Deepti Pradhan
Google
We recently stayed at Hotel Dann Carlton Medellín for a family trip and while there were some positive aspects, several issues—especially around noise and the spa experience—left us disappointed.
The Good:
• Restaurant & Staff: The food at 43rd Street restaurant was excellent, and the restaurant staff were warm, attentive, and professional. The housekeeping team also deserves a shoutout—they were consistently friendly and helpful throughout our stay.
• Room & Location: Our room itself was clean and nicely appointed. The location is convenient—just a short cab ride to most tourist attractions. The neighborhood is walkable and pleasant during the day, though the hotel staff advised against walking back after dark for safety reasons.
• Pool: Our kids had a blast at the pool, which was well-maintained. While service was slow (more on that below), the staff remained cheerful and courteous.
The Bad:
• Noise Issues: Our first night was extremely difficult. We were assigned a room on the lowest floor near the spa, elevator, and conference rooms—and it was loud. After traveling 12 hours with two small kids, this made it impossible to get proper rest. We requested a quieter room and were moved to a higher floor, but unfortunately still placed next to an elevator, despite our clear request to avoid that due to the kids.
On our last night, a loud party two rooms down went on until well past 3 AM, including shouting and fighting in the hallway. Even after calling reception, the noise continued for quite a while. This completely ruined our night and woke up our children.
• Breakfast Experience: While breakfast is included, the service was severely understaffed. Buffet items, once out, were not replenished even with hours remaining in breakfast service. Getting tea, coffee, or even an omelet took persistent effort and long wait times. A frustrating start to our mornings.
• Poolside Service: Just one server was managing all food and drink orders for the pool area, so we waited more than an hour for basic items like beer and snacks. Again, the issue wasn’t attitude—the staff was nice—but they were simply spread too thin.
• Spa (Chocolate Therapy): This was by far the most disappointing experience. We booked a two-hour chocolate therapy session expecting a facial, full massage, and body treatment. What we got was:
• A 5-minute “facial” with two creams and no massage.
• A 35-minute body massage.
• Chocolate applied only to arms, legs, and torso (not full-body or face, contrary to their promotional images).
• Then we were told to shower and spend the remaining time (over an hour) in the jacuzzi.
So out of two hours, barely 45 minutes involved actual treatment. It felt like a complete rip-off for nearly $200. To add to the frustration, when we discovered that the spa menu included a 20% discount at the hotel restaurant for chocolate therapy clients, neither the spa, front desk, nor the restaurant could or would honor it. We got bounced around between departments and ultimately gave up.
• Language Barrier: While expected to an extent, it’s worth noting that very few hotel staff speak English, making every interaction require Google Translate. It’s manageable but something to be aware of if you don’t speak Spanish.
Final Thoughts:
This hotel has potential—it’s well-located, has a beautiful lobby, and some truly great staff—but it desperately needs better service consistency, noise management, and improved spa experiences. If you’re planning to stay here, bring earplugs, manage your expectations on service speed, and skip the spa altogether.
