If you’re looking for a Medellín hotel and aren’t married to the idea of staying in El Poblado or Laureles, you might be considering a stay at the La Quinta Medellin by Wyndham. Is this hillside hotel worth a closer look? Let’s check it out.
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I booked this hotel for a long weekend Fri-Tue July 25-29 as part of a longer stay in Medellín.
The nightly rate for my 1-Queen room was $104.14 after taxes with the final night being booked on Wyndham points for 15,000/night. La Quinta Medellín has an Expedia rating of 8.6 from 1,025 reviews. Check the Expedia rates for your dates.
I chose this hotel mostly for the pool. Pools are not entirely common in Medellín. Prices here range from $100 up to $150 for most nights so the timing was right to stay for the weekend. This hotel is more expensive than some other hotels in the city but if you’re maximizing points collection or really value having a pool it could be well worth it.
La Quinta Medellín Location
If you’re looking at the map it can be hard to tell exactly how steep the hills are around the La Quinta Medellín. The answer is: very steep. This property is fully up in the mountains. If you want to walk to El Poblado it can be done because it’s downhill. There are normal sidewalks down to El Poblado Avenue. But you wouldn’t want to walk uphill. I even had trouble in an Uber when the underpowered Colombian car couldn’t surmount the hills in rainy conditions. If you’re coming back, order Uber Black or XL.
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This isn’t a great location for the average tourist. But it’s also not bad and could work well for a business traveler. There are cabs stationed outside the hotel all the time and Uber is very inexpensive.
La Quinta Medellín Property
This feels like a high-rise hotel even though it’s only 8 floors. Being on the mountain lends it a lot of altitude. The top floor features the pool, a bar, and an above-average fitness center. Second floor is free breakfast and a restaurant. Breakfast is very crowded and the atmosphere can be unpleasant. This hotel is more family friendly than many Medellín properties so expect kids running around.
Overall this hotel is really, really nice. Much better than the typical La Quinta in the US. If you stripped away all the logos I’d never recognize this property as an LQ. It could easily be a flagship Wyndham or fit into a brand in any other chain.
The hotel is part of an office building project and there’s a comfortable and large plaza outside offering coffee, snacks, a Peruvian restaurant, a pharmacy, and seating.
La Quinta Medellín Guest Rooms
The rooms are very clean and modern with lots of wood in the finishing and furnishing. They’re on the smaller side but not small. The size is great for one person and can work well for two because there’s plenty of storage and a sizable bathroom with real separation.
Bathroom is good and I had no trouble flushing paper, which is highly discouraged in many Colombian hotels. The water in the shower only heats to lukewarm, unfortunately,
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Things I’d change: Move the luggage station into the empty space near the closet and put an armchair in its place. The desk chair is fine for working but not for lounging. I’d also get rid of the minibar and let guests have their fridge space without moving the hotel’s junk around.
Wifi here is surprisingly not very good. If having it is crucial for you you should look elsewhere.
About Las Palmas
The area is surprisingly walkable for being on a mountainside. There are a number of restaurants you can walk to within 10 minutes as well as liquor and grocery stores. If you’re walking along Avenida Las Palmas the grades are not too steep. There’s also a mall with a large number of restaurants nearby.
There’s a great bar and restaurant across the street called Picaro Las Palmas. It’s got a lot of outdoor space and the overall vibe of a Texas Ice House. You can try your hand at Tejo here, a Colombian drinking game that involves throwing stones at gunpowder targets in an effort to make them explode.
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While it’s not as convenient as staying near Calle 10, it’s not a bad location at all and a great choice if you’re looking for a little more peace and quiet during your stay.
Bottom Line
Great hotel and much better than a typical La Quinta. If you have Wyndham points this is a great option for a redemption.
If you’re paying cash, this can be a good buy if the price is close to $100. But if it’s closer to $150 I’d recommend looking elsewhere. Check your price on Expedia now.
