Come in from the cold (especially if you've just done the overnight bus from Bogotá to Caragena) with a warm stay with Mama Waldy - the family run Cartagena hostel with heaps of heart.

Named after the family matriarch, the much loved abuela (grandma) Waldy, this Getsemani hostel is as close as you will find to a home from home in Cartagena.

You'll find the hostel nestled in a corner of the historic and culturally rich, Calle de la Sierpe, which snakes it's way from the bustle of Plaza Trinidad all the way to Parque Centenario in Getsemani.

The street is one of the most photographed in Cartagena, thanks to the fascinating street art and graffiti adorning the decomposing walls of an old soap factory.

Take your sunset cerveza on the doorstep of the hostel with your fellow housemates and soak up the unique Getsemani ambience.

It's customary for guests of Mama Waldy to warm up with a few drinks and perhaps some  jamming with local musicians, chilling on the hostel's street-side outdoor furniture, before heading to explore the many bars and clubs of Cartagena located nearby.

German and Walter, grandsons of Mama Waldy and proud Getsemanisenses, know how to show guests a good time off-the-beaten track and will make you feel like you are partying with friends, rather than "staff".

The next morning, there'll be a family-prepared breakfast (usually fruit, bread, eggs and juice) that you can eat leisurely around the communal dining table while you use the laptops generously provided for you to browse for today's activities in This Is Cartagena's What's Happening pages.

And if you're feeling needy, there'll be three or four mamas on-hand to give you a cuddle on your way out the door.

Home sweet home.
This Is What We LOVE:
* Calle de la Sierpe is quieter than Calle Media Luna where the bigger hostels tend to be found which means a more relaxed stay.
* Checking out the street graffiti and learning all about Getsemani hero Pedro Romero, right on the hostel's doorstep.
* Owned and run by a friendly local Cartagena family that makes you feel at home and shares lots of local insights.
* Free Wi-Fi
* Computers, musical instruments and library available free in the communal lounge room
* Great vibes at the outdoor street-side patio: the perfect place to warm up for a night out
* Close proximity to the bars and restaurants of Getsemani, including great coffee and juice at Ceiba Juice Bar and kickass cocktails at Malagana Café & Bar.
* Cheap street eats and a cold beer on the Plaza de la SantisimaTrinidad
What you need to KNOW:
* The hostal is also a home. You'll be able to use the kitchen whenever you want, but you'll be sharing with Mums and Grandmas too (who will be happy to share their Colombian recipes)
* Getsemani is not Bocagrande or Centro. There are real people living there. Some of them look a little moody but they're not! Use common sense and it is as safe (or safer) as anywhere in the world.
* If you're interested in volunteering in Cartagena, long-stays can be arranged with the owners
* There are no private rooms
* There are rooms with or without air-conditioning. The rooms with fans are will save you USD$1.70 a night.