Best hostels in Medellin

Medellin sits in the Aburrá Valley with its neighborhoods climbing the slopes on either side of the river. The hostel and budget accommodation scene splits along a clear geographic line: El Poblado on the southeastern hillside, Laureles on the western bank, and La Candelaria in the old downtown core between them. El Poblado draws the largest share of international travelers and commands the highest hostel rates in the city; Laureles runs quieter and cheaper with better access to local restaurant strips along Carrera 70; La Candelaria offers the lowest nightly prices but asks you to be more deliberate about when and where you walk after dark. The Metro connects all three corridors, and most travelers will use the Poblado, Estadio, or Parque Berrío stations as anchors. Prices in this guide range from $20 a night in La Candelaria to $63 near San Diego, and ratings run from 7.2 to 9.8, so the floor is honest and the ceiling is genuinely strong. The neighborhood you pick matters more than the specific bed: once you choose your corridor, you will find something that fits. Start with the valley side and the vibe, not the booking filter.

1. 1

   El Poblado, Medellin

   Southeastern hillside above the Medellín River, upper slopes near Parque Lleras

   Nightlife-adjacent hostels on the slopes above Medellin's main restaurant and bar plaza

   At $56 a night, Lomm By Somos The Group holds a 9.8 and anchors the upper slopes of El Poblado near Parque Lleras. Skip the overpriced party hostels clustered right on the plaza; the better beds sit uphill where the noise drops and the rates stay honest. The Poblado Metro station is a steep walk downhill, and the Envigado corridor to the south connects you to cheaper eats outside the tourist radius. This stretch of El Poblado suits travelers who want walkable restaurants and nightlife without sleeping inside the loudest block. The area quiets down on weeknights and the streets fill with joggers and dog walkers before the heat builds.

   1. Budget

      Lomm By Somos The Group

      I recently stayed in this hotel and overall had a good experience, but there were a couple of issues worth mentioning. The hotel itself has a nice atmosphere and the staff were generally friendly and

      9.8/10 rating ~$56/night
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2. 2

   Comuna 11 - Laureles-Estadio

   Western bank of the Medellín River, between Estadio Metro station and Carrera 70

   Studio apartments near Carrera 70's local restaurant strip at sub-Poblado prices

   Carrera 70 hums with corner bakeries and juice bars from early morning in Laureles, and the accommodation here costs less than anything equivalent in El Poblado. Quadrato Studios holds an 8.9 at about $48 a night, which is the kind of rate that buys you a private studio rather than a bunk bed across the valley. The locals prefer this side of the river for a reason: the restaurant strip runs deeper, the Estadio Metro station sits within walking distance, and the tourist markup barely exists. Don't bother with the party-hostel circuit in Poblado if you want a full night's sleep. Laureles trades nightlife proximity for a residential rhythm that suits longer stays and remote workers.

   1. Budget

      Quadrato Studios

      8.9/10 rating ~$48/night
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3. 3

   El Poblado

   Residential slopes of El Poblado south of the main commercial strip

   Quieter residential blocks of El Poblado away from the main bar zone

   At $51 a night, Golden Valley Hotel holds a 9.0 in the residential blocks of El Poblado, where steep streets thin out foot traffic and the nearest cafes cater to residents rather than backpackers. Skip the generic party hostels along the Parque Lleras strip; the side streets here reward the walk with lower rates and quieter nights. The Poblado Metro station sits downhill, and the commercial malls along Avenida El Poblado anchor grocery runs and transit connections. This section suits travelers who want El Poblado's safety and walkable restaurants without the weekend noise. The area wakes up with joggers before the heat builds and settles into a residential calm by evening.

   1. Budget

      Golden Valley Hotel

      Very good service, super comfortable room, perfect ... My wife and I spent it from wonder ... I would return with pleasure another time

      9.0/10 rating ~$51/night
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4. 4

   Comuna 14 - El Poblado

   Administrative El Poblado boundary south of the commercial core, near the mall corridor

   Reliable chain beds in the administrative El Poblado zone near shopping and transit

   Morning light comes down the hillside streets of Comuna 14, where the Ibis Medellin holds a 9.2 at about $54 a night near the commercial corridor south of Parque Lleras. This administrative boundary wraps around El Poblado's core and stretches toward the shopping malls, giving it a more residential feel than the bar-heavy blocks to the north. Avoid the overpriced boutique hostels nearer the nightlife zone; the Ibis delivers reliable rooms and included breakfast at a fair price for the location. The Poblado Metro station sits downhill, and colectivos run along Avenida El Poblado through the corridor. This section suits travelers who value a clean, consistent bed over a trendy bunk.

   1. Budget

      Ibis Medellin

      The breakfast is excellent and varied. The staff is friendly and attentive. The facilities are clean and the location is very convenient close to restaurants, shopping centers and good transportation.

      9.2/10 rating ~$54/night
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5. 5

   Laureles - Estadio, Medellin

   Residential grid west of the Medellín River near Atanasio Girardot stadium

   Self-catering studios near Estadio station on the quiet side of the river

   At about $27 a night, zenia scores a 9.1 and sits in the residential grid between Estadio station and the Atanasio Girardot sports complex. That price buys a self-catering apartment with a kitchen, which is why this stretch of Laureles fills with travelers staying weeks, not days. The locals head to Carrera 70 and the Primer Parque de Laureles for evening meals; the tourist economy barely touches this corridor. Skip the overpriced co-living spaces marketed at digital nomads; a studio here with its own kitchen costs less than a shared dorm in El Poblado. The Metro connects Estadio station to the rest of the valley on flat ground. This is the strongest budget value in Medellin for anyone who packs light and cooks.

