Viajero Hostel Medellin

The rooftop is nice, though the evenings seemed more geared toward locals than hostel guests. Most social events are bar crawls, so if that's not your thing there isn't much else to do with people. The kitchen is poorly stocked: there are about a dozen pot lids but only one frying pan for the whole hostel, and no useful utensils like a spatula. No locked doors or wristband checks also meant one roommate could bring someone who wasn't staying there into our room. I'd suggest coming for a drink, but there are much better and safer hostels nearby. I've stayed at 6 Viajeros across South America, and this had by far the least friendly and least helpful staff. They seemed focused on getting as much money from guests as possible, with little customer service. At other Viajero meet and greets, a staff member gets everyone talking with introductions and fun facts. Here I was sent to the bar and left sitting alone, in full view of staff. I've also never had to pay to play beer pong at another Viajero.

The other travellers were nice, but the hostel kept pushing tours, parties, and promotion for its new Medellin hostel. It didn't feel genuine, and the vibe was bad overall. You may be better off staying somewhere nicer for less and visiting the rooftop to socialize, since plenty of people there aren't hostel guests anyway. I made a mistake booking this place after enjoying other Viajeros. My private room cost more than many hotels, yet it was small, had no desk, and the mattress springs poked into my back. Street noise was awful in the rooms facing the road: motorcycles, people screaming, yelling, fighting, and throwing bottles at 3 am. Earplugs didn't help, and there was no soundproofing. The room Wi-Fi was practically nonexistent, so I couldn't browse or make calls.

The rooms are spotless and modern, with a brutalist touch, and I really enjoyed them. Still, the hostel has loads of rules that don't make sense or help guests feel welcome, and the staff were extremely unhelpful. It could work for a one-night stay, but it's not a great place to meet people.

I keep coming back, and I honestly can't count how many times I've stayed here. It's one of my favorite places on earth lol. The planned activities are always fun, and I've never left without making new friends. There's always a great crowd, energetic and fun staff, a solid food menu, and good drinks.