Staying at Hotel Caribe by Faranda in Cartagena

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The hotel* is located on the outskirts near a beach in El Laguito, about 15 min drive from the Walled City. A doorman greets you at the entrance and guides you into the reception through a spacious lobby. The cheerful decor, a mix of old and new, creates a pleasant atmosphere upon entry. The staff is quite friendly and helpful and as in most places in Colombia, their English is very limited.

The grounds are fairly large, spread across two levels and a few large buildings connected by bridges that take you into the common area where the pool and restaurants are. The pool is as large as the booking website promises and more than once I’ve seen people swim laps in it. The surrounding area is decorated by tanning beds, cabanas, and a few round wicker beds, dressed with fresh new towels every morning by the pool staff. The restaurant and pool cafe are in the same area, the menu is quite decent and the inclusive breakfast is very well done. Late night menu, admittedly is lacking a little.

To the left of the pool, down a few stairs, is an area where the plants are cared for, home to a few macaws and a little deer. Brown wicker chairs and sunbeds are sprinkled in the shade of the palms around the building creating serene places to read and drink tea in the morning. There are also a couple of game rooms in the building but with my short stay, I didn’t get a chance to take advantage of those nor was I able to find the new sushi restaurant.

The rooms are on the older side but quite lovely, equipped with a TV, mini-fridge, and all other standard amenities. It was nice to have a spacious wardrobe to put my luggage away in and a robe to snuggle in after showering. While I didn’t spend too much time in the room or around the hotel it was great to have a nice bed to go back to, a pool to nap next to, and a known hotel name to give to taxi drivers late at night.

I think I’d prefer to stay closer to the action next time but if what you are looking for is a resort then this is definitely it!

Address: Carrera 1 # 2-87, Cartagena, Bocagrande, Colombia

In the gear bag: Fujifilm X-T100 with an XF50mmF2 R WR lens. To see the trip on Instagram look up #xoColombia18