   1. Budget

      zenia

      Excelente lugar para hospedarse, esta muy fácil de llegar y dentro de las zonas de Medellín es como que a mi gusto una zona mas tranquila. Hay muchas tiendas cerca. Y el apartamento tiene su cocine

      9.1/10 rating ~$27/night
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6. 6

   Comuna 10 - La Candelaria

   Downtown commercial core around Parque Berrío and the main Metro interchange

   Downtown transit-hub accommodation on the city's main Metro interchange

   Parque Berrío buzzes with street vendors and Metro commuters at the heart of La Candelaria, and Hotel Nutibara anchors the plaza with a 7.9 rating at about $34 a night. The score is honest: this is a functional, no-frills hotel in a location where the city's transit lines converge. The locals know downtown Medellin as the commercial core, not a tourist destination, and the accommodation reflects that rhythm. Don't bother with the hostel chains marketing 'authentic Medellin' at twice the price in Poblado; this is the real commercial grid, loud and working. Plaza Botero and the Alpujarra government complex sit within walking distance, and the main Metro interchange is steps from the door. Stay here for transit access and downtown grit, not for nightlife or quiet.

   1. Budget

      Hotel Nutibara

      7.9/10 rating ~$34/night
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7. 7

   La Candelaria, Medellin

   Central downtown blocks near Junín pedestrian street

   Budget downtown rooms with private parking near the Junín pedestrian corridor

   The blocks around Junín pedestrian street glow with neon signage after dark in La Candelaria, and GALLERY HOTEL sits among them with a 7.2 rating at $36 a night. The trade-off is straightforward: a private room with parking in the downtown core, but surroundings that feel uneasy after sunset. Skip the temptation to book downtown just because it looks central on a map; this area earns its price discount honestly. The locals treat La Candelaria as a daytime commercial district and clear out by evening. If you arrive by car and want garage access without Poblado rates, GALLERY HOTEL is the practical choice. If you walk alone at night, choose a different corridor.

   1. Budget

      GALLERY HOTEL

      The breakfast tastes ok, but I am not used to this kind of non-buffet ”buffet” breakfast. The hotel has its own garage, which is very, very convenient! However, the environment is a bit scary at night

      7.2/10 rating ~$36/night
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8. 8

   San Diego, Medellin

   Transitional hillside strip between downtown La Candelaria and El Poblado

   Chain-hotel consistency on the hillside between downtown and the Poblado restaurant zone

   At $63 a night, La Quinta by Wyndham Medellin holds a 9.1 on the hillside between El Poblado and the old downtown core. San Diego is the transitional strip where the commercial grid gives way to steeper residential blocks climbing toward Poblado, and the price reflects that middle ground. The locals know this corridor as the medical district; clinics and pharmacies line the streets, and the foot traffic is purposeful rather than touristic. Avoid the inflated boutique rates further uphill; La Quinta delivers chain-hotel consistency at a fair price for the location. The area connects downhill to the Metro and uphill to Poblado's restaurants by bus, which makes it practical if not glamorous. Stay here for a clean room and a quiet night without paying the Poblado premium.

   1. Budget

      La Quinta by Wyndham Medellin

      Very nice hotel, clean and sanitary, the staff are very enthusiastic and the rooms are also very clean. The only problem is that the hotel is on a hillside, so it will be tiring if you hike there.

      9.1/10 rating ~$63/night
      Check rates
9. 9

   Comuna 12 - La América

   Working-class residential corridor west of Laureles, near San Javier and Floresta Metro stations

   Plain, affordable beds with flat-grid Metro access west of the tourist corridors

   Morning traffic rattles through La América, a working-class corridor west of Laureles where tourists rarely book. Hotel San Pedro del Fuerte holds an 8.7 at about $44 a night, a solid score for a neighborhood that most travel guides skip entirely. The locals prefer La América for its lower rents and direct Metro access via San Javier or Floresta stations; the grid is flat, the streets are walkable, and the tiendas sell groceries at local prices. Don't bother with the tourist-facing hostels charging more for less in the eastern neighborhoods. This is the part of Medellin where the budget goes furthest and the accommodation is plain, clean, and uninterested in impressing you. It suits travelers who care about value and transit connections over atmosphere.

   1. Budget

      Hotel San Pedro del Fuerte

      8.7/10 rating ~$44/night
      Check rates
10. 10

    La Candelaria

    Dense commercial blocks in the downtown core near the Prado neighborhood

    Rock-bottom private rooms in the oldest part of the downtown grid

    At $20 a night, hotel civitas medellin scores an 8.4 and offers the lowest entry point in this guide. La Candelaria's budget floor sits in the dense commercial blocks near the Prado neighborhood, where the architecture shifts from glass towers to older residential buildings with tiled lobbies. The locals know this part of downtown as a transit pass-through, not a destination. Skip the overpriced dorm beds in Poblado that charge double for a shared bathroom; if your priority is a private room at rock-bottom cost, the math here is clear. The area connects to the Metro and the city's bus network without a transfer, and daytime street food runs cheap. Stay in this tier of La Candelaria only if you travel light, move with purpose after dark, and spend your days elsewhere in the valley.

    1. Budget

       hotel civitas medellin

       8.4/10 rating ~$20/night
       Check rates