When we planned our trip to Villa de Leyva, the hotel was honestly one of the last things I thought about. I was so focused on the itinerary — dinosaur parks, fossil museums, chocolate workshops — that I figured we’d just find somewhere decent near the plaza and call it good.

Then we found Hotel La Corada, and it ended up being one of the best parts of the trip.

Location, Location, Location

Hotel La Corada is steps from Villa de Leyva’s Plaza Mayor — the largest entirely cobbled square in Colombia. That proximity changed everything about our trip. Instead of coordinating transportation every time we wanted to eat, explore, or grab ice cream, we just walked out the door. The kids could play in the plaza, we could try a different restaurant every night, and everything felt easy.

For families, location matters more than almost anything else. When your toddler has a meltdown at 2 p.m. (not if, when), being a 2-minute walk from your hotel room is priceless. Eso no tiene precio.

The Rooms

I was very impressed with the The rooms are comfortable and have everything a family needs — private bathrooms, showers, wardrobes, TV, and free WiFi throughout the hotel. Nothing over-the-top luxurious, but clean, well-maintained, and spacious enough that we didn’t feel like we were on top of each other after a long day of exploring.

They have family room configurations, which matters when you’re traveling with kids and don’t want to book two separate rooms just to have enough beds.

What Makes It Family-Friendly

This is where La Corada really stood out for us. The hotel has a game room and indoor play area for kids, which was a lifesaver on our last afternoon when the kids still had energy but we were done walking cobblestone streets. They played, we sat with coffee, and everyone was happy.

Other amenities that made the stay great:

Full-service restaurant with cooked-to-order breakfast — Latin American cuisine, à la carte options. Not a sad buffet. Real food, made fresh.

Sun terrace — perfect for morning coffee or afternoon decompression while the kids played nearby.

Outdoor fireplace lounge — Villa de Leyva gets chilly at night (we’re at over 7,000 feet), so having a warm, cozy space to settle into after dinner was a really nice touch.

Spa with sauna — for those evenings when the kids are down and you actually get a moment to yourself. It happened once. I made the most of it.

Breakfast

The included breakfast is cooked to order and it set us up perfectly for full days of exploring. Having a proper meal before heading to Gondava or Ráquira meant fewer snack meltdowns on the road. If you have kids under 11, there’s an additional breakfast fee of COP$40,000 per child — worth knowing when budgeting.

Kids Policy

Children of all ages are welcome, which isn’t always a given at boutique-style hotels in colonial towns. Kids 11 and above are charged as adults. The staff was genuinely warm with our kids — not the polite-but-clearly-annoyed warm you sometimes get, but actually welcoming. That energy matters, especially when you’re traveling with little ones who aren’t always on their best behavior (whose are?).

Practical Info

Rates: Starting from approximately $62 USD per night. Best deals tend to be in July and October.

Check-in: 4:00 p.m.
Check-out: 4:00 p.m. (yes, 4 p.m. check-out — that alone is worth it)
Early check-in or late check-out available at additional cost.

Booking: Available on Booking.com, Expedia, and other major platforms.

WiFi: Free throughout the hotel.

What’s Nearby

Because you’re on the plaza, you’re walking distance to everything in the centro: Museo del Chocolate, Mercado Municipal, La Galleta, artisan shops, and every restaurant worth eating at. For the bigger attractions — Gondava Dinosaur Park, Museo El Fósil, Pozos Azules — taxis are easy to grab from the plaza and nothing is more than 15–20 minutes away.

Check out our full Villa de Leyva Family-Friendly Guide for everything to see and do in town.

Is It Worth It?

For families? Absolutely. The combination of central location, kid-friendly amenities, a proper restaurant, and staff who actually like having children around made Hotel La Corada exactly the kind of base we needed. It wasn’t the most luxurious place we’ve ever stayed, but it was comfortable, convenient, and family-oriented in all the ways that matter.

The game room alone earned it a permanent spot on our recommendation list. When your kids can play independently while you sit with a cafécito and breathe for five minutes after a day of hiking and fossil hunting — that’s the dream. ¿No?

Follow our family adventures on Instagram and YouTube. If you’ve stayed at La Corada or have another Villa de Leyva hotel recommendation for families, drop it in the comments — ¡siempre quiero saber!