We have heard rumours for a while now, that there would be an app for albergue capacity and bed availability during the busy season. Lots of privately owned albergues are already listed on sites like Booking.com and Hotels.com, but the municipals are not – they have always been strictly first come, first served. The idea was that pilgrims could use the app to check for available beds and presumably be able to book as well.
Finally, today there is an article in El Correo Gallego about the app, and if you follow this link, you will get to a web version. There are 6 municipals among the 68 albergues listed so far. I suppose the app will be useful for the pilgrims walking this year, as many places will have reduced capacity and some will be closed. Guidebook apps might be able to update day by day, but printed guidebooks won’t, and many, if not most, pilgrims still use a guidebook. This is where the app would come in handy, to show you in real time what is open and how many beds are available right now.
Will it help with the potential bed race this year, or more importantly, for the Holy Year next year though? I suppose it remains to be seen.
Cue gratuitous photo of a brilliant albergue on the list:
Oh go on then, another one:
If you use the app, let us know if it is useful/useless/user friendly!
