Hotel Las Américas is a modern, family-friendly resort located just minutes from Cartagena’s historic walled city. The hotel combines luxury with a relaxed Caribbean vibe, offering ocean views and extensive facilities catering to leisure or business travelers.
Location
The resort is located right on the beach in La Boquilla, so close to the international airport that can be considered an airport hotel. Planes landing at the airport fly right by the 10th-floor infinity pool.
The beach at La Boquilla, located just northeast of Cartagena, stretches for approximately 2.5 to 3 miles (4 to 5 kilometers) along the Caribbean coast. This wide, sandy beach is known for its tranquil waters and laid-back atmosphere, making it popular with locals and visitors alike. It’s a great spot for water sports like kitesurfing, or simply relaxing by the shore. You can rent chairs and a beach umbrella for around 25,000 pesos ($5). Vendors will be there to offer a massage or a cold drink.
The hotel is also connected via a pedestrian overpass to the Convention Center of the Americas, one of Cartegena’s conference centers.
There are better hotels in Cartagena for visiting the old town, such as the Hotel Casa La Factoria.
Rooms and Accommodations
The hotel has 530 rooms, divided into two different parts. 279 are in the 10-story modern Las Americas Torre del Mar, and 251 are in the adjacent 3-story Las Americas Beach House.
I had a standard room in the Torre del Mar with a king-sized bed. It was spacious, bright, and well-maintained, featuring modern décor with a coastal touch. It included a large flat-screen TV (Spanish programming only), a minibar, a balcony, and complimentary fast Wi-Fi. The room had a private balcony. About half the rooms in the tower have a view of the beach. The bathroom was equipped with high-quality amenities and an excellent rain shower. Daily housekeeping was efficient and thorough.
There are upgraded rooms available, including duplex, family, executive, junior suites, and presidential suites.
Public Spaces
On the day of my visit, they had 6 different pools open, including the main pool, which has really 4 different pools. That includes the rooftop Infinity Pool, which has its own bar and is adults-only. One of the pools in the Las Americas Beach House has a water slide. There is a small kids’ splash pool just next to the main pool area.
There is also a large children’s play area, tennis courts, and an 18-hole mini-golf course (although it does not have fancy castles or windmills).
There are shops where you can buy a new swimsuit and a Juan Valdez coffee shop where you can have a latté.
I lost track of how many different bars there are in the facility.
There are at least 3 different lobbies and large outdoor spaces for relaxing.
Facilities
The spa offers a range of treatments, from massages to beauty services. There is also a beauty parlor on the premises.
For those looking to stay active, the hotel has a well-equipped and very large gym. The direct beach access allows for water sports and leisurely strolls along the shoreline.
The resort has some rooms for small meetings in addition to the convention center.
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Activities
This is a large resort that offers many activities, including kids’ and teens’ programming. On just one day during my visit, all of these activities were available:
Activities for kids 0-6:
- 09:00am – 10:00am: La hora del personaje / Character time
- 09:00am – 06:00pm: Parque Acuático / Aqua Park (Casa de Playa)
- 08:30am – 10:00pm: Club del Capitán Estrella / Children’s club (Casa de Playa)
- 08:30am – 10:00pm: Cancha de Minigolf / Minigolf Court (Casa de Playa)
- 07:00pm – 08:00pm: Títeres (Club del Capitán) / Puppets (Children’s club)
Activities for kids 7-12:
- 10:00am – 12:00m: Actividades en piscina / Pool Activities (Casa de Playa)
- 02:00pm – 10:00pm: Sala Teenager / Play room (Casa de Playa)
- 02:00pm – 03:00pm: La hora del personaje / Character time
- 02:00pm – 03:00pm: Ecoaventuras (Club del Capitán) / Ecology class (Children’s club)
- 03:00pm – 04:00pm: Tarde deportiva (Piscina del tobogán) / Sport time (Slide pool)
- 03:00pm – 04:00pm: Torneo de Minigolf (Club del Capitán) / Minigolf tournament (Children’s club)
- 03:00pm – 05:00pm: Muro de escalar (Club del Capitán) / Climbing wall (Children’s club)
- 07:00pm – 08:00pm: Títeres (Club del Capitán) / Puppets (Children’s club)
Activities for teenagers and adults:
- 11:00am – 12:00m: Rumbaeróbicos (Piscinas Torre del Mar) / Aerobics time (Torre del Mar Pools)
- 11:00am – 12:00pm Clases funcionales (Gym Torre del Mar) / Functional Classes (Torre del Mar Gym)
- 02:00pm – 10:00pm: Sala Teenager / Play room (Casa de Playa)
- 04:00pm – 05:00pm: Clases de baile (Piscinas Torre del Mar) / Dancing lessons (Torre del Mar Pools)
Activities for the elderly
- 11:00am – 12:00m: Rumbaeróbicos (Piscinas Torre del Mar) / Aerobics time (Torre del Mar Pools)
- 11:00am – 12:00pm Clases funcionales (Gym Torre del Mar) / Functional Classes (Torre del Mar Gym)
- 04:00pm – 05:00pm: Clases de baile ( Piscinas Torre del Mar) / Dancing lessons (Torre del Mar Pools)
Activities for Everyone
- Show de Baile / Dance Show
8:30 PM – 10:30 PM
LOBBY CASA DE PLAYA
Language
When I checked in, I was able to do so in English, but every other interaction of my state was held in Spanish. Most of the hotels information and signs are available in both English and Spanish, but most of its clientele during my stay were Spanish speakers.
Dining Options
The hotel offers five different restaurants.
The Erre de Ramón Freixa restaurant, led by a Michelin-starred chef, serves exquisite international cuisine with local flavors.
Colombus Al Forno in the Torre del Mar offers “The best of Mediterranean and international cuisine buffet or a la carte, with an outdoor terrace facing the pools and wood oven for pizzas.” I ate most of my meals at the restaurant, including the included breakfast. You can order from the menu or eat from the buffet. For dinner, the menu expands to include more international snacks like hamburgers and pizza. They need to cook their pizza a bit longer, but this restaurant should work for families.
Don Cristóbal in Las Americas Beach House seems to offer a menu that is very similar to Colombus Al Forno.
Bijao features typical dishes of Cartagena’s cuisine.
Fogón de Navigante (the Navigator’s Stove) is an outdoor grill.
There are a handful of nearby restaurants within walking distance, including a small Mexican cafe in the neighborhood across the highway from the hotel. There is also a small bodega in that neighborhood if you want to save money versus buying from the minibar.
Service
The staff at Hotel Las Américas were consistently friendly and helpful. The concierge can help in arranging tours such as Cartagena’s Old Town.
Conclusion
During my October stay, the room rate for my standard room in the tower was around $133 a night. Check the latest rates online at Hotels.com, Booking,com, or Expedia.
Hotel Las Américas provides a wonderful blend of luxury, comfort, and family-friendly amenities. Whether you’re looking for a romantic getaway or a fun-filled vacation with the kids, this hotel offers something for everyone. With its ocean views, top-notch dining, and excellent service, it’s a fantastic choice for anyone visiting Cartagena.
All photos by the author