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A brief guide on where to stay in Cartagena, Colombia. You’ll find accommodation of all levels, from hostels with several rooms to decadent five-star hotels.
Where to Stay in the Old Town of Cartagena
The Old Town is the preferred place to stay for visitors to Cartagena. You’re literally right in the middle of all the action and close to all the major attractions. There are plenty of boutique, mid-range, and luxury hotels, but keep in mind you’ll be paying a premium for the great location.
Bastión Luxury Hotel
On my fifth trip to Cartagena in January 2015, I was very lucky to stay at the five star Bastión Luxury Hotel, which is near Plaza Fernández de Madrid. It’s a dream hotel. The rooms are large, comfortable, and have gorgeous furniture and bathroom fixtures.
The staff is out of this world. They went well above and beyond what I’m used to at normal hotels. Jesús, a porter, was especially helpful. A very good breakfast is included in the rate. I also enjoyed the rooftop pool and bar area with great views.
Hotel Don Pedro de Heredia
On a tour I was leading in June 2017, we stayed at Hotel Don Pedro de Heredia. The hotel was so-so. It was a bit dated but it was still fairly comfortable. Staff was friendly, there was a big selection at breakfast (although the food was mediocre), and the location is excellent. There’s a small swimming pool in the middle, and a nice terrace on the top floor.
On the negative side, I felt it was a bit overpriced for the quality. The pictures on the website looked much better than reality. It’s safe to say I probably won’t stay at this hotel again, unless they’ve made some positive changes.
Mansión Hotel Boutique (Permanently Closed)
Mansión Hotel Boutique (February 2019) is a very nice hotel on a quiet street in San Diego. It features comfortable rooms with excellent air conditioning, a friendly and helpful staff, and a delicious breakfast. It’s also near some great restaurants.
The rooftop terrace with a jacuzzi is a nice touch, and there’s a great patio in the center with a comfortable sitting area to relax at. You can even borrow a bike for a couple hours for free to explore Cartagena.
The only drawback during our stay was the water pressure and iffy water temperature. Sometimes the water pressure was good, other times it dripped out of the shower head slowly. Sometimes the water got very hot while other times it was lukewarm at best. Other than that, everything was great.
Where to Stay in Getsemaní, Cartagena
Getsemaní is my favorite neighborhood to stay at. It’s about a 10-minute walk from the Old Town. Rates are usually much lower than hotels in the Old Town and the choices are just as varied. There are also several good restaurants in the area.
Casa Lola
I don’t think there are many better places to stay in Cartagena than Casa Lola. This boutique luxury hotel isn’t just a hotel, it’s a work of art.
Casa Lola is comprised of two historic buildings attached to each other. One is a typical 17th century colonial house while the other dates back to the late 19th century.
The architect restored both buildings and decorated them with a quirky combination of antique, modern, and ethnic pieces of art and furniture. It’s both charming and fun to walk through the hotel, and there’s a surprise around every corner.
Rooms at Casa Lola
The rooms continue the same pattern as the rest of the hotel. Each is unique and carefully decorated, and numbered and named after a town in Spain. I happened to stay in Baena (room #9). In addition to normal rooms, there are two-level suites.
Breakfast at Casa Lola
A delicious breakfast is included in the room rate. There’s a small outdoor breakfast area on the ground floor, but if it has been raining, breakfast is served in the patio area of the restaurant.
Breakfast is comprised of fresh fruit, coffee, orange juice, a bread basket with butter and jam, and your choice of eggs, pancakes, or arepa de huevo.
Staff at Casa Lola
Overall, service at Casa Lola is excellent and the staff members are attentive. They go above and beyond to make sure guests feel welcome and comfortable, and can help with restaurant reservations, plan tours, and sort out any problems. There’s also a spa offering massages.
Roof Terrace at Casa Lola
The roof terrace is a fun place to spend time. There are a few small pools and sun chairs as well as a bar. In the evening there’s music adding to the atmosphere.
The views aren’t spectacular but you can spot the high-rise buildings in Bocagrande as well as get a good look at the Church of the Holy Trinity on Plaza de la Trinidad.
