Albergue Sancho III

Please pay attention to the reviews and understand this is a disrespectful place with an owner who seems inconvencied by running his business and dealing with customers. We saw a few reviews like that but rented a room anyways. Checkin was unpleasant and the owner simply told us all the things we could not do. And multiple times to be out by 8am. Then we did make a mistake. The doors to the rooms do not unlock, so if the door closes, it is locked no matter what. If the windows are open the door shuts itself. We were given one key and when my girlfriend was doing laundry and I went to the bathroom, leaving the door open, I came back to find myself locked out of a closed room. Reception is open 12:30 to 10pm but there is no reception. The owner works in a bar 3 blocks away and will check you in, when he is not busy and then walk you across town to the room. Based on our limited interaction with the man so far we were nervous to let him know we had made a basic human error and needed help. My girlfriend walked to the bar and apologized 3 times while asking for help trying to get back in to the room. The owner yelled at her, asked how she could possibly do this and why did she want to interrupt him at work. He then stormed out of the bar and down the street leaving her to follow. He got back to the room, unlocked it in seconds, told her not to be so careless, not to bother him, and once again to be out of the place by 8am. He then came downstairs, saw me. Yelled at me "que pasa?" How could you be so foolish and a lot more in rapid fire Spanish (he checked us in in English so he knew our Spanish wasn't great) and then when I could only say "lo siento" he yelled at me again and then turned and stormed off down the street, muttering to himself. I know we made the mistake but I can't imagine we are the only ones in history to lock ourselves out of a self locking and self closing door in a hotel. Yet, we were treated like we had committed a war crime and some great personal offense to the owner for bothering him during opening hours. This experience was a real shame after the warmth, kindness and welcome we have experienced at every other stop so far along the Camino. Additional side note this website lists WiFi and credit cards accepted, but the hotel has no WiFi and he doesn't take credit cards. The price is also a couple euros higher and the dinner is now €14 each and very simple options. The room itself is nice enough for the price but with no fan it is impossibly hot even just with two people and you will sweat through the night uncovered. The shower is also nice enough, just don't forget your room key! I really hope fewer people decided to risk their Camino experience with this location.

Plus: The communication with the host was rapid, the room was clean, price was reasonable for a private room, location is great. Minuses: no hot water in the toilet, no hot water for washing clothes, the kitchen looked uninviting .

Not safe and very unfriendly. Stay away. Worse stay on the Camino.

Cannot say anything about the rooms and facilities because I didn't have chance to see it as the owner/manager made me feel so unwelcome that I had to leave the place. First he asked me and my friend to wait 30 min (after 30 km walk when we were totally exhausted) as he is running a restaurant there and he was busy (and very unpleasant from the beginning) and after when we wanted request beds in the other part in shared room he just started screaming that if we don't want what is offering we can go away. The prive wasn't updated as well and when I asked why is more than on the information from the Camino office he just turned to wild mad man. There is no kindness neither understanding with that man who is expecting if you're paying 10 euro for that albergue means he is doing favore for you... You don't want meet people like this on your Camino...

The albergue itself was ok, same standard as on the rest of the camino, but the owner was very unfriendly and made the stay unenjoyable. He does not speak any other language than spanish which made things even more complicated. In short: avoid this place.