Casa Fortel, Centro Internacional

My favorite hostel in Bogota. It’s affordable, clean, quiet, comfortable, and never crowded.

I had a comfortable single bed and warm blankets, which were just right for the Bogotá chill. My room also had a clothes rack, a small wardrobe, and a bathroom. There’s no TV, but I didn’t miss having one, and the Wi-Fi was excellent. It’s an affordable, simple place, within easy reach of lots of places on foot or by Uber, and the area felt safe. I’d suggest adding a small refrigerator to the rooms.

I stayed here for about 10 days. The hotel is newly opened, very clean, and has a desk and chair in the room. The shower pressure and temperature were among the best I’ve had in Bogotá, where budget places often have weak pressure and barely warm water. Wi-Fi was sometimes slow but generally worked well. Towels can be changed every two days if you ask, and the employee who is always there was especially friendly and helpful. As of July 2025, some rooms were still being renovated. Noise was the biggest problem for me. Sound carries through the building, so conversations and other noises from downstairs, and even snoring next door, are easy to hear. The staff also run the washer and dryer every night until about 3 a.m., which made it impossible to sleep properly. None of the rooms has a window that gets sunlight. There was soap but no shampoo, and I sometimes found hair or other debris, so the cleaning didn’t seem very thorough. Laundry costs 40,000 COP for 13 to 20 items, nearly ten times what other hostels charge. Most charge 5,000 to 7,000 COP for around 10 to 12 items. There’s a new self-service laundromat nearby where you can wash and dry up to 27 items, or 18 pounds, for 32,000 COP. Room cleaning is included only for stays of 15 days or more. Before that, each cleaning costs 15,000 COP. Many budget places in Colombia clean for free every few days, and the more attentive ones do it daily, so I found this disappointing. For a medium or long stay, other mid-range hotels may offer better value through their services and extended-stay discounts. I ultimately moved to another hotel. Still, I believe this place could become Bogotá’s most popular budget accommodation with some service improvements. I wish them success and wholeheartedly support them. 🤞

There’s no one to keep guests from smoking inside late at night, so cigarette smoke fills the rooms.