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[QUOTE=Gabacho;2818688]Calle Real and Premier Plaza and various others up in prado area a cpl blocks up the street from hotel nutibara (if you have the cajones to stay in that area LOL).[/QUOTE]Thanks for quick reply, I have seen Calle Real but was not sure it was guest friendly, between Calle Real and Premier Plaza which one you think us better (in terms of amenities).
Poblado, especially Parque Lleras, the Poblado metro station and the Domino's Pizza on la 10 are ground zero for ride share and taxi ripoffs. In fact, they are ground zero for gringo ripoffs of every kind. Uber cleverly words its support questions so you have to pay attention to how you report situations like this. What works is to select the driver did not end the trip after he dropped me off selection. From the description of uber's response it sounds like they assumed the original poster was still in the vehicle the entire time.
[QUOTE=Villainy;2818543]I've lived here for almost 4 years now. I take taxis everywhere and I don't have any bad experiences to report. Of course if you are getting your taxis at Parque Lleras or close by. Then there might be someone trying to take advantage. Afterall that is the tourist zone where the rich foreigners stay.
Locals use taxis for short trips or the Metro or buses of course. Longer trips (like for example Laureles to Bello) they all seem to use InDriver. As someone pointed out, enter your pick-up and destination and your suggested price. You may get counter-offers. If nothing happens raise your price 1 mil. Easey Peasy.
I think people should know that outside of the Parque Lleras area, taxis are just fine. Of course it would help if you can articulate in Spanish where you want to go. Failing that give him the destination written on a card or piece of paper. I'm pretty friendly with a group of ex-pats that are living here and I haven't heard of any incidents or problems with a taxi.[/QUOTE]
I had a problem in another country. I had to open a new uber account. Uber blocked me from using the app unless I paid the credit card chargeback. I used a different card and e-mail address to open a new account and it's like it never happened. It wasn't even enough money to justify the inconvenience but I feel it's important to give Uber some incentive to keep tricky drivers in line.
[QUOTE=Parasitius;2818378]If your credit card charges back from Uber, they may permanently ban you. Consider that.
That said, this is a VERY common and VERY intentional scam in Medellin. It is extremely offensive Uber is being so stupid to pretend they don't know you're reporting the typical Medellin scam. The idiots did it to me in the middle of the day there. I would go to the same mall 5-6 days a week. And he drove around for like 2 hours after and went to parts of the city I never go to. I contacted Uber and said. Just look at the freaking map! I got out of the car at the mall that I have gone to every day almost for the past month. It is obvious fraud.
I think I got a refund and it was all fixed, but sadly I can't say 100% because I don't remember carefully checking.[/QUOTE]
[QUOTE=Gabacho;2818584]I always use inDriver and it's always in cash. You put in the amount your willing to pay and drivers will accept it or offer a counter offer. I have never had a problem with InDriver. Avoid using regular taxis if possible tho, they have counterfeit bills they use to give you your change. Taxistas are scam artists.[/QUOTE]You have the option to pay the ride in cash.
Hey fellas, theres been a few posts lately about looking for "good" girls in Medellin for a GF,/ relationship. First this is not what this forum is about. Second a tell tale sign she's not. If she has photos at these nice restaurants in Poblado. I like to eat there too but don't go foolin yourselves fellas cause someones paying for those dinners and theyre not usually paying cause theyre interested in her personality. Haha just keep a sane head on your shoulders and don't take it all too seriously. Have fun here.
[QUOTE=MrEnternational;2818477]You can always switch your Uber to pay cash.[/QUOTE]My trip last year in Cali, I had to switch to "pay in cash" because it was a lot easier to get an uber that way. Someone explained to me the drivers preferred cash payment and most wouldn't come pick you up if you had it set for pay by credit card.
[QUOTE=Ullo200;2818750]Thanks for quick reply, I have seen Calle Real but was not sure it was guest friendly, between Calle Real and Premier Plaza which one you think us better (in terms of amenities).[/QUOTE]I've stayed at both establishments, totally guest friendly. Calle Real is old and funky. If you stay there ask for a room at the back of the building as it will be quiet versus a room in the front. Premier Plaza is more modern, some rooms with jacuzzi tubs and fuck chairs, however you need to stay away from a room in the front, they can be very bright and hot and noisy, and immediately behind the Hotel you can at times hear noise from the bars along the street. If you stay there, ask for a room in the middle, it will be the quietest. Not sure whether they have a joiner fee meaning if your staying overnight whether they will charge a fee for bringing in multiple Chicas. Years ago it was unlimited but I think they charge a joiner fee, maybe 10,000 COP. There's no air conditioning at either place, and both will have hot water (hopefully). Just be advised thought that if you've never been here before, are an obvious gringo with no Spanish speaking skills it can be dicey after around 9 PM walking around alone, especially along the passage way from Calle Real down to Premier Plaza by the Veracruz Church. As far as amenities, well you will be lucky if you get a room that has a toilet seat, let alone a showerhead. There's no AC at these places, so if I had to choose, and I wanted something more modern then Premier Plaza might work for you. And of course Nutibarra is kind of old and funky as well, but for going out at night it would be a safer bet then the other too because there is direct access by taxi to the front door where as you will have to walk a ways to the ohters.
