Samán Hostel Medellín

The area of Pablado is fantastic, with lots of bars, shops, and good coffee, and the metro is about a 15-minute walk away. My partner and I spent our last week in Colombia at the Samán Hostel, our favorite place of the trip. Dianna and Robyn were such welcoming hosts and quick to help with anything we needed. The hostel was clean and comfortable, with a hammock at the back and an open common area for hanging out. We'll be back!

There's plenty of restaurants and bars close by, and the metro is about a 15-minute walk. The location felt good and safe, and the rooms were nice and clean. Breakfast was good too. Unfortunately, none of the staff speak English, and some get angry if you don't speak Spanish.

The room was shabby, with just one electrical outlet for all six guests, and the floors clearly hadn't been mopped in weeks. The balcony faces a Domino's Pizza and KFC, and the location is ugly. At 4 in the morning, someone was yelling right outside our room. When I went to see what was happening, a hostel worker said, "He drunk" about a local guy who was friends with the hostel staff. The female staff were rude and unfriendly, with endless examples I could give. No one here speaks English, so I had to go to another hostel for information about the city, buses, tours, and everything else. Possibly the worst hostel I've stayed in!

I spent several weeks here, and they left me with some of my fondest memories. The pictures are accurate: plants, no clutter, and huge, luxurious bathrooms. Breakfast was fresh and varied every day, and Toucan Spanish is a short walk away. The people are lovely, and the hospitality is simple, genuine, and wonderfully clean. It's big enough to be social but small enough to stay calm, and close enough to the center to stumble home while still being far enough away for a good night's sleep.