Where to stay in Medellín, Colombia: best areas and hotels

Are you planning a trip and haven’t decided where to stay in Medellín, Colombia, yet? We have selected the best areas and hotels for you to stay in the city with safety, comfort, and convenience.

Medellín is one of the most amazing cities to visit in Colombia. What attracts tourists most to this destination is its joyful and festive culture. As a result, the city is full of colors, and the parties are always fun, with plenty of salsa and reggaeton.

Medellín is also a great destination to learn Spanish. In addition, the fascinating tale of triumphing over crime and the turbulent, guerrilla-filled past are draws for many tourists.

The city, which once went through a wave of violence, is now a safe place to travel. However, it’s always a good idea to choose a nice neighborhood to stay in to ensure a more peaceful trip.

In this post, we’ve highlighted our best suggestions for where to stay in Medellín, featuring the most beautiful and safe neighborhoods, as well as the best hotels in each area.

Best places to stay in Medellín, Colombia:

Where to stay in Medellín, Colombia?

Medellín is a large city, but the three main neighborhoods to stay in are El Poblado, Laureles, and La Candelaria. El Poblado is the most tourist-friendly and safest neighborhood. Laureles offers what we consider the perfect balance between the daily life of a local resident and the city’s parties and tourist attractions. La Candelaria is a rundown and less safe neighborhood, but many people stay there because of the low prices.

Even though there are few neighborhoods to stay in Medellín, they are quite large. So, you should choose carefully which area of the selected neighborhood you will stay in.

Below, we explain the advantages and disadvantages of staying in each neighborhood, with tips on the best hotels and the best areas in each of these regions. This way, you can decide where to stay in Medellín according to your budget and travel style.

1. El Poblado: Best place to stay in Medellín

The best place to stay in Medellín is El Poblado, especially if you’re looking for a safe neighborhood and enjoy parties. El Poblado is the most tourist-friendly neighborhood to stay in Medellín. Most people who go for a Spanish exchange program or want to enjoy the city’s best parties stay there.

This neighborhood is well-wooded and has excellent public transportation coverage. So, you can easily get to the downtown, Laureles, or Comuna 13 by bus or metro. Uber, DiDi, and taxis also work very well in the area.

The neighborhood has all the convenience a tourist could want, with a good selection of hotels, quality restaurants, coffee shops, banks, and supermarkets. El Poblado is also known as one of the main party destinations in the country, so you’ll find plenty of bars and clubs (the famous rumbas) in the area. Despite being a party spot, the neighborhood is very peaceful, especially during the day.

Safety is also exceptional in the region, and it’s easy to walk around at night. We always returned home after 1 a.m., walking, and it was very calm. However, to ensure this experience, it’s good to stay in a central location. The main areas to stay in El Poblado are: Parque El Poblado (El Poblado Park), Parque Lleras (Lleras Park), Provenza, and Manila.

The Parque El Poblado area is quiet and about a 10-minute walk from Manila and Parque Lleras, making it a central location with little noise, home to some of the coolest hostels in the neighborhood. At night, it’s the least lively of the three areas mentioned above, making it a good option for those studying Spanish or working and needing some rest. This is the area in El Poblado with the cheapest accommodations.

Parque Lleras and Provenza are the streets where the neighborhood’s busiest nightlife is concentrated. They house the liveliest bars and the main nightclubs. In this area, the party spills out from the establishments into the street, so it’s a place with plenty of noise until late at night. This area is highly recommended for those who want to enjoy Medellín’s parties and nightlife. The most expensive hotels in El Poblado are located in this region.

Manila is a small and charming area that has great restaurants, bars, rooftops, and good hotels. The area offers a perfect balance between tranquility and excitement. So, if you like to go out at night but don’t enjoy places with too much noise, we recommend staying in Manila.