[QUOTE=Ullo200;2818750]Thanks for quick reply, I have seen Calle Real but was not sure it was guest friendly, between Calle Real and Premier Plaza which one you think us better (in terms of amenities).[/QUOTE]Last time I stayed at Calle Real it was 40 mil per day for a basic room and they were chica friendly but charged a fee of 10 mil per visit for chicas. Also they need to have a cedula in order to come up to your room, Venezuelan cedulas were ok. This was in 2021 however so they may have raised the prices since then.
Premier Plaza I believe is currently 70 mil per day and they are chica friendly (obvio as it also functions as a short time hotel). Not sure what the visitor fee is there but I believe it's around 18 k per hour when used as a short term hotel so probably something like that for the visitor fee for people staying there per diem.
[QUOTE=Ullo200;2818750]Thanks for quick reply, I have seen Calle Real but was not sure it was guest friendly, between Calle Real and Premier Plaza which one you think us better (in terms of amenities).[/QUOTE]In terms of amenities I have heard premier Plaza is better, I've only used it as a short time hotel, whereas with Calle Real I lived there for about a month back in 2021. I know Calle Real had a mini fridge in the room, a decent bed and flat screen TV with HDMI hook up for connecting a laptop and also had hot water.
I believe they said the room I used to stay in with the windows was going to be turned into a jacuzzi room, so they may offer a jacuzzi sweet at Calle Real now.
-Gabacho.
I just saw a video that said Lleras has changed after the construction. They mentioned the girls have moved. Is this true or have they just dispersed throughout the park?
[QUOTE=Marxh;2818914]I just saw a video that said Lleras has changed after the construction. They mentioned the girls have moved. Is this true or have they just dispersed throughout the park?[/QUOTE]I was there a few days ago. The park itself looks good. There are still some girls walking around in the park area but not like before. The night I was there, many more girls were up on Calle 10 spread out over several blocks near the park. Of course the Lleras Park club still had plenty of chicas and I'm sure Gusto's did as well. I was only there one night on this trip.
Q.
[QUOTE=Gabacho;2818584]I always use inDriver and it's always in cash. You put in the amount your willing to pay and drivers will accept it or offer a counter offer. I have never had a problem with InDriver. Avoid using regular taxis if possible tho, they have counterfeit bills they use to give you your change. Taxistas are scam artists.[/QUOTE]
[QUOTE=Vern2020;2818827]My trip last year in Cali, I had to switch to "pay in cash" because it was a lot easier to get an uber that way. Someone explained to me the drivers preferred cash payment and most wouldn't come pick you up if you had it set for pay by credit card.[/QUOTE]I always pay in exact cash when using taxis. I never give them big bills, which is one of the reasons why I use my 50 k bills when making transactions in the stores no matter how small. I break it down to small bills so mainly any taxi transactions are one way such as me handing them the exact amount. Years back when I was leaving out of the MDE airport I was exchanging my cop back to usd and the money exchange handed me back a 2 k bill because it was counterfeit. So I just gave it to a taxi driver on my next trip. Of course it's not much money. I would've given it to a stripper or taxi cab driver there either way. Although I haven't been to a strip club Medellin quite some time now. As far as taking regular taxis, it can be tricky. Like if I'm in Plaza Botero and I want to take a cab to Poblado I'll walk over to carrera 46 Avenida oriental on the side that goes directly to Poblado. If I take a cab from Plaza Botero and say I want go to Poblado you could end up taking a full tour of Medellin. And if I'm in Poblado it's the direct opposite I'll take the cab from carrera 43 a on the side that goes in the direction towards el centro, but in this case I take it directly to Plaza Botero. I can go on about transportation what method is best such as cab, metro or even walking and that would depend on the time of day it is considering peaks hours and traffic. This is all based based on my experience of course. Last trip I tried to get a cab from Plaza Botero to Energy around 8 am in the morning, but they all were taken none were available, so I ended up walking. I never tried Uber or inDriver here, but if they take cash and I don't have to use or provide a credit car for the app I'm definitely going to give it a try.
