A recovery house (casa de recuperación) in Colombia is usually lodging with caregivers who help you through the first days after surgery: medications, drains, garments, meals, getting to follow-ups. What "included" means varies widely. Before you book, get the nightly inclusions in writing, find out exactly who the caregivers are and what training they have, ask about day and night staffing, and know the plan if something goes wrong at 3 a.m.
- A recovery house is not a hospital. Ask what medical care is actually on site and what happens in an emergency.
- Ask whether caregivers are enfermeras profesionales (university nurses) or auxiliares de enfermería (nursing assistants), and when each is present.
- Ask for the patient-to-caregiver ratio day and night, and who is awake overnight.
- Get a written list of what each night includes: meals, laundry, transport, drain care, medication help.
- Ask whether the clinic or coordinator earns a referral fee from the house.
Medical note: This is general information, not medical advice. How much care you need after surgery depends on your procedure and health. Follow your surgeon's instructions and talk to a licensed clinician.
LINE 01What a recovery house actually is
Recovery houses grew up around Colombia's cosmetic surgery scene to fill a gap: patients who've flown in, can't go straight to a hotel alone, and don't need to stay in hospital. They range from a few rooms in a family home to purpose-built houses working with specific clinics.
Two structural questions shape everything else:
- Is it connected to your clinic? Some houses are run by or partnered with a clinic; others are independent and take patients from many surgeons. A close tie can mean better communication with your surgical team. It can also mean a referral fee you're paying for indirectly.
- Is it a health facility or lodging with care? Many recovery houses operate as lodging with care staff rather than as registered health facilities. That's not automatically a problem, but it defines what they can do: they're not equipped to manage a surgical complication. Ask the house directly how it's set up, and if it says it's a registered health provider, you can look it up in REPS.
LINE 02What each night should include
Recovery houses are usually priced per night, sometimes with a package for a set number of nights. "All-inclusive" is a phrase to unpack. Ask for a written list, item by item:
- Private vs shared roomSTATED
- Caregiver type (enfermera / auxiliar)STATED
- Overnight caregiver awake on siteASK
- Meals (how many, dietary needs)INCL.?
- Help with medicationsINCL.?
- Drain care & recordingINCL.?
- Garment changes & bathing helpINCL.?
- Laundry (garments, bedding)INCL.?
- Transport to follow-upsINCL. OR EXTRA?
- Airport pickup / drop-offINCL. OR EXTRA?
- Post-op massagesINCL. OR EXTRA?
- Companion stayALLOWED? COST?
- Extra nights if neededRATE?
Pay special attention to two lines. Transport to follow-ups matters because you may have several appointments and you shouldn't be navigating taxis alone in the first days. Extra nights matter because recovery doesn't always follow the calendar; know the rate before you need it.
LINE 03Nurse qualifications: who is caring for you
"Nurse on staff" can mean different things. In Colombia, two roles show up most often:
| Role | Training | What to ask |
|---|---|---|
| Enfermera / enfermero profesional | University degree in nursing. | Is one on site, on call, or not involved? During which hours? |
| Auxiliar de enfermería | Technical nursing-assistant training. | How many are on each shift? What are they trained to handle? |
| Caregiver / house staff | Varies; may have no formal health training. | What tasks do they do, and which tasks are reserved for nursing staff? |
All three can have a legitimate place in a recovery house. The problem is when the quote says "nurse" and you assume one thing while the house means another. Ask:
- Which role will be with me during the day? At night?
- Who handles medications, especially any injections?
- Who manages drains and recognizes when something looks wrong?
- Can you give me the names of the nursing staff so I can check them in RETHUS, the Ministry of Health registry of health workers?
- Does anyone on staff have specific experience with my procedure's recovery?
If a house won't share staff names before you arrive, ask for the role and training of the person who'll be on your shifts instead. A clear answer about roles is a reasonable minimum.
