Socialtel Cartagena

We’d been looking forward to staying here, but that didn’t last. Our six-person female dorm was very cramped, and there was a lot of mold on the ceiling. We could switch rooms, but the new one had some mold on its ceiling too.

The refund never came through. The manager said we’d get it via Paypal, but three months later we still hadn’t received anything, even though we’d been told our room complaints were understood and a refund or credit was coming. The room itself was a mess: blue spots on the mattress and an air conditioner that looked grey and blew stale, unhealthy air. The photos online look nothing like reality, and the things shown there aren’t there. Cartagena Socialtel was an embarrassing disaster after we’d been looking forward to a well-earned vacation at an amazing hostel. They charge Pre-Covid prices, from when the hotel was probably still clean. To fellow travellers: DO. NOT. GO. To this Mold place. The photos speak for themselves.

The staff were amazing, and the location was great. The main building and rooftops were lovely, but I wouldn’t recommend the shared rooms. The beds and lockers were old and barely worked, with many lockers too damaged to close. Sockets barely worked, and there was no light at each bed, just the main bedroom light. The room had only a tiny window facing the main corridor and no bathroom window, so it felt damp and dark. After a shower, the bathroom was inevitably soaked because there was no shower guard. I’d recommend it for a private room because of the staff and location.

The rooftop was lovely, the beds comfortable, breakfast pretty good, and the restaurant and bar staff were mega nice. The location is very central, and the neighborhood isn’t too loud, though you can hear people in the hallways. The bathrooms were so-so, but not bad for a hostel. My friend and I stayed a few days and had a booking agency mix-up: I thought I’d booked two private rooms, but it was actually two beds. The receptionists and staff were patient, professional, and kind while helping us sort it out. Special thanks to Laura, Gabriela, and Lisette.