Gardenia Springs - La Finca Buritaca

The grounds are pleasant and well cared for, with a nice pool and good spots to walk or relax. The staff were attentive and friendly, and I had a good stay. Still, at over COP 420,000 a night, the room felt too basic for the price: a tiny TV cabinet, no bedside lamps, and not much comfort or attention to detail. It’s not somewhere I’d want to spend much time in the room. Getting around locally can also be very expensive, though that isn’t the hotel’s responsibility. A car for a 20-minute trip costs around COP 90,000, which seems excessive.

The bungalows have comfortable beds, and waking up to birdsong, then opening the terrace door to the lake, birds, frogs, lizards, and all those nature sounds, feels like paradise. We booked four nights and liked it enough to add one more. The pool is beautiful, breakfast is limited but very good, and the hotel grounds feel like a farm, with tame and wild animals including peacocks, turtles, herons, squirrels, geese, iguanas, parrots, and more. Most of the staff are kind and helpful. I’d recommend this place to anyone who enjoys being close to nature while still having hotel amenities. Buritaca beach is a 20-minute walk away, where you can choose between the sea and river. The town is a 10-minute walk along the main road, and it’s the only dinner option after 7 pm. The hotel serves dinner too, but only until 6:30 pm, which is too early for me, so we rarely ate there. You need to be comfortable with insects and small animals. Mosquitoes are everywhere, geckos and little frogs get into the room and wander on the walls, and once a small green snake slipped in under the door for a few seconds. The mosquitoes were the only animals that actually caused us “injuries.” I’d still recommend the place, but the bathroom has some real problems that take away from the magic. The rain shower was in such poor shape that the water went onto the wall like a waterfall instead of over your head. The drain is between the shower area and the rest of the bathroom, so water floods the bathroom floor and even the floor outside. To keep it dry, we had to run the shower for 10 seconds, wait 20 for the water to drain, then turn it on for another 10. I’m not exaggerating. That’s a low standard for this kind of hotel. The cheap plastic toilet seat kept falling off, too. Wi-Fi didn’t work in the bungalows. The signal by the terrace would sometimes appear, but only work for about 10 seconds. For internet, you have to go to the reception by the pool. The walls are poorly insulated as well. We usually had no next-door neighbours, but when we did, we could hear them so clearly it felt like they were in our room. You share a terrace with them too, and I’d have preferred a wall for privacy. These things can be irritating, and they do chip away at the relaxing feeling. I hope the hotel fixes some of them.

We left feeling refreshed and closer to nature after a memorable stay at Hotel La Finca Buritaca. Its lush jungle setting and nearby beaches make for a peaceful escape. Our room was spacious and charming, with rustic touches, modern comforts, a very comfortable bed, and a private balcony where we enjoyed coffee and the views. Mornings came with nature sounds and a gentle sea breeze. We spent plenty of time by the lovely pool, and the secluded beach nearby was great for long walks and quiet moments by the water. Meals at the on-site restaurant were delicious and freshly made, from breakfast to dinner, with local ingredients and flavors. The seafood stood out in particular. The staff made us feel at home. They were attentive, ready to help, and gave useful local suggestions for activities and excursions. There was lots to do, including kayaking on the nearby river, jungle walks, or just relaxing in a hammock. Yoga classes and wellness treatments added to the restful feel. The comfortable accommodations, warm service, and beautiful surroundings made this a peaceful retreat.

I came for the natural setting, and the landscaping is beautiful. It’s clean and comfortable, and the staff are wonderful, though none of them speak English at all. I got the exact room I wanted to show off the property. The price feels very high. Colombia seems much more expensive than it used to be, and I don’t know how locals manage when everything is priced for tourists. Five nights here could pay for two weeks at a hotel in Tulum, Mexico, one of the most expensive cities, just two minutes from the beach. A couple of things could be better. The water pressure is weak. The hot water is good once it arrives, but takes 10 minutes to heat up and runs out after three. Breakfast wasn’t very good either. I tried the burger and salmon, and neither was good. The power sometimes goes out at night, but they have generators for that.