Viajero Cartagena - Getsemaní Hostel — Hotel in Cartagena

The pros: The rooftop is lovely, the pool is great and the bar staff were really friendly. The location is excellent, it's in the Getsemaní neighbourhood so a bit more relaxed than staying within the walled city and there are lots of cafes/bars/restaurants around. The hostel organised various activities which was good for socialising. The air con in the room was good.

The cons: I booked a female only dorm room, however on the 2nd day a few men arrived which was unexpected and quite uncomfortable. I mentioned this when checking out and the woman at reception did take this seriously and said she would find out what had happened to stop it happening again, which I appreciate. The activities felt quite disorganised, they had a sign at reception with stuff listed for each day, but these didn't actually happen as planned. E.g. it said there was a yoga class at 11am one day, but this actually happened at 9am, so I missed it. It might be better if they do it like other hostels where they have a blackboard which they update each day, or post in the WhatsApp group first thing in the morning with all the planned activities for the day. No drinking water. It was quite inconvenient to keep buying bottled water, and they ran out of big bottles. A lot of the screws were missing from my bunk bed, so there were no hooks to hang things from and it was difficult getting in and out of the top bunk (I couldn't grab onto certain parts as they weren't bolted in and would move out of place!). A bit dangerous and feels like the bunks were out together in a rush or not properly.

Overall the staff were really friendly and I had a good experience, but you can tell that it's a newer hostel which is still...

A truly heartwarming stay—because of the people!

Viajero Hostel Cartagena isn’t just a place to crash—it’s a whole vibe. The space is cool and social, but it’s the staff who make it unforgettable.

I stayed in a 10-bed mixed dorm (which is an adventure on its own, let’s be real), and although I arrived wanting to keep to myself (I know, I know—hostel life and no socialising? 🙄), Andres the bartender totally changed that. He showed me the rhythm of the place and gave me just the right push to enjoy it.

Then there’s Doris, another bartender whose hugs are as sweet as her cocktails are delicious. Both, Andres and Dora brought such positive energy and genuine care—it made all the difference 💕

José sweetened every morning with his calm presence and amazing service during breakfast. I don’t know if he chose the music too, but mornings had the best vibes! ☀️

And in the afternoons, Marisol brought sunshine just by being around. She didn’t just serve—she cared. Always checked in, asked how I was doing, and made sure everything felt right.

The truth? The team here is the real magic. I came for a bed, but left with memories I’ll actually carry with me. Thank...

The staff at this hostel stole my belongings and completely ignored me when I reported it. I had to speak with reception multiple times, and they kept saying they would inform the manager, but nothing was ever done. I have proof that it was the staff because I tricked them by asking specific questions, and they replied with details about the exact items I had lost (how would they know?), especially since I was alone in the room.

After insisting in the WhatsApp group, I was finally able to speak with the manager, Sandry, who didn’t even respond after hearing what happened—making her complicit in the situation. When I called her on the hostel’s phone number, she realized it was me, started talking strangely, and then put me on hold for over 40 minutes.

I’m now preparing a full YouTube video on my travel channel, along with TikTok and Instagram content, where I’ll expose everything with proof and screenshots of all the conversations. I’m a frequent traveler, and I’ve never experienced anything like this in my life. It’s disgusting, and I will make sure that backpackers and travelers around the world hear about what’s happening at...