The most popular hotel in Cartagena has just had a sibling, Sofitel Baru Calablanca Beach Resort

ONE The truly iconic hotel is the one that travelers to a destination must see – regardless of whether they’re spending the night or not. For years, nearly every tourist entering the multicolored wonder of Cartagena would try to find his way there Sofitel Legend Santa Clara, the former stately convent now operates as part of a French luxury hotel chain. And now it’s Iconic The hotel has a new sibling right on the beach—Sofitel Baru Calablanca Beach Resortis Beast Travel’s latest pick for a series of exciting new hotels, Room key.

When traveling somewhere new, I’m always the one to get a little FOMO, worried that I’ll miss out on every aspect a place has to offer. By the sea, downtown, old town, restaurants, bars – I want to do it all. So when I was invited down to experience the combination of city and beach between the two hotels, I was pleasantly surprised – no more dull plans!

I started my journey in Sofitel Legend Santa Clara located within the walls of the old town of Cartagena. The city is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and exhibits architecture dating back more than 500 years, most of which are completely intact. When you step inside its walls (originally built to protect against invaders and pirates), it’s like frozen in time. The cobbled streets, confetti-covered balconies and Spanish colonial architecture instantly transport you to another world. The atmosphere of the town permeates the hotel.

When you first walk in the old convent built in 1621, the leafy garden of its square inner garden, well, everything. It’s the place where you want to put on a great pair of sunglasses and have a drink in the afternoon heat, the perfect place to hide from the family and a lot of places where you look classy with your sweetheart at the restaurant around it – El Claustro. In the end, I spent every morning in the middle of the garden under the open sky, sipping some Colombian coffee and eating delightful home-made pastries.

After a few days in the center of Cartagena watching the Caribbean from my room, I couldn’t wait to go to the beach. Only 40 minutes from the port by catamaran or one hour by car, new car Sofitel Baru Calablanca Beach Resort very easy to get to from Cartagena.

Since I was escaping hell it was winter on the east coast, I ended up getting the catamaran. After all, the weather is one of the most amazing parts of this part of the world, and what better way to enjoy the sun than to be on a boat. The closer we got to the hotel, the clearer the water became until the catamaran dropped me right in front of the hotel. From there, a golf cart took me with my suitcase to the lobby and then to my room.

If Santa Clara is all about its historic areas, Calablanca is about its natural area. The hotel curves around a seaside cove and features an eco-tropical aesthetic with floor-to-ceiling bamboo shutters, softly colored stone and tiles throughout. Three large swimming pools separate the main building from the white sand beach. You can lounge by the pool and still have a view of the water – perfect for those who love the ocean but don’t like the sand. From a distance, one can recognize the white and blue glass towers of modern Cartagena, although one could easily mistake it for the Miami skyline.

After a very educational coffee tasting session arranged by the hotel with San Alberto Coffee (I was told that the coffee that I spend $7 on almost every day at home is really terrible), I started Explore this property. The resort has a total of 187 rooms, which are moderate in design, spacious but simple and light. All have terraces or balconies overlooking the sea. There are 3 restaurants and 7 different bars throughout, something that I hope encourages you to be a little more adventurous with your drink choices. (A candlelit dinner on the beach is also possible.) One of the restaurants is Asian in style, while the other two are influenced by regional cuisine with dishes like coconut rice and rice. pies.

The beauty of a region often creates the best adventure. The National Aviary is only 30 minutes from the resort. Colombia is home to almost 20% of the planet’s bird biodiversity and is home to the most diverse bird species in the world and so even though I’m pretty scared of birds, I still feel like I have to visit this national park. Although the fact that I had to walk in enclosed areas where birds were flying all over the place was really my worst nightmare, I’m really glad I went because I learned a lot and it was an activity space to educate people about conservation. But if you’re less into birds like I am, you can also go diving or snorkeling.

My trip was made complete with a return to Cartagena’s old town for one night before flying home. Tanned, refreshed and full, I certainly don’t worry I’ve missed anything on this trip.