This is one of the nicer places to stay in the walled city. Entirely walkable to anywhere in be city. The service is top notch. If you like a steam room, then you are in luck, as the one at this hotel has the hottest one I've experienced. Overall a fantastic stay. The only negative thing I can say is that the jacuzzi was not hot. It wasn't even warm. It was cold.

The suite we got is the best in the hotel- the only one with an ocean view balcony. Here's a tip: ask for room 301.

The Santa Clara is well located in the San Diego sector of old Cartagena, which is the quieter part of the town. The transformation from convent to resort hotel is reasonably successful but we thought the foliage in the cloister area excessive and the inevitable constraints result in a relatively small and fairly ‘ordinary’ pool area.

Our ‘standard’ ground level room had no view and was a ‘compact’ four star offering with a small bathroom and small tub. It was adequately furnished but no more and in need of refurbishment in places. Bath towels and wine glasses were out of reach for short people. There was no feeling of the ‘luxury’ we expected for $525 a night.

While the physical infrastructure was no more than four star, staff performance was better than that and we thought the concierge desk especially friendly and helpful.

Breakfast was an unexciting buffet, with eggs cooked to order. There were some odd omissions - e.g. nothing a European would regard as natural yoghurt and no marmalade. We took lunch twice and dinner once in the brasserie-type restaurant - ok but not memorable. We did not eat in the fine dining 1672 venue, as we hadn’t come to Colombia for French cuisine.

Overall, this hotel did not meet the expectations created by its price and by Sofitel’s *****L ranking. This was our first Caribbean hotel experience, so we can’t compare it with local alternatives. But we thought it would need to up its game considerably to compete in the European or Asian luxury market.

Tip - the nearby Donjuan restaurant is excellent, combining really good food and service.

Sitting right by the old city wall in Cartagena, the Sofitel lives up to its press. The center garden is part of an old monastery and is a tropical paradise. The male resident toucan, Mateo, has staked this out as his territory and amused us daily as he foraged in cabinets and broke dishes used for the dining tables that line this area for breakfast and dinner. The female toucan, Clarita, shrewdly stakes out the pool area (better for foraging food!). We spent most mornings out exploring the city, and afternoons cooling off by the pool. Clarita became great friends with us, sitting with us on our lounger and stealing bits of sushi. The room, overlooking the pool on one side and Gabriel Garcia Marques's house on the other, was very large and comfortable. The bathroom was a bit small, but not even worth a complaint. And, in a city where we found it hard to find a bad meal, the food at the restaurant 1621 was fabulous. Served at night on and around the center garden, it was truly a magical experience. Be sure to get a drink in the bar and see the chandeliers! Quite spectacular!

This is hands down the nicest hotel in Cartagena, at least as far as we could see. It is MUCH nicer than we expected from a Sofitel. The hotel is a restored monastery, with a modern add on. It has a beautiful central courtyard where you can eat breakfast with the friendly resident Toucan, a nice pool, and beautiful rooms. We stayed in a two level suite on the fifth floor, and it was fantastic. A really beautiful spot with lovely view and incredibly well appointed. Overall, this is a first rate hotel as compared to any we have stayed in anywhere. Only drawback to report was a small exercise room.