The 10 Best Luxury Hotels in Cartagena de Indias

On the roof: At the Movich Hotel Cartagena de Indias, you swim in an infinity-style pool overlooking the sea and the old town, while the rooftop bar next to it mixes sunset cocktails. The pool at the Hotel Charleston Santa Teresa Cartagena sits on top of the cloister, with 360-degree views over the walled city and the Caribbean. At the Hotel Capellan de Getsemani, a pool bar and jacuzzi come with the third-floor pool.Movich Hotel Cartagena de Indias · City CentreIn the courtyard: At Casa San Agustin, a 17th-century aqueduct crosses the L-shaped pool. Casa Pestagua Cartagena keeps its pool at the heart of the house, surrounded by palms and native plants. At the Sofitel Legend Santa Clara Cartagena, the outdoor pool lies in the Republican wing, on the site of the nuns' former orchard; the Pool Bar serves cocktails and light bites.

Above the sea: The Hyatt Regency Cartagena spreads four pools across three outdoor levels: an infinity pool, an adults-only lap pool and a children's pool. At the InterContinental Cartagena de Indias, the infinity pool looks straight out over the Caribbean. Our advice: for calm, choose one of the luxury hotels in Cartagena with a courtyard behind the wall; for long laps, head to Bocagrande.

On the beach, outside the city: At the Sofitel Baru Cartagena Beach Resort, the main infinity pool cascades over two levels, joined by an adults-only pool with the L'Ilot bar plus a children's pool and a family pool near the beach. At Hotel Las Islas, the freshwater pool is open all year with poolside service, and the sea-level bungalows have their own pools. So for pool and beach in one place, the luxury hotels in Cartagena to pick are out on the island.

Behind the wall: The Sofitel Spa at the Sofitel Legend Santa Clara Cartagena has seven treatment rooms, a hammam and a relaxation area; treatments follow Sisley Paris protocols and products, such as the Alma Ancestral ritual. Day guests are welcome too. At Casa San Agustin, the Aurum Spa is all about gold: the hammam offers scrubs with coffee, volcanic mud and tobacco, plus a jacuzzi and rituals such as “Time is Gold”.Casa San Agustin · City CentreSmall and personal: The Movich Hotel Cartagena de Indias offers holistic treatments with Germaine de Capuccini products, in the treatment room or in your own room, along with a sauna, Turkish bath and jacuzzi. At the spa of the Hotel Charleston Santa Teresa Cartagena, aromatherapy and hydro-massage are on the menu.

With sea views: At the Hyatt Regency Cartagena, the Aqoral Spa has six treatment rooms, one of them for couples, and two hydrotherapy suites. The spa at the InterContinental Cartagena de Indias is on the 15th floor, and its five cabins look out over the bay. For treatments with a view, these two are the luxury hotels in Cartagena to book.

Between beach and mangroves: The 283-square-meter spa at the Sofitel Baru Cartagena Beach Resort has a hammam, sauna, steam room and hydrotherapy, plus Ayurvedic treatments and facials with the organic Éccora line. At Hotel Las Islas, Spa Niña Daniela sits right on the beach: a thalassotherapy pool, jacuzzi, sauna and Turkish bath, three treatment rooms for couples and a meditation room.

In Bocagrande, rates start at 144 € at the InterContinental Cartagena de Indias and 153 € at the Hyatt Regency Cartagena. Just outside the wall, the Hotel Capellan de Getsemani begins at 223 €.InterContinental Cartagena de Indias · BocagrandeBehind the wall, the Sofitel Legend Santa Clara Cartagena costs from 246 €, the Movich Hotel Cartagena de Indias from 314 € and the Hotel Charleston Santa Teresa Cartagena from 348 €.

Outside the city, on the island, the Sofitel Baru Cartagena Beach Resort starts at 280 € and Hotel Las Islas at 404 €.

At the top end are the old town's two small colonial houses: Casa Pestagua Cartagena from 473 € and Casa San Agustin from 530 €. Which rooms are free on your dates and what they cost today is shown in the hotel list below.

Always included: At all ten hotels you get breakfast for two, an upgrade subject to availability and early check-in and late check-out subject to availability. Every hotel adds a credit as well: US$100 at nine of them and US$50 at the Movich Hotel Cartagena de Indias. A welcome gift awaits at the Hyatt Regency Cartagena, Casa San Agustin, Casa Pestagua Cartagena and the Hotel Capellan de Getsemani.

Minimum stay: At the Hyatt Regency Cartagena and the Movich Hotel Cartagena de Indias, the benefits apply from two nights; everywhere else from the first.

Programs: ALL (Accor) applies at the Sofitel Legend Santa Clara Cartagena and the Sofitel Baru Cartagena Beach Resort, World of Hyatt at the Hyatt Regency Cartagena, IHG One Rewards at the InterContinental Cartagena de Indias and I Prefer at the Hotel Capellan de Getsemani and Hotel Las Islas; at Casa San Agustin it is the Leaders Club. We book directly with the hotel at the hotel rate, so points and status nights are credited to you and your status counts on site.

Cartagena through the year: From December to April the trade winds blow, the days are dry and in the evening the city gathers on the wall. For New Year, secure your 5-star hotel in Cartagena early. From May to November, short, heavy afternoon showers often pass through; afterwards the air is clear, everything turns green and the old town feels calmer.

How long to stay: Three to four nights at a 5-star hotel in Cartagena cover the old town, Getsemaní and a boat trip to the Rosario Islands. If you add beach days on Isla de Barú, plan two to three more nights.