Hotel Buena Vista

We paid 270,000 pesos a night for a dingy room that looked nothing like the photos, so we moved to a much nicer hotel a few doors down and paid 100k less. The “buena vista” was actually an internal window overlooking stairs and a gym. If you want ventilation in the bathroom, guests will see you showering as they head down to breakfast. Apparently day passes for the buena vista pool are popular, but we won’t be back. I still don’t know what we did to upset the receptionist. Maybe it was my Spanish after a 10-hour bus ride, or maybe my Colombian partner, but she was rude as soon as we walked in.

The staff were professional and attentive, and the apartment we stayed in for one night was very spacious, with a washer in the room. The neighborhood was lovely and the location was the best, close to stores, restaurants, banks, and more. There were some problems, though: the shower’s hot water kept cutting out in the morning, there was no hair dryer, and although the bed linens looked clean, they smelled strongly of body odor. Maybe they need stronger detergent or more of it.

Breakfast was good, the room was nice, and the service was great. I’d stay here again. The only inconvenience was that the hot water sometimes ran low for the tub or shower, apparently only early in the day. I’d recommend it.

The location is fantastic, with plenty of restaurants, supermarkets, and bars nearby, and everything feels central. I paid COP 135,000, which I think was good value. The room was spotless, the water pressure was great and the water hot, breakfast was good, and the staff were friendly. There was covered parking too. I’d planned to stay two nights but wound up staying four because it was so comfortable. I’d definitely recommend it and come back.