Colombia is situated on the northernmost tip of South America. This rainforest-covered country of Colombia boasts the Andes mountains, numerous coffee plantations, wonderful colonial architecture, and plenty of fabulous all-night salsa clubs.
Its booming capital, the high-altitude Bogotá, is a magnificent mix of a historic old town and new restaurants, boutique hotels, and craft breweries. Don’t miss Sundays in Bogota when its streets are closed to cars and overtaken by bicycles, Rollerbladers, and runners. It’s also when the Usaquen neighborhood has a weekly market.
Founded in 1533, Cartagena de Indias is the other unmissable city in Colombia and is now Colombia’s main travel destination. Its walls once served as the city’s defense, but now they harmonize with colonial balconies and republican structures reminiscent of the splendors of its past. In recognition of its vast cultural wealth and architecture, UNESCO declared Cartagena’s walled city and fortresses World Heritage Site in 1984.
We review the top 10 best boutique hotels in Colombia, including Bogotá, Cartagena, and beyond.
1. Boutique Hotel Posada Las Trampas
The charming boutique hotel Posada Las Trampas is our top choice for our best boutique hotel in Colombia. It is set in a magnificent colonial-style building that was built in 1780; it was cleverly renovated and re-opened in 2010 and is now a wonderful choice for your next trip to Colombia.
The hotel is located in the beautiful heritage town of Honda, Tolima, within 2 miles of Plaza Municipal de Mercado, Catedral de Nuestra Senora del Rosario, and Navarro Bridge. The hotel has been beautifully designed, and there are stunning corridors and lobbies and a spectacular outdoor pool.
Relax here in the sunshine on a lounger, take a swim, and then grab a cocktail from the bar. The rooftop terrace is the other place you will want to hang out, and it offers some excellent views!
This hotel is very much boutique, with just 14 exquisite and individually decorated rooms full of character; all feature free Wi-Fi and room service. There’s a restaurant on site, too, as well as a spa and business services.
They do the little details very well here; extra towels by the pool, bathrobes and slippers, an exceptional breakfast, soft sheets on the beds, and the staff are as beautifully presented as the hotel!
2. Four Seasons Hotel Casa Medina Bogota
The landmark 1946 building of Four Seasons Hotel Casa Medina Bogota was designed by Colombian artist-architect Santiago Medina Mejia. The building has been declared a cultural monument, with its stoned columns, brick walls, beamed ceilings, and contemporary furnishings.
This hotel has some of the most quietly elegant rooms in the city, complete with beamed ceilings, hand-carved wooden furnishings, and fireplaces to cozy up to. No two rooms are alike. This is also a very small Four Seasons hotel. A boutique hotel with just 62 rooms.
The hotel is located steps from the buzzing financial district and the gourmet paradise of the Zona G, ideal for foodies. This district north of downtown hosts the capital’s finest restaurants (the “G” is for gastronomy).
The hotel also houses a stylish Mediterranean bar & restaurant, with a greenhouse atrium perfect for languorous romantic evenings or a quick bite with a signature cocktail. The Spa is also excellent here and offers green coffee wraps, coconut scrubs, and other locally inspired spa treatments.
Of course, there is no Four Seasons rewards program, but if you are a regular guest of the Four Seasons or even want to try this iconic brand for the first time, you can take advantage of loyalty style benefits at Four Seasons hotels for no extra cost by booking your next stay via our luxury travel concierge.
3. Las Islas
If you are looking for the best beach boutique hotel in Colombia, Las Islas has to be the one to choose. If you are in any doubt about how lovely this teeny resort is, just click through to the website and take a look at the waterways, beaches, and thatched huts. I can’t think of a more idyllic setting.
Las Islas offers the white sand beaches and turquoise waters of Colombia’s Isla Barú. Located just 45 minutes from Cartagena, Hotel Las Islas is a sophisticated, environmentally conscious retreat with luxurious accommodations and exceptional amenities.
Settle into your immaculately appointed bungalow, with its views of the sea or of the neighboring Parque Nacional Natural Corales del Rosario y de San Bernardo.
Enjoy their restaurants and bars for locally sourced, expertly prepared cuisine. Relax by the freshwater pool, take in the views from the solarium, or explore one of the many activities available at the hotel. This is an extraordinary place!
4. Casa San Agustin
Why not combine a stay at one of the best beach hotels in Colombia, Las Islas, with a night or three at Casa San Agustin, a little boutique hotel in lively Cartagena. This romantic boutique hotel offers charming and authentic rooms with large picture windows and super balconies that enjoy plenty of natural light and breezes.
This elegant boutique hotel is comprised of just 31 rooms set within the Walled City of Cartagena. These rooms are spread across three exquisitely restored, whitewashed 17th-century colonial-era homes with thoughtful details that evoke the Spanish stronghold. Some of the rooms even have private plunge pools, and these are the ones to pick.
You will discover original frescoes in the Library, hand-wrought iron sconces, wood-beamed ceilings, elegant tile accents, and a central pool set against an ancient aqueduct.
Accommodations are stylish, blending the hotel’s colonial past and contemporary Colombian energy. The acclaimed Alma Restaurant offers traditional Colombian flavors, presented with global refinement in an atmospheric indoor-outdoor setting.
Hotel Casa San Agustín is a member of Leading Hotels of the World and has earned numerous awards since opening in 2013, including TripAdvisor’s Traveler’s Choice Awards 2013 to 2017 and Andrew Harper’s Grand Awards 2015.
