Hostel Locations with Handy Google Map References for Easier Trip Planning

Hostel lodgings around Santa Marta give you the opportunity to explore and enjoy life in this great area without spending much money, this region truly is a bargain. Why pay big dollars for fancy surroundings when you are out the door exploring all day anyway.

Do you have a great trip planned for Colombia?

Need to watch your budget?

Plan on traveling the area as a backpacker?

I don't like to spend money carelessly and to my way of thinking if you are careful you can get a lot of mileage for very little money in this area.

Budget accommodations appear under a variety of names, hostel, youth hostels, residencias, hospedajes, hosterias, posadas, these are shared facilities, they provide lodging for people who are more interested in travel than luxury.

Be aware that your hostel may not have hot water and may also suffer from low water pressure, it's normal, there may be only one tap, just like a lot of the homes. If there are two taps you will probably get twice as much cold water, this is also normal. If you get both high water pressure and hot water you are truly destined to have great luck all along your journey. I would plan for cold showers though. While on the topic of water, you may find in your hostel that the toilets cannot handle toilet paper, be aware beforehand so you can avoid plugging the toilet. There will be a container provided for the paper. The problem is is that the piping is too small as is the case throughout Santa Marta and Colombia.

I think backpacking is a great way to get around, simple and cheap, meeting new people, making new friends. When you are older it's much harder to do, as you can afford to spend more on your accommodations you become more isolated from people, as a backpacker you may be more dependent on other people so tend to be more agreeable

A few points are in order when traveling around Santa Marta and Colombia.

Have a good time.
Take responsibility for your own gear, you can lose things quickly whether it's at a bus station, a hostel, any place you give someone the opportunity to grab your stuff while your distracted.
Make sure you do your banking in the daylight hours, choose busy areas, inside the shopping malls are a good place, there are guards at the doors of the malls and they check people and bags as they enter and leave.
Be aware that there are scams going on and sometimes you could be the mark, don't pick up money, items or anything that doesn't belong to you as it could be a setup.
Stay away from drugs, remember you are a foreigner, staying at a youth hostel makes it easier to come into contact with drugs so be careful.
If you are going out at night to party, give some thought to your return trip back to the hostel, arrange a cab by phone, flagging one off the street late at night may leave you vulnerable to robbery and unintended consequences, so plan ahead.

Don't

Don't be too inquisitive, Santa Marta is a port city and there is a lot of contraband going through town.
Don't be a target, resist the temptation to look too well off.
During the day don't run out of money and if you are at the beach, ensure you have small denomination bills to pay for your drinks and food, the vendors usually can't change large bills, a beer is a little over a dollar on the beach so your small bills will go a long way.
Don't stray too far off the beaten path by yourself when exploring, if you stay with a regular tour you are okay but if you explore alone you could end up in areas that you shouldn't be.
Remember that you can't get everything for free, if you are fair and reasonable so are your hosts.
You can find a hostel located close to the beach in good locations downtown and they don't cost much, so don't be stuck out in the middle of nowhere just because it looks like a good deal, there are good deals right downtown.

Some points worth remembering:

Youth Hostels downtown are near the beach.
Find a place close to where the tours leave.
Make sure there are restaurants close by and small convenience stores for snacks and goodies.
Fast food is expensive, local food is inexpensive.
Ensure that your hostel has a safe place to store your belongings.
The closer you are to the things you want to do the more you minimize your transportation costs.

Colombia is certainly on the radar of backpackers these days, for many years it as a place to avoid, this has been a great shame as Colombia has so much to offer and the reality of Colombia is much different than what many people believe.

Santa Marta

Hotel Las Vegas del Caribe
Address: Calle 11 2-08, Santa Marta
$8.00 with A/C
Map

Private bathroom
Cable TV
Internet available

Hotel Saboy
Address: Calle 11 2-22 Santa Marta
E-mail: saboysantamarta@hotmail.com
Map

Reception
Cable TV
Private baths
Hot Water
Laundry

Hospederia Casa Familiar (Hostel)
Address: Calle 10C No 2-14 Santa Marta
Map

Popular meeting place for backpackers
Private rooms
Dorms
Rooftop sundeck

Hotel Residencias La Posada
Address: Calle 11 1 C-51 Santa Marta
Map

36 rooms
Close to the beach

Hotel Villa del Mar Resort
Address: Calle 11 No. 1 C-100 Santa Marta
Map

Hotel Saratogo
Address: Cl. 11 No.2-29 Santa Marta
Map

Casa Grande Hotel and Convention Center
Address: Diagonal 39 No.7-275 Mamatoco, Santa Marta
Map

24 hour room service
Air conditioned
Restaurant (Esmeralda) Emerald
Cable TV
Minibar
Refrigerator
Wifi

