Calle 11 Hostel Santa Marta, Colombia – Ex-Mafia House with Poolside Cocktails

Nestled within a magnificent converted Columbian Villa in El Rodadero is a home away from home. Calle 11 Hostel Santa Marta is warm, friendly and full of love. It’s genuine and family run.

Say “Hola” to Felix the Fat Cat CEO and pat Loki the crazy house dog on your way in.

This 5 star hostel in Santa Marta wants to get to know your name and learn about your trip. So, let’s go!

The infobox on Calle 11 Hostel Santa Marta ⭐

Update: Unfortunately, Calle 11 permanently closed its doors in 2021. We keep this review here for your information.

The story goes that Calle 11 Hostel Santa Marta was once owned by a cartel before being abandoned. Later it was turned in to the stunning hostel it is today.

While super duper cleanliness and organisation are important, friendly service and incredible amenities override everything.

This is a flashpacker and digital-nomad haven! It’s also ideal for those looking to stick around for a while.

You won’t be disappointed, we can assure you that!

Hidden from street view, Calle 11 Hostel Santa Marta is quite literally 3-minutes from the beach.

And honestly, you might find that you needn’t leave the hostel for anything. Don’t say we didn’t warn you!

This gorgeous 5 star hostel is part of our collection of the best hostels in Colombia.

Compare locally using our guide to the greatest hostels in Santa Marta.

We are Hostelgeeks. We collect the most amazing Hostels around the world: the 5 Star Hostels.

Our awarded hostels tick all the boxes of our transparent rating criteria. We care about:

1. Sustainability and eco-friendliness
   2. Superb design
   3. Uniqueness
   4. Social vibes
   5. Top-rated staff

Travelling Colombia? More guides for you:

• best hostels in Medellin – with Los Patios Hostel
• best hostels in Bogota
• best hostels in Cartagena de Indias
• Casa del Pavo Real in Palomino
• Secreto Hostel in Rosario Islands
• Viajero Tayrona Hostel in Tayrona National Park

South America is huge and so is our hostel collection. Check out the best hostels in South America here.

Calle 11 Hostel Santa Marta in Review

Enter, climb the stairs and reveal the exceptional architecture and gorgeous gardens. Calle 11 Hostel is a 5 star hostel in Santa Marta, Colombia because…

1. Supporting Locals & Volunteers

Top dog and owner Brock took over Calle 11 Hostel Santa Marta back in 2018.

Since then, he’s following his lifelong dream of running a hostel, and we must say; he’s doing a grand job.

When you see smiling faces of every staff member on the official website, you quickly understand that every team member is valued. Even the cat and dog get their own pitch!

Read: more 5 Star Hostels with Friendly Pets

Brock’s team is all from Colombia, and many are local and know Santa Marta well. That’s some serious local support – Isn’t that great?

Yet it doesn’t stop there. Travellers that decide to stay a while are also encouraged to volunteer and feed energy into the hostel they now call home.

To top it off, Brock loves to funnel his skills in to designing and constructing timber furniture. If he’s not enjoying a cocktail at the bar you’ll find him in the garage working on his next eco-friendly project.

2. Greek Style Design with a Twist

Built in the 70’s by a local architect, the stunning layout of Calle 11 Hostel is set to impress.

Unsurprisingly, the hot spots of this hostel are primarily outside. Because why would you head to Colombia if you’re not looking to get some sun?

The swimming pool is easily the best communal space.

There’s a platform to jump from and a suspended hammock across the water. Yes please!

Find a cosy garden corner to wind down in, or catch up on work with the solid, stable internet connection and ideal work spaces.

No one will judge you if you just decide to spend the day lazing in the day longe with a glass of wine. We would!

As for the rooms? No matter if you choose a 6, 8 or 10 bed dorm or opt for a swanky private room, you’ll get:

• Tons of light and space
• Modern, simplistic design
• Privacy curtain (dorms)
• Ensuite bathroom
• A/C & fans

Read: Sex in Hostels (+ things to remember)

The entire place just oozes that chilled summer vibe that makes you want to sing and dance. It’s even won an Instagrammable award!

3. Merchandise Unique to Calle 11

Don’t even think about leaving Calle 11 Hostel Santa Marta without a hip new way of “representing!”

This hostel has so much confidence in its abilities to wow each and every one of you, that it has created a small merchandise shop to remember them by.

Forget ugly, cheap t-shirts and cringey slogans.

Expect chic and useful products.

From stylish baseball caps and t-shirts fitted for men and women, to a handy-sized bag.

All come with a tasteful logo and colour options. Just speak to the friendly reception staff to have a look!

Fun: 46 Tips to Identify Fantastic Hostels Wordwide

4. Organised FUN for all

Honestly, it’s tricky to know where in this hostel to kick-start the social vibes – there are perhaps too many options!

But ok, let us help you out.

If you haven’t already made friends by opting for a 10-bed dorm, your best bet is to head to the poolside during the day.

Break the ice with a game of volleyball, and buy a certain cutey a drink from the bar.

In fact, each day there is a happy hour offering 2 for 1 cocktails, so there’s really no excuse!

Once darkness hits, check out the nightly social calendar and join in the fun.

Activities are constantly changing, but you can expect sangria nights, trivia and movies played by the pool.

Once the party is in full swing, Calle 11 Hostel has great connections to Santa Marta’s best bars and clubs. This supports a quiet zone in the hostel after 10pm for non party animals. Brilliant.

5. Top-rated Staff? You bet

As we mentioned beforehand; the Colombian team at Calle 11 Hostel Santa Marta goes above and beyond.

Their local knowledge is paramount, and they not only have time to get to know you, they want to.

All you need to do is approach reception and ask for local tips and help with planning. They know their stuff!

Spend less time on transport and tour booking and ask for help instead. Felix the cat will appreciate a scratch whilst you wait.

It’s because of this that you’ll quickly feel at home and may well consider volunteering for a longer stay.

There are certainly worse places to be ‘stuck’.

Summary

All right dear readers, there you have it. Calle 11 Hostel Santa Marta is breathtaking and certainly the number one answer to where to stay in Colombia.

Don’t forget to check out all of the 43 best hostels in Colombia if you’re exploring the country – it’s highly recommended.

It includes all of the major destinations and a very handy map to make your planning easier.

So make sure you give it a thorough read and save precious time!

Promo Code for Calle 11 Hostel Santa Marta

Fancy a promo code for Calle 11 Hostel Santa Marta? Who doesn't?!

Now, there is no easy way to say this: Currently we do not have a valid discount for Calle 11 Hostel Santa Marta. We are working on getting more promotional codes for Calle 11 Hostel Santa Marta in Santa Marta, Colombia and all the other top hostels we reviewed for you.

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You can find all our current valid hostel promo codes here. We also share the latest up-to-date discounts by Hostelworld here.