Hotel Camino Real Popayán Colombia

The shower had good pressure and hot water, and the bed was comfortable. Staff were helpful, too. There’s a small fridge, but no safe. If you’re staying on a weekend, ask for a room away from the street: the clubs opposite play until 2 or 3 in the morning.

I paid 95,000 COP, about $38 USD, and it was the best money I’ve spent on a hotel. I’m American, and this is the best hotel I’ve stayed at anywhere in Colombia. It really felt like a five star stay. Get a room overlooking the square!

We went to Camino Real’s restaurant after seeing it in Lonely Planet and getting a recommendation from a Colombian friend in Cali. It was the most expensive meal of my three weeks in Colombia at 60,000 COP per tasting menu, and easily the worst. The place was nearly empty at 7:30 on a Wednesday, with only three tables occupied. There are lots of eclectic old objects and posters meant to create a traditional antique feel, but the stuffy staff and empty room made it seem dated and lifeless instead of charming. The meal started badly. My shrimp ravioli was shrimp butterflied open and stuffed with mint and onion, then covered in butter sauce. The shrimp was tough and overcooked, and all I could taste was butter. The asparagus salad was iceberg lettuce, pickled white asparagus, and an acidic dressing I couldn’t identify. I don’t care for pickled or white asparagus, and it tasted bland to me. My companion’s trout was very fishy and underwhelming. Her tasting menu cost the same, but her second course seemed more substantial than mine. The beef in wine sauce was nice, although much redder than the medium rare I ordered. My companion’s pepper steak was the same way. Both came with the same dull side salad of iceberg lettuce, acidic dressing, mango, and green beans, plus a little boiled potato with herbs. The desserts weren’t much better. My companion’s Eduardo santos, a traditional dessert with condensed milk and assorted fruits, arrived frozen like a Mexican-style popsicle. It was hard to eat, though not bad. My apple dessert was unpleasantly sweet, with regional puff pastry coated heavily in sugar. The apples on top still had their skins, and the cinnamon tasted like red hots. Service was disappointing as well. The waiter was attentive in the sense that he watched us, but never asked if we liked the food. They didn’t offer a drink menu because, he said, it “isn’t complete,” and they don’t serve wine by the glass. Odd for a restaurant with culinary awards. The atmosphere felt stuffy and old-fashioned, and the food and service didn’t make up for it. I wouldn’t spend money here. You can eat much better and cheaper in Colombia. Those awards were from 30 years ago, and I can see why.

Popayan’s historic center is right on the doorstep, and the reception staff were very helpful. The rooms are clean, though on the small side, and the restaurant is good. Updating the bathroom would be enough to make this a five-star stay for me.