Chill House Backpackers Hostel
Chill House Backpackers Hostel
Calle de la Tablada # 7 - 12 Plaza Fernando de Madrd, Cartagena Colombia
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#111 of 129 hostels in Cartagena
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Free internet
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Calle de la Tablada # 7 - 12 Plaza Fernando de Madrd, Cartagena Colombia
Name/address in local language
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Great for walkers
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I feel sorry for the super sweet girls who run or at least work in the hostel because they were very nice and friendly, but it was the worst place I slept in in one month Colombia. The reason: THE BATHROOM. I think we had to share it with 20 but at least 15 people and only after cleaning it was doable (but still very old, very scruffy and cramped) but most of the time it was a Trainspotting like mess. HORRIBLE. We escaped after a day..
The rooms were veeery basic too (and I heared the 6p dorm had bedbugs the night before we came, it smelled like detergent so might be true) and so was the kitchen.
Ah, and the other backpackers weren't my crowd either.. might be me but it were loads of young we're-all-differnt-so-we're-all-the-same a.k.a. 'i am not a tourist I am a traveller' a.k.a. 'oh you have a job? I sometimes forget some people have a job and just go on holiday for a month' folks. If you are one of them and like dirty stuff: go there. If not, reconsider.
It is cheap by Cartagena standards but unfortunately that comes with a price too;).
Pro's: the girls who worked there, the balcony and its location.
The rooms were veeery basic too (and I heared the 6p dorm had bedbugs the night before we came, it smelled like detergent so might be true) and so was the kitchen.
Ah, and the other backpackers weren't my crowd either.. might be me but it were loads of young we're-all-differnt-so-we're-all-the-same a.k.a. 'i am not a tourist I am a traveller' a.k.a. 'oh you have a job? I sometimes forget some people have a job and just go on holiday for a month' folks. If you are one of them and like dirty stuff: go there. If not, reconsider.
It is cheap by Cartagena standards but unfortunately that comes with a price too;).
Pro's: the girls who worked there, the balcony and its location.
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Date of stay: November 2014Trip type: Travelled solo
Location
Service
Sleep Quality
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
This place is below average considering its location and price tag.
I agree with other post's. I stayed in a single private room for 80,000 and the wall next to the bed had brownish stains on it and the bathroom was also really dirty. The place is old which is fine , but cleanliness is really something that should be considered while running a hostel , and who ever the manager is should have a read of this message and do something about it.
On the up side , the girl on reception was great. Really nice girl and very welcoming.
The bloke with the afro is kinda strange , as i have read on other posts , and he wasn't that interested in calling the police when a strange drug dealer followed me home at the early hours of the morning. Maybe thats just Cartagena though .... we all know what the Police are like here.
PRO'S:
Its in the old city , beautiful place and a nice location close to everything.
I have heard the dorms are 20,000. Which is a good price in that location.
The receptionist is cute.
CONS:
This is place might be the dirtiest out of all the hostels i have visited.
Overpriced Private room (the AC was good though!)
THEY PLAY REALLY LOUD MUSIC at 7am in the morning when I was hungover and needed sleep. That my friends .... was not fun at all.
Overall 4/10. If you were like me and had nothing organised you'll head there with no expectations.
If you are organised and are reading this right now , give me a ''helpful'' tick and do not stay at this place :-)
I agree with other post's. I stayed in a single private room for 80,000 and the wall next to the bed had brownish stains on it and the bathroom was also really dirty. The place is old which is fine , but cleanliness is really something that should be considered while running a hostel , and who ever the manager is should have a read of this message and do something about it.
On the up side , the girl on reception was great. Really nice girl and very welcoming.
The bloke with the afro is kinda strange , as i have read on other posts , and he wasn't that interested in calling the police when a strange drug dealer followed me home at the early hours of the morning. Maybe thats just Cartagena though .... we all know what the Police are like here.
PRO'S:
Its in the old city , beautiful place and a nice location close to everything.
I have heard the dorms are 20,000. Which is a good price in that location.
The receptionist is cute.
CONS:
This is place might be the dirtiest out of all the hostels i have visited.
