Must-see hotels in Santander

The original San Gil hostel is still easily the best in town. It's a laid-back but secure place (with CCTV) that feels a bit like crashing at a friend's…

Barichara's best hostel occupies a great multilevel home with a productive fruit garden. There are three dorms and five private rooms with good bathrooms,…

Santander's best view for the peso is this little high-adventure hostel clinging to the mountainside on Mesa de Los Santos. Views are predictably jaw…

Bucaramanga's best hostel has bright rooms with Guane-themed murals, cable TV and hot-water bathrooms alongside cheery dorms. Management is great for…

This fly-site hostel is perched on a hilltop with amazing views of the city; it's next to one of Bucaramanga's best paragliding launch pads, 20 minutes'…

Hidden behind the simple exterior, this old colonial home has been transformed into an unassuming boutique hotel with sleek, minimalist decor. The eight…

Set in a renovated colonial home that was once a stopover for mule drivers traveling around the country, Guane's best hotel offers plenty of rest at a…

Set on a gorgeous 29-hectare nature reserve a short walk from town, this wonderful guesthouse features four rustic, character-filled rooms in the main…

With a name referencing Barichara’s ant obsession, this well-run place has recently moved into new ‘olde’ digs in a handsome colonial home in the town…

There aren’t many hostels that claim VIP status, but Sam’s does, at least, make you feel like a VIB (very important backpacker). The dark garage entry off…

Set on a hillside on the town's periphery with outstanding views of the countryside, this unusually designed hotel looks like four joined-up colonial…

In a small colonial-style building, Casa Rome has inviting rooms with wood-beamed ceilings, bright tiled floors and exposed stone walls. Private rooms…

Señora Esperanza dotes on her guests at this most Colombian of choices, a lovely six-room guesthouse wrapped around a plant-jammed courtyard with a…

Early risers looking for a very comfortable room in a quiet house should consider this 10-room guesthouse, a relatively new construction skilfully done in…

Aficionados of historical residences will fall in love with Coratá, a 300-year-old building decorated with antiques and wood furnishings. The rooms have…

A small welcoming hotel in a quiet street next to the nightlife district, the Tamarindo has comfortable rooms set around a leafy courtyard and far more…

The best hotel in town is far from a luxurious affair but is clean and comfortable. It has small, neat rooms with high wooden ceilings, flat-screen TVs…

The best place to stay in town, this fully renovated colonial house has comfortable rooms with air-conditioning, period decorations and hot-water…

A tranquil, friendly establishment with clean, comfy rooms with TV and renovated private bathrooms and the requisite courtyard.

This hostel on one of the town's quieter streets is run by a pleasant Colombian-Swiss couple. There are decent dorms, a few bare-bones private rooms with…