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Bogotá is a large, bustling city with a population of over 8 million people. With all those people comes a lot of diversity… in the best way! You can choose from several unique neighborhoods to stay when visiting Bogotá but it can be hard to determine where is the best place to lay your head.
One of the most overwhelming parts of planning a trip to a big city is deciding where to stay. Especially when that city is in a foreign country. And the exchange rate is extremely different from your home country. Like… Is this really cheap hotel just normal or is it in a bad area of town? Should we spring for a luxury hotel? It can be hard to choose. And all the neighborhoods! Where to even begin? Well, have no worries my adventuring friend. Keep reading to discover the best places to stay in Bogotá.
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Let’s learn about Bogotá
Bogotá is the capital city of Colombia nestled in the Andes mountains. It is actually the third highest elevation capital in the world at 8,661 feet (2,640 meters)! Similar to the rest of Colombia, Bogotá has a storied past with corruption, violence, and drug trafficking but in recent decades has emerged as an awesome city for tourism. The history adds to the magic of this city knowing all it has overcome and continues to overcome!
You can easily spend just 1-2 days here and get a good feel for the city if you have your sights on other places in Colombia. But don’t skip out on Bogotá all together! Be sure to tack on at least 1 day at the beginning or end of your trip. Here’s a total one day itinerary for visiting Bogotá and also check out this post on the best time to visit the city.
Where to stay in Bogotá
La Candelaria
La Candelaria is considered the historical center of town. In this neighborhood, you’ll find many of the tourist attractions such as the national cathedral, Sanctuario de Nuestra Senora Carmen, and several museums. This is a great neighborhood for exploring. If you want to avoid taxis and Ubers to many of the tourist attractions, this is the place to be! However, this neighborhood is not as “upscale” or as well patrolled as some of the neighborhoods to the north. It can be pretty noisy at night and tourists are often targeted for pickpockets. For this reason, we chose to forgo staying in La Candelaria.
However, don’t let that scare you! Pickpocketing and petty crime is possible anywhere. For us, we wanted to explore other areas anyway.
If you plan to stick to the main tourist spots and don’t want to go out all night, La Candelaria could be a great place for you to lay your head.
Where to stay in La Candelaria
Luxury: The Click Clack Hotel
Mid-Range: Hotel de La Opera
Budget: Selina La Candelaria
Chapinero
This is the neighborhood we chose to stay in during our 2 nights in Bogotá and loved it! Chapinero is very trendy and a bit upscale. The area is known for its gastronomy and bar scene and has become one of the more popular areas for tourists to stay. Chapinero is an easy 20 minute Uber or Taxi from the La Candelaria neighborhood, Monserrate, and 25 or so minutes from the airport.
Stay in Chapinero if you want to try some of Bogotá’s famous restaurants, check out the local beer scene, and be centrally located.
Where to stay in Chapinero
Luxury: Four Seasons Hotel Bogota
Mid-Range: Bioxury Hotel
Budget: Selina Bogota Parque de la 93
Read also: The Ultimate 2 Week Colombia Itinerary
Chapinero Norte
Chapinero Norte is… You guessed it… North of the Chapinero neighborhood. Similar to Chapinero, this neighborhood is rather affluent and upscale. Here, you’ll find a few theaters and plenty of upscale restaurants, boutiques, and coffee shops. The Basilica of Our Lady of Lourdes can be found here as well as many European-inspired streets lined with quaint homes and trees. Obviously given its more northern location it is a bit farther from La Candelaria but only a few extra minutes.
It’s worth staying in Chapinero Norte if you want the picturesque streets (perfect Instagram, anyone?), to watch a local play, and grab a coffee from a trendy shop.
Where to stay in Chapinero Norte
Luxury: Four Seasons Hotel Casa Medina Bogota
Mid-Range: Hotel Le Manoir Bogota
Budget: Hotel Cosmos 100
Usaquen
The Usaquen neighborhood is located just north of Chapinero. I consider this neighborhood the trendier, cooler sister of Chapinero. Walking around the streets here gave me Greenwich Village vibes! This area is a foodie’s haven! From Asian fusion to French bistros and local eateries you’ll find it all! Usaquen is also a goldmine for adorable cocktail bars and pubs. We ate at Abasto for breakfast while wandering around here and it was the best meal we had in Bogotá! I’ve also heard great things about ice cream from Oro.
Stay in Usaquen if you want the cool-city vibes and trendy eats.
Where to stay in Usaquen
Luxury: W Bogota
Mid-range: Sonesta Hotel Bogota
Budget: Biohotel Organic Suites
Zona Rosa
Zona Rosa is the lively neighborhood where everyone goes for its bustling nightlife. Also known as “Zona T,” you’ll find many international travelers, backpackers, and Bogotanos alike hopping in and out of the clubs and bars in this neighborhood. Zona Rosa is also a great place to go shopping. There are plenty of upscale restaurants and bars to explore, too!
Stay in Zona Rosa if you want to party and/or shop til you drop!
Where to stay in Zona Rosa
Luxury: Sofitel Bogota Victoria Regia
Mid-Range: Hotel Morrison 84
Budget: 82 Hostel Bogota
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Booking.comSafety tips
Bogotá is absolutely a safe city for tourists to visit, but just like any city in Latin America or the world… It’s a large city and you need to take precautions. I’m sure you’ve heard it before but I’ll belabor the point here.
- Avoid La Candelaria at night. It’s not quite as “upscale” as the Zona Rosa or Chapinero neighborhoods and is often a hot spot for petty crime at night.
- Be mindful of how much you drink and never leave your drink unattended.
- Carry your phone in your FRONT jeans pocket and don’t walk around with it in your hand.
- Leave expensive jewelry at home.
- Avoid hailing taxis if you can and ask for your hotel/hostel to call one for you. If you do need to hail one, make sure it’s marked and metered.
- Stick to touristy neighborhoods. La Candelaria (in the day), Chapinero, Usaquen, Zona Rosa, and many of the neighborhoods in the northern portion of the city are safe to wander. Going south of La Candelaria isn’t recommended.
Final thoughts
Bogotá is an incredibly fun city and is even better when you choose the right place to stay. Each neighborhood is unique and has something different to offer, so you can’t go wrong if you choose from this list of where to stay in Bogotá. We loved our stay in Chapinero and highly recommend it for first time visitors but you can also find some great places in other neighborhoods, as well!
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