Hotel Casa Relax

We booked through booking.com six months ahead, and the hotel's policy said the card would be charged seven days before our stay. Two weeks before we were due to arrive, I got an email saying they had tried to cancel the booking for nonpayment, despite the card details being provided. I tried reaching the hotel through booking.com and by phone, but heard nothing. The booking was eventually cancelled. It looked to me like they wanted to cancel so they could raise the prices.

Getsemani is right in the middle of the action, with music, food, and drinks going late into the night. I loved that, but when I needed sleep before an early morning, my room was cool, comfortable, and quiet. I spent two nights here and had a great stay. Gabriel, the night manager, was really nice. He greeted me at check-in and helped me settle in. Breakfast is included and worth getting up for.

The pool is the best part here, a really nice feature and well looked after. The B&B is well placed in Getsemeni, but our first taste of Colombian hospitality felt a little lacking. Staff were pleasant without much warmth in their welcome. Our room was comfortable and had what we needed, though it was basic and shabby in places. I woke with bites I hadn't had at bedtime. There were no mosquitoes in the room and I was under the sheets, so I suspected bed bugs; the marks looked consistent with them when I checked. Not pleasant. Breakfast was limited to fresh melon and pineapple and similar fruit, toast, and scrambled eggs. Hot drinks were coffee, tea, or hot chocolate. I wouldn't recommend it, as the pool doesn't make up for the downsides. This place could be so much better.

Casa NOT relax. The hotel itself is nice, with a clean pool, friendly staff, and a good breakfast, but the street is extremely noisy. On Friday and Saturday, music kept going until at least 3 a.m. If you want to party late, it may suit you. Otherwise, I'd pick somewhere else.