El Olimpo Medellin

The staff clearly care about making guests comfortable, and Santiago keeps updating things to suit what American visitors might expect. There’s a new gym for getting a workout in, plus air-conditioning that can make the room seriously cold. Maria keeps the room spotless, and there’s fresh coffee ready in the morning. I’ve stayed here for years and it really feels like a second home. I love how comfortable it is, and I think you will too.

There was just one outlet, and the hot water came and went. The room had no windows, smelled musty, and had a few bugs.

They don't reply to messages, and despite saying they have a parking lot, they don't.

Staff were all friendly to me. For food and drinks, there are two simple places right across the road, plus plenty more within a 10-minute walk. The location felt safe and was somewhat close to transit, though it took me 12-15 minutes walking fast to reach the metro. Rosales bus station was about the same distance. Smaller buses pass through, but they're hard to figure out if you know little Spanish, and you generally need a Civic card before using them. My room did have a window, which was nice, but the bathroom's musty smell spread through the room. I left the window open a crack all day and it barely helped. The walls are thin, too. Some Colombian guests upstairs were very loud, and I could hear everything. A woman played music loudly after 10pm, so I asked reception to remind her about quiet hours. She turned it down about 30 minutes later, though that may have been coincidence. On my final night, the receptionist played music loudly until around 11:30pm. I used earplugs, but it was still annoying.