Pachamama Hostel Cartagena

The location in lively, artsy Getsemani is great, and the rooftop terrace was pleasant, especially with the evening breeze. In the daytime, it got a bit too hot in the sun. Staff were generally pleasant, though not especially forthcoming. There’s a good laundry place nearby called Lavatú. The private room with shower was a pretty mediocre stay, which may be what the price suggests. Still, many problems seem simple to fix. The bed sagged, the mattress cover kept slipping off, and there was barely space for my things or bags. The small room had little natural light and felt damp, with no way to get fresh air circulating. There were hardly any hooks, so my towels stayed wet for three days. The room had only bright white bulbs, making it feel impersonal, while the shared spaces had warmer lighting. The kitchen didn't even have a proper knife for cutting fruit, so I had to hack at my papaya with a butter knife. Three of the stove's six burners didn't work, and the working ones burned badly, leaving heavy soot on the pans and staining the rest of the kitchen. Most of the hostel had no windows, so it was short on daylight and fresh air. To me, these issues point to a lack of attention from the maintenance team.