Checking In: Sofitel Barú Calablanca Beach Vacation resort in Cartagena, Colombia — Lonely Planet Travel News

Cartagena , the multi-colored port city for the north coast associated with Colombia, is certainly not precisely a reasonable getaway in the event that you would like to spend time on the particular beach.

Yet if you are in the particular mood to get some sun and fine sand, Cartagena’s greatest beaches make up excuses beyond the city walls on the island associated with Barú, a 40-minute fishing boat ride through town. The particular newly-opened Sofitel Barú Calablanca , exactly where I lately had the particular pleasure of visiting good manners of the particular resort,   is the area’s very first luxury beach property. It  opened with the finish of 2021 and provides clean, contemporary design that features an abundance of bamboo, stone, glass and muted neutral tones. The eco-friendly hotel is the only hotel for the tropical isle with LEED certification.

The modern, sleek lobby in the Sofitel Barú Calablanca Beach Resort in Cartagena
The modern, smooth lobby in the Sofitel Barú Calablanca Beach Resort in Cartagena, Colombia © Caitlin Riddell / Unhappy Planet

While the particular white fine sand beach is an obvious attraction, the particular four infinity-edge pools located throughout the particular property actually steal the show. Meant for guests seeking a little more experience, there’s also an onsite nautical center where one can guide snorkeling, kayaking or exercise boarding encounters during your stay. And no luxury resort is complete without a health spa. This 1 concentrates on holistic treatments motivated from the island’s traditional therapeutic practices.  

The Sofitel Barú Calablanca is a good destination for anyone who is seeking to loosen up, reconnect along with nature and luxuriate in the tranquility of this particular Caribbean treasure.

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The interior of a room at Sofitel Barú Calablanca Beach Resort in Cartagena, Colombia
The smooth and comfortable rooms in Sofitel Barú Calablanca Beach Resort in Cartagena, Colombia © Caitlin Riddell / Lonesome Planet

The areas

Each of the 187 guest areas has its private porch or terrace with unblocked sea sights. The areas are pass on across ten towers, which includes 23 rooms located on the best floor of towers 4-10. The areas convey the same synergy between contemporary design and character, with a good focus on neutral fabrics, wooden and rock accents. Most of the particular suites have got both a shower plus a bath tub, and include L’Occitane amenities. Some have got private whirlpool tubs because well.  

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The spacious Calablanca Restaurant at Sofitel Barú Calablanca Beach Resort in Cartagena, Colombia
The spacious Calablanca Restaurant in Sofitel Barú Calablanca Beach Resort in Cartagena, Colombia © Caitlin Riddell / Unhappy Planet

The foods

Three restaurants and 7 bars (three which are located poolside) are spread across the property. Themes and cuisines for every were developed by chef’s Patrice Guaus. The gorgeous Calablanca cafe, one flooring down from the hotel lobby, acts breakfast (the Sofitel trademark buffet featuring fruit, fresh juices and locally-inspired favorites), as very well as lunchtime and supper with refreshing seafood plus traditional Colombian and Mediterranean dishes.  

Humo   offers  dinners with pan-Asian, French and Peruvian influences. The rotating menu features local and seasonal components and dishes are prepared over a Japanese-style robata barbeque grill.    

The open-air  Bahía beach barbeque grill offers cool and natural dishes, including among the best ceviche I’ve actually had, and also grilled seafood, pork belly and roasting veggies ready over the grill. This particular was my personal favorite spot regarding a cool cerveza plus some truly noteworthy margaritas in a beachy, Bohemian venue.

Talking of drinks, the rooftop Bar La Pergola will be the perfect spot to drink a tropical drink while viewing the well-known Isla Barú sunset and enjoying live music.

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The pools at Sofitel Barú Calablanca Beach Resort in Cartagena, Colombia
The swimming pools at Sofitel Barú Calablanca Beach Resort in Cartagena, Colombia © Caitlin Riddell / Lonely World

The facilities

Regardless of whether you’re seeking to lounge and rest or a person have your own sights set on the little bit of adventure, the Sofitel Barú Calablanca offers more than enough options in order to fill your days.  

For guests wanting in order to decrease and spend their time soaking up sunlight and going through some tranquility, the four inviting swimming pools   or the beach alone great places to start. Every aquatic haven has the own specific atmosphere and offers countless cabanas and loungers, as well as close by bars to order a fresh piña colada.  

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A treatment room in the spa at Sofitel Barú Calablanca Beach Resort in Cartagena, Colombia
A therapy space in the spa at Sofitel Barú Calablanca Beach Resort within Cartagena, Colombia © Caitlin Riddell and Lonely World

The spa includes four treatment rooms, a Turkish bath, vapor room, sauna and yoga exercises room. Visitors can choose from a menu associated with treatments inspired from the region’s traditional healing practices, which includes a facial designed with organic ingredients plus tropical ingredients.  

The property also provides guests an opportunity to learn more about the island’s tradition and background with a listing of experiences that guests can book throughout their stay, such as a sailing lesson, coffee tasting, mixology class, guided mountain bike tour and much more.  

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Flamingos are just one of the 190 species you'll find at the Aviario Nacional de Colombia in Bolívar, Colombia
Flamingos are simply one particular of the 190 varieties you’ll find from the Aviario Nacional sobre Colombia in Bolívar, Colombia © Caitlin Riddell / Lonely World

The region

Getting in order to and from the residence requires a bit of planning plus coordination with the hotel. Guests can turn up either by boat or even car through Cartagena. We opted for the purpose of the provided Catamaran which usually picked all of us up in the Cartagena Nautical Golf club and shipped us right to the resort’s dock where a golf cart was waiting around to get us upward to the lobby to get check-in — a seamless experience just for both our arrival plus return.  

For an easy activity near the hotel, the  Aviario Nacional is a good incredible place. The aviary hosts even more than 150 species of birds from three distinctive ecosystems, which includes a few of the rarest Colombian and Latin American birds. I actually was specifically starstruck by the flamingos, peacocks and vultures.  

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Bahia Beach Grill at Sofitel Barú Calablanca Beach Resort in Cartagena, Colombia
Bahia Beach Grill on Sofitel Barú Calablanca Beach Resort in Cartagena, Colombia © Caitlin Riddell / Lonely Planet

The cost

With respect to the time of calendar year, standard guest rooms begin around $300 USD per night, whilst the suites range through around $400 – $800 USD per night, along with the Usa president Suite costing around $4000 USD per night.

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