Do you know that feeling… that you arrive in Cartagena Socialtel for a well deserved vacation in that one amazing hostel you have been working for at home? No me neither: indeed, this was an embarrassing disaster. We arrived, all seemed okay, until my girlfriend found out about some blue spots in the mattress, together with a grey air conditioning that was blowing old, unhealthy wind. DO. NOT. BOOK. THIS. Its a joke. They charge you Pre-Covid prices. (From the era that the hotel was probably still clean) We indicated about the bad conditions in our room, and even after thought of being understood, and when a refund/credit was being promised, all seemed better than it was. The manager told us we would get the money back via Paypal: 3 months later… never got it back. To all my fellow travellers around the world: DO. NOT. GO. To this Mold place. P.s. The photos speak for themselves. Difference between internet photos and reality is a shame… Nothing of what you see on it is there.

1745217998

Stayed at Hotel Kim in May 2025. The location? Super central in Getsemaní, right in the middle of Cartagena’s chaos – bars, hostels, street life, loud conversations, occasional karaoke battles at 2 a.m. Fun outside. Less fun from your pillow. The staff were absolute stars – reception super helpful, security at night friendly and alert, cleaning ladies kind and lovely. Seriously, they were the soul of the place. The rooftop is the hotel’s crown jewel: big clean pool, great views, and a bar that looks like something might happen... but mostly doesn’t. It’s a great place to relax. Alone. Very alone. Now, about the room: Let’s just say the shower is hanging in there by the grace of gravity and prayer. The design says “nostalgia,” the condition says “DIY project that got away.” My room faced the street, and between the cars, shouting, and street concerts, sleeping felt like a group activity I wasn’t invited to join. For solo travelers, this place looks social but acts shy. The hotel was so quiet inside, I occasionally checked if I was the last guest left behind. Also — for Getsemaní, it’s not exactly a bargain. You’re paying premium prices to hear the nightlife without being in it. Summary: If you love friendly people, rooftop pools, and falling asleep to the sound of motorcycles and life advice yelled in Spanish — welcome home.

1747660799

My friend and I stayed for a few days, and had trouble with our booking agency in terms of what I thought I booked (2 private rooms) and what was actually booked (2 beds). The receptionists and staff in general were extremely patient, professional, and kind and really helped us figure out the situation. Shout out to Laura, Gabriela, Lisette in particular. Location is very central, neighborhood not too loud though you can hear people in the hallways. The beds are comfortable, bathrooms so so (not bad for a hostel), rooftop is really lovely, breakfast pretty good, and the staff at the restaurant/bar are also mega nice.

1740071578

the overall experience in the hostel was great though sometimes they randomly played so loud music on the roof throughout the day it was nearly impossible to use the pool or chill on the roof. be aware that there may have been some recognized cases of bedbugs after stays in this hostel..

1746482558

This was one of the worst hostel stays we've ever at. We stayed at Socialtel in Cartagena and around midnight, we started noticing bites that seemed like they were from BEDBUGS. It was absolutely disgusting and made it impossible to sleep. We went to the reception at 12 AM and were moved to a "better" room, but the problems continued. The air was full of mold smell, there were still signs of bugs, and even the towels had visible mold stains on them – just gross. The next morning, we reported everything to the staff. They promised a €200 refund as full compensation for the horrible night – which we appreciated – but the overall experience was awful and far from what you'd expect from any decent hostel. Cartagena is amazing, but Socialtel was a total letdown. We don’t recommend staying here under any circumstances.

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