5. Tcherassi Hotel & Spa
Another boutique hotel in Cartagena is the boutique Tcherassi Hotel and Spa, and this hotel is one of the best in Colombia. It has just seven oversized luxury guestrooms, but don’t let its small size fool you; there is a beautiful spa and two pools (one on the rooftop), an exceptional restaurant, and a trendy, chic bar.
The views from the rooftop pool are amazing; 360 degrees overlooking the city and sea below. The interior-designed rooms all include private walk-out balconies. The hotel is located in the heart of the old city of Cartagena, legendary in Colombia for its colonial architecture; its old town is a Unesco World Heritage site wrapped in an impressive 13km of ancient stone walls.
6. Hotel Hicasua
A slightly larger boutique hotel in Colombia with 21 rooms is Hotel Hicasua. This lovely boutique hotel is located in the beautiful historic town of Barichara and is set in a delightful traditional colonial-style hacienda.
The hotel is on the edge of the town on a sleepy street, but you’re near enough to stroll to the main sites, which include the Cathedral, the San Antonio Chapel, the Achilles Parra Gomez Museum House, and the Arts Park. There is a large outdoor pool surrounded by a courtyard, the perfect place to cool down after a busy day sightseeing; there’s also a hot tub and a stunning garden. The rooms are spacious, rustic, and minimalist, with all the modern gadgets that you would expect.
7. Merecumbe Hotel
For a beach-front hotel, few can be more delightful than the Merecumbe Hotel. It is located right on the beach on the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, in the heart of the tropics, a few kilometers away from Parque Tayrona and 3km from Quebrada Valencia.
There are 11 comfortable and luxurious cabins that are surrounded by lush forest. This is a back-to-nature experience; there’s no hot water or television, but really that just adds to the romance and adventurous vibe. This is a secluded, off-the-beaten-track kind of place, so all your meals are provided at the restaurant, and there’s even a spa to take care of your wellness and relaxation needs.
8. The Orchids Hotel
A sense of glamour and grandeur greets you at The Orchids Hotel, a magnificent neo-classical Republican-style house carefully restored and maintained to create this beautiful boutique hotel, one of the best in Colombia.
The eight guest suites are adorned (it’s really the most appropriate word!) with a decadent and classical style that perfectly complements the building. Fine gourmet cuisine, created by chef Harry Sasson, is served in various dining locations; there’s even an art gallery! The hotel is located in the heart of Bogotá’s historic district, La Candelaria; you are just a short distance from the city’s main sites, including the Cathedral, the Gold Museum, the Palacio de Nariño, and the Cerro de Monserrate cable car.
9. Sofitel Legend Santa Clara Cartagena
Slightly larger but just as luxurious as the hotels outlined above, is Sofitel Legend Santa Clara Cartagena. This boutique hotel is really special. It has just 123 beautiful guestrooms and is one of the best luxury hotels in Cartagena.
Originally built as a convent in 1621, the Sofitel Legend Santa Clara Cartagena is a legendary landmark in the heart of Cartagena’s walled city. Transformed into a luxury hotel in 1995, the Sofitel Santa Clara, unique in style, combines the allure of history with the art of French savoir-faire.
Mixing Colonial and Republican-style architecture with modern comfort, the hotel features gourmet cuisine, exceptional service, a world-class spa, meeting facilities, and state-of-the-art technology for events, conventions, and weddings.
After more than a decade in service, the hotel has been recognized as the “Best Hotel in Colombia” in Travel + Leisure’s Spanish edition. In 2009, the hotel is pleased to be included in Condé Nast Traveler’s prestigious Gold List for the first time and a proud member of Virtuoso’s exclusive travel network, which means you get benefits here, much like you do at most of the hotels that we feature, by booking your stay via our concierge.
Guestrooms are distributed along a Colonial and Republican wing and overlook the Old Town, the Caribbean Sea, as well as the hotel’s poolside and interior courtyards. They are decorated in contemporary or authentic colonial style and feature the Sofitel MyBed concept for a calm and peaceful sleep guarantee.
In terms of dining, “El Claustro” (cloister) restaurant has a brasserie atmosphere and fare. Guests can enjoy delicious breakfast, lunch, and dinner, either buffet style or à la carte. Open from 6:30 am daily. Another great option is “El Coro,” named after its convent’s choir, and offers an exclusive lounge bar offering signature cocktails, cigars, and live music from Thursday to Saturday.
Designed to transform body and soul, LeSpa at the Sofitel Santa Clara is huge at 800 m² and offers fully equipped cabins and professionally trained staff. Select from an array of facials, deluxe treatments, rituals, or special packages all year round.
10. W Bogota
The largest boutique hotel in our listing is the W Bogota. I have included it in position ten as this hotel is the only Marriott Bonvoy hotel featured in our listing. We can also offer some wonderful free benefits here if you book via our luxury travel concierge.
W Bogota Hotel adds a vibrant vibe to Colombia’s always-bustling capital. Choose from 168 guestrooms with LCD smart HDTVs, rainforest showers, and other sharp features. Enjoy access to the W brand’s modern gym concept and Away Spa. Both are retreats for detoxing and refueling.
Market Kitchen restaurant features a farm-to-table menu of world-class dishes accompanied by local fruits and vegetables, open 24/7. Delectable cocktails and live DJ sets keep the party going into the wee hours at the W Lounge.
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