Medellin Reports

[El Mechanico]

Hell, the hotel that I stay in around from Nutibara is less than $15. So from my angle it could be looked at as being out 1 night's hotel stay everytime you bring a chick in. From a trustfunder's angle it is just their Starbuck's money.

Thank you Mr. E. I agree 100%.

El Mechanico.

[El Mechanico]

Nobody's getting charged a "gringo price."

The best option is the Medellin Metro. If I was on a budget trip, I would pick a hotel in Mayorista. There are several nice, cheap options there and Ayura metro station is an easy 10 minute walk away. 2400 pesos gets you on the Metro to El Centro, or you can transfer to head out to Laureles. There are lots of sightseeing options accessible via the Metro and Metrocable and it's the fastest way to get around the city. There's also plenty of cheap food options in Mayorista, although quality does vary.

You have had outstanding luck then if you have never been charged the "Gringo Price". I was probably thinking of my experiences taxis in CR more so than MDE. I should have been more explicit.

Totally agree about buses & taxis during rush hour. I just tried the Metro in July, my 4th trip & am a firm believer in it. The Metro is awesome. Quick, efficient & no confusion on the prices whatsoever! Thanks for the response.

El Mechanico.

[ILuvThePussy]

So is there a hotel that is relatively cheap (less than $60 a night), that is clean / comfortable, is in a safe area, and doesn't have a chica fee or a low chica fee? Hotel botero hits 3/4 with the exception being that its in not such a great area. I know its perfectly safe if your cautious but I still feel a bit uncomfortable with the area especially with my rudimentary spanish.

[Knowledge]

There is a 105 K / night pre pay rate on expedia. $119 isn't a crazy big increase but we would be better off without it. LOL! The dollar is creeping back above 3 K so that should help a bit. Let's blame it on Duque.

In his defense I have had up to 2 to 3 girls a night up to my room at the Botero, even if you figure 2 girls x say 6 days x $15 that's $180 which isn't chump change to some people.

On another note the stupid Hotel Boteo just raised their rates a bunch, was 75,000 cop for a double a night, now it is 119 k, I asked my buddy who lives there if they had done a remodel or fixed the AC's or anything to explain it and he said nope. They also show on Hotels.com and Booking.com as being booked up for all of March when I want to go next which seems wierd.

[Knowledge]

I would try to find a better deal or get girls to show up earlier in the day. I can't remember how much it is but Botero hotel collects a fee for overnight guests. It isn't much. I think it is probably the difference between the single (sencillo) rate and the double occupancy rate.

$15.00. Doesn't seem worth all the fuss.

[Combo]

I don't work at a hotel or stay at the Nutibara so I am an outsider looking in on this message thread. I don't think it's so much the one time $15 incident that is the complaint. Probably the next $15 & the one or several more after that. Then the $3 or 4 overcharge by every other taxi, then the dinner price charged at lunch time, the the add ONS at the hotel then this fee & that fee. All of this adds up to getting aggravated at a minimum and reporting it here for others to know about. I have seen people get extremely irate at check out because of these hidden fees. It all adds up. Yes we spent 100 X more on plane ticket, hotel & entertainment so if it is "only" $15, you are correct, it shouldn't be that big of a deal. But usually it's not & usually it's a lot more than $15. Some of us are on a shoestring budget and have to watch every $15 we spend. I wish I were Trustfunder and could overlook every time I got the Gringo price!

El Mechanico.

I think more than that is that he was led to believe one thing and then treated differently. This can get on one's nerves, no matter how small the $ amount. That said, just have the chicas come over earlier or just go to a short-time hotel (they are better for entertaining the chicas anyway). I stayed at a place a couple years ago that explicitly told me no problem bringing guests in and no fee. Despite that, a bitchy evening clerk kept hassling my guests. It pissed me off, but in the end I found a fantastic short-time place.

[Fun Luvr]

Just Incognito, your post has a quote from another poster, but there is no way knowing that until someone reads the third paragraph. Even then, it is confusing. It is very easy to click on "Reply with quote" at the bottom of the post. Then you can delete any parts that are not relevant to your response.

[Mr Enternational]

It all adds up. Yes we spent 100 X more on plane ticket, hotel & entertainment so if it is "only" $15, you are correct, it shouldn't be that big of a deal. But usually it's not & usually it's a lot more than $15. Some of us are on a shoestring budget and have to watch every $15 we spend. I wish I were Trustfunder and could overlook every time I got the Gringo price!

Hell, the hotel that I stay in around from Nutibara is less than $15. So from my angle it could be looked at as being out 1 night's hotel stay everytime you bring a chick in. From a trustfunder's angle it is just their Starbuck's money.

[JjBee62]

I don't work at a hotel or stay at the Nutibara so I am an outsider looking in on this message thread. I don't think it's so much the one time $15 incident that is the complaint. Probably the next $15 & the one or several more after that. Then the $3 or 4 overcharge by every other taxi, then the dinner price charged at lunch time, the the add ONS at the hotel then this fee & that fee. All of this adds up to getting aggravated at a minimum and reporting it here for others to know about. I have seen people get extremely irate at check out because of these hidden fees. It all adds up. Yes we spent 100 X more on plane ticket, hotel & entertainment so if it is "only" $15, you are correct, it shouldn't be that big of a deal. But usually it's not & usually it's a lot more than $15. Some of us are on a shoestring budget and have to watch every $15 we spend. I wish I were Trustfunder and could overlook every time I got the Gringo price!

