Casa Castillo Cali

I didn’t feel comfortable there, though I can’t really complain since the hotel clearly advertises itself as two stars. It says to expect the basics for an overnight stay: a simple room, possibly a shared bathroom, basic furnishings and cleaning, maybe limited reception and few services, with TV, Wi-Fi, and air conditioning in the rooms.

Wilson, who manages the house, was generous and the location in Cali was great. In my searches, this was the cheapest hotel in the south of the city. Still, the old building needs repairs and there was dust in many areas. Breakfast was the worst part for me: every day of my booking it was just coffee, bread, and a fried egg. I’d call the experience closer to a hostel. There are private rooms, but no 24-hour reception or other hotel services like room service, a minibar, shampoo, or soap in the bathroom.

After an eight-hour trip, I arrived at 8 p.m. to find a lost-looking, lazy guy come out and tell me he’d missed my reservation and had no rooms. Horrible, completely disrespectful service. I called a nearby hotel, Casa Hotel Impacto, which I highly recommend. It has really nice rooms, a pool, and a great location and service.

The breakfast could be more elaborate, but everything else was excellent. Staff were very friendly, especially Wilson, the manager. Casa Castillo is great value for families, and I highly recommend staying there if you’re in the south of the city.