Recommended hotels to stay in El Poblado, Medellín:

• Apartamento Cómodo en El Poblado: a two-bedroom apartment with a good price, well-lit, and well-equipped. The apartment is located in Manila, making it an excellent choice for those who prefer more private accommodations.
• Hotel Marquee Medellín: a modern and elegant hotel with spacious rooms and a view. The hotel has a terrace with a pool and a magnificent view of the city.
• The Belmonte Penthouse: a luxury hotel located in the Parque Lleras area. The hotel is surrounded by greenery and has soundproofing.
• Refugio del Jaguar: located in the Parque El Poblado area, on a quiet street, this hotel is super charming. Its spaces are large, cozy, and feature rustic decor.
• Landmark Hotel: a very beautiful hotel located in Manila, with exceptional service and complete facilities. The highlight of the place is the terrace, which is a super cozy, modern space with a pool overlooking the city.

See more hotels in El Poblado.

2. Laureles: Perfect balance between local and tourist

Laureles Estadio is the best neighborhood to stay in Medellín if you want to live like a local. We really like the atmosphere of this neighborhood because it’s not too touristy, yet it still has a complete infrastructure. In the area, you’ll find good bars, restaurants, banks, supermarkets, clubs, and cafes.

Laureles has a perfect balance between the local lifestyle and tourist attractions.

During the day, you can walk around like a resident, visit restaurants and cafes that aren’t tourist-oriented, or do your shopping at the market. At night, you can dive into the Caribbean rhythm and enjoy yourself like a tourist. Go to the reggaeton clubs, dance salsa, or just soak up the excitement of Avenida La 70 (La 70 Avenue).

The neighborhood is also cheaper than El Poblado, making it the best choice for a more budget-friendly stay in Medellín.

Laureles is relatively safe, but there are some incidents of theft. So, it’s good to keep an eye on your bag, be careful with belongings in your pockets, and avoid leaving your items on tables or on the floor of restaurants and cafes. We walked a lot around the neighborhood and always felt safe, but we did see some cases of theft.

The best area to stay in Laureles is Avenida La 70 or nearby. This is the busiest street in the neighborhood, and Laureles’ nightlife is basically all centered around it. So, if you stay in this area, you’ll be able to go out at night and walk back without any issues.

On Avenida La 70, you’ll find some of the liveliest parties in Medellín. Additionally, the street has several great bars and restaurants.

Hotels we recommend for staying in Laureles:

• Factory Lofts Hotel: a beautiful and well-decorated hotel offering complete studios with kitchen, soundproofing, air conditioning, and views. The hotel has a pool and gym and is located one block from La 70.
• Hotel Dorado La 70: a well-located hotel with a gym, bar, and restaurant. It’s best to stay in rooms with a balcony and view.
• Origen Local Suites: accommodations with a good location, one block from La 70. The place has good cleaning service, as well as spacious suites with a kitchen.

See more hotels in Laureles.

3. La Candelaria: Cheap area and not highly recommended

La Candelaria is the center of Medellín. Many people consider staying in this area because it’s downtown and has very cheap accommodations. But the truth is that La Candelaria is a quite rundown and dirty neighborhood. It’s also not a very safe area to stay in.

There are many incidents of theft in this region. And, as a commercial center, the neighborhood is very crowded during the day and not very busy at night. So, nighttime entertainment options are limited. Walking around the neighborhood at night is also not very safe.

The biggest advantage of staying in La Candelaria is its attractive prices. However, we don’t think it’s worth it for travelers. If you’re looking for a cheaper neighborhood, Laureles is a better choice.

Even though we don’t consider La Candelaria the best neighborhood to stay in Medellín, it’s a very interesting place to visit during the day. The neighborhood offers different and delicious street food, and the central market is quite nice. It also has some tourist attractions and a very interesting history.

To explore La Candelaria, we recommend taking the walking tour or food tour. These are two great ways to learn about the city’s history and cuisine, all accompanied by a local guide.

Of course, if safety is not a concern for you, the neighborhood has a wide range of simple and affordable hotels.

Hotels we recommend for staying in La Candelaria:

• GH Gran Hotel: a hotel with a pool and breakfast, located near Parque de Bolívar and the metro station.

See more hotels in La Candelaria.

Now that you’ve checked out all our tips on where to stay in Medellín, just choose your favorite area and make the most of the destination’s attractions.

Check out our tips on where to stay in Cartagena de Indias.