Last Updated on April 21, 2020
This detailed review of the Hilton Hotel Bogota is part of my Where to stay in… series.
Confession: There are times when I feel a little bit intimated when visiting a new place. It doesn’t happen often, mainly in massive cities I’ve never been to, like Hong Kong or Mexico City. And I’ve found the best way to make myself feel more at ease and comfortable in a case like this is by staying in a nice place.
Bogota was one such place. When I planned my trip to Bogotá and pulled up a map of the city, I felt intimidated immediately. 7 million people – Bogotá is gigantic! And it doesn’t have the best reputation.
So staying in a nicer neighborhood for the first few days was important for me, and I was told that the Chapinero area would be perfect for me. It’s one of Bogotá’s nicer neighborhoods, with a lot of big international companies having their offices here, and plenty of fancy coffee shops, restaurants and bars.
When I found out that the Hilton had a hotel in this neighborhood, my decision was made. I often prefer small independent boutique hotels, but sometimes I opt for the familiarity of a brand I know and appreciate, and in this case I wanted to go with a brand I knew, I trusted and I liked.
I knew that I made the right decision as soon as my taxi pulled up at the hotel and the concierge got my luggage out of the car quicker than I could pay my driver. Throughout my entire stay, I was amazed by the level of outstanding customer service at the hotel. And even though I arrived before 2pm, I could check into my room without any problems and take a refreshing shower after my flight.
The spacious, glass-walled shower with a powerful rain shower head might have been my favorite thing about my room, but then there were also the splendid views from the oversized windows that I couldn’t get enough of, and my uber-comfortable king size bed. It was hard not to feel at ease here!
Since I was a little hungry, I decided to go out and find something to eat and to check out the neighborhood at the same time. I could’ve just ordered something from the extensive in-room menu which I found very reasonably priced and which had several options for vegetarians, but I wanted to get a feel for the neighborhood before going out at night. To my delight, there were several restaurants, coffee shops and convenience stores within a couple of blocks of the hotel, and after picking up a salad at a health food store, I couldn’t help but popping into Devotion, the coffee shop on the ground floor of the Hilton. One of my favorite coffee shops in Brooklyn is named Devotion, and I was ecstatic when I found out that it was actually the New York branch of this very coffee shop! The coffee was amazing, but I didn’t have any doubt that it wouldn’t be anything less than terrific, and I loved the contemporary stylish design of the coffee shop so much that I ended up bringing my laptop here to do some work. For coffee lovers, Devotion is a must-visit – 17 different types of grains are offered here, and coffee aficionados can choose between pour overs, espresso drinks, sifón or French press coffee, and there is a Kyoto Cold Slow Dripper for tasty cold brews.
Speaking of contemporary and stylish – that’s how I felt about the Hilton Bogota in general, I loved the modern look of the lobby and the artsy design features throughout the building. One evening when I left for a night out, there was even a red carpet event in the hotel’s Levels bar, which was still going strong when I returned – the Hilton Hotel Bogotá seemed to be a happening place at weekends, but of course you wouldn’t notice any of this in the quiet rooms above. Even though the hotel sits right on the busy Carrera 7, I never heard any street noise through the double glass windows – in fact I had some of the best nights’ sleep here that I had in all of Colombia!
After checking out the amazing breakfast buffet the next morning, which was one of the best and varied breakfasts I’ve seen in all of Latin America (not exaggerating here!), I felt compelled to visit the gym, which turned out to be much bigger than expected. A pet peeve of mine is a hotel advertising a gym and then only offering a tiny room crammed with machines – but the Hilton Hotel knows how to do it right. A spacious, bright gym equipped with top-notch workout machines and equipment. Especially in a city like Bogotá that isn’t great for running because of congestion (and its altitude! Let’s not forget that Bogotá sits at an altitude of 8,612 feet.) I really appreciate a gym to work out in.
The gym opens up right to a large outdoor pool, by the way, and since Bogotá never gets cruelly hot, you’ll be delighted to hear that the water is heated. And during my stay it was actually hot enough to make me want to lounge by the pool for a couple of hours.
The highlight of my weekend at the Hilton Hotel Bogota was without a doubt the scrumptious Sunday brunch at La Ventana Restaurant. This is not your ordinary hotel brunch – instead, you have world class chefs (under Executive Chef Nicolas Piatti) cooking up delicious dishes that range from fresh fish to homemade pasta, prepared right in front of you by a chef who knows what it takes to make pasta that tastes as if it came straight out of an Italian mama’s kitchen.
The generous brunch buffet, which follows the farm-to-table concept and focuses on using fresh local produce, was filled with more food than I could possibly try: exotic Colombian fruit, freshly baked bread, a cheese selection and salads, made-to-order egg dishes and waffles, to name just a few, and my favorite section: the desert buffet, which was out of this world! The dessert chef is one of the most acclaimed chefs in his field, so I made sure to leave room for a sweet treat to finish my meal and i am so glad I did. It was divine – but everything I had during brunch was worth every single calorie. An extra bonus during brunch? The coffee served comes straight from Devocion!
Since brunch isn’t only open for hotel guests, I recommend checking out the Sunday brunch at the Ventana Restaurant if you’re looking to treat yourself to a special meal in Bogotá (even if you’re not staying at the Hilton) – be it brunch or a fancy dinner.
As I mentioned before, the location in the Chapinero neighborhood is fantastic – there are a ton of excellent restaurants nearby or just a short can ride away in Zona G. The helpful and attentive concierge and reception staff can give you recommendations for pretty much anything, and arrange dinner reservations for you.
Two shopping malls, El Castillo and Avenida Chile Shopping Center, are both a short walk away, and if you want to visit Bogotá’s historic center, it doesn’t take longer than 20 minutes to get there by cab. Taxis are cheap and plentiful in Bogotá, so you’re not really far from anywhere, and my ride from the airport to the hotel only took about 25 minutes.
No matter if you find yourself in Bogotá for business (the Hilton sits right in the heart of the financial district) or for pleasure – the Hilton Hotel Bogotá is a solid choice for both. I couldn’t have asked for a better environment to start my time in Bogotá in – from my comfortable room to the food I’ve enjoyed to the coffee at Devotion and to the fabulous pool, plus the fabulous attentive staff – my time at the Hilton was perfect.
Details: The Hilton Hotel Bogota
- Location: No. 72-41, Avenida Carrera 7, Bogotá
- Price: King rooms start at $190, suites start at $300 (+ city tax)
- LGBT Friendly: Yes
- Digital Nomad Friendly: Yes
- Amenities: Heated outdoor pool, gym, bar and restaurant, breakfast buffet, free wi-fi, parking, meeting facilities
- Website: Hilton Bogota
