Need to know
Rooms
13, including three suites.
Check–Out
Between noon and 2pm. Check-in is at 3pm, but flexible, on request and subject to availability.
More details
Rates include a buffet breakfast, and à la carte options are available on request.
Also
Unfortunately this boutique retreat isn’t suitable for guests with limited mobility.
At the hotel
Courtyard, lounge areas, concierge, charged laundry service and free WiFi throughout. In rooms: smart TV, air-conditioning, minibar, Nespresso coffee machine, tea-making kit, free glass-bottled water, bathrobes and Loto del Sur bath products.
Our favourite rooms
All but the Superior offer private city-watching balconies. But we’re all for kicking the luxury up a notch, and here, that means snagging a Junior Suite for striking scenes of the Walled City. One of the two also nods to the city’s historic mansions, with lofty vaulted ceilings and exposed brick interiors. For a Jacuzzi of your own, secure one of the three suites.
Poolside
The heated outdoor pool (open 8am to 8pm) rests peacefully on the rooftop, surveying the city’s terracotta roofs. Steps lead down to a terrace lined with sunloungers, primed to lap up Cartagena’s balmy rays.
Spa
There’s a small two-person spa steps from the rooftop pool, hidden in an all-wood hut and decked out with a high-spec sauna, relaxation room and two treatment beds. There’s also a duo of side-by-side tubs if you’re seeking something a little sultrier (without compromising on legroom).
Packing tips
For evenings, bring along your most glamorous vintage threads to pair with the storied elegance of Casona del Colegio’s setting.
Also
Now an events venue, the building opposite Casona del Colegio dates back to 1537, built in the original Cartagena de Indias alongside the city’s first cathedral (since burnt down).
Children
Little Smiths are welcome, but this city escape is better tailored to adults.
Sustainability efforts
Hotel Boutique Casona del Colegio was predominantly made by locals: Colombian-based architects were in charge of the Earth-kind design and its interiors are warmed with paintings, artwork, textiles and furnishings crafted by natives. The hotel is also energy efficient, and has a strict ban on single-use plastics.