Classic Colombia

Overview

The beautiful Four Seasons Casa Medina was the creative vision of Santiago Medina Mejia, a Paris-educated artist and architect from Medellin. He salvaged local architectural treasures, such as stone columns and hand-carved wooden doors from two recently demolished colonial convents, to create was declared a monument by the country’s Ministry of Culture in the 1980s.

The hotel features 62 rooms and suites, where beamed ceilings and aged leather accents coupled with fresh, contemporary touches making them a sophisticated blend of old and new.

The hotel has two restaurants; the lively La Bodega that focuses on tapas and Colombian coffee, and Castanyoles Raciones y Tapas, where guests chave the option to dine in the beautiful glass atrium with Spanish tiles, living walls and drop lights.

There is also a gym and a spa with treatment rooms, relaxation room and steam room.

Overview

The Sofitel Victoria Regia is located in Bogota’s Zona Rosa district, with many of the capital’s top shops and restaurants on its doorstep. It takes its name from the beautiful water lily that can be found in the Colombian Amazon, and if you look up as soon as you enter the hotel, you’ll see a beautiful stained glass skylight inspired by the Victoria Regia.

There are 102 rooms and suites, a blend of local Colombian character and classic French elegance. Basilic is the hotel’s in-house restaurant, serving exquisite Mediterranean cuisine using local ingredients. There is also a bar where guests can enjoy a drink before heading out to explore Bogota’s incredible foodie scene.

For those that like to keep active while away, there is a small gym as well as treatment rooms where you can indulge in a massage or beauty treatment.

Overview

In the heart of the Quinta Camacho neighbourhood of Bogota, surrounded by some of the city’s best restaurants, cafes, galleries and shops, you’ll find Casa Legado. This family owned bed and breakfast adorns a pretty, almost 1950’s aesthetic, with lots of natural light coupled with delicate pastel colours to ease the mind when retiring at night. The 13 spacious rooms each boast a unique style, inspired by the natural beauty of the country and all rooms are perfectly designed to ensure you feel right at home. Some rooms offer balcony spaces, with views of the relaxing garden space.

A delicious breakfast buffet can be enjoyed in the spacious communal kitchen area before you make the most of the free bikes on offer on which to explore the wonders of this amazing city. Also, here you can enjoy a Thai massage or a yoga session to help you wind down at the end of the day.

Overview

Villa Playa los Naranjos is located just a short drive from the entrance to Tayrona National Park where the River Piedras meets the ocean.

The hotel building is typical of this region with a thatched roof and high ceilings. There are four bedrooms in the main house, as well as two cabins in a separate building set slightly apart from the house. The cabins have a shared terrace outside.

There is a swimming pool and terrace overlooking the river and ocean, from where a wooden walkway leads down to the river’s edge. Upstairs in the main house is a large social area with open sides where you’ll find sofas and hammocks.

The beach is a just a short walk from the hotel, and although the water is a little rough for swimming, it is still a beautiful area to explore and you’ve got Tayrona National Park on your doorstep.

Overview

Reserva One Love is nestled on the banks of the Magdalena River within 80 hectares of tropical rainforest. This is the perfect place to switch off and enjoy the flora and fauna of the  Sierra Nevada region of northern Colombia.

There are five circular cabanas with thatched palapa roofs. Rooms feature large beds with mosquito nets, air conditioning and fans and a separate bathroom with outdoor shower. Outside each cabana there is a small cold water Jacuzzi and hammocks. In the rooms and throughout the reserve, you’ll find colourful handicrafts made by the local indigenous tribes, including the Kogi, Arahuacos, Kankuamos and Wiwa tribes.

Beautiful gardens surround the property where herbs, vegetables and fruit are grown and used in the kitchen to create delicious and beautifully presented food – this really is one of  the highlights of a stay at One Love. The main lounge area is where you will enjoy your meals and is a lovely place to relax with birds flitting through the trees and a fire pit which is lit at night. It is a short walk to the cabanas and the pathways are lit by torches.

A short walk brings you down to the sandy river bank where sun loungers can be set up and you can lay back and relax, take a dip in the water and listen to the sounds of howler monkeys in the distance. Tubing and boat trips along the river can be arranged, as well as day trips to nearby Tayrona National Park.

Overview

Kasamar is a private villa on the outskirts of Tayrona National Park – a great option for families, groups of friends or people who are after an exclusive getaway.

The house has four en-suite bedrooms with air conditioning and ample space for relaxing and eating. The upper levels of the house have open sides so you can enjoy the sea breeze as you recline in the hammocks or on the wicker chairs with a good book. The views out over the ocean and jungle really are something very special.

There are two swimming pools, which is great as the ocean, although stunning, can be a little too rough for swimming. Guests staying here will enjoy the services of a personal chef so you can enjoy delicious meals at times that suit you. The nearby river can be explored by canoe and Tayrona National Park is a short drive away.

