Ferme Ithurburia

Stayed here after a late dash on the Camino Francés. We arrived about 6pm and got there just in time for the evening communal dinner. Nice dinner and lots of new pilgrims and a great atmosphere. Rooms were clean and functional.

All the alternatives were similarly priced and always booked out. The rooms were fine, the food was fine and they seemed to care. We got in to SJPP and wanted to get a start on our climb of the big hill. If you want to do that and you didn’t book the other more popular places, this place will do just fine. Communication can be difficult, but there are translator apps available. Buen Camino!

My first stop over on the camino. Disappointing! Dinner was E23 for a sausage and beans, a watery broth soup and an apple tart. Served at one big table of about 20 people. Which was nice but we had to ask for more food and bread as it was not enough. Breakfast, which was included was continental, which was expected BUT it consisted of a few baskets of little pieces of toast for the entire table and tinned apricot jam. That's it! Totally unacceptable. I will be making my travel agent, Santiago Ways, aware.

I noticed the hotel is operated by a bunch of incompetent bullies who could not use the internet, electronic devices and their booking system. The receptionist told several guests including me that we didn’t have a reservation while the confirmation letters were printed out by themselves. We tried to use the voice translation app to listen to their conversation with a younger voice on the phone and realized the incompetent receptionist gave one of our triple rooms to another family and forced us to take a double room and charged us the same amount. Plus, we have paid the cost online. The owner were yelling and slamming the desk demanding we pay her again. She kept on yelling I don’t understand your English while I tried my best to show her the French translation. She threatened us that she would throw us out in the mountains with a low temperature 6 degrees if we did not pay her again. Basically, it’s a robbery and they are a bunch of thugs. The rooms have limited hot water supply and the insolation was bad and we could hear people talk next door.

We had a great time here. If you're not a French speaker, it can be difficult to communicate with the owner, but persevere and be patient and you will be rewarded. The rooms are basic and the cleaner needs some new glasses as the standard of cleanliness was poor, but the evening meal was a delight and we mixed in with the others staying and had a really great evening.