Unforgettable stays in Cartagena

Planning a trip to Cartagena?

Here are 11 places you can stay to make memories you will cherish forever.

Buildings in the historic centre were all whitewashed until the 1980s, when this ten-bedroom property was among the first to be restored to its original colours. A city-wide cultural restoration followed. Enclosed by the house’s papaya-orange walls are watermelon-pink sofas dotted around a courtyard pool, and a languid rooftop with panoramic views of the vibrant city.

Dreamy and decadent, guests rent the entire property, and it feels as if you have stepped into a scene from a magical-realist novel. That’s because Lina Botero, daughter of the renowned artist Fernando Botero (whose curvaceous La Gorda Gertrudis sculpture sits a few streets away), designed the house, which has been in her family for five decades. You needn’t lift a finger either, thanks to there being maids, a chef, a boat captain, and a concierge on hand to help book the city’s best restaurants.

From £2,976 per night for up to ten people

More information: Casa de Indias

This 16th-century colonial mansion reopened last December in the heart of Cartagena following a renovation. The resulting 15-room hotel beautifully showcases its historic architecture, from the coral-stone staircase to the fresco-wrapped grand salon. Every inch is photogenic, not least the rooftop pool and bar, which overlook the cathedral next door. Some rooms even peek across to the Palacio de la Proclamación, from where Cartagena declared its independence from Spain in 1811.

The building was originally used as a rectory for Spanish priests, then it became a café-cum-salon in the 19th century. Today, the hotel’s focus on wellbeing (Ayurvedic spa, yoga studio) stops it from feeling like a museum. All produce used in its restaurants also comes from local farmers, many of whom are in former conflict-stricken regions.

B&B doubles from around £282 per night

More information: Casa Carolina

The lemon-drop-yellow Charleston Santa Teresa is the grande dame of Cartagena. It is set within a former convent, although its present-day plushness couldn’t be further removed from its roots. The spacious bedrooms and spa gaze onto the Caribbean Sea, and from the rooftop, you can see Bocagrande’s high rises and the Bay of Cartagena.

You’ll find the dreamiest suites in the blush-pink cloister, set around a patio perfumed by jasmine and orange blossoms. Nuns, priests and soldiers once strode beneath its 17th-century colonnades, a heritage that lives on in the restored frescoes and alcoves. Or head to the courtyard where patrons clink glasses and nibble ceviche at Harry Sasson’s iconic restaurant.

B&B doubles from around £254 per night

More information: Charleston Santa Teresa

This elegant stay lies tucked away on a quiet street in old Cartagena, a sanctuary of calm in an area known for its vibrant nightlife. Grasp the bronze door knocker – a hirsute Zeus – and step into a 17th-century house that has been tastefully restored to preserve its colonial design. Terracotta tiles and elegant arches frame the courtyard pool, creating a laid-back atmosphere.

History buffs will enjoy mooching around this charming, eight-suite hotel, which brims with curios from Africa as well as a striking altarpiece sourced from Bogotá’s first church. Each suite has its own character, decorated with wooden shutters and carved antiques. After a leisurely breakfast on the terrace, get stuck into one of the hotel’s activities (try the rum and exotic fruit tasting), which are designed to showcase Cartagena’s many facets.

B&B suites from around £254 per night

More information: Hotel Quadrifolio

In 2016, entrepreneur Portia Hart converted a ramshackle house on Tierra Bomba, off the coast of Cartagena, into an island getaway. Today, this toes-in-the-sand stay is a rare mix of laid-back retreat and sustainably minded indulgence.

Blue Apple was the world’s first island hotel to be certified as a B-Corp. It has its own desalination and glass recycling plants, 85% of its waste is diverted from landfills, and reforestation efforts are helping to bring back native hummingbirds and butterflies. Such initiatives add to the pleasure of relaxing by the shimmering water or trekking the shore on a horse rescued from pulling carriages around Cartagena.

Evenings are spent enjoying farm-to-table dinners and mingling. Foodies will love the supper clubs, where guest chefs dish up in the kitchen garden. Full and sleepy, you can happily retire to your cosy cabaña, which is decked out with local artwork and includes a plunge pool.

B&B doubles from around £134 per night

More information: Blue Apple Beach

Beachy Barú is a popular escape for travellers tired of the city, and yet Las Islas still feels secluded. Its 65 wooden cabañas come with thatched roofs and are cleverly tucked into the mangroves, including ten secreted away on a private island. Around half of them face onto the sparkling ocean, and some even come equipped with a saltwater infinity pool.

