Sites Hotel

The interior is lovely, and the clean rooms look beautiful, but ours was set up for two even though there were four of us. The rooftop waiter really made the difference. Swimming in the small rooftop pool was fabulous, even if they call it a jacuzzi. The juice and coffee at breakfast were unbearable. It’s in the city’s most upscale neighborhood, with the pros and cons that come with that.

The Sites Hotel in El Poblado has given me the best hotel stay of my life, even after 26 countries and stays at Ritz-Carltons, Aman resorts, and a Rajasthan palace with a pet peacock. Nothing has matched its hospitality. The bellmen were already smiling before my Uber had stopped, as though they’d been waiting since 2019. At check-in I got an ice-cold branded glass bottle of filtered water, free to refill throughout the stay, and somehow they knew my name and how I take my coffee, black with one sugar. I felt like James Bond, armed with hydration instead of a Walther PPK. The staff treated me like royalty. The cooks seemed like sorcerers, and every dish was cooked as if the chef were trying to win my mom’s approval. The arepas at breakfast were so fluffy I considered framing one. After five days I’d gained a noticeable bit of weight and was completely at peace with it. The location is right in the heart of Provenza, next door to El Libertador, which is the best whisky bar on earth, fight me. After a flight of 25-40-year-old Scotch, it’s eight steps back to your cloud-bed. Safe and vibrant, hard to beat. It’s not the cheapest place in Medellín, with Bogotá five-star prices, but I’ve paid twice as much elsewhere and left angry. Here I was planning another visit before reaching the elevator. One small heartbreak: smoking is no longer allowed anywhere on the property. I treat a good cigar like therapy, so I dramatically mourned on my balcony with an unlit Montecristo, like a Colombian Scarlett O’Hara. But it’s family-friendly, and the air smells like fresh linen instead of an ashtray, so I’ll allow it. If you come to Medellín and stay somewhere else, I’ll judge you personally. The Sites didn’t just host me, they adopted me for a week and sent me home happier and better hydrated. 10/10, already counting the days till I’m back and they fold my socks into origami. P.S. Tell Caroline at the front desk the gringo with the water bottle says gracias. He’ll smile like he’s been waiting for the message.

The service is always good, as it is in most places in Colombia, and the Poblado location is great. But don’t expect a decent shower: the problem seems to affect every room, and the water is either extremely hot or very cold, which makes showering unpleasant. That’s not acceptable for a $200 hotel.

I really enjoyed this hotel. Breakfast was great, the staff were professional and helpful, and everything was clean with lots of amenities.