Hotel Veraneras del Quindío — Hotel in Montenegro

I have nothing but praise for Hostal Veraneras, in Quindío department in Colombia's coffee country. The hostel is located right off the main street of Pueblo Tapao, a small village. Within the hostel, you can climb to the third floor porch and get glimpse of neighboring towns and the lush green countryside that makes Quindío a standout. At night, of course, you get the evening view. ||||Unfortunately, I don't have the pictures to include except for one below of myself and hostel owner Beatriz Zuluagra. But trust me, a visit to Quindío is a visit is like seeing a painting come to life -- almost too beautiful to be true. ||||Beatriz could not have been helpful or more delightful. Not only did she suggest where to go to take advantage of the short time I had for my visit, she arranged the transportation. When a regular driver was not available, she prevailed on one of her relatives to take me around. She and her family went above and beyond to make sure I got to see as much of Armenia and Quindío as I could in the two days I was there. Highlights include a quick stop in Salento, Cocora Valley, Circasia and Montenegro. And of course, the ride itself. ||||A family-owned coffee hacienda is right across the street from the hostel and guests are invited to tour. This is a very different experience from the National Coffee Park, just a couple of miles away because it is the real thing. (Though the park itself is very definitely worth the visit and should be a must stop.). Beatriz walked me through, explaining everything about the coffee planting and harvesting process, why platanos are always grown, and more. And she shares the information with passion and with a clear love for Quindío, her home. ||||Details important to the traveler. Hostel prices are comfortable for family and/or individual travel. The stay includes breakfast -- something different (if you want it that way) every morning you are there. The hostel owners are committed environmentalists and this comes across in the tips and suggestions they give their guests. (Hooray for them!)||||In closing -- would I go back?? I am counting the days until I can return. And when I am in Quindío, I would not think of staying anywhere else but...

We stayed at the Hostal Veraneras for three nights in November, 2013. The hotel is located in a charming little town called Pueblo Tapao. It’s well-located for visits to the Parque Nacional del Café and Panaca theme parks. The hotel itself is not out of the ordinary. It is clean, comfortable and well priced.||||Where this hotel really shines is the service. The owner, Doña Beatriz, takes a real and active interest in serving her guests. She helped us plan activities during our stay, and has available discounted admission to the aforementioned theme parks. With these admissions in hand, we avoided the lines to purchase tickets at the parks themselves.||||On the last day of our stay, Doña Beatriz took us on a guided walking tour of the family coffee plantation located across the street from the hotel. She explained the entire process of growing and harvesting the coffee from start to finish. The plantation is a beautiful and tranquil place.||||A special thank you to Yinet. She was always available to answer our questions, fulfill our requests, and generally make our stay as comfortable as possible.||||Side note: we ate two dinners at a local restaurant within walking distance of the hotel. It’s called California something, I don’t remember the exact name. The food is delicious and...

I will start saying that I chose this hostel based on a trip advisor review. I was amazed by the wonderful comments about Beatriz, the owner. She was incredibly kind and helpful with advice about what and how to visit the region. She loves to take care of tourists and has an immense pride for her beautiful country. She generously opened the doors of her house and I met her husband and 2 daughters with whom I visited Salento.||The hostel it self reflects the energy of its owners. The vibs are great, it is beautiful, clean and comfortable. Breakfast was included and changed every day to give you a different taste of their culinary culture. There is a beautiful terrace and the view is just breath taking. Location was very good, it was easy to move around taking the bus or "the willys". Pueblo Tapao is a great option to visit "el Quindio" instead of staying in Armenia which is a bigger city. At Pueblo Tapao you get a real feeling of being in the...