Hotel Laureles Plaza — Hotel in Medellín

Hotel Laureles Plaza is in a great location. Laureles is a wonderful neighborhood with lots of restaurants and green spaces. Definitely my new favorite part of the city to stay in. The hotel has a great breakfast. You can help yourself to cereal, yogurt, coffee, tea and orange juice (something hard to find in Colombia) and they will bring you out a hot plate (you can choose from different options). The terrace is also a nice place to hang out and it has a big jacuzzi. The room also has a hair dryer which isn't common here.||||There are some cons to this hotel though which are worth mentioning because it did seem a little too good to be true when booking. They claim that there is a terrace bar available to guests. This is not true. It is only open for private events. We called to double check this and the guy on the phone said it's open on the weekends until 10 or 11pm and even in the elevator there is a sign saying to 'join us on the terrace after 6pm' with pictures of cocktails and the bar. The people working at the front desk said it's closed and only a cleaning lady I found upstairs told me I could bring drinks up from the restaurant. When we asked the restaurant they didn't offer cocktails just beer and they didn't even have a menu to order food. We were hungry and traveling with an infant so it was difficult to go out and look for something in the rain but they would only offer to make us meat plates and had no vegetarian options or pricing published. So it seems they make it up as they go. Also, the jacuzzi is nice but we only ever managed to enjoy it cold because they turn it off all the time so you have to request that they turn it on. It take at least an hour to get to a tolerable temperature (2-3 hours if you want it warm) so you have to request they heat it up ahead of time and then go up and check to make sure they did. Twice they didn't and so we had to start it ourselves when we got in. If there is a private event (which there was), they will tell you the terrace and jacuzzi are not available. The rooms are also smaller than the average hotel so you have to pay for a junior suite at least to get an average room size. At first glance they were clean but the blue pillows and bed liners probably hadn't been washed since the hotel opened and were covered in stains, some of which I'm sure were bodily fluids. Also a side note for foreign travelers: they are very strict on the IVA (tax) policy so you have to have certain visa types to not pay tax which it seems like most people don't qualify for according to the new laws. Most hotels are pretty relaxed with this, but they will check the small details. First time I have ever been charged tax and there was another guy fighting them at the same time for the same reason and he couldn't even...

This hotel really is not suitable for tourist at the moment. The first time I stayed here in 2020 it was fairly good, the second time there were some issues and this time during the 4 days I've been here so far, too many problems !! During that time the water has cut off THREE times ! Today it cut out towards the end of my shower. I had to go downstairs to the reception cloakroom to shave and clean my teeth etc. The man at reception told me he'd fixed it. I went back up to my room and it wasn't working, even though it was on in other parts of my floor, but not in my room !? Back down to reception, back up to my room with reception staff, finally working ! Edit- next day again I had to go down to the reception in the morning to tell them my water was not working ! They fixed it. Have now changed rooms, hopefully this one won't have this problem !

I've noticed that staff turnover is very high, the reception staff seem very indifferrent and even demotivated. When walking into the hotel they don"t even pay attention to who you are !? I could be anybody, what about security ? The breakfast staff are nice but the service is somewhat chaotic ! You have to ask several times to get what you ask for. They seem to work in a panic instead of calmly, and taking away things I haven't even finished ! Example, I asked for Cornflakes with milk. The first time I got Fruit Loops with hot milk (!?) and said they didn't have any Cornflakes. I asked them again, so they went away and found some ! Then they brought me back Cornflakes with yogurt ! Finally got cornflakes with cold milk on 4th time of asking. Small thing but annoying ! 2 days ago they were bashing, hammering and dragging tables ALL DAY and into the evening above my room, for some function they were organizing. It doesn't take all day to do that !! Today again there was some hammering going on from 7 AM, on a Saturday !!

The hotel staff always smile at you and say everything is OK etc AFTER the problems happen and try to appease you etc. but the guest here comes a very distant second !! Threy need to avoid or if not possible predict and at least INFORM YOU first about work going on, water being cut off etc, and have at least SOME respect for the customer !! Maybe Colombian people tolerate those things more ? But at the moment this hotel really isn't suitable for foreign tourists. I noticed I'm about the only one here at the moment, maybe thats not a coincidence !? Very much doubt I'll be staying...

Hotel Laureles Plaza is a very good choice overall. Highlights of this hotel are: 6th floor jacuzzi (open until 9 pm), yummy free buffet breakfast (free coffee is available in the lobby anytime) and location (so many dining options in the second safest neighbourhood in Medellín, the Laureles). If you like purchasing your own grocery like me, there is a D1 store less than 3 minutes away walking. Most staff were very helpful except the first one who helped me check in as he ignored my online check in which I spent 30 minutes filling it… and he needed help by another staff to complete my manual check in. The room is very small in general but it has an air conditioner. There are no coffee or tea making machines. There is a mini fridge … with mini bar … I suggest buying your groceries (like water or juice or snacks) from outside. There is a safe in the room. My hand/wash soap was empty when I checked in … and I had to go downstairs to fill it in. Bed and pillows are comfortable. There is only one light in the whole room … and two in washroom. Very simple room. There were many ants on the washroom floor … every day. I love sitting on the 6th floor or using the Jacuzzi…...