El Mocambo Hostel And Guest House

I spent three weeks in Colombia and was glad I finished my trip at El Mocambo. The hostel has the best view in town and an amazing atmosphere. It felt like home as soon as I arrived, and Vladimir, the owner, is a wonderful person who makes sure you're looked after. They serve breakfast too, a delicious fruit salad and eggs, all raised on the farm here. I highly recommend it.

There are three buildings with rooms, plus spots for tents and cars, and even a natural pool. It's a beautiful area and an excellent hostel, so stay a few nights if you can. We got there late in the evening, but they arranged a pickup from the highway. It's quite far from Salento, so you'll need a bus or a ride up the hill to reach town. There's a small shop at the hostel for things like water and beer. Breakfast was included (7/16).

EL Mocambo feels like a home away from home, with the best spot for watching the Salento sunset. Vladimir, the host, makes sure you have a restful, welcoming stay, and the service is great. They serve fresh, delicious breakfast every morning. I loved bird watching early in the day, relaxing by the bonfire at night, and taking in those magical sunsets. I'd recommend this hostel to anyone visiting Salento who wants to get away from city life and enjoy some quiet.

We booked through Airbnb expecting a family farm or finca, but this felt like a very businesslike hostel with no personal connection. We were disappointed and moved to a much better house nearer to Circasia the next day. The setting is scenic and access to the river is nice, but it's a long way from Salento. We were hungry and asked at reception how we could get somewhere to eat. The woman replied, “At this hour?” It was 6 pm, and she said it would be difficult. The bus stop is 1 km away and the fare is 1,000 pesos. We later found out buses run every 20 minutes and the last one back from Salento is around 9 pm, but she hadn't mentioned that. We had expected a shuttle twice a day and never saw or heard anything about one. Instead, we were handed a bar flyer and told about a happy hour we hadn't asked about and weren't interested in. The room has no bathroom door, so you need to be comfortable using the toilet with your partner there. The shower is basic, with plastic pipes coming out of the wall. Breakfast was basic hostel fare, and the coffee was bad. How do you serve bad coffee in the coffee region? The hostel itself is basic, and reception was unfriendly and unhelpful. A very mediocre stay. I hope they improve their reception service.