Selina’s Colive Rooms: What’s Included

Rooms types for Selina’s colive package. What’s included and how are they different? Which one works best for you?

Hi Travelers, Acacia here for Adventure on the Side and today we are exploring the types of rooms you can reserve with your Colive package. 

When you reserve a colive package you’ll want to indicate what room level you want and room type is one of two makers factors in determining your package price.

There are four rooms levels Colive guests can choose from: Community room, Micro Room, Standard, and Suites.

Let’s take a look. . .

Side note: All images are original to Adventure on the Side. We don’t use staged or stock images. Just the real deal from our stay. 🙂

Community Room

Reserving a community room means you are booking a twin sized bed in a room with other Selina guests. Both your room and your bathroom will be shared with other guests in the community room. 

Often, the twin bed is a bunk bed. There are some locations where you may get placed in a family room that has a mix of stand alone twin beds and bunk beds. 

The number of guests in a community room can vary. Community rooms vary in capacity at each location. Some locations have 4 person rooms, others have 8, 12 and even 20+ beds in a community room. 

Not every location has small and large community rooms; the Selina Paraty for example only offers 6 person dorm rooms. 

While Selinas try to keep colive residents together, there is no guarantee that the other guests in your dorm will also be one Colive so you may have roommates who are on a different schedule or pace form time to time. 

Community Room Twin Bed

The bed style in a community room generally falls into one of two types either premium wood bunks or metal bunks. 

Wood bunks offer a more luxurious experience. They have a privacy curtain as well as personal outlets. 

Storage is a private shelf in your bunk that can be locked if you bring a padlock. There are also two drawers under the bed one for each bunk. 

Metal bunks do not have privacy curtains or private storage and instead offer a more open feeling to the room. 

Many of the community rooms with the metal framed bunks have a separate metal storage locker for each person. 

Community Room Bedding + Linens

Those staying in a community room for Colive will have their bedding included in their package; they will also receive a towel.

We have seen mixed reviews when it comes to Colive guests in the community rooms getting their towel. Guests staying in the dorm rooms, which is what Selina calls community rooms for non-colive residents, do not have towels included. This leads to confusion at certain locations. 

If they forget to give you a towel to use, I recommend clarifying the miscommunication at the front desk.

Community Room Restrooms

Restrooms vary based on your rooms size and location. Many locations have private bathrooms attached to dorms of 4-6; like the Selina in Paraty, Brazil, and Playa Del Carmen, Mexico.

However, other locations may have one large restroom for the entire floor of rooms like the Selina in Medellin, Colombia. 

Selinas general rule is four guests to a single shower, sink, and toilet. So if you share your restroom with other rooms and guests there will be a larger bathroom to accommodate.

Why Book a Community Room

Community rooms can be a wonderful way to meet people as you’ll have roommates to connect with. Community rooms are also the least expensive Colive option making them more budget friendly.

Colive guests open to meeting new people, and yielding some private space for significant costs savings will enjoy their dorm room experience. 

Micro Rooms

Let’s take a look at the micro rooms. 

Micro rooms are a small private room that shares a bathroom. It’s an excellent choice for colive guests who desire a private room but are willing to get up comforts for an economical rate. 

Other than a bed, any additional comforts like hanging rods, windows, or space can vary greatly location to location. Micros are about minimalism in space, decor, and comfort.

Some micros have amazing decor and design, like the ones in Cartagena, Colombia and Oaxaca, Mexico. Both of these locations had fun colors and patterns as well a variety of lighting in the rooms. 

At Sao Paulo’s Vila Madalena, Micro rooms were condensed standard rooms with a wall of windows in addition to dual shelves, hanging rod and hangers. Wonderful micro amenities there.

Compare that to the micros in Medellin, Colombia that really were basic. White walls, no shelves, and no place to hang clothing. (The bed in Medellin, Colombia may be the most comfortable I’ve slept on, though. So simple room, great sleep!)

Not every global region offers Micros either, and those that do may not have them at every location. The USA region does not offer micro rooms, and select Latin America locations, like Paraty, Brazil and GUadalarja, Mexico do not offer Micros.

If your desired location does not offer a micro, you’ll either need to update to a standard or reserve the community room during your stay.

