Is a Colombian trucker hotel the same as one in the USA?

Some of you might be wondering what a trucker hotel is. It is a hotel on the side of the road that mainly truck drivers stay in; usually, they are near a rest stop and have a diner attached, with a gas station; therefore, a trucker hotel.

Yes, I recently discovered that Colombia has them too.

Suppose you visit Colombia and take one of the cheaper flights they tend to land later in the evening. My flights this summer have landed anywhere from 7 pm to 11 pm.

It might not seem late to most people, but the bus that goes to where I live stops running at 5 pm. So it means sleeping in the airport like I did last time or getting into a nearby hotel.

So I chose to get a hotel nearby. I booked it last minute; my boyfriend told me I did not need to book anything and show up. I now understand he is 100% correct; I guess I should trust the Colombian in the relationship, right?

So after much deliberation about finding a cheap hotel, that was my only requirement, not more than 15 USD. I booked on Agoda. The hotel had a mountain view room, breakfast in the morning, and 15USD. It looked cute and was right on the highway; the bus would pass right by in the morning.

So I put the name of my hotel into google maps, and I was approached by someone asking if I needed a taxi; I said yes. I showed him where I was going; he told me 60K pesos, a bit expensive, but agreed. Always ask the price before getting in the car.

He had another guy take me to the hotel, though, and the new driver was aware of the price. He also needed me to navigate him, taxi drivers here never know where they are going if you are not going to the main tourist area, and I was not.

I was going the opposite way. They ask me where I am going five times as if I am lost. Assuming I am going to Poblado like most other tourists. Luckily I know the area and could navigate.

So we go to the hotel. He drops me off, and I look, and all I see is a gas station, the hotel sign, and a bunch of trucks. I think, well, it’s the correct name of the hotel, it must be it, but I thought the hotel was further down and this was very close to the airport.

I knew something was off; the cab had already left and charged me 20k more pesos; even when I told him the price, he said, no, 80k. I was too annoyed to argue after flying for 9 hours that would happen.

I saw some truckers tinkering with their motors and asked where the hotel was; they pointed in the back and looked at me like I was lost. I am guessing not many gringas stay at the hotel.

I get to the hotel and tell the girl I have a reservation and she is like that is not here; that hotel is up the street. I didn’t pay on Agoda, and the girl said, but we have rooms here, which are 60K. So same price, I was already there, why not.

She gives me a key, and I go to my room.

To clarify, I have stayed in trucker motels in the US, and it was about the same. It was dirty and dingy, and I was questioning if the lock on the door was safe and whether I was safe.

I told my boyfriend it was gross, and he laughed; he must have known.

Then, around 11 pm, I lay down to sleep and heard gunshots. I text my boyfriend. I think I hear gunshots; he says well, at least you are inside the hotel. He seemed very unconcerned.

I was not too worried either; they were not hunting me. One thing about crime here is it is territorial and most likely drug-related, and yes, I was in a hotel. I made sure to lock the window. Let’s be honest, though, the door or window would not protect me, so I went to sleep.

I slept on top of my airplane blanket because the sheets smelled clean; they did not look clean. I also did not shower because the towel was like the sheets, gross.

The good part about the hotel is that it was right on the highway. It was the only requirement I had in a hotel. So I survived the night and left bright and early.

At 7 am in walked out to the highway and stood waiting for the bus. The bus station was not nearby, and you do not need a bus station here.

Just know the name of the town you are going to and wait for the bus to pass; you flag them down, and they will stop for you. I waited for about an hour, and eventually, it came, and I got on.

While I waited, a lovely Colombian man chatted with me, asking where I was from, where I was going, and the question you will always get asked in Colombia, how do you like my country? Then, he offered me a ride; he was a young guy who worked nearby.

The trucker coffee shop was nothing like in the US. It was an empanada stand and had Tinto (coffee); these are all over Colombia. Also, the usual chips, soda, and what you expect to find at a roadside tienda.

The big trucks here are not the same size as in the US, and the parking lot is not nearly as big. I wish I got a picture, but I choose to do like the locals, not take out my phone, especially when I was the odd girl out.

The one thing about Colombia that most do not understand is that trouble will not find you if you are not looking for it. The hotel was a bit dingy, but it was shelter. There was wifi, a bed, and the perfect location.

Would I stay there again? No. It was loud on the highway, and the chickens next door woke me up at 4 am, crowing and gunshots. I prefer to stay somewhere without them. Even though not aimed at me, I still like my trucker hotel, gunshot free — just me.

So, in conclusion, a trucker hotel vs. a Colombian trucker hotel, the only thing missing here was the diner!

Originally published here.