Maria's House Hostel Santa Marta

It was hard to spot Casa Maria Boutique Hotel from the outside since there was no sign, and I only found it because a curious neighbor pointed me in the right direction. The mirror had no stand, so I had to put it on a chair to see my full body. There was no warm water for a comfortable shower, and the walls were thin enough that I could hear barking dogs, people talking, and music.

I spent 10 days here and had a great time. The staff made me feel welcome, and the pool was refreshing. Joseph was especially helpful, particularly when speaking English. I also really enjoyed the Arepas. Thanks again for the recipe! 🍻

The room was cramped, had no blankets, and only one towel, with no second towel brought when we asked. It was worth the price, but we won't compromise on the service next time. Getting in was difficult too: nobody answered the door until our taxi driver honked repeatedly and we tried calling. A young boy eventually let us in, then asked for 80,000 COP when we were meant to pay 65,000. We gave him 100,000, and he said he'd return the change in 10 minutes. An hour later he told us his replacement would give it back. After another 15 minutes, his brother said we'd been given the wrong room and had to move. We couldn't, because our things were already spread around the room and my wife was unwell. They only returned the 20,000 in the morning after we reminded them, and it seemed they wouldn't have otherwise.

I wouldn't recommend it because of the service. Maybe we'd have had a more efficient person if we arrived at another time, but the two teenagers who received us didn't provide good service.