House on water

ABSOLUTELY DO NOT STAY HERE I’ll start with the positives because there are far fewer. The location is amazing. Blue clear water and nice views of the island and other hotels (which were far closer than we expected, our fault for believing social media). The lunch and dinner is decent & big portions (some reviews suggested small portions, so maybe they’ve changed) Shower/toilet facilities good There’s full bars of service and good wifi. Not quite the digital disconnect they advertise I think that’s the positives over now the negatives. I’ll start with a cost breakdown which is why the bad points are made so much worse. Hammocks 180k/night Return boat 320k Food 40k per meal Drinks 35k Tours 60k So overall for 2 nights in hammocks, 2 people we paid COP2,088,000 or $500 USD (including 1 tour, 6 drinks). For this price we had high expectations. Which make the bad bits even worse. The reps/staff are the worst I’ve ever experienced. They’re are so many staff members and none of them look like they want to be there. They look at you like you’re an uninvited guest in their house. 0 smiles, 0 interactions. Every time you ask a question or pay for something they act like it’s a chore. If you come for drinking and partying this is not the place. They have a board of the party games they do each night. They just don’t do them. The reps all drink separately to you and make 0 effort to create an atmosphere. The bartender begrudgingly serves the most stingily poured drink looking because you’ve inconvenienced him from looking at his phone. We did the plankton tour which was great but they get you out the water after 15 minutes, we got told it would be 30 mins. The staff were also incapable of explaining what the tours involved. You’d ask questions and get one word answers. Absolutely save your money and go somewhere else. I’ll bet they’ll reply to this with some ChatGPT response

Casa en el Agua is an absolute paradise! If you’re looking for a unique, off-the-grid experience in the middle of the Caribbean, this is the place to be. The location is stunning—crystal-clear waters all around, breathtaking sunsets, and a super chill island vibe. The staff is incredibly friendly and makes you feel at home from the moment you arrive. They organize amazing activities like plankton tours, snorkeling, and island-hopping, which make the stay even more unforgettable. The food is fresh and delicious, with great seafood options and tropical drinks to enjoy while lounging in a hammock over the water. If you love adventure, relaxation, and meeting like-minded travelers, Casa en el Agua is a must-visit. Just be prepared for an eco-friendly, rustic stay—no WiFi, limited electricity, and dorm-style accommodations, but that’s all part of the charm. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience that I’d recommend to anyone visiting Colombia! I went there with one friend and got the recommendation from Chandler in Medellin. Would definitely go back! 🌊🏝️💙

As a volunteer I absolutely do not recommend the place. The Staff is insanely unfriendly, rude and insulting. They made me leave earlier for no reason and told me the night before I had to go. Also there is a lot of work and even on your day off they still make you work. Then they also keep on making excuses to not go on the tours they advertise. They just don’t appreciate volunteers at all and make u feel so unwelcome. Even the owners, they don’t say hello and complain about everything u do. Then the staff goes into the volunteer room and tell you how to organize your personal items, they also just open the door of your room and keep it open. You have no freedom and are controlled constantly. I also had the feeling that the reception ladies are kind of jealous and when ever you where having fun with the guests they pull you out for no reason and make u do some kind of task that isn’t even your job. Also none of the staff speak English which is not really helpful if you’re running an international hostel. Then they also don’t care about you’re safety at all, they left the female english teacher multiple times on the nearby island till it got dark which is really dangerous bc the men there can be really aggressive. Then the island tour just feels weird. They show the people living there like animals and there is also so much violence between the people and then they have a tiny cement aquarium where they keep nurse sharks, turtles and massive fish to attract tourists. Then you can also swim inside and they are catching the sharks and hold them out of the water for the people to take pictures and touch or kiss them. They are just exploiting the animals to attract the tourists and make money. They also don’t give refunds if a tour is not happening or if the boat breaks down. Then they also try to rip off the guests when they are checking out and almost double the price or make them pay again for the room. Also the last two nights me and another volunteer had to share a bed bc they wouldn’t give us one bed in the guest dorm or something since the volunteer dorm was full with family from the owner. Overall the experience was really different than expected. The staff just pulls down the vibe of the hostel and even the guests felt it.

Very cool place, fun vibes, but a) unsure if worth the money, especially as they are far from unique in vibe and location; b) their recommendations for travel from Rincon del Mar were not safe. We followed instructions on the website and contacted Roni to organise travel to/from Rincon del Mar. In general the wind picks up a lot in the afternoon, making conditions much choppier and less safe, especially for most of the pretty basic boats operating. On our way out we had to organise a 'private boat' as we were leaving late ~2pm. This boat was super basic, very sketchy in larger waves, and fell apart during the journey (literally - the tender broke once, then fell off, and we had to give it to another boat), and charged 280k COP for the trip. The boat back the next day (shared, so cheaper but still 80k per person) was also super disorganised and late, again meaning we travelled in strong winds and large waves, not safe conditions. The place is cool and fun, and beautiful, but if you travel take the larger pre-arranged boat from Cartagena, and/or only travel from Rincon before 12pm to avoid strong winds and waves.

