This is a dark side to Medellin and a very high risk to using the Airbnb platform especially in buildings like Edificio Hojarasca where there is zero security and control of entrances. Yes, there is a magnetic keycard but the reality is anyone can come and go -including people like the one who drugged me ad hide their face from security cameras.
I reported this incident at Edificio Hojarasca to the fiscalia (attorney general of medellin) and was told that there had also been another drugging at the same preoprty in the previous 6 months.
The Airbnb owners in Edifcio Hojarasca are mostly off-site and based on one request I made about video logs in reality don’t give a sh*t they about what’s happening on the property when it comes to security.
After this incident, I talked to an attorney who specializes in these cases and he said few if any cases are every resolved or prosectued. He also siad the current mayor (Fico) is all talk no do when it comes to Airbnb issues even when murder and trafficking is occurring. As I saw a photo of him with some of Trump’s clowns recently tha stories he related now seem very on brand for the type of pol Fico is.
When I’ve stayedin Brazil there are always doorman in buildings like this and they literally call to the apartment when a guest leaves to make sure the tenant is okay. This is doubly true if the door man does not know the person leaving and the tenant is a tourist etc.
I got away with my life with this but there was nearly 20,000 USD in stolen property taken.
My advice to those who found this review site is to avoid this place whether you are a tourist form Colombia or a foreigner.
J.D. Tampa, Florida
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