Doña Lola Restaurant
Casa Lola features a gourmet restaurant, Doña Lola, serving gourmet Caribbean food. Prices are quite high so we opted to eat at other restaurants in the area. There’s also Lolita’s Bar, which offers a variety of cocktails and liquors.
Galería de la Trinidad
On my first trip to Cartagena with my cousin Anna (October 2014), we stayed at Galería de la Trinidad (formerly Casa de la Trinidad) in Getsemaní. It was extremely comfortable with an air conditioned room, very helpful staff, nice breakfast, and showers that weren’t too cold but just comfortable enough to deal with the terrible heat. The price was very reasonable.
Casa Pedro Romero
On my second trip with Marisol (December 2014), we stayed at the Casa Pedro Romero. It is located in Getsemaní in a historic 17th century house with a small courtyard. The rooms are large and simple but comfortable. In the morning, there is a nice breakfast served in the courtyard. The only problems we had were that the pillowcases smelled funny and the staff wasn’t always around when we needed them.
Patio de Getsemaní
On my third trip to Cartagena (December 2014), Marisol and I stayed at Patio de Getsemaní. This was a wonderful experience. They had the most hospitable staff out of all the hotels I’ve stayed at in Getsemaní. The rooms were very comfortable and clean.
We also enjoyed the rooftop terrace with the jacuzzi (beware – the water is cold!). In the morning, we were served a breakfast of fresh fruit, coffee, juice, and scrambled eggs. The location was a bit seedy on a busy street on the edge of Getsemaní, but we were never bothered.
Zana Hotel Boutique
Not a boutique hotel by any means, Zana Hotel Boutique (March 2019) is a simple hotel located just off Plazuela del Pozo.
It’s got small basic rooms with good air conditioning. Bathrooms have electric showers. The terrace on the third floor features a jacuzzi and is also where breakfast is served. Staff is friendly and helpful.
Allure Bonbon Hotel (Permanently Closed)
On my fourth trip (December 2014), Marisol and I stayed at the Allure Bonbon Hotel in Getsemaní. This was a beautiful hotel with very comfortable and spotless rooms and an incredible breakfast served in the room, but we had a terrible experience with staff.
I had booked a 34 square meter deluxe double room with a separate living room for a special price of COP$214,400 per night on booking.com, nearly 30% off. When we arrived, we were taken to a tiny room. We asked the front desk staff on duty about the room and she told us it was impossible to give us the large room for the rate we were paying. She called the manager and he said the same thing.
Later in the day, we asked another staff member about the room and this time showed him the booking.com page and my confirmation. He said the hotel has no control over the rates on booking.com, which is a blatant lie. He said he would call the manager for us and let us know as soon as he spoke to him. We waited an hour and nothing happened.
We went into town for dinner and when we returned at nearly 11pm, the issue still had not been resolved. I was very upset and warn anyone who is thinking about booking this hotel to confirm the rates with the hotel before you book.
Where to Stay in Bocagrande, Cartagena
Bocagrande is the modern Miami-style area with the city beach. Hotels are usually modern high-rises or large chains.
Azuán Suites Hotel
Don’t let the name fool you. There’s nothing “suite” about Azuán Suites (July 2017). It was clean, the bed was comfortable, and the staff were friendly, but this hotel in the Bocagrande area was missing a lot.
For example, my door didn’t exactly lock completely (maybe that’s why the staff asked if I wanted to purchase insurance against theft). Also, there was a window in the room, and with the hall light on all night, it was tough to get any sleep. Breakfast was served in an attached café, and nearly every table was full whenever I wanted to eat. When I took a shower, there was terrible water pressure. If someone flushed the toilet, it weakened even more. The worst part was the noise level – not from the street outside, but from the other guests. Maybe I was just unlucky, but I doubt that.
Hilton Cartagena
I didn’t stay there, but a guest of mine did (July 2017). She was happy with the room, the view, the pool, the restaurant, and the staff, but not happy that there was no hot water. In hindsight, she would’ve sprung for a hotel in the Old Town to avoid having to deal with taxis.