LINE 04Staffing ratios: the question to ask
There isn't a single correct ratio of patients to caregivers that applies to every house, every procedure and every night of recovery. What you can do is ask a precise question and judge the quality of the answer.
- "How many patients will be in the house while I'm there?" They may not know exactly, but they should be able to describe a typical range and maximum.
- "How many caregivers are on shift during the day, and how many at night?" Ask for the night number separately. It's often lower.
- "Is the overnight caregiver awake, or sleeping on site?" Both exist. They aren't the same level of care.
- "How do I call for help from my room?" A bell, a phone, a WhatsApp group? Find out before your first night.
- "What changes if several patients have surgery the same day?" Busy days stretch staff. Ask how they handle it.
Vague answers like "we always have someone" aren't wrong, but they're not enough to compare houses. Specific numbers, stated in writing, are.
LINE 05The emergency plan
This is the single most important question, and the one patients feel awkward asking. Ask it anyway.
- Who decides it's an emergency? Is there a doctor on call for the house, or does staff call your surgeon directly?
- How do they reach your surgeon at night? Ask whether your surgeon or their team is reachable after hours and how.
- Which hospital do they go to, and how do patients get there: ambulance or private car?
- Who pays for an emergency transfer or hospital stay? This is where travel or complication insurance matters; ask the clinic whether it offers or requires any.
- What symptoms should make you or staff act immediately? Ask your surgeon for this list in writing before discharge.
Any house that can't name the hospital it would use or describe how it reaches a doctor at night. That isn't a minor gap; it's the core of why you're paying for supervised recovery.
LINE 06Recovery house vs hotel plus private nurse
Some patients skip the recovery house and stay in a hotel or apartment, with a private nurse visiting or staying with them. Neither option is automatically better. Your surgeon's recommendation for your specific procedure should carry the most weight.
| Recovery house | Hotel / apartment + private nurse | |
|---|---|---|
| Caregiver access | Shared staff, on site. | Depends on whether the nurse stays or visits. |
| Privacy | Shared spaces, other patients. | More private. |
| Meals & laundry | Often included. | You or a companion arrange them. |
| Transport to follow-ups | Often arranged. | You arrange it. |
| Vetting effort | Vet the house and its staff. | Vet the nurse individually; check RETHUS. |
| Emergency path | Ask the house. | You must know it yourself. |
If you go the private-nurse route, get the same written details: training, hours, tasks, emergency plan and rate for extra days.
LINE 07Red flags
No written list of inclusions. You can't hold anyone to a phone conversation.
"Nurses" with no role or training stated. Ask until you know who's who.
No awake overnight cover, and no clear way to call for help.
Pressure to book through the clinic only, with no reason given. Ask about the referral relationship.
Reluctance to describe the emergency plan.
Photos that look like stock images or a different property. Ask for a live video walkthrough of the room you'd be in.
LINE 08FAQ
Is a recovery house the same as a hospital stay?
No. A recovery house is usually lodging with care staff, not a hospital. Some are closely tied to a clinic and some operate independently. Ask what medical care is actually available there and what happens if you need a doctor or hospital.
What's the difference between an enfermera and an auxiliar de enfermería?
In Colombia, an enfermera profesional has a university nursing degree, while an auxiliar de enfermería is a nursing assistant with technical training. Both can play a role in recovery care. Ask which one will be caring for you and when.
How many patients should one caregiver look after?
There isn't one number that fits every house or every stage of recovery. Ask for the ratio during the day and at night, and who is awake and on site overnight. A clear, specific answer matters more than any particular figure.
Can I recover in a hotel or apartment instead?
Some patients do, sometimes with a private nurse visiting or staying. Ask your surgeon what they recommend for your procedure, who will help with drains, medications and follow-up transport, and how you would reach the clinic at night.
Should I book the recovery house the clinic recommends?
You can, but ask whether the clinic or coordinator receives a commission or has an ownership stake. A referral relationship is not automatically bad, but you should know about it and still check the house yourself.