Hostel D'Avenida

This albergue is in a beautiful location in one of my favourite Camino towns, with the beach just steps from the door and a laundromat conveniently one block away. The room was packed, though the lockers were a good size and helped keep things from getting too cluttered. The mattresses looked more bed-buggy than any others I saw on my Camino, but I didn't find any bugs or get bitten. Mattress protectors might reassure a Peregrino, but everything turned out okay.

After a 37-kilometer day on the Porto to Santiago route, we stopped at Guest House D’Avenida to ask about beds. They offered us places in a 20-bed room. Since we were traveling with our children, who were still 9 kilometers behind us, we sat by the entrance to call and see whether that arrangement would work for them too. A staff member came over during the call and accused us of using the guesthouse internet, then rudely told us to leave. We weren't on their Wi-Fi; we had mobile data. The false accusation and the way she spoke to us showed no respect for pilgrims. A place meant to welcome and support people on the route should do better. I can't recommend Guest House D’Avenida after this experience.

The location is a real plus, just steps from the beach, and the place has that scruffy coastal hostel charm. You share it with surfers and seasonal workers, and the welcome feels tuned to pilgrim life. The beds are comfortable enough, and the internet signal is strong, even if the connection itself disappoints. But the plumbing needs serious work. Getting warm water from the shower valve feels like a gamble, and another person showering at the same time makes it worse. The bathroom has no ventilation and smells damp. The hotel rooms are musty too. A place with heart, though don't count on hot water. Maybe the sunset can make up for it.

The owner was friendly and pointed us toward a shop she recommended, but it felt very dodgy, with prices all over the place and drunk fishermen inside. We later found that plenty of other shops had everything we needed and seemed decent. Our room was a reasonable size, but it wasn't clean. The sheet smelled musty, and the bed had sand and little things in it, maybe stones. The kitchen was dirty as well.