Pueblito Magico Hostel — Hotel in Santa Cruz de Mompóx

DO NOT STAY AT THIS PLACE! THE HOST, JAIME, IS NOT TO BE TRUSTED.

The hostel has a nice atmosphere, and the guests we met were fantastic, which made our stay special. However, the experience with the host, Jaime, was VERY disappointing.

To start, the cost of refilling filtered water is excessive (5,000 COP), and beer is priced two to three times higher than in other places—even in the bar right next to the hostel, which is absurd. Breakfast was also an issue: although it wasn’t included in our stay, we were offered it as an option from the beginning. However, when it was time to serve it, we had to wait nearly two hours because there were no ingredients available, and the poor stressed staff had to go out and buy them last minute. This was even more surprising given that two people were actually entitled to breakfast (a volunteer and another guest).

Another major issue was the price changes upon arrival, including inconsistencies with whether breakfast was included, which created a sense of dishonesty. Additionally, the treatment of volunteers is concerning—they are expected to work long and unpredictable hours for extremely low compensation, and even the regular employees are expected to work on their days off. The laundry service prices were also shockingly high. Furthermore, when the power went out for 15 hours, Jaime did nothing to explain the situation or offer any sort of compensation, unlike other businesses nearby that took action.

What made us most uncomfortable was that around 11:30 PM, Jaime suddenly demanded that we check out immediately, without giving us the option to do so the next morning. This showed a clear lack of trust, both toward us and his own staff, since he wouldn’t be present in the morning (as had been the case on previous days). The least we expected was the option to check out at a reasonable time or, at the very least, to be informed about this policy in advance. When I pointed out how unusual this request was—since in all our travels, we had never been asked to check out at such an unexpected hour—Jaime reacted rudely, becoming defensive and argumentative.

I told him we had already experienced several inconveniences during our stay and that this check-out situation was even more unusual. Instead of acknowledging the issues, he deflected by saying we had no right to complain about breakfast since it wasn’t included—ignoring the fact that it had been offered as an option from the start. Besides just saying I should stay "tranquila" and rudely evading the conversation.

All of this eventually led him to write me a personal review on Airbnb full of lies, accusing me of being someone who causes problems to get discounts—while contradicting himself in the same comment by stating that I had paid. Clearly, his reaction was purely out of spite because I dared to question him.

Beyond his bad attitude, what is most concerning is his preferential treatment toward certain female travellers—mostly European women—whom he persistently pushes to book "VIP tours" in a way that feels uncomfortable.

We stayed mainly because of the amazing travellers we met, but unfortunately, we CANNOT recommend this place. Whether it’s listed on Airbnb, Hostelworld, or Booking, the lack of care and poor management are evident. Jaime delegates his responsibilities to others without supervision or commitment—except when it comes to collecting money.

DO NOT STAY AT THIS HOSTEL, EVEN IF IT’S THE ONLY...

The hostel has a nice atmosphere, is well located, and definitely has a lot of potential. The staff also has been very nice throughout our stay. Unfortunately, the encounter with Jaime, the owner, made our experience a little unpleasant:

At our arrival, he wanted us to decide immediately whether we wanted to book a tour for the next day by showing us a video on his screen. Arriving late at night and after a long and tiring journey, we felt this a strange welcome. Water refill was overpriced with 5.000 COP – yes, for the day but still, disproportionate. Drinks were up to three times the price what they cost at the restaurant next door. Laundry service was overpriced, too. Volunteers have to work for a pittance when you compare the number of working hours with what they get. The official staff had to work on her "free" day. Jaime himself was generally not really present doing things, besides dealing with monetary issues. One day, there was a power outage, lasting 12 hours on a very hot day. Unlike most places in the area, the hostel wasn't equipped with an independent power supply. Nor was there any sign of compensation such as free water refill or a free drink. Jaime just sat at the reception, uninterested and busy with his phone. Another day, the staff couldn't prepare breakfast because he hadn't bought ingredients.

As if that wasn't enough, Jaime slandered my partner in his review on AirBnB, alleging that she didn't want to pay for what we had consumed. To give some context: On our last night, he suddenly wanted to do the checkout with us. Apparently, because he wouldn't be there early the next morning. There was a volunteer at the time of our stay, but, for some reason, he wanted to do the final accounting by himself. (When we eventually left the next day, he was there, though.) That being strange by itself, my partner simply wanted to know the positions on the bill – Jaime only presented us with the final total at first. In his review, he also falsely accused her for asking for a discount and threatening him to leave a bad review if we wouldn't get one. Both is untrue and defamatory, a poor response on her factual feedback on AirBnB.

From what we learned from others, both during our stay but also later when meeting people who also happened to stay at Jaime's hostel: Prices seem to change spontaneously when one asks for an extension of the stay, also sometimes contradicting the information on the web ("No, breakfast is not included.... Ah yes, you're right, breakfast is included"). He also seems to give extra attention to female guests who match a certain stereotype (blond, tall, European) while ignoring others who have a different character or who have refused his advances. This is based on what we observed during our stay and what we got told by others we met on the way and who made their own experiences with Jaime.

In sum, we enjoyed the nice atmosphere at the hostel, which was primarily created by the staff and the guests. However, we do not recommend this place under Jaime's management, which bespeaks an uncomforting and...

Charming, clean hostel with the best location and super cool staff 😄 I stayed a lot longer than one night. I stayed a week and can't wait to go back!

Awesome location. The river is right outside your front door, and the path along the river is beautiful.

The staff is there for you and willing to help with whatever you need. They opened the door for me and let me check in early when I arrived from San Gil. Shout-out to Jose for hooking me up with the super long internet cable so I could still teach my online English classes even while enjoying the laid-back vibe of Mompos for a week.

Dorms have air conditioning which is a lifesaver at night! Comfy beds with dream catchers hung on the bunks :) Clothesline outside for hanging clothes in the sun.

Plenty of space to chill which is what you should do when in Mompos!! I highly recommend hanging out in the hammocks for an afternoon (or a day). There's even a fan mounted on the wall outside, so you get some breeze. They're got cards and games to play as well.

They are happy to arrange transportation for you to the major cities. There's even a special service bus to Santa Marta.

You can refills your water bottle in reception, and the kitchen, although small, is available for use anytime. You even get your own kit with utensils and everything you need, which prevents people from leaving dirty dishes around and keeps the kitchen clean.

I wish cafe would be available in the mornings (but guests do get a friendly discount at the coffee shop nearby which is great for...