I frankly do not understand why major hotels in Colombia are so pricey, rooms often costing over 200 dollars per night, but fortunately there is an abundance of hostels in all the right places, where you can stay for as little as ten or twenty dollars a night. While you cannot expect anything remotely resembling luxury, many of the hostels have everything you can possibly need (Wi-Fi, food, shared kitchen) plus great camaraderie with fellow travelers from all over the world. If you are like me and your prime directive while traveling is economy, then hostels are perfect. A few dollars more usually gets you a private room with its own bathroom, if you find dorm style rooms and shared facilities Here I have compiled a few popular suggestions at major tourist destinations in the country (I’ve intentionally left out any that only offer shared dorms)…

Medellin:

Tiger Paw: Very popular, and right beside the “zona rosa”, or clubbing area, of Parque Lleras that foreigners flock to. Just over 10 dollars a night for the dorm, or a bit over $41 for a private room with bath. The choice for the party animals! Web site

Paraworld Adventure : Run by a Swiss expat, this a “funkily” decorated property also in the El Poblado area. Private rooms with bath for around $38, dorms starting at $10 per night. No web site, so here’s a link on Hostel World.

Bogota :

Casa Bellavista : In the historic Candelaria district. 33 USD per night for a private room with bath, and starting at $11 for the dorm. Web site

Hostal Sue : Also in Candelaria. Just 30 dollars for a private room w/ bath, and 11 for the dorm. Web site

Martinik : Yet again in Candelaria. $44 for a double bed private w/ bath pp, or just over $9 for the dorm. Web site

Cartagena :

Casa Viena : Very popular hostel in the Getsemani district which is right next to the walled city. A private room w/ bath runs about 24 dollars per night, or about 11 for the dorm. Web site.

Hotel San Roque : Also in Getsemani, qualifies as a hotel rather than a hostel, as it only has private rooms with bath, starting at around $32 per room per night. Web site

Santa Marta:

El Rodadero, Santa Marta. Photo by Darina

La Casa de Felipe : This one is actually in Taganga, just to the north of Santa Marta, and I did really stay at this one! A sprawling hostel owned by a French expat, very popular among youthful travelers, and to be honest, the main attraction in Taganga, a ramshackle, garbage strewn village (why do guides even list it?). Santa Marta can be reached by taxi or bus via the only road in or out. Rates start at $23 for a single private with bath, or dorms for about $9. Web site.

Ecohostal Yuluka : This one is wildly popular with adventure seekers as it is just outside the fabled Tayrona national park, and offers transportation to the park’s gate. It is thus useful as a way station on the way in or out of the park, where lodging is limited to camping, or severely overpriced. Dorms from $24, and private cabins are available, but no prices are advertised. No web site, so here is a link to Hostel World.

 

Cali :

The Green Saman : a new hostel in the hills of the Bellavista district owned by a Canadian expat. Private rooms w/ bath from $33, dorms $10. No web site, so here’s a Hostel World page.

The Pelican Larry : Located in the Versailles district near the zona rosa. Private rooms w/ bath from $33. Dorms about $9.50. Web site (a bit over the top, their site!)

Please heed these warnings!:

Prices quoted are approximate and off season. Prices for private rooms are per night, per room. The Colombian peso fluctuates in value against the US dollar, see our chart in the sidebar!

Many Colombian home owners offer rooms in their houses for short stays, and most are unregistered businesses. I do not recommend you use that option for lodging! We had an unfortunate experience in Santa Marta, which we decided to add to our itinerary at the last minute, thanks to a corrupt local travel agent. She referred us to a local house owner in the El Rodadero beach district. Said owner did not give us a key to her house and thus we wound-up having to call her every time and waited for up to an hour to be let in. The room was a disaster with only a trickle of water in the washroom, giant rats on the patio, and the wi-fi she promised did not exist. We wound-up two days later in a hotel room beyond our budget but happy to have escaped!

Do not be surprised if the hostel where you stay has no hot water. Few do. If you are close to sea level in Colombia, temperatures are infernal day or night all year, thus cold showers are actually the only absolution from the heat! Even if your room has air conditioning, it might not be enough to ward off the sweats! That said, at a high altitude, such as in Bogota, temperatures are rather cool, so you might insist on staying where they have hot water!