A classic of South America, a must-see for everyone traveling through, a jaw-dropping idea for travelers and a “home away from home” for locals: the love motel.
The love motel industry, which began in Japan, has spread throughout the world and all of South America, especially Colombia.
Love motels are a multi-billion dollar industry that allows men and women discreet access to lovemaking in themed suites.
While it is difficult for a Westerner to accept the idea of taking his/her girlfriend or boyfriend to have sex at a motel for two hours, here in South America, the notion is quite different.
When you are from a country where most adults live at home until they are married and there is no privacy to explore intimacy, a love motel becomes a perfect and safe alternative.
It’s not uncommon to see advertising (sometimes in the form of large banners hanging from the rafters) in local bars and discotecas.
Depending on which one you go to, they can be very private, clean and very cool. Of course, if you go to the wrong one, you may just feel… gross.
For my birthday I wanted to do something I never did before, so I politely asked my friend to take me to one… just to see of course! And wow!
It was a playground for sex fantasies and sensuality. It also gave me a better understanding why Latinos are so passionate and intimate.
The rooms were plentiful and exotic.
The room that I was fortunate to land in had a massive, circular Jacuzzi in the back with a rain water-type faucet overhead. There was a “love” chair and a huge bed, which vibrates of course.
The decorations were black and white tiles with four different settings for light shows.
There was a private and clean bathroom as well as many mirrors all over the place and a fantastic sound system.
While I only visited one room, I was told that the other rooms were just as fabulous if not more so.
The important thing to remember: you do not have to be embarrassed to visit a love motel nor do you have to be embarrassed to invite your new Colombia “friend” to join you in visiting one.
It’s almost guaranteed that they have already been.
But, love motels aren’t the only way some Latinos enjoy exploring their sexuality. A very popular site in Medellín is Guiacereza.com.
This is a Colombian community for adults to get information about erotic stores, swinger clubs, strippers for hire and gay hang-outs as well as chat rooms, forums and blogs about sex.
On this site, you will also find five pages of love motels with their addresses.
Below I have listed six of the nicest ones to choose from (based on their photos of course!):
Motel Los Chalets
Zona: La Estrella
Dirección: Calle 80 sur N.55-71
Teléfono: 279-1449
Precio Promedio: de 69,900 a 83,900 COP
Motel Motivos
Zona: La Estrella
Dirección: Calle 80 Sur # 50 – 123
Teléfono: 279-4000
Precio Promedio: de 70,300 a 318,000 COP
Motel Sol y Luna
Zona: La Estrella
Dirección: Cra. 55 No 80 sur – 106
Teléfono: 279-0022
Precio Promedio: de 55,686 a 165,000 COP
Motel Aries
Zona: La Estrella
Dirección: Cra 50 # 79C Sur – 43
Teléfono: 279-0844
Precio Promedio: de 50,000 a 250,000 COP
Motel La Suite
Zona: La Estrella
Dirección: Cra 55 N. 87 Sur-71
Teléfono: 279-4444
Precio Promedio: de 43,200 a 69,950 COP
Thematic Suites
Zona: Estadio
Dirección: Calle 51 # 67 B 27
Teléfono: 434-0588 or 230-2541
Precio Promedio: de 32,000 a 52,000 COP
In Colombia they’re only for 2 hours? In Chile they are normally for 3 hours.
For my birthday my wife took me to a fun one here in Santiago where each room is decorated in an amazing theme (the motel has appeared numerous times on tv and even in a movie). Great fun… no more details.
I don’t know whether it started in Japan since I am sure they have been on this continent for a LONG time.
Saludos.
Dave, Tomasa (my soon to be wife) and I have been to several love motels that were very good, very inexpensive and were great experiences. Sometimes there are specials on Tuesday or Wednesday nights for 20.000 pesos the entire night! That’s cheaper than staying in a hostel for one person! There are some near the Jardín Botánico that we’ll recommend you when I arrive in June.
