After visiting the Caribbean Coast, I continue through North-Eastern Colombia with my friend Isabelle (Isa). We spend a week in the Santander Region, and plan to make quick last-minute business stops at three hotels in the charming village of Barichara, next to San Gil: Hostel Color de Hormiga, Hotel Terra Barichara, and Eco Hotel El Ocaso. How will the hotels receive me seeing as I am with a friend? Is it at all possible to merge work and touring the surrounding areas while working with the hotels in all of two days?
Barichara, the « loveliest village » in Colombia
After a short stop in Bucaramanga and a visit of Giron, we arrive at Barichara—a lovely little village boasting colonial architecture (reminding me of a much smaller Antigua Guatemala for example).
A business visit had been confirmed at a rather beautiful establishment, the Terra Barichara Hotel. However, they are full this Saturday evening and cannot put us up. So we follow a recommendation found in the French tour guide « Le Petit Futé », and we end up at the reception desk of a small hostel, Color de Hormiga.
I remember having tried in the past to reach that hotel by email, without reply. So I introduce myself to Claudia, the co-Manager, who happens to be working at the reception desk. She remembers having received the emails but right now, life is one big race for them and she apologizes for having failed to reply. So I propose—if she would like—that she put us up for the night and, in exchange, I would work the following morning on a PowerPoint presentation of the hotel’s sustainable practices and an article on Color de Hormiga, a deal she accepts (see the result on Hopineo.org).
The next evening, we leave for the originally planned hotel, the boutique hotel, spa, restaurant and trattoria Terra Barichara, and receive a royal welcome. That small hotel is magnificent; its big overflowing pool with a view on the hills is a lovely surprise.
Italo and Marta put us immediately at ease. We were supposed to stay two nights but we finally stay for three. The hotel has some very interesting examples of sustainable practices: see the article on Hopineo and a video on Youtube: Water Heating Solar Panels; Rainwater Collection and Purification Treatment System; Rammed Earth Eco-Construction. After a long week sleeping in hammocks and busses, we are only too happy to take advantage of the King-Size bed, and exquisitely warm showers.
We are truly spoiled, and spend breakfast, lunch and dinners at the restaurant with Marta and Italo—truly “delicious” moments. Italo is Italian and even offers a tasting of his favourite cheeses (parmesan, mozzarella di bufala …hmmmmmm!) while telling us all sorts of stories. We would be quite happy to stay a little longer, but adventure awaits us!
San Gil, and our first ever bungee jump
Italo and Marta are kind enough to drive us to our next hotel, 40 minutes away in the San José Valley, next to San Gil. They « pass on » the Florie & Isa partnership to Ofelia and the eco-hotel El Ocaso.
I have come to the realization several times during this tour that the term « eco-hotel » is not used the same way in Latin America as it is in Europe. In Latin America, it is commonly used when a hotel is situated in the middle of nature, and without its necessarily developing more exemplary environmental practices than the average establishment. In Europe, when one refers to an ‘eco-hotel’, it is in fact expected that this hotel will be exercising the whole panoply of eco-friendly best-practices.
In the case of the El Ocaso eco-hotel, there is indeed a will to encourage the client to discover nature, but very few out-of-the-ordinary practices are being applied to support the hotel’s “eco” status. My answer to this is to work on a presentation showing various ‘eco’ practices that I have seen put in place quite successfully by other hotels that can be applicable to this hotel’s specific situation.
Ofelia, the manager, is a real sweetie. She invites us to her home; we meet her family, and then we go off for a walk together. She even comes with us to witness our first bungee jump (see video as proof: click here !), afterwards proceeds to accompany us to a masseur situated on a farm where we watch how panela (a sort of unrefined brown sugar) is made, and then we all go swimming in the river… In just two days, we were able to condense and share a world’s worth of laughter and confidences. When it is time to leave the next day, we feel a little teary-eyed.
A Twosome’s Hospitality Tour
One night, plus three nights, plus two nights: three hotels visited in hardly one week… It is the first time that I get so much done in such a short time. Seeing as Isa flies back to France from Bogota on February 5, we had wanted to get some hotel business done together, but all of a sudden, it became really intense! Being aware that I was staying around for such a short time, and that I would have liked to visit the area with Isa, I had the idea to lighten the hotel business programme. I did in fact lighten it a bit, but the problem is that I have this habit of always wanting to do such a thorough job! As a result, that week ended up being chock-a-block full work-wise, but it is always so interesting that I am not complaining. Moreover it gives us a chance to make good friends with the hotel managers.
Besides, the deal was quite clear as of the beginning: I am there to work with them and my friend Isa is there to rest. Actually, accommodation-wise, it doesn’t make much difference for the hotels whether we are one or two. As for food, I remain quite flexible: at Color de Hormiga, we only asked for coffee, while at the other two hotels, I had specified that we would be happy with the same breakfast and lunch they provide their employees. Once on-site, the hotel managers—quite content with my work with them as well as completely under Isa’s spell (who wouldn’t be?), offered both us full board including restaurant fare! We are very lucky, and go off again full of energy to climb the Cocuy mountains.
Translated by my friend Hélène Masson from Quebec
A few photos:
A few videos: