in place. People kept coming and going through the night, leaving the door open, and the bouncy floorboards made it hard to rest. Breakfast was set up just outside the dorm, so that added noise too. At 5.40am we were woken by people coming and going, making breakfast and leaving the door open. The breakfast was mediocre, with too little food or drink for 20 people and no plates. It would be better served in the bar or dining room. The pool was dirty, the garden unkempt, and there weren’t enough seats by the pool. We waited ages to check in and weren’t told everything that was available. The communal meal sounded like a nice idea but was massively overpriced, as was the bar. The BBQ was in the courtyard, leaving nowhere to relax without smelling of it. Over-rated, the worst place we stayed on the Camino. Not recommended.

The building and grounds deserve special praise, and inside it feels as cozy as home. Elias is an incredibly friendly and hospitable owner of Alberge. I loved how he brought people from different continents together around one table. The grilled meats and sausages, wine and sangria were delicious, and the colorit dances made the evening special. Thanks a lot from the bottom of my heart. From Ukraine with Love and Peace, I’ll come back next year with my friends.

The patio and pool were lovely places to spend time before dinner, and the setting made this a charming stop before reaching Santiago. Elia is a big-hearted owner, a cat lover, and goes out of his way to make guests feel at home. The atmosphere felt like a family evening. I enjoyed the music and the excellent meat menu, and there was a good vegetarian option too. It was an evening of rare beauty that I won’t forget. I hope to return for some kind of anniversary. Thanks again for everything, and God bless you! Ireneo