We had a lovely time at casa en el agua as a group of 5. It was really quiet when we went but we had a lovely relaxing time. One more improvement could be that more of the activities could be included in the original price eg plankton tour or kayaks as it was already relatively expensive.

Pros:|- beautiful surroundings, warm water to swim in, plenty of watersport equipment to hire (kayaks, SUPs etc.)|- quite a unique/novel place|- WiFi and signal available|- some of the staff are friendly||Cons:|- some staff are quite unfriendly and loiter around all day on their phones|- there isn't much seating/sunbathing areas - only 2 hammocks, 2 outdoor seating areas, and a few indoor benches. When there's countless staff using these there's often nowhere to go as guests! Rooms far too hot in the day to go and lie down in|- tours/excursions on offer are quite expensive |- facilities/rooms are very very basic - dribbles of water from one tap shared between everyone for hand-washing, teeth-cleaning etc., rickety bunkbeds which feel at risk of collapsing|- food is incredibly basic and a bit hit-and-miss. Difficult to bring own snacks/drinks as luggage was limited for the boat journey over|- random boat trips sail by and stare at you as you try to relax!|- as a solo traveller, I didn't find the other guests overly friendly/welcoming so there was a bit of a weird vibe in the place||Overall, for the price (320,000COP for boat, 40,000COP per meal, 29,000 COP for entry to park, and 300,000+COP per night for bed) I would have expected better.

This place is cool but I wish I hadn’t stayed here for 2 main reasons. ||1. On the 2nd night I got eaten alive by bed bugs. I was only in the bed for about 5hours but had around 200 bites that were so painful, itchy and some blistered (pics attached), ruining the end of my 4 month trip and took over a week to heal.|2. There isn’t much to do here, excursions expensive and snorkelling in the mangroves we saw nothing, not even fish! They said the bioluminescence wasn’t possible (luckily I did a day trip the night before). So it was just drinking and partying, which in general I don’t mind and like to party but it was very “lads lads lads” atmosphere, watching sports and leering after women. I felt a bit excluded travelling alone but also someone in a couple felt the same too, so I think it was maybe because we weren’t in our early 20s. Was hoping for more activities and the type of great travellers I’d met in Colombia and the rest of South America!||Things I did like were: some of the staff - the 2 hosts had nice energy (bar staff were pretty rude though) and lunch and dinner was really good. Breakfast was average and drinks bit expensive. Toilet setup was actually fine and showers basic but enough for staying a few days. Good music, fun dancing, lovely views and water.

Positive Aspects of Casa en el Agua The location and unique appearance of Casa en el Agua are truly impressive. The hostel’s charm lies in its picturesque setting and distinctive design, making it visually memorable. Additionally, the communal atmosphere allows for social connections, and meeting other guests who became friends was a definite highlight. Areas for Improvement Staff and Guest Relations The biggest concern I encountered was with the staff. The receptionist was notably unapproachable and reluctant to answer questions. The volunteers, however, were even more problematic. Many appeared overly focused on the female guests, often becoming inappropriately touchy, which created discomfort among some visitors. There was a general sense that they were more interested in socializing among themselves and with specific guests than in providing attentive service to everyone. Noise Levels and Atmosphere The noise level is very high throughout the day. Loud Latin music plays almost constantly, except during meal times, making it challenging to find a quiet space within the limited area of the hostel. It would be an improvement if guests had the opportunity to choose some music themselves, especially considering the price they pay for their stay. More quiet times would enhance the experience and allow guests to appreciate the natural tranquility of the island. Personally, I found it difficult to hold conversations due to the loud environment. Meal Portions Although the food is delicious, the portion sizes are very small, which can be disappointing for guests expecting a more satisfying meal experience. Safety Concerns There are significant safety issues in the structure and amenities. I did not observe any life-saving equipment for emergencies in the water or fire extinguishers, despite the building’s wooden and straw construction. The hostel also features a platform for jumping into the ocean from a height of about 3 meters, but boats are often parked directly below. When I suggested moving a boat to allow for safe jumping, the staff initially dismissed it with a comment like "just jump and try not to hit the boat." Only after multiple requests from guests was the boat finally relocated. This lack of attention to safety protocols is concerning. Value for Price In my opinion, the high price of staying at Casa en el Agua does not align with the experience provided. Similar accommodations offering comparable experiences are available in the area at a fraction of the cost.