Casona da Ponte

The location was perfect, and the bathrooms and showers were great. My room was a standard warm room with several bunks packed in, though it did have air conditioning. I asked for it to be turned on, but the request was ignored. I also didn't appreciate the constant calls and texts about my arrival, even though I'd already called once to say I'd be delayed.

The place was very clean, but I didn't find the staff very friendly. I speak the language and was always polite, yet questions about getting change for laundry or what was available for breakfast seemed to be a bother, especially to the older man working breakfast. I noticed humour and politeness with local customers, so that was unfortunate. At night, a woman yelled loudly in the upstairs reception area from 9:30 to 11 pm.

There are different lodging options, and the coffee shop has refreshments throughout the day. The staff were very friendly and the location is ideal for el Camino pilgrims. It's just a few steps after entering town, so you can get off your feet and freshen up as soon as you arrive tired.

We chose Casona da Ponte because we'd read it had AC. Walking the Camino Frances in a heatwave, we were counting on a decent night's sleep. At some point during the night, the AC in our Albergue room was switched off, and the heat became unbearable. We barely slept at all, and it ruined the next day's walk.