Overpriced Private room (the AC was good though!)
THEY PLAY REALLY LOUD MUSIC at 7am in the morning when I was hungover and needed sleep. That my friends .... was not fun at all.
Overall 4/10. If you were like me and had nothing organised you'll head there with no expectations.
If you are organised and are reading this right now , give me a ''helpful'' tick and do not stay at this place :-)
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Date of stay: June 2014Trip type: Travelled solo
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Room Tip: Don't get the private room
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
The rooms are ugly, not much space and a bit dirty. The two bathroons are bad but the worst is the kitchen. The owner doesn't seem to care. In the middle of the night the AC got a problem and water came out. It also made a terrible noise. The comment from the lady at the reception was only: "Manana."
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Date of stay: June 2016Trip type: Travelled with friends
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Don't stay at this place. They lied to us and threw us out enforced by three bribed policemen. Here's the story:
We had spent a horrible night with music extremely loud till 2am. It continued after 2am but less until 5am. We asked if we could turn the music down at 1am which was okay, but it went up again after 5 minutes. The party people were from outside the hostel as mentioned in other reviews. The next morning the girl at the reception said it was someone's birthday and that it wouldn't happen again. We decided not to take that promise to the test based on the reviews here and decided to leave. I wish we read those reviews earlier. Unfortunately we paid 5 nights upfront (stupid of course, lesson learned). She wouldn't give us back our money and said it was not her decision to make but her managers'. She said he wasn't reachable because he wasn't in colombia. She had no clue when he would be back. I told her we would come back at noon for the money and to act on his behalf in his absence.
At noon still no money, nor manager, nor decision. At some point I got angry and said that I would take their computer as a deposit if they didn't pay us back. That was a stupid thing to say of course. Of course I didn't.
At night we returned again. She had spoken with the manager and offered us a refund for two nights (2 lost, 60 euro). After I refused I got the manager on the phone, he was in Cartagena after all. He said: "If you are smart you take the money and go. Because if I see your face you have a really big problem. Wait for me there, I'll be there in 5 minutes". Instead of coming himself, he had sent someone else to threaten us. A guy came up with tree bribed policemen. He came up aggressive so I asked him if we could sit down and see if we could solve this. I wanted to tell him that I respect the way they run their hostel. I mean it's up to them whether they want to throw parties till 5am. It's just not for me. I couldn't tell him that because he just shut me up and said: "you are in colombia man. If you don't want any trouble: leave". We decided that would be the wisest.
By that time they only wanted to pay us 1 night instead of the 2 nights they offered.
We took the money and I wanted to shake his hand, but he refused. In the end he shook it anyway because I insisted. I wanted to make sure it's over. They can have the 90 euros, but I don't want to be knifed in the streets of Cartagena.
The whole concept of customer oriented business is miles ahead of them. They lied to is and threatened us. Steer clear.
We had spent a horrible night with music extremely loud till 2am. It continued after 2am but less until 5am. We asked if we could turn the music down at 1am which was okay, but it went up again after 5 minutes. The party people were from outside the hostel as mentioned in other reviews. The next morning the girl at the reception said it was someone's birthday and that it wouldn't happen again. We decided not to take that promise to the test based on the reviews here and decided to leave. I wish we read those reviews earlier. Unfortunately we paid 5 nights upfront (stupid of course, lesson learned). She wouldn't give us back our money and said it was not her decision to make but her managers'. She said he wasn't reachable because he wasn't in colombia. She had no clue when he would be back. I told her we would come back at noon for the money and to act on his behalf in his absence.
At noon still no money, nor manager, nor decision. At some point I got angry and said that I would take their computer as a deposit if they didn't pay us back. That was a stupid thing to say of course. Of course I didn't.
At night we returned again. She had spoken with the manager and offered us a refund for two nights (2 lost, 60 euro). After I refused I got the manager on the phone, he was in Cartagena after all. He said: "If you are smart you take the money and go. Because if I see your face you have a really big problem. Wait for me there, I'll be there in 5 minutes". Instead of coming himself, he had sent someone else to threaten us. A guy came up with tree bribed policemen. He came up aggressive so I asked him if we could sit down and see if we could solve this. I wanted to tell him that I respect the way they run their hostel. I mean it's up to them whether they want to throw parties till 5am. It's just not for me. I couldn't tell him that because he just shut me up and said: "you are in colombia man. If you don't want any trouble: leave". We decided that would be the wisest.
