With beautiful Spanish churches and shuttered mansions, Cartagena is one of the most popular stops on the Colombian backpacker trail. Ticking off the colonial city has become a rite of passage for the thousands of backpackers, drawn annually by its colorful history, coral-fringed Rosario Islands and long sandy beaches. It can be tricky to pinpoint a perfect base in this city, so with that in mind, here are the very best hostels in and around Cartagena, Colombia.
Set in a colonial mansion inside Cartagena’s ancient city walls, the pocket-size doubles and dorms here have few frills, but all the necessities. The hostel’s complimentary breakfasts – served in the central atrium – are generous, with lots of tropical fruits, eggs, pastries and strong coffee, and there’s a lively little bar. But ask for upper floor accommodation – away from kitchen smells and street noise.
Set on a cottage-lined backstreet, the cute, lime-green Casa del Pozo is less than a 10-minute walk from the walled city. The boutique hostel offers whitewashed dorms and doubles with simple, chipboard and pine pallet beds, colorful scatter cushions and Sevilla tiles. Enjoy the onsite bonsai bar and small pool.
Next to the Bulwark of Santa Bárbara and with views over the imposing Castillo de San Felipe de Barajas (which looks like it belongs in The Count of Monte Cristo), the Santuario Hostel is a 15-minute walk from the colonial center. It has bare, white doubles and dorms with cubicle bunks, along with an open kitchen where you can cook meals and connect with other travelers.
As the name suggests, the dorm beds at the Hostel La Antigua Capsula are self-contained capsule spaces. Doubles are tiny and furnishing is sparse. However, the hostel sits in the heart of the lively Getsemani neighborhood, with plenty of restaurants, bars and clubs at your doorstep.
Cartagena hostel locations don’t get better than the El Barrio Hostal, which sits right in the center of the old city. It has balconies overlooking the Spanish colonnades and courtyards of the University of Cartagena. There are no dorms, but the basic ensuite rooms are budget-friendly, and brightened with light cream walls and stencil art.
Alex Robinson contributed additional reporting to this article.
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