Updated:2/22/22 | February 22nd, 2022
There are a lot of hostels in Medellín. As “gringo central” forColombia,you can’t walk five feet without coming across one, with majority located in El Pablado (Gringoland) and Laureles (up-and-coming Gringoland).
In fact, if you look on Hostelworld, you’ll find 93 hostels in this city. That’s a lot of hostels.
I spent close tothree weeks in Medellín:first for an extended time over the holidays and then again as I made my way from north to south. Like I do whenever I’m in cities that long, I decided to stay in as many hostels as possible to find out which were the best.
很多在线列表都告诉你最好的hostels in the city, but I found that my experiences staying in them differed so greatly from the reviews, I began to think, “Ya know, I don’t think people really stayed here!”
And there area lot of things to consider when selecting a hostel. The top four when picking the best hostel in Medellín are:
- Location– Medellín is huge and it can take some time to get around. Pick a place that is central to the sites and nightlife you want to see. All the hostels listed here are in central locations.
- Price– In Medellín, you really get what you pay for, so if you go with a really cheap one, you’re probably going to get a hostel that is small, cramped, and doesn’t offer great service.
- Amenities– Every hostel in the city offers free Wi-Fi, and most have a free breakfast, but if you want more than that, be sure to do your research to find the hostel that best meets your needs!
- Staff– All the hostels listed here have amazing staff! They are super friendly and knowledgeable. Even if you don’t end up staying at one of the places listed below, be sure to look up reviews to ensure you end up somewhere where the staff is helpful and friendly! They can make or break a hostel!
To help you plan your trip, here is my list of the hostels in Medellín that I like the most. If you don’t want to read the longer list below, the following hostels are the best in each category:
Best Hostel for Budget Travelers:The Wandering Paisa
Best Hostel for Families:旅馆Rango精品
Best Hostel for Solo Female Travelers:Los Patios
Best Hostel for Digital Nomads:Black Sheep Hostel
Best Hostel for Partying:Purple Monkey
Best Overall Hostel:Los Patios
Want the specifics of each hostel? Here’s my comprehensive list of the best hostels in Medellin:
Price Legend (per night)
- $ = Under 60,000 COP
- $$ = 60,000-80,000 COP
- $$$ = Over 80,000 COP
1. Los Patios
This stylish hostel has themed floors inspired by Colombia’s natural surroundings: mountains, jungles, sea, and plains. It’s part of a massive two-building complex that also has a co-working space, a gym, rooftop bars, an organic garden (whose herbs you can use), a Spanish school, and communal kitchens. It was by far my favorite hostel in the entirety of the city. (In fact, I think it is one of the best hostels I’ve ever stayed in!)
Each dorm bed comes with a privacy curtain, and the private rooms are as comfortable as hotels. The bathrooms were amazing and the beds super comfy — I got some of my best nights’ sleep here. It offers free tea and coffee, great happy hours, amazing parties, and activities like salsa classes and street art tours, plus there are free bike rentals. The staff is also super friendly and welcoming. Overall, this hostel just gets it.
Los Patios at a glance:
- $$
- Tons of great amenities (co-working space, gym, rooftop bar)
- Organizes lots of activities
- Free perks (free tea/coffee, free bike rentals)
Beds from 64,000 COP, privates from 205,000 COP.
2.旅馆Rango精品
Hostel Rango is one of the more upscale hostels in the city. The dorm beds are super comfy, though the beds lack privacy curtains. Each bed comes with reading lights, two power sockets, and personal lockers. The bathrooms are nicer than anything I’ve ever seen in a hostel and rival that of a luxury hotel. I mean, that water pressure! That rustic design? So good! I want these bathrooms in my home.
I found the open, industrial décor is super fashionable, and the hostel’s restaurant and bar area great for grabbing a meal and a really good professional cocktail (honestly the bar alone is worth visiting). The staff will also help to set you up with activities like food tours and free walking tours.
Private rooms are also available and come with a few additional touches, like TVs and mini-fridges, but they are as expensive as hotels, so skip them.
旅馆Rango精品at a glance:
- $$
- Restaurant/bar on-site makes it easy to meet people
- Organizes tours and activities
- Comfy dorm beds with lots of outlets
Beds from 62,000 COP, privates from 255,000 COP.
3. Sugar Cane Hostel
German- and Colombian-owned Sugar Cane is small. There are just a few private and dorm rooms on one level. The rooms are impressively clean, although they lack the character of the larger hostels in town. The roof has a common area with a few hammocks as well as the hostel’s kitchen. Breakfast is free (you serve yourself) and comes with all the essentials, like bread, eggs, muesli, coffee, and tea.
Every Sunday the German owner (I forget his name) cooks up his famous barbecue of chicken, steak, sausages, and all the fixings! It’s a pretty standard, simple hostel, but the owner really makes you feel like family, and he helped me a lot during my stay.
Sugar Cane Hostel at a glance:
- $
- Laid-back lounge with hammocks on the roof
- Free breakfast
- 每周的烧烤很容易满足的人
Beds from 38,000 COP, private rooms from 116,000 COP.
