Hotel des Remparts

I booked 3xTwin rooms and paid 100€ deposit on 9th February and received a receipt a few days later confirming the booking. We were five motorcyclists hoping to enjoy the roads of the Pyrenees. On arrival and parking our motorcycles at the back of the hotel we were immediately told from a window that we couldn’t park there – charming, but OK, we moved them. The manager then came out and told us that the hotel was full and he only had two rooms for us. One was three-bedded (a double bed and a single – we’re five males requiring single beds!) the other was a garret room without full facilities. WHAT! We had travelled nearly 600 kms and were looking forward to our two-night stay. The manager shrugged his shoulders and told us that WE had a problem, we advised politely him that NO, he had a problem! We showed him the printed details of our confirmed booking and deposit receipt. After we threatened to call the tourist police he eventually but reluctantly arranged for a room in accommodation a short drive away. I cannot emphasise how disappointed we were with this hotel and the manager’s attitude. His egregious avarice showed no regard for his confirmed guests. Incidentally, the photo of the hotel disguises the busy main road at the front carrying heavy traffic to/from Pamplona. Never again

The rundown hotel with a surly host made the start of the Camino Frances walk less than spectacular. We had a bath with no hot water and smell of sewage all night. No top sheet was on the well worn bedding and there was no air conditioning. The rudeness of the reception was the topper of a bad experience.

I was worried after reading mixed reviews but the hotel was quite ok. The host was - well fine. He was friendly enough but ‘different’ and some people would take it as poor but he was helpful and quite friendly. Carried bags up stairs for us all. Rooms are basic with no a/c but comfortable enough. Breakfast was average but if you wanted hit or cold milk etc he would get it for you. The only concern was the flies around the food. We had a family tragedy while there with our daughter’s husband dying back home in Australia so we had to cut our Camino walk off on first day. Our host was helpful in dealing with the situation and our daughter’s frail mental state. He showed care and sympathy and did what he could to assist us All in all a quite pleasant stay. Narrow stairs up to rooms.

The stay - or should I say non-stay - was a total disaster. I made a reservation in late February for two nights for two rooms. We are walking the Camino with another couple and knew St Jean would be super busy. I had full documentation of our reservation via email printed out. When we arrived to check in, we were told “the hotel has changed ownership and we are booked solid, no room is available.” We were never informed. When we asked the new owner/manager if he at least he had any suggestions of where we might find a room on short notice, he shrugged and basically said, “that’s your problem.” We had to scramble and eventually found rooms for each night, but we had to go as far as Burguete, Spain, a 45 minute drive away to get lodging. We are 65 and have never encountered such a rude proprietor in 40+ years of active travel. A complete ****. I have never had to write a review like this before! I spoke with him twice so he had more than one chance to at least acknowledge our predicament. Awful.