20th January, private double with bathroom, $40,000 for the room

Hotel Miramar is a popular place to spend a night or two before heading off to one of the many attractions near to the gritty coastal city of Santa Marta. Whilst cheap, it is not terribly cheerful.

location

Located on Calle 10, it is slap bang in the middle of a popular backpacker district, which although is not the safest to place to wander late at night (seriously) is close to all the usual traveller requirements - beach, supermarket and street food. A taxi here from the bus station should cost no more than $5000 but be warned - the drivers are notorious for trying to rip you off!

best thing

The members of staff we encountered were extremely friendly and helpful, and by all accounts, the hostel are very good at arranging tours and providing information on pretty much anything you might need to know.

worst thing

This place could seriously do with a little love! Although we are by no means adverse to basic accommodation, Hotel Miramar couldn't help but feel dingy and claustrophobic. The rooms were very cramped and therefore pretty hot at night, and the communal space very dark. It also appeared that smoking was permitted EVERYWHERE except bedrooms which meant the smell of cigarettes was perpetually present.

Additionally, the kitchen whilst large, really is sub-par. It felt dirty and in desperate need of a refurb (however we understand that they have recently taken this on board and made some changes).

value for money

We were initially quoted $50,000 for our room, (a frankly ridiculous figure) but thankfully they negotiated down to $40,000. Whilst this is actually relatively reasonable for Colombia, you can find much better value down the road at Hostal Maranatha.

recommended for

If you are heading to Santa Marta but haven't yet arranged your trip to Tayrona or Ciudad Perdida then this might be a good place to kill a night or two cheaply whilst the hostel sorts it out. However, having stayed elsewhere in town for less money in a better room, it's hard to recommend this hostel fully.