Modernity within strolling distance of the Palace of the Inquisition.

Set the Scene

A single set of monolithic, arched doors facing leafy Plaza San Diego—right at the northern edge of Cartagena’s historic district—set the stage for what was once a convent. Once inside, warm, tropical breezes flow into the hotel’s ascetic, nevertheless grand lobby, wafting you towards a magical cloister filled with plants and robust Botero sculptures.

The Backstory

Converted in 1995, the 17th-century convent also includes two Republican-era wings (which now brace the deliciously cool outdoor pool) that the Accor hotel group subsequently renovated with equal savoir faire. Throughout, there are hidden staircases, doorways, a chapel, and halls filled with history’s footfalls. Past notables fill the guest book’s lineage of legend, good and bad, including exiled king Juan Carlos I of Spain.

The Rooms

There are two types of rooms to choose from, depending on your preferred centuries. The oldest range from enormous, with windows set high enough above street level not to attract unwanted attention for the nuns, to small but beautifully furnished novice digs. The nineteenth-century alternatives, and a handful of themed and butler-driven suites, are light, airy, and modern. The best are those on top floors with views of the pool or Caribbean Sea beyond city ramparts—uninterrupted for over 500 miles north to Jamaica.

Wi-Fi?

It's free, but spotty.

Food and Drink

1621, open only for dinner, is quite formal for such a languid, laid-back city—so dress up (it’s well air-conditioned). The appeal here is a sophisticated mélange of local ingredients like lagoon crab and green mangoes, with traditional French cooking techniques. El Claustro, under the vaults, is perfect for a shady mid-day lunch of cooling ceviche. Don’t skip rum-tasting and live jazz at El Coro Lounge Bar—a crypt below is said to have contained a perfectly preserved beauty with 70-foot-long red hair, inspiring, as it's said, Gabriel García Márquez to write Of Love and Other Demons.

The Service

Old Cartagena is so easy to navigate on foot from the hotel that you’d hardly need directions, though the concierge can arrange beach trips by car or boat.

What type of travelers will you find here?

Well-healed but not pretentious. Lots of small, sensitively-curated wedding parties, and a refreshingly chilled poolside crowd devoid of bling. Santa Clara is quiet, the pool area is calm, and it all feels appropriately grown-up.

What about the neighborhood? Does the hotel fit in, make itself part of the scene?

It's walkable to everything you might want to discover—from seaside city cannons to hole-in-the-wall gelaterias, and arcades selling a plethora of sweets. And while the building itself is instantly noticeable for its grandeur, the historic building is at home in Cartagena's walled city.

The Area

Make the short trip to Noël Coward's home, Firefly, and every Tuesday night there's a trip to local bars and rustic restaurants in Oracabessa.

Worth it?

Worth it. Cartagena is one of the world’s most remarkable cities to visit. It’s hot and humid most any month of the year, but worth it for the colors and flavors. Santa Clara, at the top end of places to stay, guarantees you'll be comfortable throughout your stay.

Hotel Review: Sofitel Legend Santa Clara Cartagena