Albergue Etiquette

Albergues are usually pretty busy places with people of different nationalties, ages and cultures trying to live together in what is often quite a small space so below I've written out some 'rules' that I have gathered from my Caminos - if you think of any more then please add them in:

Wait your turn to sign into the albergue; do not jump the queue

Be polite to the hospitalero (whether they be a volunteer, someone who works there or the owner of the albergue)

Pay as soon as you arrive – set amount or a donation

If there is a special area for boots then remove them before entering the bedroom

Do not put your backpack on your bed – you’ve been carrying it all day so it will be sweaty, it will be dirty from when you’ve put it on the ground to rest and a back[pack on a bed can spread bedbugs easily

If you get a bottom bunk and someone who is more in need of it comes then offer it to them if you can climb to the top bunk

If there is a chair by the bed it’s often the way that the pilgrim on the top bunk is meant to get into and out of bed so don’t cover it with your stuff, similarly don’t put your backpack in front of the ladder (I have accidently stood on other people’s backpacks on my way off the top bunk before!) and do not spread everything in your backpack all over the floor so that people have somewhere to walk and other pilgrims have space for their bag and its contents

Leave all areas that you use clean for the sake of other Pilgrims and the hospitelero (this includes wiping down showers if there’s a mop and cleaning the kitchen area and utensils used)

Take as short a shower as you can – do not use up all of the hot water so that everybody after you has to take a cold shower

Keep an eye on your clothes on the clothesline – make sure that you haven’t spread them out too much, used too many clothes pegs (I usually carry safety pins to use on the clotheslines as these take up little space in my backpack and can be used to attach my clothes to my backpack to dry as I walk if they are still wet from the night before) and remove your clothes once they are dry so others can use the space

People do get changed in the bedrooms but try to stay as modest as possible

At any time of the day someone could be taking a siesta in the bedroom so keep that area quiet

Respect the albergue’s closing time and be in bed before lights out (and if you are not do not come nosily into the room, waving your torch in everyone’s face)

Only have a very quiet alarm (I have one on my wristwatch if I feel that I need it) and turn your ‘phone off overnight – it is very annoying when someone has an alarm on their ‘phone and has pushed it somewhere into the deepest, darkest recesses of their sleeping bag for the night so that, come morning, it cannot be found and if you do rise early have as much packed into your bag the night before as you can and be prepared to simply stuff the rest quickly into your backpack and then take this somewhere else to do your packing properly in the morning (and try to avoid using nosily plastic bags to pack things in)

If you do snore do what you can to minimize it – not always possible I know

Keep an eye on your other pilgrims to see if you can help them – they don’t have much food and you have plenty? Share some. Someone’s having foot trouble and you have extra compeed? Give them one.

Keep your valuables safe (preferably on you or with a walking partner)