El Mechanico.

Nobody's getting charged a "gringo price." he failed to properly understand the policy that had been explained to him. He's well within his rights to question the policy, but the hotel has no obligation to change their policy because he doesn't like it.

Where he went wrong was going on TripAdvisor after he encountered a problem to see if others had complained about the hotel. You do your research before you book the room, not after you've stayed there.

You must have bad luck with taxis. Medellin taxis are metered. I believe the meter starts at 3300 pesos. I only had one time when I got in a taxi in Medellin and the meter had not been reset. I pointed it out, he reset it and no problem. Are you seeing 12,000 to 15,000 on the meter every other taxi ride, before the taxi takes off?

Of course there are options for anyone in Medellin who is trying to stretch their budget. You can always hop on a bus. Most are only 2100 pesos and just about anywhere you need to go in Medellin is close to a bus route. Not much fun during rush hour traffic, but neither is a taxi.

The best option is the Medellin Metro. If I was on a budget trip, I would pick a hotel in Mayorista. There are several nice, cheap options there and Ayura metro station is an easy 10 minute walk away. 2400 pesos gets you on the Metro to El Centro, or you can transfer to head out to Laureles. There are lots of sightseeing options accessible via the Metro and Metrocable and it's the fastest way to get around the city. There's also plenty of cheap food options in Mayorista, although quality does vary.

[El Mechanico]

bitching about 15 bucks!

I don't work at a hotel or stay at the Nutibara so I am an outsider looking in on this message thread. I don't think it's so much the one time $15 incident that is the complaint. Probably the next $15 & the one or several more after that. Then the $3 or 4 overcharge by every other taxi, then the dinner price charged at lunch time, the the add ONS at the hotel then this fee & that fee. All of this adds up to getting aggravated at a minimum and reporting it here for others to know about. I have seen people get extremely irate at check out because of these hidden fees. It all adds up. Yes we spent 100 X more on plane ticket, hotel & entertainment so if it is "only" $15, you are correct, it shouldn't be that big of a deal. But usually it's not & usually it's a lot more than $15. Some of us are on a shoestring budget and have to watch every $15 we spend. I wish I were Trustfunder and could overlook every time I got the Gringo price!

El Mechanico.

[Wolf662]

$15.00. Doesn't seem worth all the fuss.

It would annoy me, if I brought a 30 k VeraCruz girl to my room which I do, I certainly don't want to pay the hotel more then the girl.

[Wolf662]

Its really simple. You misunderstood. You were being cheap and petty, and probably stressing over every dime at that point because of your budget, so you argued about 15 bucks, but, you were wrong. Why do people argue and cry and make a scene and be dicks over 15 bucks? Why don't they think that this behavior just makes it more difficult for everyone else interacting with the hotel staff and it makes it harder for the staff to enjoy their lives? Is that worth 15 bucks? Not to me! Where is the respect for being in someone else's country and trusting that they are just doing their jobs at the front desk with no nefarious plots to steal your 15 bucks? Why can't some people just say, oh, I misunderstood what you meant, my bad, no biggie, have a nice day? That will get you further in life and in the moment than bitching about 15 bucks! Sheesh! The entitlement and myopic inability of some to see their own faults and mistakes and pettiness while being totally unaware of how they are the one's being a jerk never ceases to amaze. It happens more with Americans than people from any other country.

In his defense I have had up to 2 to 3 girls a night up to my room at the Botero, even if you figure 2 girls x say 6 days x $15 that's $180 which isn't chump change to some people.

On another note the stupid Hotel Boteo just raised their rates a bunch, was 75,000 cop for a double a night, now it is 119 k, I asked my buddy who lives there if they had done a remodel or fixed the AC's or anything to explain it and he said nope. They also show on Hotels.com and Booking.com as being booked up for all of March when I want to go next which seems wierd.

[Just Incognito]

I did have a major problem with the Hotel Nutibara this evening. They charged me 46 k for my visitor after giving me misleading info last night when I checked in. Last night I specifically asked the gentleman in reception if there was any charge for guests. He said during the day there was no charge, but at night the charge was 46 k. I asked when night starts. He said 7 pm.

Well today I checked in my guest at 6:40 pm, and they asked for 46 k. I told them what reception told me last night, but they now said that the visitor must leave before 7 pm. I argued this point vehemently, and with the manager as well. It was obvious they would not make any concession. So, I ended the debate by just telling then I'll pay it tomorrow at my checkout which included a few choice words on my part.

