Please recommend a hotel in Cartagena

Gator says on Apr 8, 2004, 22:58:

Expensive What do YOU call not expensive?

"Credidi pretio parvo emere et magno vendere tibi in animo fuisse!" .

0 funny, 0 helpful.

camachog says on Apr 9, 2004, 06:55:

el dorado hotel its a five star hotel located right along the beach. When I went in February I paid 80,000 peseos a night. It comes out to about $30 dollars a night. Its an all inclusive hotel. It includes meals, bar, snacks and beach activities.

0 funny, 0 helpful.

explorerw@aol.com says on Apr 9, 2004, 07:09:

sounds like a good deal,
any opinion on Las Velas hotel ?

0 funny, 0 helpful.

RobertoNY says on Apr 9, 2004, 07:32:

A 5 star hotel for $30? Get serious. Believe me, you're not staying in ANY 5 star hotel anywhere in Colombia for $30 a night. You say you also had meals, BAR and beach activities included. Your statements tell me you either have NO clue as to what a 5 star hotel is and/or you have NEVER been to Cartagena.
A true 5 star hotel has prices to match. The El Prado in Barranquilla is quite expensive. It's over $200 per night which is VERY expensive for Colombia. Eighty thousand pesos per night is not much at all for a hotel in Cartagena. It may buy a room there, but it's not going to pay for a 5 star hotel. The Hotel Santa Clara, Capilla Del Mar and the Hilton are some very fine hotels there. However, they're not going to give you a room for 80,000 pesos. They won't even give you the time for that amount.

0 funny, 0 helpful.

RobertoNY says on Apr 9, 2004, 08:12:

There are 5 star hotels in Colombia There are many awesome hotels in Colombia. They have service that is outstanding. During my last stay in Santa Marta I had my food and drinks brought to me right on the beach. That may not say much because the hotel is nearly on the beach itself, but the hotel doesn't own that section of the beach. I always get service with a smile there.
It is true that for a fraction of what they expect to get here in the U.S. for tips you can get much more for less in Colombian hotels. Those people run when you want something. It's great to be waited on like that.
I don't know how the star system works there. However, I have never seen where a hotel was rated at 4 or 5 stars and it wasn't absolutely impeccable with service to match. I think the problem is how the agencies here that sell vacations rate the hotels. They always embellish the truth somewhat.

0 funny, 0 helpful.

Tinto (Moderator) (Trustee board) says on Apr 9, 2004, 08:37:

Out of curiosity... Are you familiar with the El Duruelo in Villa de Leyva? When I stayed there it was ~180,000 COP per night or ~$68 USD. That was a base price for two guests - horseback riding, food, drinks, tours, etc were all extra. I liked it a lot and will go again. I have no idea how it ranks on a star system but it seemed like a very nice tourist class hotel. Even so, because of its age and former use - one should not expect whirlpool bathtubs in every room (or bathtubs at all), swimming pools, tennis courts - the kind of things that are pretty standard fare at other resort hotels.



http://www.villadeleyva.net/duruelo/

0 funny, 0 helpful.

RobertoNY says on Apr 9, 2004, 08:47:

I know of the hotel... but I don't have any first hand experience there. It's in the zona cafetera. Not an area that I have frequently traveled to.

0 funny, 0 helpful.

SiempreHero says on Apr 9, 2004, 10:20:

Villadeleyva in la Zona Cafetera??? Come on! TO RobertoNY,
you know, normally i agree with the logic of your comments regarding the poor fools that go to Colombia looking for a wife. But your delivery makes you come across like your an expert on Colombia. Well, Villadeleyva is very well known by every Colombian to be in BOYACA about 3 hours by car North of Bogota. It is a famouse Colombian colonial city. Even my maid knew where it was. Also your comment in another forum about not being able to pick out a Colombian in a room full of latins...again.. Colombians always spot each other (expresions, accent, dress, the way they carry themselves or just the look in thier eyes). Keep up the good work on the comments though. They keep things going!

0 funny, 0 helpful.

