If you’re searching for a hotel in Medellín the popular El Poblado neighborhood is a likely choice. Should you save a few bucks and risk a noisy night in a boutique hotel near Lleras Park? Or go for the tried and true quality of one of the major US chains? On this stay we’re going to try to split the difference at the V Grand Medellín, which is part of the Radisson Individuals hotel collection.
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Radisson Individuals is similar to Hilton’s Tapestry and Marriott’s Autograph collections: locally owned boutique hotels with their own strong and recognizable branding that participate in a major chain’s loyalty program and marketing channels. I booked the V Grand Medellín for my first stay in the city on this trip on Tue-Thu July 8-10.
Those nights came to $109.88 apiece after taxes. Not bad but prices here go much lower with advance booking. I made another booking for the following week that came to only $86.48/night after tax. The V Grand Medellín has an Expedia rating of 9.2 from 1,286 reviews. Check the Expedia rates for your dates.
I chose this hotel because it’s in a good location near Lleras Park and it allows me to continue maximizing the current Choice Privileges free points promotion. Read more about earning hotel points as quickly as possible.
V Grand Medellín Location
Location here is overall very good. The V Grand Medellín is just a few blocks off the popular Calle 10, located on Calle 14. Being a few blocks away from the heart of nightlife can be a positive or a negative, depending on your outlook. But you’ll get your steps in daily as it adds a little distance between you and anywhere you’re heading.
If you walk down to 10th street and turn away from the Provenza area, you’ll arrive shortly at a metro station which can connect you to the whole city for less than $1.00 USD.
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There’s also a grocery store very nearby on Carerra 43, which is one of my favorite conveniences when traveling. Grocers here sell beer, wine and liquor as well.
V Grand Medellín Property
This is a high rise urban hotel, which is a great advantage in this area where most of the other options consist of small boutique hotels, hostels, or vacation rentals. Free parking in a basement garage and a spectacular breakfast spread are among the highlights here.
The first floor restaurant is sprawling with several different areas for seating insuring guests won’t feel cramped. The breakfast buffet has everything you could hope for across three different areas. There’s even a station for omelets made to order at no additional cost. I received a drink ticket for a free beer or cocktail at the lobby bar at check-in. There’s also a coffee bar here, although coffee is available for free with the breakfast, which lasts until 10:30.
This is one of those properties that uses motion detectors for the lights in the hallways. It’s disappointing for a place that feels very nice and luxurious downstairs to cheap out on a few dollars worth of electricity upstairs. No one enjoys stepping out of the room or the elevator into a darkened hallway.
On-Site Car Rental
One thing to note about this property is that it’s the most convenient option by far if you’re planning to rent a car during your stay. There’s a car rental agency in the hotel that operates rentals for Enterprise, National and Alamo. It’s the only non-airport location for all three of these companies. Rentals start around $50 a day.
Check out this post about Medellín Car Rentals for a full overview on renting from this location.
V Grand Medellín Guest Rooms
Rooms at the V Grand Medellin are also a bit of a swing and a miss. They’re very beige and absent of any wall art, decoration, or even splashes of color. It wouldn’t cost anything to paint the column a different color or choose brighter curtains or a headboard. You get the impression that they cheaped out wherever they could.
Not only is the bedside missing real nightstands, there aren’t any lamps either. The large windows provide a lot of light throughout the day but the room is quite dark after sunset. The only furniture is some cheap tables near the bed and a cafe table with plasticky chairs under the TV. A real desk and an armchair with an ottoman would be a major upgrade. There’s also the issue of the A/C blowing directly onto the bed. Although the bed is comfortable and blankets are thick.
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There’s not a lot to like about the bathroom here. The sink is in the main room, and it feels strange looking into a mirror that’s not mounted to a wall. It just floats as a sort of room divider. There’s no privacy between a couple staying here. The door to the toilet/shower area is made of glass and doesn’t close in any meaningful way.
Water pressure in the shower is very poor and the water collects on the floor of the shower. There’s also a towel rack at eye level next to the door. The whole thing is a little cramped and you’re 100% guaranteed to bang your head on the corner of it.
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
You’ll probably have a better stay in Medellin at the Holiday Inn Express or the Hampton Inn. But the V Grand Medellín is likely to come in around $35-45 lower than those properties per night, while being closer to the Provenza.
While it has some flaws, this hotel is pretty good overall and provides good value, even when compared against less expensive local properties. I’d stay here again and recommend it particularly for solo travelers or well-established couples used to traveling together.
