The term “glamping” is a recent edition to our lexicon. It is the words, glamour and camping combined. Two terms that are not traditionally synonymous with each other.
Essentially it means you stay outdoors in a big posh tent, i.e one that has enough space for luxury items like a TV and a cupboard.
Bambu Glamping City Hostel is therefore aiming to offer a slightly different experience from your normal hostel. It is tucked away a few blocks up from Parque Lleras next to the stream that runs through Poblado, Quebrada La Presidenta.
Indeed from the first view, you see that there is a deliberate intention to have an outdoorsy feel. Two big pieces of Bamboo host the hostel’s welcome sign and as you enter it feels more like an old house, than a modern hostel.
It is cosy and compact inside. There is a huge map adorning the small dining room next to the kitchen and it has a kitsch, cool kind of feel to it.
The dorms are your standard eight bed affairs with four bunk beds, nothing to write home about, however it is the outdoor area where the hostel differentiates itself.
Outside is littered with lots of wooden tables in a spacious area dotted with hammocks and log-based seating. It is going for a rustic and authentic campfire type of vibe.
Indeed the air feels fresher, you see some chickens merrily running around and you forget that you are in a very urban area.
The pièce de résistance is situated at the rear of the outdoor area. Two, you guessed it, tents. Built on wooden platforms. Here comes the glamping.
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The interior of the tents are pleasant with wooden floors, sizeable king size beds, a TV and cupboard for your belongings.
It feels like you should be on an African safari rather than the 500 meters down the road from the center of Poblado. Everything is clean and although lacking air-conditioning, I could imagine it wouldn’t be too uncomfortable to spend a night inside.
Prices for the dorms start from 25,000 pesos ($10) per person per night and your authentic glamping experience is valued at 50,000 pesos ($20). Reasonable and competitive in the Medellín hostel stakes.
It also just got awarded a TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence for 2015 which shows they must be doing something right to keep the guests happy.
If your idea is to get away a bit from the main nightlife areas of Parque Lleras, while being close enough to stroll in, and you fancy something a bit different, then this could be your go to option.
It would be a bit like when you were a kid and you camped outside in your garden, but you get a TV and you are allowed to watch it…
I lived next to this hostel for a while. This is in Provenza so at night, you’ll need a blanket, not air conditioning.
I hope these guys aren’t the ones responsible for the evil crowing rooster…