What is an aparthotel, and how is it different from a hotel or an apartment?
An aparthotel is a place to stay where every unit works like a small apartment, with its own kitchen, inside a building run by a single management team that offers hotel services. It sits in the middle: more independent than a hotel room, and far less paperwork than renting an apartment on your own.
Colombia's sector technical standard NTSH 006 defines an aparthotel (apartahotel) as an establishment offering accommodation in independent apartments within one building under a single management, each with at least a bedroom with private bathroom, a living area, an equipped kitchen and a dining area. In Medellín you'll find three models:
- Regular hotel: a room with a bathroom, a front desk and services, but rarely a kitchen. You eat out or at the hotel restaurant.
- Apartment: either a short-term rental booked by the night on platforms like Airbnb, or a traditional lease by the month. Total independence, and you handle everything yourself.
- Aparthotel or hotel with a kitchen: apartment-style suites with a kitchen inside a hotel with a front desk, breakfast or restaurants, and a team that answers when something goes wrong.
Aparthotel vs hotel vs apartment in Medellín at a glance
The real difference between an aparthotel, a hotel and an apartment in Medellín isn't the nightly rate, but what each option includes and how long you plan to stay. For short trips a hotel usually wins; for stays of several weeks, an aparthotel; and for living here for months under a contract, a lease.
| What matters | Regular hotel | Aparthotel / hotel with kitchen | Apartment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kitchen | Rarely | Yes, in the suite | Yes |
| Front desk and support | Yes | Yes | Depends on the host or agency |
| Breakfast | Depends on the rate | Depends on the rate; included at some | You make it |
| Utilities and internet | Included | Included | Paid separately on a traditional lease |
| Paperwork to move in | Booking and check-in | Booking and check-in | Lease: rental study, co-signer or insurance policy, contract |
| Date flexibility | High | High | Low on a lease; medium on short-term rentals |
| Best fit | 1 to 5 nights | One week to several months | Several months or longer |
When is a regular hotel the better choice?
A regular hotel is the better choice when your trip lasts only a few days and you'll spend most of your time out: a weekend, a conference or a football match. You won't really use a kitchen, so what matters most is location, a good night's sleep and someone to answer your questions the moment you arrive.
Go for a hotel if:
- You're in town for a trade fair at Plaza Mayor or a match at Atanasio Girardot stadium and your schedule is packed.
- Your budget already assumes eating at restaurants and you don't want to shop for groceries.
- You'd rather not deal with anything: drop your bags and go explore the city.
When does renting an apartment in Medellín make sense?
Renting an apartment makes sense when you're staying for several months, need more space and are happy to run a household: utilities, groceries, cleaning and repairs. For stays of a few weeks, though, the paperwork and upfront costs of a traditional lease usually outweigh the monthly savings it seems to promise.
Long-term leases: what landlords usually ask for
Residential leases in Colombia are governed by Law 820 of 2003. If the contract sets no term, it is understood to run for one year, and the law bans cash deposits as a guarantee. Instead, agencies run a rental study and typically ask for a co-signer (codeudor) or a rental insurance policy (póliza de arrendamiento). Foreigners can rent under the same conditions as Colombians, but a local co-signer can be hard to find if you've just arrived. On top of rent you pay utilities, internet and, depending on the contract, the building fee. To test the city for a few weeks first, see our guide to living in Laureles for a month.
Short-term rentals: check the RNT number
Apartments rented by the night to travelers count as tourist housing in Colombia and must hold a valid National Tourism Registry number (RNT). If the unit is in a condominium building, its bylaws must also expressly allow that use. Before you pay, ask for the RNT and look it up on the official National Tourism Registry portal; it lowers the risk of trouble with building management mid-stay.
Why does a hotel with a kitchen work so well for multi-week stays?
A hotel with a kitchen works so well for multi-week stays because it combines what people miss most in each model: you cook and keep your own routine without signing a lease, paying utilities or wondering who to call when something breaks. You arrive with your suitcase and start enjoying the city on day one.
Your routine, your pace
Cooking even some of your meals changes the budget of a long stay and makes the place feel like home. With an equipped kitchenette, one grocery run a week is enough, and you eat out only when you really feel like it.
Hotel services when you need them
The other half of the equation is a front desk: someone to hold your luggage if you land before check-in, arrange a transfer or point you to the right place. That matters even more if you're here for work or for a treatment; our guide to medical and dental tourism in Medellín covers that case.
What to double-check
An aparthotel still has hotel rules: check-in and check-out times, visitor registration and policies on pets and smoking. Space also varies a lot between room types: a compact 20 m² suite is not the same as one with a separate living room. If you'll work from your room, confirm there's a desk or a comfortable spot for it; we go deeper in remote work in Medellín.
What hidden costs should you add up before comparing?
To compare fairly, add up the total cost of your stay instead of looking only at the nightly rate or the monthly rent. An apartment that looks cheaper can end up costing the same as an aparthotel once you add utilities, internet, guarantees, breakfasts and the hours spent on paperwork. Run the numbers with your actual dates.
- Utilities and internet: on a traditional lease they're on you; at a hotel they're part of the rate.
- Guarantees: a co-signer or insurance policy for a lease; at a hotel, just the booking conditions.
- Meals: included breakfast is one less daily expense, and a kitchen cuts your restaurant spending.
- Laundry and cleaning: ask whether they're included or charged separately.
- Furnishing: an unfurnished apartment means buying or renting furniture, bedding and appliances.
- Getting around: a walkable location saves you daily rides.
What should you ask before booking a long stay?
Before booking a long stay, get in writing what the rate includes, what the kitchen has, what happens if you need to shorten or extend your dates and what the house rules are. The same questions apply to a hotel, an aparthotel or an apartment.
- Does the rate include breakfast, WiFi, taxes and laundry?
- Does the kitchen have a cooktop, a microwave and utensils for everyday cooking?
- Is there a desk in the room or a coworking space with a good connection?
- What is the policy on visitors, pets and early departure?
- Does the property have a valid RNT?
- What's within walking distance: parks, cafés, bakeries, transport?
An example in Laureles: kitchen suites facing Segundo Parque
Living by Armóniko is a boutique hotel in Laureles with 14 apartment-style suites facing Segundo Parque de Laureles. Each suite has its own kitchen and a private balcony; à la carte breakfast, WiFi and coworking are included in your stay: aparthotel-style independence with the personal service of a small hotel.
- Four sizes: Standard Suite (20 m²), Comfort Suite (27 m²), Superior Suite (32 m²) and Deluxe Suite (62 m², with a full kitchen, separate living room and room for 3 guests). You can compare all 14 suites.
- Breakfast included at Botswana Café Bar, on the second floor, until 10 a.m.
- Services that help on a long stay: coworking, vertical parking, luggage storage before check-in and after check-out, and airport transfers on prior request (not included in the rate). See the hotel services.
- Neighborhood life on foot: La Hojaldrería bakery is a 1-minute walk and Mall Baratza is 7 minutes away, with guest perks at several partner businesses.
Monthly rates aren't published: the price depends on your suite and dates. You can check current rates on our direct booking engine or ask for a quote on WhatsApp. See what an extended stay includes on our extended-stay hotel in Medellín page.