Congrats on your engagement! As for early-week specials, that’s awesome! Makes complete sense too, since the weekends are probably a lot busier.
This “Love Hotel” article totally marginalized the Colombian Culture and is probably one of the most insulting articles ever written on this now garbage website… Dave, now it is a well known fact that you support the exploit of the poor and needy of that country, my loving Colombia, for your own personal sex-capades. Dave, you display the worst traits of an American and make them look like more of the value-less trash they really are.
Yours Exploited,
Marcus
With all due respect, you don’t even know me. Feel free to disagree with my editorial decisions about what topics are covered on the blog, but let’s leave the personal insults out of it.
Marcus you are an idiot…stop trolling
Actually dave, I love Colombia and have been visiting since 1999 and I think your site is the most helpful around. You can’t please all of the people all of the time. Tell us about your visit Marcus and what makes Dave’s info so wrong. Will be in Medellin on thursday week.
@ Marcus,
Dave is writing on the widest variety of topics regarding Medellin. In fact, I think he has been the most influential in improving the image of the city by reporting on its many facets. The man has done more to attract “turistas sanas” than any of the tourism secretaries the city’s had.
Now he writes about something you apparently dislike to be public and you immediately call his website garbage?
Que vive el doble moral
@ Marcus
Hey Im from Medellin Idk how I get here, but for what I’ve read .. the writer is right… One time I was ashamed to ask a girl to go to a Motel (well I was brave ask her, had sex with her) when we arrived .. she told me she had been there before … hahaha
Btw foreigners have it really easy here .. . . and btw dont pay the bitch a motel .. fuck her in the disco bathroom …
Now many of you have been in LLeras … its overrated … and prices are really high … go to Sabaneta and la 33, hot women there !! drinks are cheaper, maybe it’d be further from where you’re staying .. but you call a taxi (CALL THE TAXI to the taxi company dont take it in the street) bye
“And don’t pay the BITCH a motel” Mysogynistic much? As a woman I feel very insulted. Is there a price on our time/physical nearness? Horrible, this way of speaking about women.
Dave, this is a great site you build up. Intuitive, fun to read and strait from the heart. Thanks for your fine work here. I’m interested in going to South America myself, particularly to Colombia for it is true: the safety in the country has largely improved in the last 10 years. That must be such a relief for the Colombians as it is a country that has never known a day of peace since their Independence. Imagine that…
I lived in Peru for 2 years in 98-99 and worked as a tour guide. As i speak 5 languages they could trow any group they received at me lol. I live now in the Philippines for 5 years already. Time for something new… back to the Latin spheres of music, dancing, smiling faces and the romance of speaking Spanish.
@Marcus: you are totally overreacting bro. As Adriaan correctly put it, Dave is promoting Medellin in a way i have seen few times so far on the Internet. The bureau of tourism should thank Dave for his work here. These ‘love houses’ as they call them in Latin America are indeed originated in Asia, here they call them ‘short time hotels’. They exist now in many countries for the simple reason there is a market for it. What do you prefer Marcus? A place where lovers can go to enjoy each other in privacy or a civil war without end?
As peace is spreading in Colombia, so will tourism, the economy, investments (foreign and local), jobs creation and a the general sense of happiness spread too. I truly enjoyed living in Peru and i hope to truly enjoy living in Colombia in the near future. Make Love, not war.
Thanks again Dave! If you’re still there, we’ll meet up for sure 🙂
Hey Dimitri, I’d be happy to meet up if I’m in town. As for 2012, I’m planning to spend most of my time discovering the rest of South America, though I do hope to spend a few months back in Medellin. The last 6 months in Ecuador and Peru have been great, but I do miss Medellin.
Dimitri I been to Philippines for years and thinking of Colombia, I love to hear if you been to Colombia already how it compares to the Philippines.
how could I get a hold of you….
Thank you
Darryl
Wouldn’t that be awesome to date a beautiful Colombian woman and then take her to a love motel for great sex?