Viajero Cartagena - Centro Hostel

I’ve been going back and forth about whether to write this review. I normally prefer to resolve issues directly and give people the benefit of the doubt, but after more than a month of waiting, no follow-up, and an unfulfilled refund promise, I feel like I have to share my experience—both for transparency and so others know what to expect when things don’t go as planned. I stayed at Viajero Cartagena Centre on May 26, 2025. After checking into a large shared dorm for two nights (paid in full upfront), I suddenly became very ill—vomiting, weak, and completely drained—within the first hour. Given that I was sharing the room with 11 other guests, I didn’t feel it was safe or responsible to stay there in that state, neither for myself nor for the other people in the room. I explained the situation to reception, but it took several conversations before I was taken seriously. Eventually, I was offered a private room—but at a rate of 324,000 COP per night, which was completely outside my budget. I was so sick at that point that I didn't feel like I had a real choice. I didn’t have the energy to argue or search for another place to stay, so I agreed, even though the price was steep. The next day, still feeling unwell, I asked about staying another night in the private room. I was told the rate would be even higher. At that point, I decided to leave and move to a different hostel, as it was simply unaffordable to stay. I also wasn’t refunded for the second night in the dorm, which I didn’t use. What stood out to me most during the whole experience was the lack of care. At no point did anyone check in on me, offer support beyond the logistics, or acknowledge that I was clearly not in a position to make fully informed decisions. I know the team was likely following protocol, but when a guest is visibly ill, a bit of flexibility and basic human empathy goes a long way. I followed up via email on June 15 to explain what had happened and to request a refund for the first dorm night, which I had been told would be reimbursed. I also shared that I felt unsupported during a difficult moment. On June 16, I received a reply apologizing for what happened, confirming that the refund would be processed, and saying the case had been forwarded to management to see what else could be done “to compensate the situation.” That was the last I ever heard from them. I sent two more follow-up emails, on July 3 and July 12, and got no response. To be clear, I don’t believe the staff acted out of bad intent, and I understand they were trying to stay within their internal guidelines. But this situation called for more than that. If I hadn’t taken responsibility and pushed to move out of the dorm, it could have been a health hazard for everyone in that room, not just me. Instead of support, I felt like I was being charged the maximum possible simply because I was vulnerable and had no other option in that moment. I’ve stayed in many hostels over the years, and for me, a good one should feel like a home away from home, not just a place that maximizes profit wherever possible. I would have been satisfied with a follow-up, an honest explanation, and a refund that had already been agreed upon. But being ignored after reaching out repeatedly is what disappoints me most. Viajero Cartagena may be a good choice under normal circumstances. But if something goes wrong, don’t count on them to take responsibility or follow through.

The bathrooms were not clean at all — for the price, I expected much better. The facilities are lacking. Given the high number of guests, more frequent cleaning is definitely needed. Also, in the 'recreation' area, I didn’t like the loud music and the dirty tables. I was looking for a place where I could also relax, but unfortunately, I didn’t find that here. On the positive side, the central location is great, and it’s a good spot if you're looking to socialize and party.

The only thing that was fine were the communal areas and the Wifi. Other Viajeros I‘ve went to have nicer rooms. I left the first night. My room was directly next to the comunal area, had no window glass so I could hear absolutely everything and sleep was impossible. You could‘t even lock your room! The „locker“ just was a door to the dirty floor under the beds. The worst thing was that there was no water. They only had water certain hours of the day. I get this can happen but why not inform us earlier? Why do I have to pay the full price?? I arrived after a whole day of traveling and on my period and couldn‘t even shower or wash my hands! The worker was explaining the hours so fast that I overheard that that day water was only available until 8 and not 9. When I asked at the reception I only got „I told you so“ instead of being offered any alternative like getting us water from the store! They just care about money!! I heard the next they they had only ONE shower for everybody and people had to schedule their shower, what a chaos! And this for full price? Unacceptable.

The breakfast is so good I had to repeat to Lou and Katrini thank you and that the food was perfect. It tastes amazingly good and its not too heavy on your stomach. It is a good way to start the day with their breakfast. If I knew earlier that it was so good I would have took the option in my journey at the hostel to have "free" breakfast ||Tommy/Canada

Great location in the middle of the old town. Beds are comfy and feels private in the dorms. They provide a service to store your bags whilst you go to the islands, but it’s not locked. The hostel had nice chill areas, bathrooms and showers were a bit dirty. Unfortunately the check in took forever - no check in before 3pm but then it took us an hour to get into our room as everyone checks in at once.

Dorm rooms: comfortable, Location Excellent, a disclaimer that some of the dorms are literally at the bar, so if you want a good nights sleep maybe not the best place to go. Meant to be a quiet period after midnight but didn’t seem enforced as some fools came back around 4am on both nights shouting and roaring. I enjoy pints and banter but was too much for me. defo caters to the sesh gremlins. If looking to meet people and drink on go here. If looking for quiet and sleep maybe try elsewhere. Overall, had a fine a experience here. 3/5

I've stayed in a few Viajero hostels and unfortunately this one is the least good so far - usually they're great. The location is good for strolling around the area, and at a surface level the hostel is cool, but once you've been here a couple of nights it isn't very comfortable. We were in room 122 - the air conditioning is very poor and there are no windows, so it's far too hot at night and you wake up soaking in sweat (if you can sleep at all). Everyone in our room felt this way. There are no fans to circulate air in the room. The kitchen is not available for use until 10am because the staff use the same kitchen as the guests, which makes cooking your own breakfast very difficult. If you are not in the mood to party it is tough to find a place to relax. There are no non-smoking outdoor areas and many guests were chain-smoking in all social areas, so it's hard to avoid that. If you're in Cartagena for a short visit and want to party every night, this is probably a good spot for you. Otherwise, I would not recommend it.

It could be 1 star, but it’s two because I’m happy to leave. The rooms smell really bad, if you're lucky it will smell like sweat, otherwise it will be all the smells associated with the day after a party. They have a kitchen, which is really good considering the cost of living in Cartagena but the first day we wanted to use it, there was a super strong smell of vomit. Also, if you get up early (7am or before) don't be surprised to find the hostel upside down some mornings, I think the cleaning is only done between 7 and 8am. I don't like anyone for that. I suppose they already do their best, I'm just giving my personal opinion since I tend to get up around 6am in the morning to work on my computer before going sightseeing. Finally, the wifi hardly works in the rooms at night, the showers are dirty, the toilets often smell funny. So I would like to warn you about the hostel as much as against a handful of travelers who stay there, and who leave the place awful.