By that time they only wanted to pay us 1 night instead of the 2 nights they offered.
We took the money and I wanted to shake his hand, but he refused. In the end he shook it anyway because I insisted. I wanted to make sure it's over. They can have the 90 euros, but I don't want to be knifed in the streets of Cartagena.
The whole concept of customer oriented business is miles ahead of them. They lied to is and threatened us. Steer clear.
Read more
Date of stay: September 2014Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Location
Service
Sleep Quality
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
When I arrived back to the hostel my first night I was greeted by the male employee with a cup of water. He then proceeded to physically throw himself on me. I had in no way invited this kind of inappropriate behavior and it made me incredibly uncomfortable. Females beware the guy with an agro is a creep. Thought, the girl working during the day was very nice.
Not only that but awful music blasts into the early hours with no chance of sleep if desired.
There are no outlets in the cramped door where the sheets don't fit the filthy mattresses. And 2 bathrooms in the entire hostel where if someone is showering in both you are shot of out luck, literally.
Not worth the free lemonade and good location. Go elsewhere. Unless you are fond of creeps that is.
Not only that but awful music blasts into the early hours with no chance of sleep if desired.
There are no outlets in the cramped door where the sheets don't fit the filthy mattresses. And 2 bathrooms in the entire hostel where if someone is showering in both you are shot of out luck, literally.
Not worth the free lemonade and good location. Go elsewhere. Unless you are fond of creeps that is.
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Date of stay: February 2014Trip type: Travelled with friends
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Don't stay here. Just don't. The location is fantastic, they've got that going for them - right in the heart of the old town, in a beautiful neighborhood, so you don't have to mess around with the "up and coming" Getsemani area. However, that is all this place has going for it.
Remember when you were 15 and your friend's mom and dad went away? That's this place. They've left the kids in control.
Just a few highlights: The mattresses are too small for the (barely-held-together-with-cardboard) bed frames. The sheets, inexplicably, are too small for the mattresses. The beds are crammed into tiny little rooms. The AC is not at your control, rather the control of the staff.
The kitchen is a mess. The shower is a pipe sticking out of the wall (cold water only... claro) and if you pay for the en suite room - get this - every other bugger in the hostel gets to swoon through your room and take a dump in your nice toilet that you've paid all those extra pesos for! (Got to say I'm not bitter about that, as we didn't pay for the en suite)
At any given moment, in the same room, there's the TV on, backpackers playing guitar...badly, and the staff blasting out early 2000's reggae. Ever listened to Shaggy's 'Angel' five times in a row at 1am? I have.
Just don't stay here. The location is not worth it.
Remember when you were 15 and your friend's mom and dad went away? That's this place. They've left the kids in control.
Just a few highlights: The mattresses are too small for the (barely-held-together-with-cardboard) bed frames. The sheets, inexplicably, are too small for the mattresses. The beds are crammed into tiny little rooms. The AC is not at your control, rather the control of the staff.
The kitchen is a mess. The shower is a pipe sticking out of the wall (cold water only... claro) and if you pay for the en suite room - get this - every other bugger in the hostel gets to swoon through your room and take a dump in your nice toilet that you've paid all those extra pesos for! (Got to say I'm not bitter about that, as we didn't pay for the en suite)
At any given moment, in the same room, there's the TV on, backpackers playing guitar...badly, and the staff blasting out early 2000's reggae. Ever listened to Shaggy's 'Angel' five times in a row at 1am? I have.
Just don't stay here. The location is not worth it.
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Date of stay: October 2012Trip type: Travelled with friends
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Room Tip: There's another hostel around the corner. You know it. Just keep on walkin'.
