WHERE SHOULD YOU STAY?
A few hundred centuries of constructing grand buildings has left Cartagena with innumerable accommodation options. Super lux hotels, boutique BnBs, private villas, convenient apartments. There's places at the beach. Places on private islands. You can even hire entire islands for true superstar style. There's less of the budget option (especially if you aren't travelling with the well-placed US dollar exchange rate.. and if you aren't ok with dorm beds in hostels). And during the high season period of Christmas and New Year, the prices are downright insane. Bearing all that in mind, you can still find value and really wonderful places to stay.. especially if you are clear on what you are looking for.
But then, it can be confusing if you don't know a) what you are looking for; or b) the different areas and options.
Follow our drop down menu for some of our fave picks for private villas, hotels and hostels.
All of these can be booked through us.. (we are trustworthy, speak native English and have 6 + years of experience helping people just like you). You will pay no more than with other websites and hopefully, usually you will get a better price. Ofcourse, let us know if you happen to see something cheaper and we will go into bat for you. Anyway.. here we go.
But then, it can be confusing if you don't know a) what you are looking for; or b) the different areas and options.
Follow our drop down menu for some of our fave picks for private villas, hotels and hostels.
All of these can be booked through us.. (we are trustworthy, speak native English and have 6 + years of experience helping people just like you). You will pay no more than with other websites and hopefully, usually you will get a better price. Ofcourse, let us know if you happen to see something cheaper and we will go into bat for you. Anyway.. here we go.
A bit about the different areas...
CENTRO - aka Centro Historico, The Walled Town, The Old City, Ciudad Vieja, San Diego
The major attraction of Cartagena is the historic centre itself. The romantic streets, kaleidescope of colours, the architecture, plazas, amazing restaurants. It is safer than Disneyland. Zero rubbish. You can walk everywhere. Or if the heat/your high heels are getting to you, a taxi anywhere within this zone is about $2.50. If you don't stay in this area or in Getsemani, you will probably use taxis to come here the majority of the time to go out, eat, shop, explore.
Centro accommodation consists of a handful of luxury hotels, a whole heap of upmarket small boutique hotels, lots of privately owned homes and apartments rented out through various sites, and limited budget options. Properties tend to be renovated from older, more historic buildings and sometimes there can be inconsistencies with "modern conveniences" like water (hot water is the exception, not the norm), electricity (blackouts are not uncommon), wifi etc The big high end hotels like the Santa Clara and Santa Teresa take matters into their own hands so this isn't an issue.. but in other properties it might be something to bear in mind.
GETSEMANI - With streetart, some funky bars and really vibrant community spaces fighting the rapid and hopefully not inevitable gentrification, it's been called the Brooklyn of Cartagena. Getsemani has more grit and probably more personality than the "walled town". It feels less like a film set, more, and gosh I kindof hate this description, "authentic". Cringe, but you'll know what I mean. It's still walking distance to everywhere you will want to go (or that $2.50 taxi). There's also more live music offerings. Less of the fine dining (although there's definitely some good eating options). Accommodation options? There's a couple of hotels, a couple of high end boutique hotels, quite a few renovated houses and apartments, and a host of backpacker hostels these share space with the sometimes dilapidated homes of the "raizales"; the super proud born and bred Getsemanisenses who are friendly and welcoming of the diverse international crowd of visitors who love their barrio just as much as them. Is it safe? Yes. But there's also more visible poverty, and sometimes that (and everything associated with that) can be confronting for people to see and they label it "sketchy". Some people might prefer not to stay in this neighbourhood with children.
BOCAGRANDE - Sometimes called The New Town, this part of Cartagena isn't really a city, but rather a bunch of high rise hotels and condos flanking beach of questionable pristine-ness. Until recently, tourism to Cartagena focused almost exclusively on these beach hotels, and overlooked the walled town and Getsemani. Tourism was mostly domestic Colombian and Latin American tourists. This is changing with English-speaking tourists tending to prefer the Walled town. Many Colombian families have holiday apartments in this area which they rent out when they are not using them. This is where you find the bigger name hotels with actual modern conveniences and bigass pools. There's gyms. Yoga studios. Fast food places. Great Arabic restaurants. A beautiful paved bay that is great for running beside. We'd probably suggest staying here for Bachelor groups, families (kids will want to go to the beach and pool most of the time). People who love ocean views. People who don't mind taking taxis. You probably won't go out in the area itself that much.
MANGA - if you want bang for your buck and don't mind staying a bit out of the action, Manga has some great apartment options. You get great views, a pretty bay filled with boats and it's just a quick trip over the bridge to get to Getsemani. This is a family neighbourhood and very quiet and relaxed. There's some really cool Arabic-style houses and architecture. There's 2-3 great restaurants. There's a really interesting cemetery (really!) Apart from these drawcards, you will be walking or catching a taxi into Centro or Getsemani most of the time. But you will be getting much better value on your accommodation, so it is very much still worthwhile.
