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While Guatape is a famous day-trip destination for most people visiting Medellin, it is worth spending at least one night there, and Galeria Guatape Hostel offers the perfect chill-out location.
The Location
Guatape is just under two hours away from Medellin by bus. Buses run every thirty minutes from the north terminal station and shouldn't be very expensive. The hostel is just before the little village of Guatape (five or ten minutes away by bus) and situated right next to the famous giant rock. You can ask the bus driver to drop you off at "Paradero la Mona," from where you can see a big sign pointing toward the hostel. It's a less-than-five-minute, slightly uphill walk to reach the hostel. The location in general is very quiet, and there are only a couple of houses close by and a little convenience store. The hostel offers a nice garden right at the lake, making it an ideal spot to jump into the water or canoe around the lake. From the hostel, you can walk toward the rock and either rock climb it or take the stairs (there are seven hundred forty!) all the way up for incredible views! There is also a dock to chill out and do yoga in a beautiful surrounding.
Rooms and Bathrooms
There are four dorms with four to six beds; two of them include access to the balcony. They are small but there is enough space and lockers are provided inside. The six-bed dorm is en suite, the four- and five-bed dorms share two bathrooms. One has a toilet and hot shower, while the other one is just a toilet. The views from the dorms are beautiful too, as you can see the lake and the rock! There are usually no private rooms, but sometimes a dorm can be transformed into one. The shower is nice and hot and there are hooks inside the fairly big bathroom to hang your clothes and towel. There is also a bathroom window.
Common Spaces
Downstairs is a big cooking/living room area with a couple of couches, a big TV with Netflix, some board games and some books (also for exchange). There's also a really well-equipped kitchen with everything you might need (spices, oven, blender, microwave). In front of the house is a big terrace with a nice hammock and more tables and benches to sunbathe or have a nice meal with a great view and hang out outside. In general, Galeria Guatape Hostel is a very friendly and social hostel. It's very easy to meet people and it feels more like a big family with a super chill vibe. It's not a party hostel though -- people drink occasionally, but not all the time, and around 11 or 12 at night people usually go to bed.
Summary
Galeria Guatape is a fantastic hostel with a great chill-out vibe, incredible views, and tons of activities around! You can go swimming, kayaking, mountain biking, visiting Guatape, boating to Pablo Escobar's mansion, zip lining, hiking, rock climbing, or riding on a bus for half an hour to a smaller town to visit organic coffee farms and waterfalls. The owner is incredibly friendly and helpful and will do everything to assist you! There is also an airport shuttle right from the hostel, as the airport is right between Medellin and Guatape.
Photos taken by the Hostelz.com reviewer — Genuine photos you can trust.
+3
Lea M
Hostelz.com Staff Reviewer
Published on May 19, 2018
Location and Contact
Location
• From Medellín: • If you are in Medellin go to the North Bus station and take the bus to Guatape . Tell the driver you step off on (estadero LA MONA) at Km 3 via Guatapé . • When you get there Walk to the right along the dirt road , About five minutes, to the GREEN HOUSE, GALERIA GUATAPE HOSTEL. • From Guatape : • Take mototaxi to 'Estadero LA MONA' , from there walk to the hostel only Five minutes away.