Hostel Reviews or ‘Where To Sleep Around The World’

As we head round the world and find places to lay our heads, we thought we’d tell you what they were like. If they were good, we’ll let you know, and if they should be condemned, we’ll mention that too. So if you need a place to stay, check here and see what we’ve experienced!

If you’ve stayed at a hostel you’ve loved or hated, please email us and we’ll be sure to add your review on to our list! Just let us know the following info. Country: City: Hostel name: Address or URL (the more specific the better): Price Rating: Budget, Midrange, Pricey (with price if you know it) I Stayed : (when you were there) Comments :

Colombia Hostel Reviews

City: Bogota
Hostel Name: Musicology Hostel
URL: www.musicologyhostel.com
Location: Calle 9 # 3-15
Price Rating: Budget (Dorm COP20,000)
We stayed: Early May 2012
Comments: This place is really good. For a start, not only do you get a free breakfast, but you also get a free dinner. Both are actually pretty good, making this hostel one of the best value places we have stayed.
All of the dorms are different sizes, with the bigger ones being slightly cheaper. The 8 bedroom dorm actually has a large partition, so it feels a lot smaller. All dorms have large lockers underneath the beds, and these also have charging points inside.
The bathrooms are a little small, and the water could do with being a touch warmer, but they are perfectly functional and cleaned regularly.
Next to reception is a computer room and phone charging area. There are two computers for general use, and loads of wires poking out of the wall with various little charging adaptors on them (useful if you have lost a charger!)
Above reception is a large bar and dining area. The bar is fairly priced, and cocktails are two for one (COP6,000) at all times. Above the bar is a TV room, with DVD player and plenty of bean bags. There is also a kitchen, but it’s only really good for cooking very small meals.
There is wifi throughout the building and it is fast and reliable.
The only real downside is that the hostel itself is at the top of a hill, and it can be a little tiring to walk. Also while we were there they were having some problems with local kids trying to mug people. But they told us another route to walk and we avoided them, so it didn’t really feel like a problem.

City: Cali
Hostel Name: Pelican Larry’s
URL: www.pelicanlarrycali.com
Location: Calle 20N #6AN-44 B/Granada
Price Rating: Budget (Dorm COP18000)
We stayed: Early May 2012
Comments: This is quite a fun little hostel. It’s a little way out of town, but in a safe enough area.
Common areas include a huge kitchen and outdoor dining area, reception area/computer room, and a TV room with a very large selection of DVDs. Beer can be bought at reception for a very reasonable price (COP2500 for a large beer and COP2000 for a small). You can’t bring in your own beers, but they seem okay about wines and spirits.
The dorms are okay – the bunkbeds are a little close together for my liking, and it gets a little warm at night. A few ceiling fans wouldn’t go amiss. The security lockers are outside the rooms, and are the secure, metal type.
The showers are amongst the best that I have seen in a hostel. Very high pressure and very hot. Each cubicle also has a small, dry changing area. The whole bathroom/shower area seems to be constantly cleaned.
Staff are very friendly and speak pretty good English. They’re also quite good about recommending where to go (I would never has discovered the awesome Cali Zoo otherwise)
There is an all you can eat BBQ every Sunday for COP12000, which works out as a pretty good deal.
There are three computers available for general use, though these are not free. There is also high speed wifi available throughout the building.