Gator says on Apr 9, 2004, 10:20:

Villa de Leyva not in the zona cafetera but about an hour out of Tunja. An say and hour and a half out of Bogotá on good raods, but a lot of traffic, especially on th weekend. I can highly recommend the Hosteria Del Molino La Mesopotamia, a 465 year old sugar mill converted to a hotel. The old mill stream runs through the dining room-VERY romantic place. My wife will stay no where else. BTW tends to be crowded on the weekends.

The zona cafeteria is generally regarded to be the departmentos de Calda, (Manizales), Risaralda (Pereira)and Quindío (Armenia) and is very beautiful and worth the trip if you have never been to the area..

Risaralda

"Credidi pretio parvo emere et magno vendere tibi in animo fuisse!" .

0 funny, 0 helpful.

RobertoNY says on Apr 9, 2004, 13:39:

I speak from experience I regard that whole area as the zona cafetera. As I mentioned, it's not an area I have frequented. Every Colombian does NOT know every area of the country. It's just a generality that I used just as one might do here in the states. It's like someone referring to a "midwest" state then you find that they were speaking of Ohio. Is Ohio a midwestern state? Where do we draw the line? Indiana? Illinois? Yes, there are specific regions here, and specific states make up those regions. However, if you were to ask people to define all of the states that make up the midwest, then you'd be hard pressed to get a correct answer from a very high percentage of the population.
Another thing: If you have made me out to be an expert on Colombia, then that's your doing, not mine. I am very confident with my answers. Other than expressing my opinion, I speak from factual experiences.
As for picking all of the Colombians out of a room, you must not be serious. I can get most of them if I hear them SPEAK, not by looking at them. The other poster said NINETY PERCENT! I'd bet anyone at least a grand that they couldn't pick 90% of the Colombians out of a room FULL of people without hearing them speak. I can pick out some right off the bat. However, without listening to them speak, it is much more difficult.
You mentioned accent, the original poster did not hear them SPEAK. He and his friend were in a CLUB! Additionally, all, or even most Colombians don't dress the same. Where did you come up with that one?
I stick by my posts. I know what I'm talking about.

0 funny, 0 helpful.

Gator says on Apr 9, 2004, 15:17:

You are confused I don't believe I ever said this anywhere. You must be as confused.

"As for picking all of the Colombians out of a room, you must not be serious. I can get most of them if I hear them SPEAK, not by looking at them. The other poster said NINETY PERCENT! I'd bet anyone at least a grand that they couldn't pick 90% of the Colombians out of a room FULL of people without hearing them speak. I can pick out some right off the bat. However, without listening to them speak, it is much more difficult.
You mentioned accent, the original poster did not hear them SPEAK. He and his friend were in a CLUB! Additionally, all, or even most Colombians don't dress the same. Where did you come up with that one?
I stick by my posts. I know what I'm talking about."

"Credidi pretio parvo emere et magno vendere tibi in animo fuisse!" .

0 funny, 0 helpful.

Desideria (Moderator) (Trustee board) says on Apr 9, 2004, 16:25:

It's not zona cafetera. You don't have to know a whole lot of the Colombian geography to figure that out. As a rule, I identify with a lot of your post roberto, but on this one, you're just plain off the base.
I don't recognize all the colombians in crowded room either, before I hear them talk. I wouldn't even dare to make a guess how many of them are in this country illegally. But then again, my country is not yours.

"When shall we three meet again? In thunder, lightning, or in rain?"(First Witch in Macbeth)

0 funny, 0 helpful.

john says on Apr 9, 2004, 16:43:

Hotels. You want a nice hotel you can choose from the Hilton, Caribe to deCAmeroon (these are top notch hotels). From my own experience in Cartagena I recommend "Hotel El Dorado". It has two towers one is more stylish than the other. I was there in Feb. of this year and it was Low season due to the carnavales in Barranquilla. And yes me and my friends (Camachog incld.) spent a 90,000 pesos/night here.!!!
It had open bar (ofcourse domestic liquor) all the time.
Food was all included. Internatl break fast, lunch buffet and dinner at one of its restaurants.
Now, the provide you w/ unlimited # ofbeach towls and cabannas.
the beach is just 3 steps from the tower.
and by the way "there's a drug store across the street." wich was a plus!!
Hey - for a nice time in Cartagena i thought the place was good. Oh did i mentioned a pool?