The rest of the rooms are up in the treetops, where stargazing from the open-air Jacuzzi is unmissable. These overlook one of the last patches of tropical dry forest in Colombia. Indeed, the hotel’s green credentials are impressive. It was built without destroying any of the surrounding forest, which doubles as a sanctuary for white-headed marmosets rescued from the illegal wildlife trade. In addition, around 90% of staff belong to the local community, with many involved in helping to restore the mangroves and reefs.

B&B bungalows from around £251 per night

More information: Hotel Las Islas

When Cartagena gets too hot and humid, well-heeled residents whizz across the water to Cala Mambo, an almond-shaped private island in the Rosario archipelago, a 50-minute boat ride from Cartagena. This paradisiacal, coral-pink villa can host up to 18 guests across seven bedrooms, and it is beautifully dressed with rattan and terracotta details.

The surrounding ocean is part of a protected area, sheltering coral reefs and shoals of fish that make for some incredible snorkelling. Paddleboard, kayak or kitesurf across the waves, before booking a massage on the sun-filled terrace. Culinary highlights include breakfast designed by Iván Cadena of Mesa Franca fame – one of Bogotá’s best restaurants. Try to bag one of the two Concha Suites, both with breathtaking sea views.

Private-island hire from around £1,369 per night (minimum two nights), including breakfast

More information: Cala Mambo

The Santa Clara hotel is a cultural attraction in its own right. Formerly a nunnery, chapel and hospital, few spots top it for sheer history. Staff are happy to indulge curious guests with tours. Afterwards, ponder the past over pastries in the Edenic garden, studded with orchids.

The hotel’s 126 rooms range from compact yet comfortable – with views of the pool or the city’s ramparts – to exquisite suites. The latter often double as unofficial art galleries, with pieces by Fernando Botero or Olga de Amaral on show. There are two restaurants in addition to the apothecary-inspired Botika bar, which is well-placed for watching the sun dip over the ocean. Later, it’s hard to beat El Coro for a nightcap and live salsa – it’s located in a crypt that reportedly inspired one of Gabriel García Márquez’s novellas.

B&B doubles from around £273 per night 

Main information: Sofitel Legend: Santa Clara

Three houses, built during Cartagena’s so-called colonial ‘Golden Age’, when the city grew wealthy from exporting gold and silver to Spain, have been transformed into one of Cartagena’s most alluring hotels. A labyrinth of stone staircases, archways and hidden patios leads to a courtyard where guests can swim in an L-shaped pool. The decadence continues across 31 high-end guest rooms and suites, with sumptuous four-poster beds set beneath soaring ceilings.

One highlight is the upscale Colombian fare served at Alma, where chandelier-lit tables spill onto a patio. After a long lunch, pootle around the streets on one of the hotel’s bicycles, then ascend to the library for lavish tea-time treats followed by a steam and scrub in the hammam.

B&B doubles from £437 per night

More information: Hotel Casa San Agustín

Originally built as the 18th-century home of a Spanish count, this aristocratic building has been reimagined as a 16-room bolthole on one of Cartagena’s more upscale streets, just a short stroll from Botero’s La Gorda Gertrudis sculpture. Following a renovation in 2023, the mood is now graceful and romantic.

The enticing patio pool, shaded by royal palms, is an oasis after Cartagena’s hot and hectic streets. Cloud-like beds and colossal marble bathrooms set a luxurious tone, particularly in the splendid Suite del Condé, complete with its own shimmering rooftop pool. And at breakfast, you can feast on baskets of baked goods and rainbow-coloured juices in the guava-pink restaurant, tucked beneath dark-wood Mudéjar-style balconies. Come nightfall, head to the softly lit courtyard for elegant plates of seafood and indulgent cocktails served by friendly, attentive staff.

B&B doubles from around £450 per night 

More information: Casa Pestagua

OSH is a newcomer in Cartagena’s buzzy Getsemaní neighbourhood, just outside the walls of the historic centre, where vibrant murals and an unpretentious atmosphere draw a young crowd. You’ll feel instantly at home here, and it’s easy to strike up a conversation around one of the two pools or over a wood-fired pizza in Carta Ajena, the stylish restaurant.

Inside, it’s all light wood, woven details and lush foliage – a taste of modern Medellín in old-world Cartagena. The tropical-chic décor extends to the 138 restful rooms, some of which feature plant-draped terraces and hot tubs. Thoughtful experiences on offer include speciality coffee tastings, yoga classes and cultural city tours. But that’s only if you can tear yourself away from the rooftop, where ultra-friendly bartenders shake up cocktails with Caribbean soul.

B&B doubles from around £167 per night

More information: Hotel OSH