Agua

Customer Ratings & Reviews

TripAdvisor Traveler Rating

65 reviews

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  Beautifully disappointing

  Amarla is a truly stunning hotel that unfortunately has a pretty severe identity problem. Upon entering, your breath is taken away by the beautiful art and amazing scale of the place. It feels like you've been transported to a wonderfully extravagant secret where the rooftop, the lobby, and the rooms seem painstakingly curated. However, upon closer examination, the hotel is not as wonderful as it seems. My husband and I chose to spend our honeymoon here, thinking the stay would be magical, but it was far from that. The hotel staff were very kind (Dorian was very nice), but there seems to be consistently poor communication between them. From our smaller-than-expected room with no view besides the inner wall of the hotel, we had a bathroom that, besides having very odd water pressure in a shower that did not drain, also had a window that did not seal whatsoever. This was uncomfortable because A) it did nothing to keep the Cartagena humidity and mosquitoes OUTSIDE and B) you could vividly hear all of the conversations in the dining space below, as well as the frequent disagreements between the hotel staff. During the first breakfast of our honeymoon, we waited for over an hour before my husband went to inquire about the food's status, and only then did lukewarm food appear. Mind you, the mosquitoes had a full meal of all of the hotel guests during breakfast, as we were all itching uncontrollably in the open-air space (if you are coming, bring lots of bug spray). During our first swim at the rooftop swimming pool, we noticed that although we were blown away by the view, the pool lacked some maintenance, and there was no hotel staff monitoring for available towels (there were none) or anything else. My husband went downstairs to ask for two cocktails, and upon asking twice whether he should wait to bring them up himself, he was persuaded that they would be brought up. And the cocktails were indeed brought up... 45 minutes later. And again on our last day, when we wanted to enjoy some room service, the food was brought up 40 minutes later (which is fine), but without any of the coffee I had ordered. I messaged the front desk, and they read my message but did not respond. My husband went down to inquire, and the staff at the front desk apparently went to yell at the kitchen staff before someone brought up two coffees 15 minutes later. All that to say, Amarla is a beautiful hotel, but it is a hotel that really needs to work on its guest relations and communication. Besides all of the inconveniences, we were not expecting the red carpet upon arriving, but I genuinely would've appreciated the smallest single gesture or thoughtful detail to make our honeymoon experience at such a beautiful boutique hotel any better than just "average."

  Aug 21, 2026
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  Best stay in the walled city!!!

  This was one of our favourite hotels ever. Firstly the location was great, right in the heart of the walled city with everything you need minutes away! The room was absolutely beautiful with a fantastic view from the balcony and all the amenities you could need. Lovingly decorated with beautiful little thoughtful touches. The roof terrace was amazing and given the small number of rooms we had it pretty much to ourselves, it really was something very special! Finally, the staff were fantastic. I would like to say to the management that one lady in particular, I think her name was Veronica, was incredibly helpful. This wonderful lady really made our stay perfect. She was so kind and helpful and chatted to us about the city and islands and nature...she even helped us buy a kimono! Veronica really is a credit, not just to the hotel but to the spirit of the Colombian people...so friendly and welcoming. Thank you for everything!

  Feb 17, 2026
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  Lovely and in the heart of the City

  This was my first time in Cartagena and absolutely loved the Amarla Hotel. The price was great for the location, the room and the wonderful breakfast served every morning as part of the price. Staff could not be more amenable. They are always available to meet your needs and are pleasant and helpful. My room was elegant with old-world charm but modern conveniences. This small boutique hotel was a gem and in the best location - walkable to almost everything within the walled city. I would recommend it without reservation.

  Sep 23, 2025
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  Boutique comfort

  Beautiful boutique hotel. in a prime location within the walls. Breakfast excellent. Exquisite attention to details providing a pampered feel to the room. Considering the building is very old they did a great job in restoring it.

  Jul 14, 2025
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  Absolutely perfect stay, stunningly beautiful hotel

  Absolutely love this hotel. Location: perfect location, in the center of old town, walkable to everywhere. Ambience: it's as good as the photos if not better. Stunning lobby and rooftop, the room is beautiful down to every detail. Comfort: very comfortable bed and nice linens. Strong A/C which is very nice to have in Cartagena. Service: super friendly and kind. Bathroom and Shower: good water pressure and hot water. The bathroom is a little worn but it's beautiful and it reads more as rustic chic. I loved this hotel, it really is special!

  Jan 18, 2025