Hostal Candela Y Chocolate — Hotel in Santa Marta

This hostel has a lot of good advantages, the dormitorio are quite big, the breakfast is good and simple and the price is highly competitive. Moreover, the staff was quite joyful and relatively helpful. We were 5 friends and we were occupying the entire dormitorio for two Nights. The only person that had the key of our room was the receptionist. When we checked out, we all realised that in each of our bags had been stolen one bill of 100 dollars (only one in each bag, not all of our money). We had left in the rooms our camera, our phones and all that was stolen was one bill in each different bags so that it was a discrete and organised robbery. Since there was no strangers in the room (since we are all friends from 10 years) and the only person who had the key of the room was the receptionist, we told him he was responsible for this robbery. He tried to find all the worst excuse in the world and he even called the police who at the end forced us to pay for our nights even though they robbed us... This was an organised robbery so i would never recommend this hostel to anyone because even when your room is closed you...

If you are human and reading this review, please don't stay at this hostel. No air conditioning, it is unbearably hot and humid. No internet during my stay, which I need after spending 4 days in Minca. Cockroaches everywhere, including room. Mosquitos eating you alive. They advertise price as 18000 on hostel world but it is actually 20000. No English speaking staff. To top it off I wanted to go out at 11am to get coffee and go use internet at a cafe and I was locked inside the hostel! Had to sit and wait 20 minutes for the guy to return with keys to let me out. Prison? Id probably prefer to stay in a prison. For 5000pesos less you can move to Azalea (outside of center but buses to minca nd tayrona pass right by for pick up and there are also buses constantly to Centro for 1600pesos.) But there is a.c. in the room at night. Good internet. Very friendly owner who speaks English and Spanish. Free breakfast. Big open outdoor common area with cool breeze. I am sure there are also much better hostels in the Centro then Candela & Chocolate Please look for a...

Whenever I go back to Santa Marta, I always stop in to Candela y Chocolate for the night. It's relatively cheap compared to the other hostels in historical centre (CP$22,000 with breakfast), but is isn't why I go back. I feel at home in this wonderful little hostel. I've become good friends with the lovely couple that run it and the other staff who have put up with me and my friends several times over the last month or so. ||||The beds are always clean, the service second to none and the location pretty ideal for exploring the colonial streets and broad beach front. Bear in mind that these guys are new to the business (going since December, 2015) and this place is only going to get better and better! ||||Thanks Milena, Ismet and the Candela crew for...