Nestled in the heart of Colombia’s coffee region is the tiny town of Salento, a picturesque dwelling surrounded by natural beauty spots, far from Colombia’s grittier towns and cities.
Salento has surprisingly many hostels for such a tiny place. Tourists are flocking to see the colourful buildings and enjoy the misty green hills of the nearby Cocora Valley.
I loved my time in this peaceful settlement, and definitely want to return. Cocora Valley especially gave off awesome mystical vibes. But the town itself was fun to explore, and I even found a spot to play tejo, Colombia’s popular game where you throw discs at an exploding target.
In this post I’ll cover the best hostels to stay in, both in Salento’s main town, and the surrounding hills.
If You’re in a Hurry, Check Out These Hostels
The Best Hostels in Salento
If you’re looking for a place to relax during your backpacking Colombia adventures, Salento is the right spot. Whether you’re a coffee-lover, a food-lover, a nature-lover, or just interested in seeing different parts of the country, you’ll definitely like the charming town. In order to have the best time, you’ll need a place to rest your head. We’ve listed our favorite hostels here.
1. Yambolombia – Best Hostel Overall
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- Price: $
- Best for: Nature lovers, and anyone wanting to get outside the main town
- Highlights: Stargazing by the campfire, and the yoga room
- Dorm (mixed): From $11
- Private Room: From $33
- Address: Km 2, Palestina, Salento
Why is it called Yambolombia? We don’t know actually, but we really like it. This place is an eco hostel, so if being kind to our planet plays on your mind then you might want to stay at this top hostel.
Otherwise, it’s a nice peaceful spot around a 30-minute walk from Salento’s main town where most backpackers stay.
Why you’ll love this hostel:
- The animals: This is the only hostel I’ve stayed at with their own horse! They have dogs too, so it’s great for animal lovers
- Yoga studio: A great place to stretch those cobwebs out after a long trip on Colombia’s bumpy buses
- Huge breakfasts: They cost extra, but we’re talking US-sized portions here
It’s a chilled out sorta place where you can look up at the stars at night, but there’s more to it than that, that makes this the best overall hostel in my opinion. The vibe is strong here: super friendly atmosphere, very beautiful, fresh air, nice people, campfires…
What more do you want?
2. Cattleya Trianae – Best Cheap Hostel
- Price: $
- Best for: Peace and quiet, plus its by the bus station
- Highlights: A big breakfast and decent location
- Dorm (mixed): From $14
- Private Room: From $34
- Address: Carrera 1 Norte #5-6, Salento
This is a lovely family run place that’s a little bit further out of town than other top hostels here, but it IS located right opposite the small bus station so getting into town (or around the area) is relatively easy.
It’s not a social hostel, so this is perfect for the wandering introvert who wants a quiet place to hunker down on a budget.
Why you’ll love this hostel:
- Welcoming hosts: They’re very friendly, and really gave us a great first impression of Salento
- Simple breakfast: Eggs, bread and a banana were served up for us here
- The dogs: They had several animals here, which makes this place great for animal lovers
They serve up a decent free breakfast here, which alongside the decent room rates easily makes this a great budget-friendly place to stay. The showers here are nice and hot too, which makes a change when you’re backpacking through Colombia.
3. Hostel Tralala Solento – Best Hostel for Couples
- Price: $$
- Best for: Couples, and anyone looking for a tranquil spot
- Highlights: The restaurant, and tours on offer here
- Dorm (mixed): From $15
- Private Room: From $23
- Address: Carrera 7 6-45, Salento, Salento
A traditional coffee house with rooms that overlook the coffee terraces themselves and windows with red shutters and hammocks to relax in… Sounds about right for a nice romantic spot for couples to stay in, right?
But yeah, this place has a calm and comfortable vibe with a variety of rooms on offer so that you can find the one that’s best for you and your partner (and the third wheel: your budget). It’s also just a block away from town so you can easily get in and explore local restaurants, too.
Why you’ll love this hostel:
- Free tea and coffee: You can easily fuel yourself for the day here without having to purchase a coffee
- Free information leaflet: The hosts gave us this on arrival, with all attractions, transport routes, costs and more
- Quick laundry service: We received our clothes back washed and dried within a day
Tralala certainly has a romantic vibe, which is why we loved it so much. Salento itself is a pretty charming place to begin with, and this hostel really encapsulates that feel.
Lying in the hammocks is definitely a vibe.
