I stayed for 4 days at Las Americas. This is my opinion: PROs: - location: by the sea - very clean - beds were comfortable ( not great, but ok). Ask for a king size. - staff very attentive and polite - good pool - "resort like" facilities: distribution of restaurants, open lobby, three-store buildings, exuberant vegetation. - our bathroom was kind of "renewed", as it did not seem as old as the rest of the room - our room was very large, including a living room and facing the sea - breakfast was very good - A/C was very good ( this is not common in the area). Also hot water. CONs: - the resort looks old ( even when they say it´s 12 years old, it seems much more). Especially the room, which was more like a large 3 stars room than a 5 stars, as they say they are. After a few days, you start getting used to it and seems more comfortable, but my first impression was not good! - rooms and hallways (open hallways) were very, very dump. (this is very usual at caribbean destinations). - the beach is dark: don´t expect a mexican caribbean beach. And it is not very good at the hotel ( not too clean, many people selling small things, not very cared). Summarizing, I would say that Las Americas is a 4 stars (quite old) hotel. When I travel, I use to select luxury hotels. I have to say that I found no such a thing in Cartagena. Given the options, I would say that Las Americas is a very good option for the area, if you like open hotels and space. The beach and the sea deserve a few more words: as I said, it is not the typical caribbean beach, with white sand and blue water. Sand at Cartagena is volcanic, so it is dark . Water is transparent, but as the bottom is dark, the sea looks rather dark too and not too blue. Water is very, very warm (more than the average for Caribbean areas). I could not visit Islas del Rosario, due to bad weather: they say sand is white there and sea has many blue and green colors. The historic city worths a visit. I am not fond of historicalsites, but it is very nice to walk along these small streets, full of flowers and small restaurants. There is also a modern city which is not great, but not is ok. You can find some restaurants, some Juan Valdez coffees stores and many hotels there.

I stayed for 4 days at Las Americas. This is my opinion: PROs: - location: by the sea - very clean - beds were comfortable ( not great, but ok). Ask for a king size. - staff very attentive and polite - good pool - "resort like" facilities: distribution of restaurants, open lobby, three-store buildings, exuberant vegetation. - our bathroom was kind of "renewed", as it did not seem as old as the rest of the room - our room was very large, including a living room and facing the sea - breakfast was very good - A/C was very good ( this is not common in the area). Also hot water. CONs: - the resort looks old ( even when they say it´s 12 years old, it seems much more). Especially the room, which was more like a large 3 stars room than a 5 stars, as they say they are. After a few days, you start getting used to it and seems more comfortable, but my first impression was not good! - rooms and hallways (open hallways) were very, very dump. (this is very usual at caribbean destinations). - the beach is dark: don´t expect a mexican caribbean beach. And it is not very good at the hotel ( not too clean, many people selling small things, not very cared). Summarizing, I would say that Las Americas is a 4 stars (quite old) hotel. When I travel, I use to select luxury hotels. I have to say that I found no such a thing in Cartagena. Given the options, I would say that Las Americas is a very good option for the area, if you like open hotels and space. The beach and the sea deserve a few more words: as I said, it is not the typical caribbean beach, with white sand and blue water. Sand at Cartagena is volcanic, so it is dark . Water is transparent, but as the bottom is dark, the sea looks rather dark too and not too blue. Water is very, very warm (more than the average for Caribbean areas). I could not visit Islas del Rosario, due to bad weather: they say sand is white there and sea has many blue and green colors. The historic city worths a visit. I am not fond of historicalsites, but it is very nice to walk along these small streets, full of flowers and small restaurants. There is also a modern city which is not great, but not is ok. You can find some restaurants, some Juan Valdez coffees stores and many hotels there.

Date: 09-17-07 Reviewer: A sad guest We were in Cartagena only for 4 days at this hotel and it was enough. Do not take me wrong, everything was great at the hotel the 3 first days: the service, the food and specially the people that works at the cafeteria Meson de Don Cristobal. However, the administration of the hotel is out of tone. They do not care about the clients and we were totally pissed off with the treatment that we received the night before we left. By the way, we were not the only guests that called to reception that night because the noise, but they did not do anything to change the situation. At the hotel they were having an event for a real state association from Colombia (Fedelonjas) and it is unusual to mix tourist with business meetings when the hotel does not have the adequate facilities. I believe, these people (Fedelonjas), they have the money to reserve the entire hotel. However, the administration was trying to maximize their profits, it is ok. I know it is a very competitive market, but please people we paid at least to have a good night of sleep, after a nice tour in the Rosario Islands during the day. I went personally to the reception of the hotel and I filled a formal complain because my family could not sleep, thanks to the melodic tropical music and romantic boleros that the orchestra was playing. The songs were nice but we were not in the plan or mood to assist to a party without invitation. In addition, the manager never showed his/her face or at least had the decency to apologize for the inconvenient that they cause with the noise by any way. The only thing that I received, early in the morning of the check out day, was the bill. Well is the second time that I had have this kind of problems when I had visited Colombia, my first bad experience was in Medellin at the hotel El Poblado Plaza 2 years ago. This was the jewel of the crown because the party was until 3 am, and they did not turn down the volume. My final advice, if you decide to go Las Americas is be prepared to hear some tropical music, if the hotel is holding a meeting and a beach party. Probably you can enjoy the music but you would not sleep until 12 or 2 am. Good luck

Date: 09-17-07 Reviewer: A sad guest We were in Cartagena only for 4 days at this hotel and it was enough. Do not take me wrong, everything was great at the hotel the 3 first days: the service, the food and specially the people that works at the cafeteria Meson de Don Cristobal. However, the administration of the hotel is out of tone. They do not care about the clients and we were totally pissed off with the treatment that we received the night before we left. By the way, we were not the only guests that called to reception that night because the noise, but they did not do anything to change the situation. At the hotel they were having an event for a real state association from Colombia (Fedelonjas) and it is unusual to mix tourist with business meetings when the hotel does not have the adequate facilities. I believe, these people (Fedelonjas), they have the money to reserve the entire hotel. However, the administration was trying to maximize their profits, it is ok. I know it is a very competitive market, but please people we paid at least to have a good night of sleep, after a nice tour in the Rosario Islands during the day. I went personally to the reception of the hotel and I filled a formal complain because my family could not sleep, thanks to the melodic tropical music and romantic boleros that the orchestra was playing. The songs were nice but we were not in the plan or mood to assist to a party without invitation. In addition, the manager never showed his/her face or at least had the decency to apologize for the inconvenient that they cause with the noise by any way. The only thing that I received, early in the morning of the check out day, was the bill. Well is the second time that I had have this kind of problems when I had visited Colombia, my first bad experience was in Medellin at the hotel El Poblado Plaza 2 years ago. This was the jewel of the crown because the party was until 3 am, and they did not turn down the volume. My final advice, if you decide to go Las Americas is be prepared to hear some tropical music, if the hotel is holding a meeting and a beach party. Probably you can enjoy the music but you would not sleep until 12 or 2 am. Good luck