well here we go----

[goinforit]

Ok guys I pulled the trigger and booked air for Medellin tonight. I am going on the 23rd and return July 1.  Does anybody have recommendations on hotels?  Since this is my first trip and going solo with very little spanish I am plan to play it safe and stay in Poblado........ btw I have a few girls to meet that I meet on Cupid. Nervous as hell more for safety reasons.

any insite mucho gracias.

thnx
Rw

[whitey]

Congrats on taking that first big step ... actually going to Colombia!

Medellin is awesome ... I've only spent a week there, but could see myself living eventually in one of the nearby municipalities like Sabaneta or Envigado ... but my wife wants to be closer to her family in Barranquilla ... sigh ...

Can't help you with a hotel (sorry) ... we stayed in a great place in Centro, but the neighbourhood is a little dodgy, especially for a first visit to Colombia.  Hopefully someone else will chime in ...

[Gato4Astrid]

If you are on budget, I can recommend you to stay at 61 Prado
http://www.61prado.com/  (stayed there for a week last September and again 3 weeks in Christmas vacation).   
 
Even though the area is not recommended to walk at night, the guesthouse is very safe.   
 
$40,000 COP a night for a single room, or $60,000 COP a night for a double room. 

[goinforit]

 Thanks for the info thus far..... Since this is a first trip I would like to stay in a nice place with a budget of 80-125uds per night. 

Most important the ability to feel safe walking at night to dinner, clubs ect... My understanding is this area is pretty safe and more for tourist.  I am the type of guy that likes to check things out before venturing  out to to the non tourist areas.

[whitey]

61Prado is great and I would stay there again, but for any lurkers on this thread, I wouldn't recommend it for newbies or those that are dating.

A lot (most) of the bars and restaurants are in the zona rosa in Poblado.  By the time you pay for taxis back and forth to 61Prado, you're better off staying in Poblado.

I went with my wife, we don't go out to bars late, so we rode the subways and buses ... 61Prado was perfect for us.  We had the large suite for about 75.000 per night ... great value.

[John W]

I've stayed at the Hotel Park 10 and highly recommend it.  However, I did not like the Poblado night scene and would suggest staying in a more central location in relation to where many of the women live-something like the Laureles, Estadio, or Conquistadores barrios.
 

[Colgando]

Goinforit, nice, have fun, looking forward to the trip report!   

[goinforit]

Thanks guys,

JohnW care to expand on not liking the night life? I looked at Park 10 and its booked.

Now I am looking at the InterContinental, Holiday Inn Helix, and Dann Carlton which I understand I close to Park 10.  I have some dates set up and for off nights would like to enjoy the night life I have heard about??

[John W]

Goinforit-
Although I stayed in Poblado while I was in Medellin, I would not recommend staying there.   I think it is gringo central as far as being in Medellin is concerned, and a lot of the gringos that congregate in the area are not looked upon favorably by the locals.  I had dinner there one night with a Paisa and the restaurant we went to had two groups of Americans dining there.  One was a very loud and drunk group, and my date asked me why Americans are so loud.  I’ve only been there once, so it will be interesting to see what more experienced posters suggest.  However, if you know very little Spanish, Poblado might be your best bet.  If I return, I’ll try to stay at a nice hotel in an estrato five barrio in the central part of the city. 

[Alabamaboy!]

Hotel Sauces del Estadio. It was new, clean, well decorated, nice staff, the rooms a little small, good wifi, had three nice computers downstairs for use, walking distance to some nice restaurants, the metro station at Estadio.

We stayed there for 6-7 nights then splurged and stayed at Hotel Art, Hotel Diez for a couple nights each.

I loved Medellin, but like Whitey, my wife is Barranquillera and she prefers the coast so I will have to "sell" her more on the Medellin area for my retirement locale.

[Micky]

goinforit -

As AB said about staying in the Estadio area,  it is more/less the "nice" area where Colombian tourists stay.  Most,  not all of the hotels are cheaper than those in Poblado.  Ballpark is $35-60 a night.  There is a crap load,  they will be in the comune Estadio/Laureles,  near the stadium and on Cr 70 from the stadium south,  down to the (Univeridad Pontificia Boliviariana) UPB,  at Circular 1.  Look at a map,  then google,  on google Colombia,  for hotels,  they will be on Cr 70 and most cross streets in the area.  The places mentioned downtown are not in an area that is okey-dokey at night.  Not bad in daytime,  but for certain a area that is a must use a taxi after sundown.  That is unless you want to party with crackheads,  drunks and $5 putas,  and then get jacked up by your new friends.

Micky

[Spur1]

Poblado Alexandria and Estrellar Blue are the two that I use . They are clean, spacious and reasonable. Book through Skoosh for a rate of $90 per night. Convenient for all the spots including Parque Lleras and Estrada.
Enjoy your trip.

[Dan Las Vegas]

If price is not too much of an issue, the very first time I visited Medellin, I stayed at the Four Points Sheraton next to Oviedo mall. It was very nice, about a 100 a night back then and is in walking distance of just about everything in Poblado. There is a pomona supermarket right next door as well as the Oviedo mall. 
 
Dan LV

[Alabamaboy!]

Two other upscale hotels I stayed at were Diez Hotel and Art Hotel. Both located near Parque Lleras. I liked Diez Hotel the most.