Refugio Puente de la Explanacion

El lugar cuenta con una muy buena localización te despiertas escuchando el sonido de la quebrada y el cantar de los pájaros. Las habitaciones son cómodas y muy limpias. Edmund y su familia estuvieron súper pendientes de cada detalle durante nuestra estadía, la comida es deliciosa y muy natural. El lugar es perfecto para descansar y desconectarse del mundo exterior.

Easily the most beautiful place I've stayed at. Love it here. The food is delicous and the owner is super friendly. All around an amazing experience.

Increíble lugar si buscas quedarte un poco fuera de Salento. El propietario y el personal son absolutamente maravillosos y el lugar es uno de los mejores en los que me he alojado. Definitivamente lo recomiendo. Muy bueno para personas que viajan solas, aunque no es un lugar de fiesta.

Uno de los mejores lugares en los que me he alojado, un tranquilo oasis de flores, como un jardín botánico. Ed y su familia son algunas de las personas más amables y dulces que conocerá y harán todo lo posible para que su estadía sea maravillosa. El desayuno (incluido) es delicioso y también se ofrecen cenas. ¡Hay una cocina para huéspedes, agua purificada, vistas increíbles y luciérnagas por la noche! Mi cabaña con baño privado era cómoda y tenía un gran porche con una mesa desde donde podía contemplar la vista. El sonido del río hace que este lugar sea tan relajante que me entristeció mucho tener que irme.

If you’re reading this review, you’re probably wondering if you should stay here. Pull the trigger and book it! Although this property is a little bit outside of Salento, you can easily get a cheap Uber (or a ride from Luigi). I can’t say enough great things about this wonderful paradise. This isn’t a hotel, nor a hostel; it felt like an old world style inn: a range of accommodations, delicious home cooked family meals (no menus), wine and beer, and a charismatic innkeeper named Ed. We loved hanging with Ed! Wish we could have stayed longer in this abundant riverside garden of Eden. I hope I get to come back!
I stayed in a lodge room and it was clean and comfortable with AC, great hot water, and a hammock outside. The wifi was good enough in the reception area to work remote. There is free filtered drinking water.
A note: they claim no stinging bugs are present, but during rainy season I definitely needed bug spray.

No me hospedó, fui a dejar a unos amigos el sitio es lindo lejano por no estar ni en el caserío antes de Salento ni en el pueblo se sie te mucha tranquilidad

If you’re looking to escape to nature from the hustle and bustle of the cities, this is the place to go. After being in Cartagena and Medellín for the being portion of my trip, I needed this.
Getting here from the airport is a bit of an adventure; nab a shuttle to the Armenia bus terminal, then it’s a short 30min ride from there towards Salento. The entrance to Refugio is down a natural road off the paved one, the walk is serene with the nearby river babbling nearby.
Upon arriving I was greeted by Yukon, Achilles, and Apollo the grounds’ dogs. All bark, no bite, and very friendly after the initial inspection. Then greeted by Luigi, the manager, also welcoming. I was shown the grounds after being checked in and it is beyond beautiful. There is a common area with a long table where breakfast and dinner (24,000COP) are served. The meals made by the house are absolutely delicious, a great way to bookend the days. This is really the only place on the grounds that has wifi, which isn’t bad at all, considering you’re in the middle of a nature preserve. The rooms have a little cell service depending on your carrier.
The river heard walking in runs nearby, which you can jump in if cold water is your thing, and the sound makes for a beautiful night’s rest in any of the accommodations. There is a bath house with 2 toilets and a shower, even with 2 other families here we never ran into crowding! There are a few restaurants a 10min walk down the hill, and Salento is a short 15min bus ride away (running about every 30min or so).

Excelente lugar para desconectarte del ruido de la ciudad, el desayuno incluido es delicioso, te sientes en familia en este lugar porque recibes un buen trato por todas las personas, Luigui es muy amable y siempre está disponible para todo lo que necesites. Prestan el servicio de transporte desde y hacia el aeropuerto 10/10

El lugar es realmente impresionante. Mucha naturaleza, el rio a tus pies y unos perros fantásticos! Aunque, podrás encontrar muchos lugares bellos en el eje cafetero. Lo que realmente hace la diferencia en este lugar son las personas que trabajan allí. Sobre todo Orfa! Una mujer amable simpatica amorosa y atenta. Quiero agradecer de todo corazón a Orfa luigi y nico por hacer nuestra estadía tan especial y amena. Volveremos sin dudas!

At first I did not know what to expect but once I crossed the gate everything felt good. This is a very unique place. The gardens, the river, the food, the people, etc. I stayed two nights and I had one of the best sleeps of my entire trip. I cant wait to return to Colombia and stay here again. I would recommend this place anytime.

Rene - Calgary, Canada.

This jewel thankfully is away from the typical touristy crowd of Salento and tucked into a beautiful, quiet valley along a clear river. The spotless accommodations, delicious meals, kind service, and tranquil gardens are all reasons to visit. As always, it is the people that make a place special. Ed, Leidy, and family are kind and genuine people that made us very welcome with their hospitality and evening campfires with music and song. I didn’t want to leave and look forward to returning soon. Highly recommended.

What a beautifull paradise is this place, the owner has worked out every detail with love and care and makes sure everybody feels at home. 100% reccomondation if you want to spend time in a fatamorgana in de nature of Salento!

Wonderful little piece of paradise. Simple clean rooms in a heavenly setting. Stayed 2 nights, wish it could’ve been more. The highlight of our Colombian trip. Ed the owner was great- easy to communicate and sorted an airport pick up for us, and had dinner waiting for us. Easy to travel into salento and the local village is safe and has a few shops and food spots. You won’t regret a stay here.

We were lucky enough to spend 4 nights in this little piece of paradise just outside of Salento. Upon arrival we were very warmly welcomed by the welcoming committee, which consists of Achilles and Yukon (2 awesome German Shepherds who just want to play all day). The property is very well maintained, the garden is beautiful, rooms are clean and showers are warm. Also, very drinkable water from the taps! Ed and his family are excellent hosts and are really helpful when you want to plan a trip to the Valle de Cocora or a local coffee farm. Would highly recommend this place. Thank you Ed for the wonderful time we had here!

Oh my god.how can a place be more magical than this. Not only are the rooms and the surroundings as if you've dived in some kind of fairy tale, the owners are so kind and helpful with everything. I was extremely ill one day, and without asking the mother of one of the owners brought me herbal tea and soup and made sure I was feeling all right.

The place is a bus or jeep ride away from Salento, but definitely worth staying if you want to escape the touristy center of Salento!

Yet another perfect stay! I visited back in 2017 in the early days of "El Refugio" and was charmed by the love put into every inch of the land there, the family effort and the unbeatable tranquility. This time round, that hasn't just remained, but flourished and come even further! The owner Ed is constantly creating and improving every nook and cranny of the finca, and the whole family plays a part in maintaining it. My partner and I spent our four days there relaxing, exploring the countryside, cooking in the well-stocked shared kitchen and reading in the hammocks. It was the perfect retreat from our busy lives in the city of Medellin. It's a little outside of the public of Salento, just a 10 minute bus ride away - close enough to be convenient, far enough to be a quiet haven. Again, I cannot recommend this place highly enough and we are already planning a three-week return!

This is a superb hostel in a wonderful garden. I really enjoyed my stay and I'm looking forward to come back one day.