City: Cartagena
Hostel Name: Makako Chill Out Hostel
Location: Calle Quero 9 54
Price Rating: Budget (Dorm COP22,000)
We stayed: Early May 2012
Comments: Nice, relaxed little hostel within the city walls of Cartagena. The location of this place couldn’t be better – it’s in a little street, around one block down from the main drag, and about 5 minutes walk from a huge supermarket. It’s a long way to the bus station – a taxi costs around COP25,000, but this is true of any hostels in the area. A taxi to the bus station costs as much as a long distance bus to the next city.
The dorms are large, clean and have air conditioning (albeit only for a limited time at night). There are security lockers at reception, but these are tiny and only able to accommodate a phone, camera, passport etc.
The large dorm has an en suite bathroom, and there are two other bathrooms dotted around. The bathrooms are clean, but the water is not particularly hot (though this is not a problem in humid Cartagena).
The kitchen is very big and well equipped, though not particularly well ventilated. If you’re cooking over the stove in there, you’re going to get very, very hot!
The common area has a number of sofas, tables and a huge TV, with English language cable. There’s also a balcony at the front with a view a picturesque street.
The staff are absolutely fantastic here. They speak perfect English, and bring you coffee and juice if they see you sitting around.
Beer is available for COP2,500 for a small bottle. Officially, you can’t take in your own drinks, though they seem quite relaxed about this.
Wifi is fast and reliable and available throughout the hostel. There is one computer at reception for general use.
There is a laundry service, but it’s very expensive. We paid COP30,000 for an average sized load, which is a lot more than in other hostels. Save your laundry for your next destination, or use the Lavanderia.

City: Leticia
Hostel Name: El Divino Nino
Location: Carrera 6 NO. 7-23
URL: http://hoteldivinonino.com/
Price Rating: Budget (Private En Suite COP25,000)
We stayed: Late May 2012
Comments: Great little hotel and very reasonably priced. A perfect place to stop on the way to or from the jungle.
Rooms are spacious and clean, and most have a fridge, cable TV and air conditioning. The bathroom was reasonably large, and the water fairly warm.
The hotel has wifi, but it is only switched on at certain times of the day. You sometimes need to ask for it to be switched, as they are liable to forget.
There is a nice little common area, with sofas and a TV.

City: Leticia
Hostel Name: La Jangada Hospedaje
Location: Carrera 9, No 8-106
URL: http://la-jangada-hostel.minihostels.com/
Price Rating: Budget (Double Private, Shared Bathroom COP25,000)
We stayed: Mid May 2012
Comments: This is a below average hostel/hotel in a small town. We booked as it was the only place available on Hostelworld, but there are better options out there.
None of the plug sockets in our room worked. All of the electricity was via an extension lead that was coming in through the window. The window itself looked directly out to the reception area, but was not completely covered by the curtain, so privacy was a little lacking. The room itself was large and fairly clean.
The bathroom was just outside the bedroom and was a little cramped. There was also very little in the way of hot water.
The hotel also has a tour agency. Some of the tours seemed quite reasonable if you are after one of the more commercial style tours. They were not able to offer any tours into the deeper jungle (though that’s fine if the jungle is not your thing!) The tours were decently priced compared with the operators in town. However, we did not use them.
Breakfast was not included, but for COP6,000, the complete breakfast was excellent. Definitely worth a try if you stay.
Wifi is available in the reception area. It was fairly fast, but liable to cut out at the slightest hint of rain (which happens a lot in Leticia). The hotel is also prone to power cuts.

City: Medellin
Hostel Name: Black Sheep Hostel
Location: Barrio Patio Bonito, Poblado, Medellin, Transversal 5a 45-133
URL: www.blacksheepmedellin.com
Price Rating: Budget (Dorm COP20000)
We stayed: Early May 2012
Comments: This is a really good hostel. Great atmosphere, and a really wide variety of people. The staff are all very friendly and knowledgeable about the area, and all speak perfect English. They even showed us how to get tickets for the Athletico Nacional football game that night (not as straightforward as it sounds).
Dorms are large, clean and have an en suite. Daypack sized security lockers are outside the rooms. The dorms themselves do not lock, though this is understandable with 10 people in there. The whole place is secure – you have to get buzzed in from the street.
The hostel itself is in Poblado, which is a more upmarket area of Medellin. It’s around a five minute walk to the metro. There’s a huge supermarket nearby, as well as a giant mall.
The common areas are a kitchen, TV room and a dining area, as well as a small garden area out the front and back.
There are three pay-for computers for general use by reception, and Wifi is available.
As they sell beer (COP2500 for a small bottle), you can’t take your own in. They seem more relaxed about spirits and wine.

