Hotel Cocoliso Island Resort

For the glowing plankton alone, I’d give the location three stars. Otherwise, I’d suggest staying in Cartagena and taking a day trip, or choosing somewhere on playa Libre. We paid a lot and got very little beyond breakfast. Food and drinks cost a fortune, adding up to more than the stay, and many menu options weren’t available. I picked three meals before being told each one was unavailable, and the portions were tiny. We arrived with few people on the island and had to be there by 9 a.m., then waited until 3 p.m. for our room. When we asked reception for towels, they had none for me or my friends. That was embarrassing for a resort. Staff were hard to find, too. We had to wait at reception five or six separate times during the trip to reach anyone. The water pressure was poor, and the bathroom was unbearably hot.

The staff generally acted like having guests was a nuisance. Every food or drink order took at least an hour, and they still got every order wrong. We couldn’t check in until two hours after the stated time, then got a room that had only been half cleaned. The rooms were sort of clean, and the location might have looked nice 20 years ago, but it doesn’t seem to be maintained.

The boat trip to the island was cancelled because the weather wasn’t safe, which was understandable. At booking, there was nothing about weather cancellations, but they told us we’d get a full refund. I contacted them straight away. At first they replied consistently, but after I sent my bank details, they went silent. Each time I followed up, they either didn’t respond or took longer and longer. It’s been almost a month, so we’re going to file a complaint with the SIC. Only after we mentioned legal action did they say refunds are handled Tuesday to Thursday, meaning they expect us to wait another week. A refund is a simple transaction, so this is unbelievable. I wouldn’t recommend them, especially to visitors from abroad who may not know how to make a complaint. I suspect many people just give up. I’m prepared to pursue legal action.

The staff were kind, but the hotel is in rough shape. Humidity has damaged the rooms, paint is peeling, and parts of the building are coming apart. The pool is dirty and poorly maintained. Loud music and drunk guests went on all day, so relaxing was impossible. It’s wildly overpriced for what feels more like a budget hostel, and the online photos don’t match the place. I wouldn’t recommend it.