There are some people who swear that you can’t get the most out of your vacation unless you immerse yourself into local culture every chance you get. For them that includes lodging. For me, There are a lot of advantages to sticking with a well established global brand. That’s what I’m doing this week at the Hampton by Hilton Medellín in Colombia. Am I better off for it? Let’s see.
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I booked the Hampton by Hilton Medellín for Thu-Wed July 17-23 as part of a longer stay in the city.
The Hilton member rate for those nights at the time of booking was $143.55 each after taxes. Hampton by Hilton Medellín has an Expedia rating of 8.6 from 444 reviews. Check the Expedia rates for your dates.
I chose this hotel because it was a good chance to redeem 100,000 Hilton Honors points for a 5th night free award stay. I also booked a sixth night with a soon-expiring free night certificate. So this stay was free for me with a total savings over $860.
Hampton by Hilton Medellín Location
Located on the Avenida El Poblado, Hampton by Hilton Medellín is in a premier location in what they call the Golden Mile. Think of it much like the Magnificent Mile in Chicago. It’s a location heavily favored by business and upscale travelers and the city’s best hotels are here.
There’s also a number of casinos in this stretch, some attached to hotels and some not. They’re much quieter and less busy than a US casino. There’s a lot of shopping to be done but it takes the form of large and upscale malls as opposed to street level retail. There’s a ton of restaurants here too but it’s not exactly long on local flavors and small, independent operators.
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You can walk to the Provenza entertainment district from here but it will take 25 minutes each way. You can also walk to Metro but it’s similarly not super convenient. Uber is going to be your best bet to get everywhere and is only a few dollars a ride.
Hampton by Hilton Medellín Property
When you arrive here you enter into just a small elevator lobby. The hotel’s lobby is on the 14th floor, and the 15th and top floor is taken up with a conference room, shaded lounge area and a hot tub.
The lobby floor is also home to the restaurant and breakfast area. Breakfast is good but can become crowded and chaotic with many guests showing up at the same time, even though it goes as late as 10:00.
The ground floor of the same building also houses a small health food store, an independent restaurant and a cafe. Free garage parking is a major upside if you’re renting a car. More info on Medellín car rentals.
Hampton by Hilton Medellín Guest Rooms
These rooms are small. They’re not so small that it becomes a problem, but they’re definitely better suited to a single person than to two people. I booked a queen room and I’m pretty sure the bed is a few inches shy of being a true queen. It looks like this room could also be sold as two doubles with the addition of a second bed which would make it quite cramped indeed.
The bathroom is tight, and the shower takes several minutes just to get to lukewarm.
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Overal this room is fairly disappointing. I get the impression this property could have been a Doubletree or a Motto if ownership had spent a little money. But they wanted to buy the cheapest furniture on offer so they’re a Hampton instead. The room feels too cheap to match the upscale location.
About El Poblado
The area around Lleras Park is a world class nighlife destination, with people coming from all over to enjoy top notch hospitality and Latin rhythm in the clubs. There are dozens of dining options in the neighborhood including Colombian places with extremely generous portions.
Hotels, hostels and co-working spaces fill out the neighborhood. It’s quite popular with digital nomads and Latin tourists, although Americans make up less of the tourist trade than you’d expect.
BOOK EARLY: Browse Attractions and Tour Opportunities on Viator.
El Poblado is overall very safe, although if you stay out too late and get too drunk some very bad things can happen here. Overall the area is like living a California lifestyle on a Colombian budget. It’s worth the trip even if you can only stay for the weekend.
Bottom Line
The Hampton by Hilton Medellín is adequate lodging but that’s about it. Trading 100,000 points for a five night stay is almost always a great deal so I’m not complaining.
This hotel can drop below $100 a night. But it averages in the $130’s and can go higher still if demand is up. It’s not really worth staying here for what the rates are. If you’re interested in staying on the Milla de Oro I’d suggest the Dann Carlton, Estelar, or NH Collection instead.