[QUOTE=Marxh;2818914]I just saw a video that said Lleras has changed after the construction. They mentioned the girls have moved. Is this true or have they just dispersed throughout the park?[/QUOTE]Friday night I walked up to Parque Lleras from the Metro up Calle 10, and a few blocks below the Park on Calle 10, and past the Park, there were a lot of girls standing on the sidewalks.
Upon entering the Park they had it barricaded with entrances and cops. Upon walking thru the Park around 7 PM there were very few girls, at least obvious girls working, and things have changed around the Park with no cars, and tables in the streets and on the sidewalks in front of many of the places to eat and drink.
After having dinner in Provenza, I went back thru the Park after 9 PM, and there were girls in the Park scattered around, but they were not heavily concentrated in front of Gustos outside but it was early. What I did notice was at the entrance with the barricades off of Calle 10 around 9 PM, there was one cop, but he wasn't even checking people out who were entering or leaving.
So your question whether the girls have moved, well the answer is yes and no.
Prior to the Pandemic there were very few girls working Calle 10, but with the Park re-opened they are now inside but it appears as though they are not allowed to be loitering in large groups like before inside the Park, that is at least my theory. I saw no more than two girls together inside the Park, versus sometimes a heard of girls inside the Park. But later in the evening who knows, perhaps it's exactly as before.
However I did see groups of upwards of eight girls together along Calle 10, and believe the Police would break that up inside the Park, but my observations are at one point in time, and I wasn't there later in the evening as I mentioned.
I think how they have barricaded the Park, and the surrounding areas with the outdoor seating like in Provenza is a good thing. The remodeling of the Park turned out well after a long time but still isn't completely done and a lot of the side streets are still tore up.
Perhaps someone else has been out later in the evening in front of Gustos and can share what they observed within the Park.
There also is a lot of new building construction projects and remodeling going on around the Park. I think the area is poised to really take off and become kind of like the Provenza area with all the tourists.
I have no knowledge of the politics in Medellin, but my theory is that since the Medellin is becoming so touristy now, they are trying to better control the tourist spots like the Botero area, and now Parque LLeras.
Just my observations and theories after a stroll thru the Park. Someone else may have a different take based on their observations.
[QUOTE=CeeJay1;2818929]I never tried Uber or inDriver here, but if they take cash and I don't have to use or provide a credit car for the app I'm definitely going to give it a try.[/QUOTE]No credit card needed for either app. A third app, DiDi, is usually a little cheaper than Uber, but recently there seems to be less DiDi drivers.
[QUOTE=Villainy;2818543]I've lived here for almost 4 years now. I take taxis everywhere and I don't have any bad experiences to report. Of course if you are getting your taxis at Parque Lleras or close by. Then there might be someone trying to take advantage. Afterall that is the tourist zone where the rich foreigners stay......[/QUOTE]
We've probably flogged the Uber / Taxi horse to near death (to be sure, an uber-prosaic topic for a mongering board), but I thought that I'd get in one more whack at the horse's near corpse in order to share a couple of lessons learned from navigating the streets of Medellin over the past four years or so.
As Villainy has noted, taxis are generally safe (with the exception of some of the drivers hanging out near Parque Lleras), but I'd add that that's with one important exception that newbies should keep in mind. On 3 or 4 occasions (out of 100's of rides) I've had drivers conveniently "forget" to turn the meter on at the beginning of the trip and then try to charge double or triple the reasonable rate. As soon as you enter the cab, try to remember to check that the meter has started running.
After having used taxis exclusively for several years, I now tend to divide my trips between cabs and Uber based on the following considerations:
If I'm familiar with my destination, I know roughly what the trip should cost, and I'm in a location with plenty of taxis passing by, I'll just jump in a cab. This often saves the sometimes prolonged wait for a ride-share driver to accept the ride and show up.
However, if I've never been to the destination (and it's not near some landmark familiar to everyone e.g. Plaza Botero, a Centro Commercial) then I take an Uber since all of their drivers have the Uber Map app or use WAZE. By contrast, many taxi drivers are Luddites, who don't use smart phones with WAZE or Google maps. On several occasions I've had to sit out their driving around cluelessly for 15 minutes or more trying to find my destination address, and sometimes having to call someone at the destination to get help. In a couple of cases (e.g. coming from Laureles to an obscure Envigado address) the driver has given up altogether and returned me home. This would never happen with Uber, In-Driver, or the other rider apps.
I have had a couple of chicas tell me that they have had problems with taxi drivers at night (theft; sexual assault), but I don't have a sense that (statistically) that's a risk that us aging lechers have to much worry about. I do sometimes, especially late at night, take a good look at the driver before getting in his car, and, if I get a bad vibe, wave him away. Always happiest to find an older driver with religious medallions on the dashboard who crosses himself every time he passes by a church.
P.S.: Hola, Villainy.