On that note, if you bring guests back to your hotel, you have to know how to do it. It's not allowed to bring in outside people who are not check it!!
So there you have it. Hotel el Dorado - Simply a comfty place.

have fun with the locals: Chiva, chiva!!! sunglasses!! w__ed, girls!!! they won't stop shouting.

John

0 funny, 0 helpful.

ShazCas says on Apr 10, 2004, 05:57:

hotel It's funny hearing all the talk about expensive hotels and the prices, as I normally pay $8,000 COL a night in Cartagena, but then I wouldn't recommend the area to someone who isn't very streetwise, although loads of backpackers who don't speak any Spanish stay there. I stay in Hotel Holiday and have been doing so for years, on the Calle de la Media Luna. There are loads of hostals there for 5,000 - 8,000 pesos a night. My parents stayed there too, and had no problems, and really enjoyed the breakfast at the Italian guy's tattoo parlour opposite, where you can get a mean fruit juice and a tattoo at the same time!!

0 funny, 0 helpful.

RobertoNY says on Apr 10, 2004, 08:32:

Zona Cafetera As many of you want to take everything so literally and exact, I offer you a copy of this page that I found about Boyaca. I remain steadfast in my answer regarding la zona cafetera. When I initially posted about Villa De Leyva being in the zona cafetera I didn't think all of you "experts" with computers would get busy looking up the exact region that is defined as the zona cafetera. There is cafe produced there and that's good enough for me, as cafe is not produced throughout Colombia as many may believe.
Anyone can search the internet for facts and figures and then post the same on this board without having any first hand knowledge of what they write about.
If you find enjoyment in trying to make me look ignorant, then that's fine by me. I have nothing to prove. As I have said many times, I speak from experience.

BOYACÁ

Superficie
23.189 Km2

Población 1’286.329
Año de creación 1986
Gentilicio Boyacense
Capital Tunja
Habitantes 123.625

Principales municipios Sogamoso, Duitama, Chiquinquirá, Paipa, Monguí, Moniquirá.


Límites: Por el norte con los departamentos de Santander y Norte de Santander; al oriente con los departamentos de Arauca y Santander; Por el sur con el departamento de Cundinamarca; y por el occidente con el departamento de Antioquia.

Fisiografía: La cordillera Oriental lo atraviesa de sur a norte; presenta terrenos quebrados, páramos, valles y altiplanos.

Hidrografía: Ríos Magdalena, Guaguaquí, Suárez, Chicamocha y Garagoa y Laguno de Tota.

Económia: Departamento agricola con gran producción de papa, hortalizas, caña panelera, platano y café. La actividad industrial, concentrada en Duitama y Sogamoso, se enfoca hacia los sectores siderúrgicos y de cementos. En el sector artesanal se destacan las miniaturas en tagua, la producción de instrumentos musicales y las famosas artesanías de Ráquira. Además, por la calidad y belleza de sus piedras, es primer productor mundial de esmeralda.

Sitios Turisticos: La Plaza de Bolivar, Los Cojines de Zaque, La Casa del Fundador, Pozo de Donato, Paredón de los Mártiles, Pila de los Monos, Catedral Santiago de Tunja, Iglesia Santo Domingo, Iglesia San Francisco, Monumento a la Raza, Puente Nacional, El Lago de Tota, Parques Nacionales, El Cocuy, Pisba, Chiquinquira, Monguí, Tópaga, Moniquira, Villa de Leyva.

0 funny, 0 helpful.