Andrea Doria 1
Address: C18 No 1C-90 Santa Marta
Map

Central Location

Residencias El Titantic
Address: Calle 10 No. 1C-68 Santa Marta
Map

10 rooms, private and dormitories
Kitchen
Bag storage facilities
Courtyard
Laundry service

Hotel Turismar formerly Hotel Tayrona
Address: Carrera 1 No. 11-21, Santa Marta
Map

Private bathrooms
Restaurant
Hot water
Air conditioned (some rooms)

Hostal La Galaria
Address: Calle 12 # 1C-59 Santa Marta
Map

Kitchen
Meeting room
Private bathroom
Just half a block from the beach
1 Block from the historical district
Close to many inexpensive restaurants

Residancias San Jorge
Address: Calle 10 C 2-62 Santa Marta
Map

14 rooms
Cable TV
Private bathrooms
Laundry service

La Brisa Loca
Address: Calle 14 N3-58 Santa Marta
Map

Swimming Pool
Bar
WiFi
Restaurant

Hotel Miramar
Address: Calle 10C No 1c-70 Santa Marta
Map

Restaurant
WiFi
Information office for area
In operation over 75 years
Internet cafe
Laundry service
Backpacker friendly
Central Location

Aluna Casa y Cafe
Address: Calle 21 No 5-72 Santa Marta
Map

New construction and renovation of older areas.
Cafe
Breakfast $3.00
Courtyard
Patio on the roof
WiFi in lobby
Tour desk
Currency exchange
Laundry service

Hostal Parque Real
Address: Calle 21 2 A-05 Centro, Santa Marta

Tsunami Hotel
Address: Calle 17 Numero 2-36, Santa Marta
Map

Sun City
Address: Calle 18 3-28 Santa Marta
Map

Restaurant
Bar
WiFi
Air Conditioning in regular rooms
Dorm Rooms
Close to Historical center and 2 blocks from the beach

SolyMar
Address: Carrera 2 No 19-06 Santa Marta
Email: info@solymarhostal.com
Map

33 rooms
Close to historical center
Restaurant

Hotel Hospedería Rocamar
Address: Calle: 16 # 1c-47, Santa MartaWebsite: http://hospederia-rocamar.blogspot.com/E-mail: hospederia_rocamar@hotmail.com
Map

WiFi
Cable TV
Laundry
Room Service
Close to Historical center
Near the beach

La Casa Vieja
Address: CL. 12 No. 1-58 Santa Marta
Website: www.hotelcasavieja.com
Map

21 Rooms
Restaurant
Air conditioned
WiFi
Cable TV
Laundry

Hostal Bermuz
Address: Cl. 13 No. 5-16 Santa Marta
Map

Taganga

On the Beach

Casa Blanca Hospedaje y Pension
Address: Carrera 1 No 18-161 Taganga, Santa Marta, Colombia
Map

Located on the beach
Private rooms
Dorm rooms

Hotel Mirador de Taganga
Address: Carrera 1B No. 18-107 Taganga, Santa Marta, Colombia
Map

On the beach
9 rooms
Air conditioned
Most rooms have bay views

Hotel Bahia Taganga
Calle 4 No. 1 B-35 Camino Playa Grande, Taganga, Santa Marta, Colombiahttp://www.bahiataganga.com/index.php/lang-en Location

22 Rooms
Special Group Rates
Restaurant
Room with fan
Air Conditioned (optional)

Off the Beach

Hostel Techos Azules
Address: Sector Dunkarinca Cabaña 1-100 Taganga, Santa Marta, Colombia.
Google Map

Casa de Mar
Address: Carrera 1B Taganga, Santa Marta, Colombia
Google Map

Casa Holanda
Address: Calle 14 No. 1B-75 Taganga, Santa Marta, Colombia
Location

Some Rooms Air Conditioned
Restaurant

Hostel Pelikan
Address: Carrera 2 No.17-04 Taganga, Santa Marta, Colombia
Google Map

Hotel Oso Perezoso
Address: Calle 17 2-36 Taganga, Santa Marta, Colombia
Google Map
Constructed in 2005, Full Service Restaurante, Bar, Wireless Internet
Private bathroom, breakfast is included in room rate
HotelOsoPerezoso @ yahoo.com

Moramar Backpackers International Hostel
Address: Carrera 4 N 17B 83
Google Map

La Casa de Filipe
Address: Carrera 5A 19-13 Taganga, Santa Marta, Colombia
Google Map
Prices in English

Hotel Remarim
Address: Calle 12 3-70 Taganga, Santa Marta, Colombia
Google Map

Hostal Tropical Maison
Address: Calle 14 No 3-06 Taganga, Santa Marta, Colombia
Google Map

Casa Divanga
Address: Calle 12 No 4-07 Taganga, Santa Marta, Colombia
Google Map
Restaurant ¨Toque Frances¨ and Rooftop Bar, Free Internet and WiFi

Villa Capricornio Club
Address: Calle 9 No. 5-55, Taganga, Santa Marta, Colombia
Google Map

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