Going to Medellin, some intel and places to stay needed...

[zaebis]

Yeah I know this topic has been discussed over and over but here I come again. Going to Med in a few days and have yet to make my accomodation arrangments. Anyone with recent experience can recommend a place (pref. below $100/night) in a decent barrio? Speaking of barrio which ones should I consider and which ones to avoid? I looked on the web and many hotels appear to be located in the central area (El Poblado, La Florida, Parque Lineal). Is that a good location? Anyone stayed in Estelar Blue there?

My other topic will be safety. I have been to many places in Colombia but this is my first time in Med. Never have I felt insecure by day or night be that Cali, BAQ, Manizales or Pereira. I hear Med is a crime hot spot these days though; anyone can shed some light on the situation?

What are the good places to hang out with a date in Med (briefly)?

And last but not least I am curious about the taxis in the city. I am used to dirt cheap taxi service of Cali, Manizales, BAQ, Pereira but I hear that Med is quite different. 10-minute ride from the airport will cost over 30 bucks. Are prices so much higher in Med than those in smaller cities? (This goes for meals as well?)

Thx

[whitey]

And last but not least I am curious about the taxis in the city. I am used to dirt cheap taxi service of Cali, Manizales, BAQ, Pereira but I hear that Med is quite different. 10-minute ride from the airport will cost over 30 bucks. Are prices so much higher in Med than those in smaller cities? (This goes for meals as well?)

I'm no expert on the airports in Medellin, but my understanding is that there are two: a smaller one that I think only services domestic flights and the international airport 45 minutes outside of Medellin.  There is also a toll that needs to be paid, so the fee of around $US30 ($50.000 pesos) isn't outrageous.

There is a bus from the airport that will take you to a well known hotel in el centro for about $US3.  I'm sure Mudd, Dennis, or someone else will chip in with details at some point, or you can use the googler.

Medellin has an awesome public transit system.  We loved riding the metro system, with it's integrated feeder buses and metrocables.  Very cheap, fast, and safe ... but it shuts down at 11:00pm at night, so if you're out late, you'll need to take a cab.

In the week we were there, we only took a cab twice (other than going to the airport), but we were only out late one night.  The cabs are metered, so you don't have to haggle.

 

[dennislevy]

1. laureles in medellin is a good barrio to find hotels from 50,000 pesos to say 80,000 pesos for a single, thats aobut 26 to 42
 a night
2. you ll be safe in medellin if you ve got decent street smarts, dont be ostentatious, dont frress like a gringo jackass tourist, dont carry more money then you need, etc
3. Rionegro airport is at least 50 minutes outside of medellin. Take a bus from the airport to the NORTH Bus terminal for 5500 pesos, then take a taxi to where you re going, in the case of laureles another 10 or 12,000 pesos, way better then 55,000 to 60,000 pesos for a cab ride.
4. my favorite place to take a first date (when I lived in medlelin) is Bistro Gastronomia io on the corner of 10th and 34, just up the hill from Parque Lleras. Great restaurant, great food very reasonable and fabilous cheescake for 4,000 pesos.
if you want to saty in parque Lleras , there is a terrific hostel called Casa Lleras owned by an American Tom Winter, who will treat you right The best value is a room iwht a HUGE bathroom for 60,000 pesos a night. if you go there tell Tom that Dennis Levy sent you. if you have trouble finding it on the internet let me know and I ll send you the link.

OK?

[Gato4Astrid]

http://www.61prado.com/  << These might help you if you couldn't find a decent hotel

[Dan Las Vegas]

last time I took a taxi from the airport to Medellin it was 50,000 pesos for a 45 minute ride.  There are plenty of relatively safe areas to visit or stay in Medellin, most of the area's in which there are problems are places you would never be in for any reason.. there are lots of good restaurants in Medellin, one of my favorites is Pisco y marisco just off Avenida Poblado.

Have a great time on your trip to Medellin.

Dan LV

[mudd]

Going to Med in a few days and have yet to make my accomodation arrangments

I got to wonder, who goes to a foreign country without a place to stay???
sounds like a well planned trip jajajajaja

[JimD]

I'm no expert on the airports in Medellin, but my understanding is that there are two: a smaller one that I think only services domestic flights and the international airport 45 minutes outside of Medellin.  

That´s correct. The smaller one is right inside the city. It is Aeropuerto Olaya Herrera

[Traveler]

Zaebis,

I sent you an email.

Traveler