EL CABRERO AND MARBELLA
These beach neighbourhoods a little to the side of Centro/San Diego can also offer good value if you don't mind taking taxis to get to the action. These neighbourhoods are really more like tiny strips of apartments/hotels and don't really offer any where to eat/drink/play .. so when you are not home to sleep/chill.. you will take taxis directly to the other zones. The incredible sea breeze that is a constant in these areas is another major plus on hot Cartagena days/nights.
NORTHERN SECTOR (LOS MORROS, LAS AMERICAS, MANZANILLA)
Here you will find nicer, less crowded beaches, real hotels with impressive pools, nice apartments, .. but you are quite far away from the centre.. 20 minutes or so. This can be a good thing, but be prepared to take taxis (more expensive) and to sit in traffic. Or book 1-2 days here as part of your overall stay and plan on just hanging on the beach or beside the pool. For similar reasons as Bocagrande, can make a good option for kids.
CENTRO - aka Centro Historico, The Walled Town, The Old City, Ciudad Vieja, San Diego
The major attraction of Cartagena is the historic centre itself. The romantic streets, kaleidescope of colours, the architecture, plazas, amazing restaurants. It is safer than Disneyland. Zero rubbish. You can walk everywhere. Or if the heat/your high heels are getting to you, a taxi anywhere within this zone is about $2.50. If you don't stay in this area or in Getsemani, you will probably use taxis to come here the majority of the time to go out, eat, shop, explore.
Centro accommodation consists of a handful of luxury hotels, a whole heap of upmarket small boutique hotels, lots of privately owned homes and apartments rented out through various sites, and limited budget options. Properties tend to be renovated from older, more historic buildings and sometimes there can be inconsistencies with "modern conveniences" like water (hot water is the exception, not the norm), electricity (blackouts are not uncommon), wifi etc The big high end hotels like the Santa Clara and Santa Teresa take matters into their own hands so this isn't an issue.. but in other properties it might be something to bear in mind.
GETSEMANI - With streetart, some funky bars and really vibrant community spaces fighting the rapid and hopefully not inevitable gentrification, it's been called the Brooklyn of Cartagena. Getsemani has more grit and probably more personality than the "walled town". It feels less like a film set, more, and gosh I kindof hate this description, "authentic". Cringe, but you'll know what I mean. It's still walking distance to everywhere you will want to go (or that $2.50 taxi). There's also more live music offerings. Less of the fine dining (although there's definitely some good eating options). Accommodation options? There's a couple of hotels, a couple of high end boutique hotels, quite a few renovated houses and apartments, and a host of backpacker hostels these share space with the sometimes dilapidated homes of the "raizales"; the super proud born and bred Getsemanisenses who are friendly and welcoming of the diverse international crowd of visitors who love their barrio just as much as them. Is it safe? Yes. But there's also more visible poverty, and sometimes that (and everything associated with that) can be confronting for people to see and they label it "sketchy". Some people might prefer not to stay in this neighbourhood with children.
BOCAGRANDE - Sometimes called The New Town, this part of Cartagena isn't really a city, but rather a bunch of high rise hotels and condos flanking beach of questionable pristine-ness. Until recently, tourism to Cartagena focused almost exclusively on these beach hotels, and overlooked the walled town and Getsemani. Tourism was mostly domestic Colombian and Latin American tourists. This is changing with English-speaking tourists tending to prefer the Walled town. Many Colombian families have holiday apartments in this area which they rent out when they are not using them. This is where you find the bigger name hotels with actual modern conveniences and bigass pools. There's gyms. Yoga studios. Fast food places. Great Arabic restaurants. A beautiful paved bay that is great for running beside. We'd probably suggest staying here for Bachelor groups, families (kids will want to go to the beach and pool most of the time). People who love ocean views. People who don't mind taking taxis. You probably won't go out in the area itself that much.
MANGA - if you want bang for your buck and don't mind staying a bit out of the action, Manga has some great apartment options. You get great views, a pretty bay filled with boats and it's just a quick trip over the bridge to get to Getsemani. This is a family neighbourhood and very quiet and relaxed. There's some really cool Arabic-style houses and architecture. There's 2-3 great restaurants. There's a really interesting cemetery (really!) Apart from these drawcards, you will be walking or catching a taxi into Centro or Getsemani most of the time. But you will be getting much better value on your accommodation, so it is very much still worthwhile.
EL CABRERO AND MARBELLA
These beach neighbourhoods a little to the side of Centro/San Diego can also offer good value if you don't mind taking taxis to get to the action. These neighbourhoods are really more like tiny strips of apartments/hotels and don't really offer any where to eat/drink/play .. so when you are not home to sleep/chill.. you will take taxis directly to the other zones. The incredible sea breeze that is a constant in these areas is another major plus on hot Cartagena days/nights.
NORTHERN SECTOR (LOS MORROS, LAS AMERICAS, MANZANILLA)
Here you will find nicer, less crowded beaches, real hotels with impressive pools, nice apartments, .. but you are quite far away from the centre.. 20 minutes or so. This can be a good thing, but be prepared to take taxis (more expensive) and to sit in traffic. Or book 1-2 days here as part of your overall stay and plan on just hanging on the beach or beside the pool. For similar reasons as Bocagrande, can make a good option for kids.