Hotel recommendations for San Andres

expatriate says on Oct 14, 2005, 08:29:

Congratulations! Hi Maureen,

Congratulations from John and Sara in Cali!

You might want to check this hotel's web site out if you haven't already. We haven't stayed at this particular hotel, but this one looks pretty nice from here.

http://www.sunrisehotel.com/english.html

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Mr. Hollywood says on Oct 14, 2005, 09:14:

Are you talking about where to have the wedding? I think the Sol Caribe Campo would be nice. It's up on the hill away from San Andres town and has its own private beach club with shuttles back and forth. If you haven't been there, San Andres town is a bit, well, tattered and battered.

I don't think any of the hotels are up to the quality one would expect in, say, Hawaii or the Virgin Islands, but some of them are good enough.

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2retirensa says on Oct 14, 2005, 09:25:

I gather from experience and other postings its not US 4*, but want the best I can get. I understand it's a bit tattered, but when in Rome.... I'll check out the Sol Caribe Campo. thanks HW. I am a little concerned about the weather- I know it's rainy right now and into Nov.

John, I'll be sending you guys an email. Things are getting down to the wire and I can't believe how much time all this takes!! I've checked out the Sunrise on the web, read the reviews. If you do a seach it pulls up a good site with reviews from other travelers. Reviews are pretty mixed, but seem to be for just the same group of hotels. Trying to see if there's anything different. Can't wait to see you both!!
Maureen

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Daniel1 says on Oct 14, 2005, 10:53:

Hotels in San Andres. I have been to San Andres 5 times and have stayed there for 2 and three months at a time twice and I know the island quite well.

The Sunrise is the nicest hotel on the Island. (colombian 5 star)
It is where President Uribe stayed when he was on the Island last year.

It is problably the biggest and is located right in town. It is the one I would recommend for a honeymoon, but it is quite expensive according to island standards.

A smaller hotel that is also nice is the Lord Pierre, but it is small and may not have all the ammenities you are looking for.

The Sol Campo is your typical all inclusive touristy hotel but it is on a hill and you have to take a shuttle bus to the beach ( 2 minute ride.)

Decameron has 5 all inclusive hotels on the Island and you can access them all with you wristband.
The Decameron Maruzul is nice and quiet about 10 mins from town but the beach is not great. They do have a nice pier bar which goes out over the water and is a nice place to socialize. It also has one of the better discos on the island. For a honeymoon it is the best of the Decamerons as it is fairly quiet and relaxing.

The Aquarium is like the Sol Campo, typical all inclusive touristy hotel with a really small poor beach, but has boardwalks and piers and has a great pool with a swim up bar.

The Isleno and the Maryland I would say forget it, as they are right next to the airport and there are a lot of flights going in and out of the place everyday.

The San Luis is located about 20 minutes from town, but this is the party hotel, lots of the young crowd, lots of drinkin`. The San Luis however has the nicest beach on the Island.

There is also the Sol Caribe right in town but it also houses the most popular and one of the largest discos Extasis. It goes till two and three in the morning and I don`t think any hotel is that soundproof.

Congrats, and I hope this helps.

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2retirensa says on Oct 14, 2005, 19:53:

Thanks to all I appreciate your time to reply. I'm guessing if President Uribe stays at the Sunrise, it should be acceptable to me! Do you think they'll change the presidential suite to the honeymoon sweet?

Time is flying by. I can't believe I am actually talking honeymoon! Finally!
Maureen

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flaleo says on Oct 15, 2005, 10:01:

The Sunrise is a big, large, tall, touristy hotel. If you go all the way to San Andres because of it's island location/feel/offerings - then this is the last place to stay. Oh, unless you're Pres. Uribe?

Daniel really wrote the perfect post. Not only did he nicely detail _each_ of the Decamerons, he also mentioned nice smaller places like Lord Pierre. There is another nice hotel a block up the street, located across the street from the beach where there are no buildings on the beach side.

But there are no hotels on San Andres that will even come close to what one finds in Miami or Hawaii or chains like Hyatt or Hilton or even what one finds in Bahamas or Rio or Punta Cana. It does have that battered look/fell that most of Colombia has. If you find that a charm, then you'll enjoy it greatly.

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aztec says on Oct 15, 2005, 15:00:

Daniel1... ...my wife is Colombian. She is interested in real estate on the Island. We have been there several times but never to look for property.(Both Islands)

Any advice/suggestions. (Both Islands)

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Mr. Hollywood says on Oct 15, 2005, 18:53:

About the Sunrise I completely agree with Flaleo's assessment of the Sunrise. It's like a Waikiki tower. If you're into high-rise hotels with a sort of mass-market middle-class Colombian "rumba" theme, then maybe it'd be okay. Basically, it's the same version of mass-market tourism that you can find all over the world from Hawaii to the Red Sea, only it's probably not done that well.

Personally, if I were planning an island wedding I'd want a more down-to-earth and natural theme.

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utopiacowboy says on Oct 15, 2005, 23:21:

I am only familiar with the Decameron Maruzul and Daniel's description is absolutely accurate IMHO so I would give him good credibility on his other assessments.

Disclaimer: any comment I make is inane and is not to be taken seriously, and is so patently ridiculous that no one should take it seriously, even as an insult.

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kernow62 says on Oct 16, 2005, 04:25:

Don't stay at Hotel Arena Blanca, it isn't a bad hotel, but not the most romantic place in the world. Oh and no hot water (at least when I was there), the jacuzzi was useless.

It is new and clean though.

If it were myself getting married I think I would pick somewhere on the opposite end of the island from the town.

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Daniel1 says on Oct 17, 2005, 10:18:

Real estate on San Andres. I don’t know much about Providencia, but buying real estate on San Andres is complicated.

First of all, Foreigners, which includes Colombian Mainlanders, can only stay on the Island for four months per calendar year. (Six months if you own a condo or property on the Island.) The only way to stay year round is to be a native San Andrean or be married to one. Also if you work for one of the large hotel chains/banks or own a business there, you can get a special permission from DAS (immigration) and OCRE (the organization which oversees employment on the Island.)

Secondly, it is difficult to get permits to build on the Island. The infrastructure (hydro, sewers etc.) is overtaxed as the island is overpopulated. (The Decameron Aquarium has a section of its hotel over the pool bar they want to finish but can’t because of permits and other issues)

What you can do is buy a property with an existing structure, knock it down and rebuild.

There are some really nice villas for sale on the island, (built by the cartels in the early eighties) but who wants to drop close to a million bucks on a place you can only stay at for six months a year.

Last year the President was on the Island and ordered the place to be cleaned up and improved. They have already started building a promenade along the main beach, and are building a pier for cruise ships near the south end of the Island.

I really like the island, and yes it could use a clean up and some improvement, but I hope that it dosen’t lose it’s Colombian/San Andrean charm by bringing in the big chains (McDonalds, Pizza Hut etc.) Otherwise it will become just another carbon copy of the other North Americanized Caribbean Island tourist traps.

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