El Bogotazo: Accommodation in Bogota, Colombia

Where to stay and where not to stay in Bogotá? That is the question, and the IWCRP soon found out where not to stay.

Where not to stay: Platypus Hostel
Calle 16 N. 2-43, Candelaria
www.platypusbogota.com

This was not a good place at all. First of all, there were problems with the (confirmed) reservation. I don't know what the problem was, but after a while the lady concluded that I must have accidentally given her a name other than my own, for she claimed she now found my reservation, but under another name. Instead of pointing out to her the unlikeliness of me having forgotten my own name and the likeliness of her having made a mistake, I took the other guy's room and hoped he had a plan B. In retrospect, I should have left right away, as the room was cold, not very clean, uncomfortable, noisy, unsafe (both the rooms and the area), generally horrible. Free coffee tasted like soap. Our delegation left after the first night, walked 100 m and found a cheaper, cleaner and warmer option without german stoners screaming in the common area untill 5 am, namely the Cacique Sugamuxi

Platypus bathroom. Cold water in the shower, no towels.

Platypus single room.

Platypus slug (Laevicaulis Ornithorhynchus) , discovered next to the bed at bedtime.

Where to stay: Hospedaje Cacique Sugamuxi
Calle 15a #2-19, Candelaria
www.caciquesugamuxi.com/

Although this part of la Candelaria is dodgy, Cacique Sugamuxi is a safe place to stay. Eight rooms or so lets the people at the reception know who belongs there and who not. A single room with bath cost 35.000 pesos, slightly cheaper than the Platypus. Dorms are considerably cheaper than singles; from 17.000/ pers. Good, friendly service.

Clean bathroom, some problems getting hot water after 10 a.m