HOTEL EL VIAJERO CENTRO — Hotel in Cartagena

We got to the hotel with high hopes, got given a street facing balcony which was great for photos. Initially we though the location was great, many great restaurants near by, central location clean rooms. But it was completely different once night came, drunk people on the streets, prostitution at the door of the hotel (wasn’t actually too bad if you’re not uncomfortable with it) but the very worst of it was the noise. ||Taxis would constantly drive down the street where the hotel is located and proceeded to hold down their horns continuously. This went on without stopping from 10pm till about 2:30am. Finally at about 3am we managed to get some sleep. As the balcony doors are rustic and therefore not sealed, they provide zero sound insolation, and the noise from the taxis was as loud as it would have been if we were standing on the sidewalk.||Next morning i showed the staff the video of the taxi and they were non-apologetic and visibly not very surprised or fussed about what I had shown them. As I they didn’t provide any solutions I asked to be moved, they said they would try but it was unlikely. ||Fortunately, they managed to find a room at the back of the hotel furthest from the front street. Unfortunately, the room had no windows for airflow or ventilation and had a strong damp smell. Also unfortunately, we got to hear the sounds from the taxis again, this time from the back street, granted at 50% of the volume of the front balcony room but 70% as annoying.||We traveled with another group who got a room in between the front and back streets, they said that the noise wasn’t as bad. If you’re going to stay here and intend on getting reasonable sleep id ensure that you are not staying in the front balcony rooms nor in...

This is a tourist area—near colonial buildings as well as many restaurants. The hotel is close to a small grocery store in the Éxito chain (their contemporary shopping bags are cheap yet authentic souvenirs); a drugstore; and bookstores with maps and postcards. It’s more of a walk to Las Bóvedas, where souvenirs range from traditional tote bags all the way to Pablo Escobar tee shirts.||Men were often wearing shorts—it was hot. Streets are narrow and traffic can be snarled; allow extra time.||The hotel lacks an elevator, and one must climb 25 steps to the lobby. However, staff were very eager to help with luggage.||The room was clean. I had a flat screen tv and remote. The lobby has computers and a printer. The bathroom seemed tiny. Running water was tepid (no choice of hot or cold). Towels were thin, and there was no face cloth. There was soap but no shampoo. There was no telephone in the room, but I had good cell phone reception. Wi-fi seemed slow at times. A grounded electrical outlet was near the bed. The light switch was not close to either the door or the bed. The air conditioning worked well. However, it was important to close the bathroom door since the bathroom had a roof vent. I did not have a window with an exterior view. This did have an advantage in that there was no problem with street noise. There was no deadbolt lock. There was a metal lock box in which I could place my valuables. I used one of my luggage locks to lock the box. There was no...

It’s near the historic buildings as well as modern tourist conveniences (on top of La Pepita—which resembles a Hard Rock Café—and about two doors from a KFC!). Starting with a walking tour was a wonderful way to get oriented. (Streets change names, and they have both traditional names as well as numbered designations.)||There’s no elevator, and you need to climb some steps to reach the rooms. However, the staff were eager to help with luggage. In contrast to a typical USA situation, the staff did not linger, waiting for tips; I had to make an effort to tip them.||My room (201) had a wonderful view of the street—and suffered from street noise even at 4 a.m. This is a lively area! Also, the room was not screened. So I depended on the city’s fumigators to protect me from insect-borne diseases. The bathroom was roomy with adequate shelves. The closet bar was high and had only one hanger. Air conditioning worked well, and ceiling lights were bright. Internet speed varied, but cell phone reception was good.||The lobby area had a computer as well as a complicated coffee machine (but I was not impressed with the taste of the coffee even though this was Colombia). There was no deadbolt lock nor a lockbox for valuables. ||Staff were very friendly, but got a bit overwhelmed when our 17-person group checked in.||Earlier in the month I had stayed at its sister property, El Viajero. The general vibe I got was the same: great location, austere but clean room,...