Micro Room Bedding + Linens

Micro rooms guests will receive all bedding for their stay, as well at two towels.

Micro rooms are promised to be cleaned at least weekly during and with each room cleaning you’ll receive fresh towels.

Some locations clean more often. I had one location clean my micro every day. It was amazing!

Micro Room Restroom

Colive guests staying in a micro room have a private room, but their bathroom is shared. 

Much like the restrooms for community rooms, micros may have a designated bathroom for the micro rooms only, or share their restroom with the dorm rooms. 

Selina’s general rule of 4 also applies to the micro rooms. This ratio is one sink, shower, and toilet per 4 rooms. This ratio is pretty solid and functions well for micros when the restroom is limited to micros only. 

When the restroom is shared with dorm rooms, however, the different mentality of the Colive residents to the dorm residents can shine through. 

Most locations keep micro restrooms separate, so I wouldn’t worry much, just know you may find yourself at a location that shares the restroom with other room types. 

Why Reserve a Micro Room

Micro rooms are great for guests looking to balance having a private room but give up other luxuries to save money. If you’re using colive resources like the coworking space, wellness activities, and off exploring your location, you likely won’t be in your room often.

However, if you’re looking to settle in or enjoy feeling organization the micros are hit or miss if you’ll have a place to hang your clothes and get settled. I recommend a standard room for Colive guests that are looking for more of a hotel room comforts.

Micro rooms tend to be the more popular room type for Colive residents because of their great balance of private room and cost savings. I recommend booking early if you have your heart set on a micro room. They can sell out.

Standard Room

The next most popular room for Colive residents is a standard room. 

Standard rooms are like a standard hotel room. They have a queen sized bed, private attached bathroom, and basics like a hanging rod and hangers.

Colive residents in a standard room can travel with confidence that they will have the basics to settle in and stay organized.

A fun bonus for guests in a standards room is that they can travel without liquids in their bags because standard rooms include body wash, shampoo and conditioner!

In addition to a great space, guests in a standard room will receive two towels and have their linens changed at least weekly. They will also have a door hanger to indicate to housekeeping if they want to request a cleaning, or request privacy.

Another way the standards stand out over micro rooms, is that they are almost guaranteed to have a window. Micro rooms can feel like a cave without any natural light where the standard rooms feel the sunlight through their windows. 

If you’re a sensitive sleeper who likes to walk with the sun, I recommend reserving a standard room or suite.

What standard rooms are not guaranteed to have is any additional furniture or amenities. Some locations have a desk in the room or cafe seating. Standards at the Selina Paraty have a private patio too!

Why Book A Standard

Standard rooms have five great benefits over Micro rooms:

• Private attached bathroom
• Guaranteed space to hang your clothes and shelves to unpack into
• Shampoo, conditioner, and body wash included to reduce the amount of weight you need to travel with and offset refilling costs;
• Natural light via windows
• Ability to settle in and have a space of your own

Suite Rooms

Suites are the luxury option for Colive guests who value privacy and comfort. Suites are like standards rooms in that the room is private with an attached private bathroom; however they offer additional comforts and amenities than standard rooms. 

Suites are the closest to having your own studio apartment without a kitchen (Some have kitchenettes!) Many have a television with Netflix or other streaming service included, too.

A suite room will have additional furniture, square footage, and for the locations that offer them, a  private balcony. Comforts standard rooms do not receive. 

Suites have a private workspace in your room, as well as seating like a couch or cafe style table and chairs in addition to a bed, private bathroom, and toiletries. 

Like Micros and Standards, suites guests receive private linens and have regular room cleanings. 

At first glance, a suite may feel excessive for solo remote workers, but if you plan on staying at a location over a month, a suite will give you something that is just yours to call home. 

Standard rooms and micros do not offer a private haven like a suite. Guests who value their alone time, or are looking for a more comfortable home on the road, the suite is going to be your paradise. 

What do You Think is the Best Room Type?

What do you think is the best room type? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below. Happy to answer any additional questions you want to leave below as well. 

Don’t gore, Selina can change their room types and offerings at any time, so be sure to check before booking.

This has been Acacia for Adventure on the Side. I cannot wait to see you out in the world real soon!Take care.