Convento De Foncebadon

The heat was intense, with hardly any air moving unless the bathroom door opened and gave the room a brief breeze. The pipes also made a loud song through the bedroom whenever someone upstairs flushed, very much like an old house. We’d had a run of good Albergues since SJPDP, so this one felt like the universe balancing things out. With the kids along, I arrived at the Parrochial hostel at 1 PM in 25th place, then hurried down the hill and grabbed camas at Albergue Convento like I was in a budget game show. I used Google Image Search to figure out what the mystery bugs near the bed might be. To my untrained eye, the bed bugs and red cockroaches looked like cousins, maybe even the same species. When I asked the hospitalera, her reaction didn’t suggest she wanted to help me write an insect memoir. With more pilgrims than beds, I guess Foncebadon can keep its standards “authentically medieval.”

The rooms have three bunk beds apiece, and each has its own bathroom. For €15,- the pilgrim menu del dia was the best value I’ve had on the Camino at this price. There were lots of choices for the first, second and third courses, plus a drink included. The portions were big and the food was well prepared. I think it’s great value overall, and I’d recommend the menu again.

I’ve lived in spain for a long time, so I can say this place felt like an anomaly. One woman on staff was kind, but the rest were extremely rude and made us feel as if our presence was an imposition, even though the whole town is full of albergues. There weren’t many pilgrims around, so maybe in the busy season they don’t have to be kind because people take whatever they can get. We had to ask for toilet paper when we arrived. Later, after the host gladly took our money for wine, he locked the door to our accommodation room about 10 minutes later to make us leave the bar, even though several patrons and his friend were still there. It left a really bad taste in my mouth. I wouldn’t recommend staying here.

I ate both dinner and breakfast at the owners’ restaurant, and the portions were the best I’d had on the Camino up to that point. You won’t be disappointed by a meal there. Guests can’t use a kitchen, but I didn’t need one. I spent one night on the Camino in a single room with a private bathroom on the 2nd level. It was clean and had lovely views. Towels, bedding and soap were provided, and the wifi was free and fast.