4. Coffee Tree Boutique Hostel – Best Hostel for Digital Nomads
- Price: $$$
- Best for: Luxury on a budget
- Highlights: Free salsa classes, and the amazing views
- Dorm (mixed): From $22
- Private Room: From $87
- Address: CR 9 #9-06, Salento
This hostel really is nice. It’s a big, beautiful villa on the edge of town, with rooms that overlook the valley. It’s super nice – did we say that already? But it really is. There’s amazing spaces in the kitchen and on the veranda to get some work done on your laptop.
So yeah, being surrounded by beautiful nature and stylish modern design definitely helps this place earn a reputation for being a great digital nomad stop. Plus if you fancy getting out into that beautiful nature (not just staring it at from afar between emails) this is a great place for hiking, too.
Why you’ll love this hostel:
- Free salsa classes: I didn’t quite learn to dance like a Colombiana whilst here, but at least I tried
- The views: In many major cities across the world you can pay this price or more to see nice views. Here, the natural beauty is even better, and you get a dorm bed thrown in
- The doggos: They’re so damn cute!
This was one of the best spots we stayed in. The views alone are magical. Stay here for a few nights, explore the Cocora Valley, and you’ll remember Coffee Tree Boutique Hostel for years to come.
5. El Viajero – Best Hostel with a Private Room
- Price: $$
- Best for: Social backpackers
- Highlights: Spanish classes and salsa nights
- Dorm (mixed): From $19
- Private Room: From $49
- Address: Carrera 9 #7 – 31 Salento- Quindío, Salento
El Viajero is definitely home to the best private rooms in town. Set in an old house that’s been renovated to top-notch standards, the views of the mountains here are quite literally incredible. It’s also huge: there’s enough space here for 90 people to stay. 90!
But yeah, being in Salento you can imagine that the rooms here are… well, they’re pretty dang dreamy. Just imagine waking up to those views, for a start – and the balconies are so cool. Everything’s kept super clean here and the staff are very friendly indeed.
Why you’ll love this hostel:
- Free Spanish lessons: This was a great spot to brush up on our Español without spending a penny
- Free salsa: There was a lot of value in staying here, because we also learned how to boogie like Colombians
- The bar: They host games here, plus you can neck a few cold ones and make some new buddies
They also help with activities here. We were able to arrange a few treks through the hostel, which saved us from the hassle of bouncing between tour operators in town.
Plus there’s a good social vibe. Especially at night when you can grab a beer by the bonfire and sit beneath the stars.
Get Insured Before Visiting Salento
It can rain pretty heavily here, as it did during our Cocora trip, so you can easily slip on the rocky steps and steep hills in and around Salento. Get insured to cover for any accident you may have.
ALWAYS sort out your backpacker insurance before your trip. There’s plenty to choose from in that department, but a good place to start is Safety Wing.
They offer month-to-month payments, no lock-in contracts, and require absolutely no itineraries: that’s the exact kind of insurance long-term travellers and digital nomads need.
SafetyWing is cheap, easy, and admin-free: just sign up lickety-split so you can get back to it!
Click the button below to learn more about SafetyWing’s setup or read our insider review for the full tasty scoop.
Still Unsure Which Hostel to Pick in Salento?
The hostel scene here is a good one. Some of these hostels are more like cosy homestays run by families, where you can easily get into the town itself for some good food. All offer stunning nature and picturesque buildings just around the corner.
Other top hostels in Salento are set in amazing old coffee farmhouses and haciendas, making for incredible places to stay out in the depths of the town’s beautiful nearby nature. They cater to backpackers who love nature and wish to save a little cash along the way.
If you can’t decide where to stay, no worries. We’d recommend Yambolombia, the best overall hostel in Salento due to its huge breakfasts, free yoga studio, and very affordable dorm beds.
Pack your hiking boots and prepare your tummy for tasty food – Salento awaits!
More Epic Hostels in Colombia and Latin America
Hopefully by now you’ve found the perfect hostel for your upcoming trip to Salento.
Planning an epic trip all across Colombia or even Latin America itself?
Don’t worry – we’ve got you covered!
For more cool hostel guides around Europe, check out:
- Check out our extensive guide to backpacking in Colombia for a wealth of info!
- Prepare for your trip with our backpacking packing list.
- Get ready for your next destination with our ultimate South America backpacking guide.
Great article, however the picture use for the “pin me” section is in Salento, Puglia, Italy! That’s my city 🙂
O dio! Hai ragione! We’ll get that changed. Thanks for that 🙂