Hotel Espana

The building is very old, and it really needs some remodeling.

It’s easy to find on Carrera Séptima, about a block and a half from the Colpatria Tower. I only ate at the restaurant, where the food is traditional Colombian. It’s popular, but the service was what I expected. For someone on a tight budget who isn’t concerned with the finer restaurant details, the price, quality, portions, and service are all fine.

I’ve been coming here for two decades, sometimes alone for work and other times on vacation with my wife and children. The people have felt more welcoming with each visit. It’s a family-run hotel on Carrera Séptima, right at the start of the pedestrian area and in the middle of Bogotá’s cultural scene. The San Diego TransMilenio station, Museum of Modern Art of Bogotá, and Jorge Eliecer Gaitán Theater are each two blocks away; the National Museum is four blocks away, and Embajador Cinema is one. Sundays bring a carnival growing out of the traditional "Flea Market." In the evenings, street performers are common along Carrera Séptima, and some are excellent.

The room I was given was quiet at the back, with barely any street music coming through. But sound carries inside: I could hear the security guards, doorbell, and neighbors’ TV. The entrance is a big door facing the road, and you have to ring the bell. A very smiley, pleasant young woman greeted me. It was 150,000 soles for 4 nights, not too expensive for the city center. The hostel has a big entrance facing Carrera 7, too. The woman checking us in was very pleasant, and the dorm was spacious, bright, calm, and pleasant. It was cheap, 150,000 soles for 4 nights. You can hear the guards and other guests, but it didn’t bother me.