4. The Wandering Paisa
The Wandering Paisa is located in the upscale area of Laureles, which is the up and coming touristy area. All the dorms are covered in South American and Colombian cultural artwork by local students. Each bed comes with a large locker and a privacy divider, which makes it easier to sleep. While the beds are average, I was a big fan of the nice pillows. The kitchen has the basic essentials. The Paisa Bar is a fun spot to hang out in, and local musicians perform on the sundeck.
The hostel also offers free salsa lessons and Spanish classes. If you want to get out of Poblado, this is the place to stay.
The Wandering Paisa at a glance:
- $
- Privacy curtains so you can get decent sleep
- Terrace that hosts local bands
- Lots of free events (Spanish lessons, salsa classes)
Beds from 28,000 COP.
5. Black Sheep Hostel
The Black Sheep Hostel, one of Medellín’s most popular, was also the first in town. I really loved this hostel. The rooms, while pretty bare, are spotless, and the bathrooms have great water pressure and are cleaned regularly. There are lots of common spaces here, including a large balcony and terrace area. The beer sold is cheap and I found guests here were always socializing and hanging out (the way they should). The Kiwi staff owner is super nice and staff members are all university students that are great at handing out local advice.
The hostel also offers a ton of tour options that you can book directly from and they’ll even exchange money if you need. This is another “classic” hostel that gets everything right! I loved it.
Black Sheep Hostel at a glance:
- $
- Lots of common areas (including a terrace)
- Organizes tons of tours and activities
- Cheap drinks at their bar
Beds from 40,000 COP, private rooms from 140,000 COP.
6. Purple Monkey
This is definitely one of the liveliest party hostels in Medellín. It’s quirky and upbeat, with a massive rooftop bar area. I found the dorms to be small and cramped, and it was a bit weird to go upstairs and outside to the shower area, but the place is kept very clean, there’s free breakfast, and you really only come here to party, so who cares about anything else!
Purple Monkey at a glance:
- $
- Massive rooftop bar makes it easy to meet people
- Free breakfast
- Super social atmosphere
Beds from 37,000 COP, private rooms from 115,000 COP.
7. Casa Kiwi Hostel
Casa猕猴桃旅馆是另一个机构和定位d in the middle of Poblado. The dorms are small and I found the beds to be a little thin, but each bed has a locker, and overall, the building is clean and tidy. There’s a big kitchen with free coffee and tea, but the hostel’s restaurant serves up tasty and cheap food. It also has a rooftop terrace, a plunge pool, a bar, plenty of hammocks, and a mini-theater.
As one of the most popular hostels in the city, it’s really easy to meet people here, as it’s always full!
Casa Kiwi Hostel at a glance:
- $
- Restaurant on-site makes it easy to mingle
- Rooftop terrace and pool
- Great place to meet people
Beds from 35,000 COP.
Two places I would not recommend staying are Monet’s and Selina. Monet’s is new and cheap and has friendly owners, but it’s far from the action, the walls are thin, and the accommodations pretty basic. If you were on a tight, tight budget and everywhere else was full, it would be good for a night. I wouldn’t spend more time there than that.
Selina is a super popular hostel with digital nomads and has locations around the world. It’s always so hyped up that I was pretty excited to stay there.
However, I was greatly disappointed.
It was a good spot to work from (they have a co-working space), there are restaurants on site, and the bar, though overpriced, was a nice place to meet expats and travelers, but the beds were hard, the rooms had little privacy, and the bathrooms weren’t well kept. Given the high premium it charges, I just didn’t see the value in staying there. Better to stay elsewhere and go party at Selina instead! You get more bang for your peso elsewhere.
So there you have it: the best hostels in Medellín based on my recent firsthand experience. You can’t go wrong with any of them, but by far the best, best, BEST hostel in the city isLos Patios. It’s one of the greatest hostels I’ve ever stayed in!
Book Your Trip to Medellin: Logistical Tips and Tricks
Book Your Flight
UseSkyscannerto find a cheap flight. They are my favorite search engine because they search websites and airlines around the globe so you always know no stone is left unturned!
Book Your Accommodation
You can book your hostel withHostelworldas they have the biggest inventory and best deals. If you want to stay somewhere other than a hostel, useBooking.comas they consistently return the cheapest rates for guesthouses and cheap hotels.
Don’t Forget Travel Insurance
Travel insurance will protect you against illness, injury, theft, and cancellations. It’s comprehensive protection in case anything goes wrong. I never go on a trip without it as I’ve had to use it many times in the past. My favorite companies that offer the best service and value are:
- Safety Wing(for everyone below 70)
- Insure My Trip(for those over 70)
- Medjet(for additional repatriation coverage)
Looking for the Best Companies to Save Money With?
Check out myresource pagefor the best companies to use when you travel. I list all the ones I use to save money when I’m on the road. They will save you money when you travel too.
Want More Information on Colombia?
Be sure to visit ourrobust destination guide to Colombiafor even more planning tips!