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Hacienda El Salitre is a historic villa dating back to 1736. Now serving as a hotel, it’s historically significant because it was used as a temporary headquarters for Simón Bolívar during the independence campaign for Nuevo Granada (now Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, and Panama).
Located near the city of Paipa, Hacienda El Salitre is worth a visit even if you aren’t staying at the hotel. The staff will be happy to show you around the grounds and let you see the rooms. You can also take advantage of the natural hot springs by taking a dip in the pool or eating at the excellent restaurant.
The Grounds
The grounds are gorgeous, containing paths and patios paved with large stones. A gigantic tree sits in the center of the section surrounded by the rooms.
Outside of the common area, you’ll find tables and chairs to sit and enjoy a drink. There’s also a long portico with more chairs.
There’s a reading room with games and a small museum about the independence campaign in Boyacá. A courtyard with changing rooms leads to the pool area.
A small chapel, completed in 1780, sits to the left of the main building.
In the back of the building is the pool area. Water from the natural hot springs in the area is pumped into the pool. A spa is also available for massages and treatments.
Guest Rooms
There are 24 guest rooms on the property including two suites. The standard rooms are simple with comfortable beds and a nice bathroom. Some of them come with a private thermal bath, with direct access to water from the natural hot springs.
The suites are called Lanceros and Bolívar. The Lanceros Suite, where we stayed, is on the ground floor. It’s a huge room with a fireplace and a private thermal bath.
Directly above the Lanceros Suite is the Bolívar Suite, and is where Bolívar actually slept. It’s the same as Suite Lanceros except it doesn’t have the private thermal bath.
The Restaurant
There are three different sections in the restaurant, which serves excellent regional and international cuisine. One section has period furniture, another has a few tables and a bar, and the third section is a normal dining room.
We had a wonderful dinner the night we stayed at Hacienda El Salitre. It started with a complimentary plate of olives, toast, and a tomato and olive oil spread. I had a French onion soup and we shared a plate of sautéed mushrooms.
For our main course, Marisol had shrimp risotto while I ate calamari over a bed of rice. All of the food was excellent although a bit pricy for Colombia.
Conclusion
Overall, we had a relaxing stay at Hacienda El Salitre. The comfort of the room, quality of the restaurant, good service, and peace and quiet were worth splurging for.
