Enjoyed our trip to Colombia
Colombia | Jan 26 - Feb 6, 2024

B
Barb N.
Canada | Reviewed on Feb 14, 2024

Enjoyed our trip to Colombia.

Highly recommend Wendy. Excellent contact and follow up before and throughout the trip. The itinerary was great to see the sites and absorb the culture of Colombia.

Hotel Reviews
Hotel Salento Real Eje Cafetero
Salento

Rooms were hot but thankful they gave us a portable fan. Breakfast was basic though personable staff cooked to order. TV didn’t work but the staff tried.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Easy walking to the Main Street. Quiet location.
Staff
Staff did not speak English but our guide helped.
Cleanliness & Comfort
York Luxury Suites Medellín
El Poblado, Medellin

Excellent staff and many spoke English which was helpful. All were friendly and personable. Great sunset from balcony off the fitness room. Modern hotel with kitchen facilities.

Authenticity & Character
Location
A ways from everything
Staff
Friendly and very helpful that many spoke English. Reception staff was excellent.
Cleanliness & Comfort
Best Western Plus Santa Marta Hotel
Santa Marta, Magdalena

Older hotel. Rooms were comfortable. Breakfast was satisfactory. Rooms were clean but towels a bit worn.

Authenticity & Character
Location
I think everywhere in Santa Marta seemed a bit sketchy.
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Ermita, Cartagena, a Tribute Portfolio Hotel
El Cabrero, Cartagena

Comfortable hotel but on a busy road and hectic sidewalk to walk into the historic town. Floor in our room was filthy. We took our shoes off at the door and I could feel dirt under my feet. I took toilet paper and water and mopped the floor to try to get the floors clean enough. There was water under the sink and the hairdryer pouch was wet. I put tissue under the pipe to try to determine if major leak and it seemed condensation. It wasn't major so didn't call the staff. The next day the cleaning staff removed the tissue and put a towel there. Beds were comfortable. The rest of the hotel was kept very clean. Breakfast was good. Loved the fresh fruit.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Please mop the floors in the rooms between guests.
GHL COLLECTION HOTEL 93
BOGOTÁ

Excellent breakfast. Food and serving staff were outstanding. Nice to have pancakes and eggs made to order. Presentation was amazing. Nice to have flavoured water in the lobby in the afternoons. The beds were comfortable. The only complaint I have is the bathroom sink is of very poor design. The angled sink was not practical. The tap was not a simple turn on and off and it sprayed everywhere including on us every time it was turned on.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Good location to walk to restaurants and shopping mall if so desired.
Staff
Staff at Breakfast were 10 stars!!!!!
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Reviews
Paloquemao Farmers Market |  Colonial Downtown & Monserrate
Paloquemao Farmers Market | Colonial Downtown & Monserrate
Colombia

Amazing to tour the flower displays. Great to sample the fruits and drinks to get a flavour for Colombia. Interesting to see the Gold Museum. Enjoyed the drive past the murals but would have been nice to walking tour of them instead. Good to go up Monserrate mountain.

Quality of Experience
Food
Lunch was amazing.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Andrea was an excellent guide. She had great knowledge, enthusiasm and tailored the tour to do this the day after it was scheduled due to the impact of the fires where we wouldn't have been able to do a lot of it. The driver was great too. Nice to have water provided.
Transport
Good vehicle. Nice to sit in front seat so I could take pictures out the window.
The Salt Cathedral & Zipaquirá
The Salt Cathedral & Zipaquirá
Colombia

The Salt Cathedral is a must do when you go to Bogata. Spectacular to see and experience.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Andrea explained things very well and knew where to get the best pictures of us. She is very personable and respectful of other tourists.
Transport
Coffee Farm Experience
Coffee Farm Experience
Colombia

We enjoyed our visit to the coffee farm and hearing the family's story of struggles and survival and seeing how they have developed and do their business. They were very engaging. Also enjoyed meeting their family.

Quality of Experience
Food
We didn't have lunch at the farm due to appointment by the farm owner but had a good meal in a restaurant with a beautiful property.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Personable guide who was a good interpreter with the farm owners and took some good pictures of us picking the coffee beans.
Transport
Part of the overall experience was travelling in the back of the jeep to get to and from the farm.
Salento, Filandia, & the Valley of Wax Palms
Salento, Filandia, & the Valley of Wax Palms
Colombia

Enjoyed the Valley of Wax Palms and doing the hike to the lookouts. A bit commercialized but you can avoid the tacky touristy things they have added and focus on the trails and the views. Nice viewpoint above Salento to see the valley. We did not go to Filandia due to our guide not having it in their itinerary.

Quality of Experience
Food
Excellent restaurant and food.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Both the guide and driver were personable. Nice to have water provided.
Transport
Comfortable vehicle.
The City of Eternal Spring and Its Story of Transformation
The City of Eternal Spring and Its Story of Transformation
Medellín

Interesting tour of the city and history of the transformation. Juan Carlos Vanegas was an excellent guide and very knowledgeable. The only disappointment was that the guides and drivers provided water in the other places we had visited on the tour and we expected the same. But it wasn’t provided . We had landed by plane and started the tour immediately so had no water with us. We noticed the guide stopping a few times a picking up water for himself and he should have advised us to do the same.

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Colorful Colombia: Hike to Guatapé Rock, Guatapé & Peñol-Guatape Reservoir
Colorful Colombia: Hike to Guatapé Rock, Guatapé & Peñol-Guatape Reservoir
Colombia

Enjoyed it all despite it being a rainy day. Guide adjusted the order of the sightseeing due to the weather. Glad we were able to climb the rock - it stopped raining for us and the fog lifted briefly at the top so we could get a bit of the view.

Quality of Experience
Food
Lunch was incredible.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Bunkuany: The Heart of the Wold
Bunkuany: The Heart of the Wold
Colombia

The description of the tour did not say it would be 12 km hike over uneven and challenging terrain. Even the guide was shocked when he read the description. The guide was excellent and very helpful. We were proud of ourselves for doing the trek. We are in good shape but others would find it difficult. Even the drive to get to the start of the hike was quite the twisty and bumpy experience. We only did this as it we needed an option to replace Tayrona Park since it was closed.

Quality of Experience
Food
Beautiful setting for the meal. Nice to have snacks during the hike.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Excellent guide and highly skilled driver.
Transport
Discover the Magical City of Cartagena & Getsemaní
Discover the Magical City of Cartagena & Getsemaní
Cartagena

Loved the city. Beautiful colours and interesting streets. No food provided on the tour so didn’t rate it.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Good guide and driver.
Transport
Local specialist: Wendy Romero
Wendy
Wendy Romero
Local specialist in Santa Marta | Replied on Feb 20, 2024

Dear Barb,

It was a pleasure to welcome you here in Colombia and South America! I hope you've been enjoying your trip. Thank you for including us in your adventure and for acknowledging the efforts of our team in showing you the best of our country.

You will always be welcome here; Colombia awaits you with open arms and a cup of coffee.

Warm regards,
Wendy