City: Popayan
Hostel Name: HostelTrail
Location: Carrera 11 No. 4-16
URL: www.hosteltrailpopayan.com
Price Rating: Budget (Dorm COP17,000)
We stayed: Early May 2012
Comments: Above average place, in a fairly decent location.
There are 35 beds in this hostel, though it was fairly empty when we were there, so it felt a little quiet.
Dorms are average sized and very clean. The security lockers are not in the rooms, but downstairs near the front door. This can be a bit of a pain for accessing your valuables. Lockers are also pretty small – you can only really get a daypack in there.
Bathrooms are pretty big and cleaned regularly. There’s probably around 10 people to each bathroom. Whilst this isn’t too bad, they could probably do with a few more.
There’s a few common areas – a well stocked TV/DVD room, medium sized kitchen, a dining area downstairs, and a seating area in reception/bar area.
There is a reasonably priced bar by reception, but this only stocks beer.
Staff are all really friendly and more than happy to direct you to local sights and restuarants. They sell tours as well, but are not too pushy about it.
Wifi is available throughout the building and is very fast and reliable.

City: Santa Marta
Hostel Name: The Dreamer
Location: Carerra 51 N 26d-161
URL: http://www.thedreamerhostel.com/
Price Rating: Budget (Dorm COP18,000)
We stayed: Early May 2012
Comments: This is one of our favourite hostels in Colombia. All the rooms are arranged around a well kept lawn and swimming pool, with plenty of sun loungers and hammocks.
The dorms are all modern, have ceiling mounted fans and huge security lockers. All of the lockers contain plug sockets for charging laptops etc, which is a huge bonus.
There is one male/one female bathroom for all the non ensuite rooms, but these have 3 toilets and 3 showers each, so there is never a need to queue. Bathrooms seem to be cleaned constantly.
There is a large bar area, with a pool table and sofas, and lots of tables and chairs spaced around. The bar sells beer, wine and spirits, but it is rather expensive – a small glass of wine costs COP6,000, when you can get a litre in the supermarket for COP10,000. You are not supposed to bring in your own alcohol (though people do).
There is also an ‘Italian restaurant’ that serves food, and a fully stocked kitchen, good as a mega supermarket is only 10 minutes away.
There are computers available and decent wifi throughout.

City: Taganga
Hostel Name: Bayview Hostel
URL: http://www.bayviewhostel.com/
Location: Carrera 4 No 17b – 57
Price Rating: Budget (Dorm COP22,000)
We stayed: Early May 2012
Comments: This is a fairly average hostel around a five minute walk from Taganga Beach. It’s a little overpriced for what you get.
The TV area is fairly good for socialising, and shows a lot of English language TV. Downstairs is a kitchen and dining area, but it feels a little dingy at times. There is also table tennis, pool and table football, but these are all a little run down.
Towards the back of the garden is a bar and swimming pool. The pool is only open from 10am to 6pm (though this doesn’t seem to be strictly enforced). The bar has very random opening times – sometimes it will be open until 2am, other nights, not at all. If the bar is open, then you are not allowed to bring in your own beer. The hostel reserves the right to confiscate alcohol and return it to you when you leave. This seems a little draconian.
The dorms also feel a little run down – ours was missing a door and there was only a curtain separating the room from the stairwell. There are security lockers, but these are very small (laptop sized), and by reception. Rooms only seem to get cleaned every couple of days. Some of the dorms have air con, which costs a little more. Others have fans.
Bathrooms are a good size, and clean, but there are not enough of them.
The staff are all very friendly and helpful, and the general atmosphere around the place is really good. It has a bit of a party vibe, but not too much.
Wifi is free and available all over. There’s a computer room by reception, but you have to pay for this.