Looking for nuns in all the wrong places.

May 12, 2007 11:47 AM

How can I find a convent in Spain that will rent me a room for a couple of nights?

In my Spain guidebook (Lonely Planet), they mention that there are a number of monasteries and convents that rent out relatively cheap rooms to travelers. That sounds so cool, and I really would love to pursue it as a possible lodging option when I go there this summer. However, they don't actually have any listing of those monasteries and convents, and googling hasn't helped me to find any. How can I get in touch with these mythical establishments?

I'm probably going to Barcelona, Granada, and Madrid, and maybe Seville or Toledo, in mid-July, if that helps.

posted by crinklebat to travel & transportation (6 comments total)

Mm, I should probably clarify that I am absolutely not looking for a parador.
posted by crinklebat at 11:54 AM on May 12, 2007

I think it would be a case of asking around when you reach the town/city rather than finding any sort of "listing." This sort of accomodation is actually pretty common, even in big cities like Paris.
posted by fire&wings at 12:10 PM on May 12, 2007

Hmm, so there's really no way to do this in advance?
posted by crinklebat at 12:35 PM on May 12, 2007

I've done it a few times, but never arranged it in advance. It wasn't high season and I wasn't dead-set on doing it, so I didn't bother.

Anyway, I just did a Google search on "alojamiento monasterio" (monastery accommodation) and came up with this at the top of the list: Guía de Monasterios. Not the greatest site in the world, but it gives you an idea of what's out there. Click on "por provincia" under "búsqueda" to start a search by province.
posted by veggieboy at 12:46 PM on May 12, 2007

Probably worth noting that you should take a careful look at the location of some of those places listed on that site. They might be in the province of Sevilla or Toledo but not the city, for example.
posted by veggieboy at 12:50 PM on May 12, 2007

The girlfriend says you usually need to call in advance for reservations, obviously depending on location and season. Also be aware that there are going to be many more restrictions than hostels. So no late nights at the bodegas y tabernas!

If you want to travel Spain for the least amount of money, forget rooms altogether. Travel between cities on the overnight bus and sleep on the bus. Buses in Spain are the cheapest way to travel. I've taken the overnighter from Madrid to Granda for example and that works great. You can always store your luggage in lockers at the bus station.
posted by JJ86 at 4:53 PM on May 13, 2007