Review: Co.404 Medellín – Coliving Space for Digital Nomads

Quick Facts about Co.404 Medellín for Digital Nomads

Introduction

A new addition to the growing Co.404 brand with a bustling social scene, fantastic facilities, robust wi‑fi and welcoming staff – but the poor quality accommodation and seating options are its major downfall. Read on for further details to decide whether Co.404 Medellín is right for you 👇

Pricing

Verdict: Good

Co.404 have a pricing tier that is nightly, weekly and monthly and you’ll need to book at least four nights. For example, their basic private room is £46/nt on a nightly rate, £34/nt on a weekly rate and £23/nt on their monthly rate. Obviously, staying for a month offers the best value for money but it totally depends on your plans.

To secure a booking, you’ll need to provide your credit/debit card details, and you pay in full once you’ve checked in (I paid with my AMEX on the third day of my fourteen‑day stay).

Bookings are supposedly secured with a 20% deposit, but I was never charged this (maybe it’s charged if you cancel) and instead paid in full a few days after arriving. If you cancel more than 4 weeks before your arrival date, you won’t be charged anything. Between 2 and 4 weeks your deposit (20%) is non‑refundable. Within 2 weeks, or if you leave early or simply don’t turn up, then it’s 50%.

To book, you must use Co.404’s website directly; you can’t book 404 properties through third parties.

Location & Accessibility

Verdict: Great

Most of Medellín’s tourist industry is concentrated in El Poblado – a nice district but hideously expensive, inauthentic and quite hectic. Co.404, on the other hand, is situated in Laureles, a neighbourhood that offers a much more balanced and authentic experience and is rapidly growing in popularity. While El Poblado is known for its high‑end restaurants, luxury apartments and a thriving nightlife scene, it doesn’t really feel like real life – not the kind of place I would recommend for a long‑term stay. If you’re just visiting for a few days and want to be in the heart of the action, it might be better. Laureles, however, is more residential with walkable, tree‑lined streets, fewer high‑rises and a laid‑back atmosphere that makes daily life more sustainable. The cost of living is noticeably lower too, across rent and restaurant prices, making it a far more sustainable option for a long‑term stay.

It’s safer too. In El Poblado, certain streets can feel isolated and a bit shifty once the clubs shut down, whereas Laureles has a more residential feel that makes walking at night more comfortable. The area is well‑lit and with fewer bars attracting late‑night crowds, it doesn’t have the same rowdy spillover you might find elsewhere. Public transport access is excellent, with multiple metro stations and bus routes making it easy to get around without relying on taxis – and you always have Uber or Didi as a backup. Its central location also means shorter travel times to other parts of the city, whether you’re heading to a coworking space, a weekend hike or simply exploring different neighbourhoods. For a long‑term stay, Laureles just makes more sense.

The coworking is situated in a convenient location with plenty of cafés, little shops and restaurants all nearby. There’s even a well‑stocked convenience store next door, which has everything you need, and several large supermarkets within a 10‑minute walk.

Access to the property is by a 4‑digit code, and the accommodation is on the first floor with the shared spaces on the second floor (rooftop).

Accommodation & Comfort

Verdict: Average

The private ensuite room I stayed in was spacious, and the bed itself was one of the comfiest I’ve had whilst on the road – big, firm and perfect after long workdays. However, the overall room setup was inadequate.

There was no natural light because the room’s only windows faced directly into the opposite room, meaning unless you wanted zero privacy, you had to keep the blinds down. This made the space feel a bit like a box, and coupled with the lack of ventilation in the bathroom, it never felt truly fresh. Plaster was constantly peeling from the ceiling, likely due to the humidity build-up from the bathroom having no proper airflow.

The window didn’t shut properly or sit flush, which meant you could hear everything from the rooms next door. Above the door was a transom window, but bizarrely, it had no glass – essentially leaving a permanent gap. If your neighbours were on calls or having a conversation, you’d hear every word, and if you’re a light sleeper, forget about an uninterrupted night. Understandably, when I arrived at my Airbnb after two weeks at Co404, I slept uniterrupted for 12 hours.

Kitchen

Verdict: Great

The kitchen was one of the best parts of Co.404 Medellín. It was well-equipped with everything you’d need to cook properly, including two hobs with four burners each, sharp knives and plenty of pots, pans, and utensils.

A thoughtful touch was the individual storage – each guest got a designated fridge box and a dry storage cubby, making it easy to keep track of your groceries without things going missing. Tap water was also drinkable.

