Bucaramanga's best hostel has bright rooms with Guane-themed murals, cable TV and hot-water bathrooms alongside cheery dorms. Management is great for information and organizing all kinds of guest activities, including paragliding, but the real star here is the ample rooftop bar, which is a good place to hang out with locals.
All the dorms have only four beds and each has its own bathroom; there are colorfully painted doubles, too. Ask about the hostel's Goals for Peace project, which works with disadvantaged children through football. The location isn't super-duper for bars and restaurants, but it's right next to a Metrolínea terminal, so getting around is a breeze.