And you would be 100% in the wrong in this situation in every way! They told you night starts at 7 pm--that means if your girl is in your hotel room after 7 pm you got to pay. It's a pretty standard rule and procedure (my hotel of choice in MDE has the same rule, but stating at 10 pm). You checked your girl in at 640--was she going to leave before 7? The hotel seemed to have some faith that you wouldn't shoot your load within 20 minutes- and the girl was going to be in your room after 7- so you got to pay!. And when is a 15 dollar charge a 'major issue'? You've paid flight, hotel, food, hookers and other expenses- but this 15 bucks: that's the line into poverty and major drama! Sorry, bro- you just come off silly, immature and petty to me! You could have just looked at it as a tip, or just let it go. Or maybe thought about the truth: you were wrong.

Not trying to be harsh, or start a debate. But we see these kind of complaints around here more than we should- and 99% of the time: its the self-entitled 'I can do no wrong' visitor who is at fault--not the people who do this all day every day for years on end with hundreds of customers. You: one guy on a trip in another country. Them: totally and literally in their element doing what they do: who do you honestly thing had a better sense and understanding of the rules and policies and what you were told? Come on, man up and own it- its okay- nobody's perfect and someone out there still loves you.

Its really simple. You misunderstood. You were being cheap and petty, and probably stressing over every dime at that point because of your budget, so you argued about 15 bucks, but, you were wrong. Why do people argue and cry and make a scene and be dicks over 15 bucks? Why don't they think that this behavior just makes it more difficult for everyone else interacting with the hotel staff and it makes it harder for the staff to enjoy their lives? Is that worth 15 bucks? Not to me! Where is the respect for being in someone else's country and trusting that they are just doing their jobs at the front desk with no nefarious plots to steal your 15 bucks? Why can't some people just say, oh, I misunderstood what you meant, my bad, no biggie, have a nice day? That will get you further in life and in the moment than bitching about 15 bucks! Sheesh! The entitlement and myopic inability of some to see their own faults and mistakes and pettiness while being totally unaware of how they are the one's being a jerk never ceases to amaze. It happens more with Americans than people from any other country.

(In fairness, I live outside of the USA And work in a hotel and deal with people from other countries whose listening and comprehension skills seem to diminish with the rigors of travel on a daily basis, so, I admit my bias).

[Devinn38]

My flight arrived late last night and customs was backed up about 100 people deep but moved quickly (only about 15 minutes wait time). I was able to catch a bus from the airport which was surprising since I thought they stopped running at midnight. Lucky for me because it cost 10.5 k instead of the 70-80 k I was prepared to pay for a taxi. Also the bus took me directly to my hotel which was Hotel Nutibara in Centro. By the time I got checked in and up to my room it was after 2 am and I was beat!

Today I had an excellent session with a Facebook girl, lots of GFE, DFK, and an excellent bbj. I will be giving you guys a link to her FB profile shortly. She actually took it down, but expects to put it back up soon.

I have been impressed with the culture and the climate in the short time I've been here. The people are very friendly & courteous. I felt the people in Bogota were very courteous, and the paisas seem to have that same quality but with a lot more friendliness. It seems true that people are more relaxed here than Bogota.

I did have a major problem with the Hotel Nutibara this evening. They charged me 46 k for my visitor after giving me misleading info last night when I checked in. Last night I specifically asked the gentleman in reception if there was any charge for guests. He said during the day there was no charge, but at night the charge was 46 k. I asked when night starts. He said 7 pm..

$15.00. Doesn't seem worth all the fuss.

[StripperMan]

My flight arrived late last night and customs was backed up about 100 people deep but moved quickly (only about 15 minutes wait time). I was able to catch a bus from the airport which was surprising since I thought they stopped running at midnight. Lucky for me because it cost 10.5 k instead of the 70-80 k I was prepared to pay for a taxi. Also the bus took me directly to my hotel which was Hotel Nutibara in Centro. By the time I got checked in and up to my room it was after 2 am and I was beat!

Today I had an excellent session with a Facebook girl, lots of GFE, DFK, and an excellent bbj. I will be giving you guys a link to her FB profile shortly. She actually took it down, but expects to put it back up soon.

I have been impressed with the culture and the climate in the short time I've been here. The people are very friendly & courteous. I felt the people in Bogota were very courteous, and the paisas seem to have that same quality but with a lot more friendliness. It seems true that people are more relaxed here than Bogota.

I did have a major problem with the Hotel Nutibara this evening. They charged me 46 k for my visitor after giving me misleading info last night when I checked in. Last night I specifically asked the gentleman in reception if there was any charge for guests. He said during the day there was no charge, but at night the charge was 46 k. I asked when night starts. He said 7 pm.

Well today I checked in my guest at 6:40 pm, and they asked for 46 k. I told them what reception told me last night, but they now said that the visitor must leave before 7 pm. I argued this point vehemently, and with the manager as well. It was obvious they would not make any concession. So, I ended the debate by just telling then I'll pay it tomorrow at my checkout which included a few choice words on my part.

I feel a little duped & violated. How many specific questions do I need to ask at check-in. Hell, I'm the customer! Anyhow I went on Tripadvisor, and reread some of the reviews on Hotel Nutibara. They are littered with bad review after bad review. Some of which includes theft out of the rooms. Oh well, I got the rooms at a significant discount through an airline vacation package, but definitely will not stay here again.

I am looking forward to a continued good trip.