A large dining bench could comfortably seat over 20 people, making it a good spot for socialising over meals. In the mornings, one of the volunteers always brewed a big batch of coffee for everyone.

Connectivity

Verdict: Great

Wi-Fi had the same network ID all the way through the building, supported by 8 access points. For the two weeks I was there, I never had a disconnect or a drop-out, average download speed during peak-time was 120mbps down and 85mbps up.

Co-Working Environment

Verdict: Poor

This was quite the disappointing let-down. The co-working space, whilst visually very appealing is situated on the rooftop and, frankly, just isn’t finished, even though they opened three months prior.

There are an assortment of desks inside the co-working space which include: 4 individual desks, connected to a single bench which can fit another 4 (these 8 spots I’m going to refer to as “the prime spots”) another bench area behind made from concrete which can comfortably fit another 8, a standing area at the bank which can probably fit 4 people and then a selection of six or seven private booths.

The Prime Desks

These prime desks were the best spots in the co-working space, so these were always the first to go each day. Why were they the best? Because there are no adjustable seats and all the other desks have been built about one inch too high for the wooden chairs.

The Concrete Bench

The concrete bench in the middle can comfortably fit 8 people or more, but it’s been built too high for the unadjustable wooden chairs and the single height-adjustable chair in the entire building, so if you do get stuck sitting here, you’re going to get very uncomfortable very quickly.

The Standing Area

Room for four or more standing comfortably. Didn’t use it personally, but it looked fine, can’t really go wrong with a standing area.

The Pods

There were a number of single-person pods. Seven in total, if I remember correctly. They each had a power socket and a fan with an integrated light; a little fiddly but it worked well. The issue with these, however, was that the doors were made from thin wood – rendering them quite fragile and ill-fitting that they didn’t provide much in the way of soundproofing.

General facilities

Wi-Fi connectivity, like everywhere else in the building was faultless, which was the only redeemable feature of the co-working area, unfortunately.

Half of the area didn’t have lighting connected, rendering much of the space unusable after dark and the front of the building had no blinds, which meant you couldn’t use half of the “prime spots” in the morning due to direct sunlight.

Availability will also be a future concern as there is only room for around 27-32 people to work (although not enough chairs) and there is accommodation for more than that.

Lastly, as alluded to above, the seating arrangements are also poor. There is one adjustable office chair and three faux-leather chairs, the rest are a mismatch of old wooden chairs and stools. Not something you want to be sat on for more than an hour at a time.

Social Atmosphere

Verdict: Great

This was a real standout feature of Co404 in Medellín and, from what I’ve heard, is the same in their other properties. There’s a good mix of ages and everybody was really friendly and the volunteers were fantastic.

Co404 make really good use of the “Community” feature on WhatsApp. There’s a group specifically for Medellín and then also a number of other groups you can join, including the other properties, other nomad hotspots around the globe and an alumni group of sorts.

The volunteers work in shifts and they announce to the WhatsApp group when they’re on-shift and they’re on-hand in the kitchen if you need any help or advice.

Every night there’s a social event and there’s the odd thing organised in the daytime, they take care to make sure there’s something different for everyone, from language exchanges, to cultural visits, to sports, to parties and everything in-between.

Cleanliness & Maintenance

Verdict: GOOD

The cleaning team did a solid job keeping shared spaces tidy. There was a regular cleaning schedule, and I noticed staff maintaining communal areas daily. Rooms were cleaned weekly, which was a nice touch and the kitchen and bathrooms were generally well-kept.

That said, a lot depended on the guests. Some people left dishes in the sink for hours, and it wasn’t uncommon to see workspaces cluttered with empty cups and food wrappers. This is where management or volunteers could do a better job in enforcing basic cleanliness standards.

Safety & Security

Verdict: AVERAGE

Medellín, in general, is a mixed bag for safety – if you’re used to travelling in cities with a reputation for petty crime, you’ll be fine, but first-time visitors need to be extra vigilant. Laureles is one of the safer areas, and I felt comfortable walking around, even at night.

Within Co.404, security was a bit too relaxed. The keypad entry system was convenient and the code was changed once during my stay however it’s unclear how often they change it. But the concerning approach was the guest policy. You could bring up to five people inside, though they weren’t allowed into the co-working area, although, not sure how that would be enforceable, as anybody can walk into the area.

But this then leads into the lack of secure room design. Because the rooms had no ventilation, most people left their windows open all day – meaning anyone could reach in and grab something. Whilst I’m sure everybody staying there will be trust-worthy, can we say the same for guests they’ll invite? Who knows. In my opinion, it’s only a matter of time before somebody’s room gets fleeced.