Overview

Casa San Agustin is an intimate boutique hotel perfectly placed within Cartagena’s colourful old walled city, only a stone’s throw from the turquoise Caribbean coast. Its terrific position immerses you in the city’s storied history, where cobbled lanes prop typical Colombian buildings with wrought-iron balconies overflowing with bright flowers.

The hotel itself, comprising three connecting 17th-century homes, evokes a bygone age with classic stucco exteriors and beautiful traditional touches inside. Rooms and suites spotlight dark wood-beamed ceilings, four-poster beds, stone floors and elegantly tiled bathrooms. But natural fabrics alongside a palette of soft blues and greens add a fresh, contemporary edge.

Some spaces gaze to the street life below, while others open to the pretty inner gardens. ‘Premium Suites’, with leafy patios and private Jacuzzis, are suited most to couples and honeymooners; families or groups of friends, on the other hand, will love the larger ‘Prestige Suites’ and ‘Suite del Virray’, featuring thoughtfully designed living areas and personal balconies or terraces.

Throughout the hotel, you’ll find plenty of indoor-outdoor spaces designed for relaxation. At the centre of the courtyard, a freshwater pool beneath an ancient aqueduct offers a refreshing escape from the heat, along with shaded daybeds nestled between tropical palms. There’s also a lovely rooftop terrace, framed by vibrant pink bougainvillaea, and a serene library adorned with original frescoes – perfect for enjoying a peaceful afternoon tea.

For a truly relaxing experience, treat yourself to a soothing session at the intimate spa, where treatments feature local ingredients like Colombian coffee and volcanic mud. The dining experience is just as rooted in tradition. Alma Restaurant brings the heart of Colombian cuisine to life with standout dishes such as Cartagena-style seafood casserole and freshly made ceviche.

Overview

Bastion Luxury Hotel is located in Cartagena’s charming old town in a restored 16th-century private home. A colonial aesthetic runs though the hotel balanced perfectly with more contemporary touches.

Its 51 elegant rooms and suites have a neutral colour scheme and feel bright and fresh. Some come with a separate living area and outdoor terrace.

The hotel’s restaurant, El Gobernador, showcases the best of Colombian cuisine and offers a nine-course tasting menu, while the patio restaurant offers more relaxed dining. El Gobernador also has a small patio which is a lovely space to enjoy breakfast.

The rooftop terrace is a real highlight of the hotel with a good sized swimming pool, ample space to relax under a cabana and a bar where you can enjoy a drink and light bites as the sun goes down of the beautiful city of Cartagena.

There is also a small spa with treatment room and outdoor Jacuzza and relaxation area, as well as a small gym.

Overview

With a history dating back to 1621, the former convent of Saint Clare of Assisi is now one of Cartagena’s grandest and most illustriest hotels. The Sofitel Santa Clara is still home to crypts, wells, confessionals and paintings which have been expertly resorted to fit its new life as a modern luxuiry hotel.

At the centre of the hotel is a large courtyard filled with lush tropical plants and framed by the original stone arches of the convent. There are 123 rooms and suites, including four ‘iconic’ suites, two of which are insired by famous Colombian artists, Fernando Botero and Enrique Grau Araujo. More modern rooms complete with contemporary republican décor are  available, many with views of the city wall and Caribbean Sea. There’s also the option of staying in the cavernous and colourful colonial rooms adorned with grand antique furniture.

Enjoy modern cuisine with a Caribbean touch at the Santa Clara’s two restaurants, El Claustro and 1621, and make time to relax with a drink in the beautiful garden.

The hotel is home to a large outdoor swimming pool as well as a spa and small fitness centre.

Overview

Lying within the walled city of Cartagena de Indias is Casa Pestagua, which has been declared a historical and cultural heritage by UNESCO. The hotel preserves its colonial structure of double-height ceilings and Moorish-inspired arches, alongside its internal gardens of exuberant vegetation that recreate an atmosphere of romanticism, relaxation, and luxurious comfort.

10 spacious suites and 6 harmonious rooms form the space available to guests at the hotel. Views of the interior garden, the bustling street, or the sea can be found in every room, alongside king-size beds and generous bathrooms.

You will find one of the best options for ancestral gastronomy of the Caribbean and Pacific coasts of the Colombian territory within Casa Pestagua. When you dine in restaurant Ánima, meaning ‘soul’ in Latin, your palate will be delighted by the authentic menu created by the hands of the executive chef Heberlo Eljach. Attached to the restaurant is the bar Animate, where you can relax with cocktails in an idyllic setting.

Casa Pestagua hosts a range of activities, including many at their sister properties: at the Acasí private beach you can indulge in an exclusive Caribbean experience, whilst at Aurum spa in Hotel Casa San Agustín you can personalise a treatment to reinvigorate your body and soul.