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Our beds (which we booked more than 2 months in advance and confirmed the previous day) were given to someone else and we had to find another hotel (at 11pm after a 16hr flight). When we complained and asked for a refund the receptionist was incredibly rude and even threatened to resolve it by fighting my boyfriend! We never got a refund (for 5 people for 2 nights). Never had such incredibly bad and inappropriate (lack of) service. Would not recommend the place to anybody.
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Date of stay: December 2015Trip type: Travelled with family
Value
Service
Sleep Quality
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We stayed two nights in this hostel and booked a tour to the volcano el totumo there. The receptionist told us there were lots of things included, e.g. Drinks and transport from and back to the hostel.
The tour was supposed to start at 8am. We had to wait until 9:30am to be picked up - no explanations, no apologies from both agency and hostel. The women from the agency were very unfriendly and the atmosphere in the bus was strange. At el totumo had to go very fast, we felt rushed also the people there were not friendly and asked with impotunity for their money. Afterwards we just got lunch, nothing of the promised free drinks. After one hour at the beach we had to go back - two hours earlier than promised. No one felt responsible for the inconvenience. We were very disappointed and of course we didn't get our money back even if the tour wasn't what we were told before. We feel cheated!
The hostel itself was ok. Not very clean and small but for being located in the centre it was ok.
The tour was supposed to start at 8am. We had to wait until 9:30am to be picked up - no explanations, no apologies from both agency and hostel. The women from the agency were very unfriendly and the atmosphere in the bus was strange. At el totumo had to go very fast, we felt rushed also the people there were not friendly and asked with impotunity for their money. Afterwards we just got lunch, nothing of the promised free drinks. After one hour at the beach we had to go back - two hours earlier than promised. No one felt responsible for the inconvenience. We were very disappointed and of course we didn't get our money back even if the tour wasn't what we were told before. We feel cheated!
The hostel itself was ok. Not very clean and small but for being located in the centre it was ok.
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Date of stay: August 2017Trip type: Travelled with friends
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Stayed here for 1 night and it was awful. We had a private room and was advertised with air-con and with towels but the aircon didn't work (sooo hot and stuffy) and no towel. The door lock was broke so had people walking in our room and (presuming they thought it was the loo as it was directly next door) but easily could have got robbed if we decided to go out. Location is great but there are so many better hostels to go to that you don't need to worry about location. Do not stay here if your expecting a pleasant stay.
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Date of stay: August 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Good location is probably the only positive I can give this. I'm really surprised it's still in the lonely planet and it's unclear if it's changed ownership of late as the staff on site seem to have let it fall into disarray. The kitchen it pretty grim as are the communal areas and bathrooms in the private rooms. We payed for a private room and we had a leaky toilet and sink and spent most the time mopping the floors ourselves to keep it in order. The staff have no idea how to manage on line bookings and everything is a bit archaic. Locals wander in and out and one morning we were treated to one of the staffs mates pissed on tequila just hanging out in the communal area. They charge a lot and clearly run of the reputation of the lonely planet endorsement and their location. But seriously go to one of the many other local hostels that are nearby and of similar price with better facilities.
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Date of stay: July 2016Trip type: Travelled with friends
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
"I was happy with what was first shown to me, so I can't say if the other rooms were better."Read full review
"All the rooms have air conditionned except the one with a bathroom. No noise at night."Read full review
"There's another hostel around the corner. You know it. Just keep on walkin'."Read full review
LOCATION
ColombiaBolivar DepartmentCartagena DistrictCartagena
NUMBER OF ROOMS
5
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Frequently Asked Questions about Chill House Backpackers Hostel
Which popular attractions are close to Chill House Backpackers Hostel?
Nearby attractions include El Pasquín de Joaco Gastro Bar (0.3 km), Diving Planet (0.2 km), and Pink Dolphin Gastrobar (0.4 km).
What are some restaurants close to Chill House Backpackers Hostel?
Conveniently located restaurants include Restaurante 1621, Época Café Bar, and Buena Vida Marisqueria y Rooftop.
Are there any historical sites close to Chill House Backpackers Hostel?
Many travellers enjoy visiting Walled City of Cartagena (0.5 km), Centro Historico (0.6 km), and Sanctuary of Saint Peter Claver (0.6 km).