Albergue Santa Olaia - Hostel

For just 10 euros, I slept really well here. I arrived around 3 pm, a little before the others, and was lucky to get a room to myself. Mine was on the second floor, which felt more like a third. The staff were all so nice, and I appreciated their hospitality and the work they do for pilgrims. It looks like an old school converted into an albergue, with a sweet garden and cute cats. There were enough bedrooms and lots of showers and bathrooms, all clean and well managed. The floor had a kitchen with pots, plates, oil, and other basics, plus a small fridge and a coffee machine for 1 euro.

Ruiz, who welcomed us and let us in, was lovely, kind, and warm. The price felt fair for what you get at an albergue. Our clothes dried well overnight on the lines, even without a dryer for the washing machine. The facilities are quite old and patchy, though, and the rooms have plastic walls, so you hear everything. Move around carelessly in bed and you can hit the wall and wake people up.

The shared bathrooms were clean, and the top floor has room to wash and hang clothes. The kitchen is basic but seems to have everything working, with a stove, pots and pans, a fridge, and a microwave. I had a single room to myself for 10 EUR, with old blankets provided. Check whether the shower has hot water. I chose to take a cold one.

We were glad to have a roof for the night on our Camino Via de la Plata, but the place felt pretty strange. The building seems like an old student dorm, and it also seemed to be shared by different groups. We never worked out who the family cooking downstairs were. After we called, using our very broken Spanish, we waited about 20 minutes for someone to come check us in. The woman was very friendly and showed us around. The rooms had a heater and a power strip for charging devices. Things are a bit run down, but fine if you don't expect much.