Gator says on Apr 10, 2004, 13:22:

humm Apparently another "expert" got busy and copied a passage from the internet to prove HIS point.
I live here so I do not have to copy a damn thing to prove anything to you nor does Desideria. Anyone should know coffee is grown in many places in Colombia with the exception of LaCosta.So what!
Only one region is known as zona cafetera. If you don't like comments then don't place the zone in the wrong place. Just about the last thing I need is some subway jockey from NYC holding forth about Colombia, especially after reading some of his past posts. First hand knowledge, I have been to the region many times
including the Parque National del Cafe at least seven times. Be a man and say someone else might just know a little something about Colombia besides you.

BTW, if you ever made the road trip from Tunja to Villa de Leva and looked out the window you would KNOW it was not coffee country.
va

"Credidi pretio parvo emere et magno vendere tibi in animo fuisse!" .

0 funny, 0 helpful.

RobertoNY says on Apr 10, 2004, 14:31:

Gator, I don't ... give a shit about where you live. You know nothing about where I was born and where I have lived. You know nothing about how long I lived in Colombia or how much time I spend there each year. I take more vacation time in one year than most people do in 6. So, you're beating a dead horse with this zona cafetera crap.
I did copy and paste that information to prove my point. My wife was born in Colombia also and she also referred to the place as being in la zona cafetera. Be as technical as you want. Again, I never said I was an expert.
Do you think everyone born here in the U.S. knows all of the state capitals? Do you think they can all name all of the states that are called "Mid-Atlantic"? Do you think they know all of the history of this country? Get real.
Don't come with this expert bullshit. Just for shits and giggles I called a relative in Colombia today and asked him where Villa De Leyva was. He said it was near la zona cafetera. I guess he's an expert because he said "near" and not "in". I didn't know we were being so technical here. You and some others just look for nit-picky shit to bother people about.
You seem to be a self-procalimed expert because you live there now. It seems you have made desideria an expert also because she lived there. And me? I'm a subway dweller from NYC. Nice of you to tell me MY life story. This is all quite interesting.
This is the only board I have ever posted on. It is also the only board about Colombia I have ever visited. I read some posts when I first visited this site. I felt compelled to write my opinion about the gringos that go to Colombia looking for women. I think I've made my point there.
The original author of this post asked about hotels and recommendations for the same in Cartagena. Another poster wrote about a 5 star hotel in Cartagena for ochenta mil per night. That was obviously a ridiculous statement from someone that reportedly was there. However, no one pounded on him for that stupidity. Instead you continue to dwell on a technical point that means nothing to anyone except you idiots that state things on this post for your self aggrandizement.
How childish.

0 funny, 0 helpful.

SiempreHero says on Apr 10, 2004, 15:21:

pissing out of the pot Hi Roberto,
can you translate that in spanish for me? Bye the way, i have made the drive from Bogota to Boyaca and from Bogota (por La Linia) to Pereira, Manizales, and Armenia. I visited the Parque National del Cafe and it was great. I don't really believe your claim that you called your relatives about that. I guess you will throw some names and choice words at me like you normally do when you get defensive. I dont think any of the regular writers on this site are going to agree with your geography lessons. My friend, you have really been exposed.

0 funny, 0 helpful.

Desideria (Moderator) (Trustee board) says on Apr 10, 2004, 16:14:

eje cafetero Yes, coffee is grown all over the country where the climate and the soil/elevation conditions are right for it. However, when colombians speak of "zona cafetera" they refer to what is also called the "eje cafetero", and that is geographically located in the area of antiguo Caldas, Antioquia, Norte del Valle, Risalda and Quindio.

"When shall we three meet again? In thunder, lightning, or in rain?"(First Witch in Macbeth)

0 funny, 0 helpful.

Desideria (Moderator) (Trustee board) says on Apr 10, 2004, 16:15:

fe de errata "Risalda", should be "Risaralda"

"When shall we three meet again? In thunder, lightning, or in rain?"(First Witch in Macbeth)

0 funny, 0 helpful.

Gator says on Apr 10, 2004, 16:27:

Like I said.... a NYC subway jockey. "I take more vacation time in one year than most people do in 6." Now I AM impressed and withdraw everything I said.

No le hagas csao a ese tonto.

"Credidi pretio parvo emere et magno vendere tibi in animo fuisse!" .

0 funny, 0 helpful.