An Unabashedly Gushing Review of the Sofitel Legend Santa Clara Hotel in Cartagena, Colombia
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You know when you're on your 87th wedding of the year, and you're running out of vacation days, and your credit card is about to snap in two, but your friends will simply not stop getting married? Yeah, that's been my life for the past five years. Which is why I decided to make a new personal rule: If I'm flying to some far-flung destination to celebrate your nuptials, I'm staying at a cool hotel. Nope, sorry, you will not see me in the room block you reserved at the B*st W*stern, I demand top-notch interior design and at least a few special amenities.
Cut to me, arriving at the Sofitel Legend Santa Clara hotel in Cartagena, Colombia, feeling like bona fide royalty. I was in town for a friend's wedding, and the other members of my crew could not hide their jealousy as I bounded out of the cab and through the wrought-iron gate to the lobby. Bye suckers, see you at the rehearsal dinner!
THE QUICK HITS: SOFITEL LEGEND SANTA CLARA EDITION
Location: Cartagena, Colombia
Cost per night: Starting at $404
Best for: A romantic getaway
While you're here, visit: Agua de Leon for some retail therapy 😈
One-word vibe check: Tranquility
Most iconic photo spot: The garden in the central courtyard
Don't leave without: Getting a facial at the Sofitel Spa
THE FIRST IMPRESSIONS
As soon as you walk through the ornate gates, you know you're in a special place. The walls are pink (like the exterior of the property), and there's loads of old-world glamour: majestic archways, dark wooden beams, stone flooring, and a lush courtyard garden. The property used to be a convent (it was built in the 1600s!) and despite several contemporary upgrades, the space has somehow retained a spirit of calm.
THE ROOMS
We stayed in a classic room in the "Republican area" (this is the 19th-century part of the hotel, and apparently where the nuns' servants lived back in the day) with a gorgeous view of the pool and the Caribbean sea. It was bright and sunny, with a cute lil balcony and a huge comfy bed. The room had everything we needed (a TV, wifi, a spacious bathroom) but tbh we didn't spend a ton of time in there, because there were several other appealing places to hang around the hotel.
THE AMENITIES
"Chic" does not even begin to describe the pool at the Santa Clara. It's an oasis. I even heard a rumor that guests have spotted a certain celebrity whose name rhymes with Thakira lounging here. You absolutely must spend at least one afternoon in the water with a drink in hand.
Then: the spa! Oh, the spa—a girl never forgets a good facial, you know what I mean? Drag your body from the pool to the spa if you want to be pampered beyond belief. I got a 60-minute massage and a 30-minute express mini facial and I practically levitated out of there.
THE FOOD AND BEV
There are several bars and restaurants on the property (including the swanky 1621 Restaurant) but honestly? My favorite was the breakfast buffet at Jardín. Freshly squeezed juice and loads of local fruit = an instant yes for me. Each morning, we nabbed a table in the courtyard and sipped coffee surrounded by huge bird of paradise plants. I will also confess to doing some damage at the pool bar, but that's between me and my bank account.
THE BOTTOM LINE
The Sofitel Legend Santa Clara is definitely a splurge. But will you regret staying there for a luxurious long weekend? Absolutely not. The design is impeccable, the staff is so warm and welcoming—I could go on and on (especially about how my skin was g-l-o-w-i-n-g after my facial!). But I'll spare you and instead say: The mark of a great hotel, in my opinion, is how thoroughly it compels you to hang around the property rather than go out and explore the city you spent several hours (and several hundreds of dollars) flying to. My discipline was really tested at the Santa Clara, more so than at any other hotel I've stayed at in recent memory. But hey, don't take it from me—just ask Thakira.
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