Le Parc Hotel: A Poblado Hotel with Personality

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Le Parc Hotel
Le Parc Hotel

I have often wandered past Le Parc on the way to and from Parque Lleras and I’ve always been intrigued about what it was like inside, as from the outside it seems to be a mix of things.

On the street level, there is an outdoor terrace with chairs, and a sort of shopping parade with different looking spaces containing paintings, a hairdresser and a guy in what I presumed was a bell boy uniform (from this I guessed it was a hotel).

It turns out that the terrace is one of the two dining areas for the hotel’s restaurant, Bistro. The shopping units are actually a gallery for the artist that creates the paintings adorning the hotel room’s walls. The hairdresser is also a spa for guests. The guy in the bell boy uniform is a bell boy.

It’s an intriguing entrance to a hotel, and that slightly eccentric quality continues as you enter the main lobby.

With chandeliers, tiled flooring, a patterned rug and a reception desk with a backlit red light, it’s quirky, in a sort of sophisticated way.

The owner is from France, and with it’s 46 rooms, soon to be 50, the hotel is an independently run boutique. And it’s a boutique with personality.

As you go further into the hotel there are more surprises. There is a fantastic looking bar, with wooden decor and a piano that guests can play, should they wish.

You could be the piano man...
You could be the piano man…

There are bottles of wine everywhere and the space is used both as the restaurant and for special events – birthdays, anniversaries and weddings.

The Mezzanine is home to a dining area. Though not as visually appealing as the piano bar, it is still an attractive spot where guests can enjoy their breakfast.

At present, the hotel is having an extensive refit of the roof terrace where, come July, there will be a presidential suite, adjacent a new spa (incorporating a sauna, two Jacuzzi’s, and a steam room) and a bar with stunning views over the city.

The current rooms are spacious and full of modern touches. There are three types of rooms – Standard, Superior Twin and Superior Queen.

The room prices are advertised around the 370,000 pesos rate ($150), but they fluctuate depending on the day you visit, the season and their occupancy, so to be safe it’s best to check their booking website.

The Superior room that I visited had a balcony overlooking the nearby park and was more like an apartment, with a kitchen, living area with sofas, desk and a king size bed.

A room with a balcony
A room with a balcony

The rooms packed plenty of personality, but were more conventional than other parts of the hotel. They feature modern appliances and one of the big paintings from the aforementioned Colombian artist.

There was also a very modern touch with a digital button that you pressed if you did not want to be “disturbed.” Slightly random, maybe, but then this hotel tends to play by its own rules.

The service appeared attentive and friendly; it felt like staff would be making a genuine effort to make sure guests enjoyed their stay.

Depending on how you look at it, there is a big plus or a big minus for the hotel – it’s location. Less than one block from Parque Lleras, you have the plethora of nightlife establishments that many visitors come to Medellín to sample.

However, as the hotel is so close to nightclubs and bars, you won’t escape people enjoying their late nights. The road it’s located on is also a very popular walk down from Parque Lleras to the taxi stand and late night food establishments.

The upcoming addition of the roof terrace will undoubtedly increase the hotel’s appeal and it’s got a unique quirky, sort of charm.

I could imagine this is the sort of hotel you either find not too appealing or really fall in love with, especially if you have the talent to go all Billy Joel in the piano bar.

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Photos courtesy of Le Parc Hotel.

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1 COMMENT

  1. Hotel Le Parc is a great boutique hotel. My goto hotel when visiting Medellin for a few days.

    I first stayed le Parc in Nov 2013. They had literally just opened, and you could tell – but nevertheless, the staff was great and anxious to please, and the rooms — especially the beds – are very comfortable.

    Agree about the noise level on the weekends. I always travel with earplugs anyway. so it’s not a problem for me.

    The bar, bistro, art gallery, spa, etc. are all relatively recent enhancements. Wish they had a pool though.

    Looking forward to my stay next month.