Casa Jardin

Right in the historic center, so the location was excellent, and we had a great stay in this clean, cosy hotel. The staff were really friendly. A few things could be better: breakfast didn't keep us full, and our towels weren't changed once during the stay. The Jacuzzi looked a bit like a DIY project, though I didn't mind that much. I'd go back. The fluorescent lights were ugly, and switching them to LEDs would help.

Mrs. Nelly made a big difference for us. I have a fear of heights and trouble with cold water because of allergies, and when we called her, she understood and helped us move for the second night. That let us enjoy Cartagena, so thank you, Mrs. Nelly. I found this place hard to rate. It's inside the old city walls, which is great, but the street itself is one of the less pleasant ones in a wonderful Cartagena. The place is cute, the hospitality is lovely, and breakfast was amazing. Still, it felt smaller and more half-heartedly finished than the photos suggested. Paint had dripped over the stair tiles, the stairs up to the rooms are steep, and the tub on the top floor didn't look clean. The shower only had cold water. None of that may bother most people, but it affected my stay.

There’s a small shop right by the entrance for snacks, water, soda and some food, and the main supermarket is a block away. The building has security, plus someone checks in to make sure everything is alright. It's mostly locals in the building, a few yards from Las Bóvedas. The apartment is up on the third floor and there’s no elevator, so you'll need help with luggage or strong arms. It has a main door and an iron door secured with a small lock, since the main door doesn't lock from outside. There's also a little safe for valuables. Amenities include a kitchen, air conditioner, dishwasher, microwave, refrigerator and two TVs, one in the living room that wasn't working when I was there, and one in the bedroom. The water heater may have been fixed by the time you read this. I had to get used to cold showers, though, maybe it's good for you?

You have to go through the art shop to get to this place. The people working there are awesome, breakfast was great, and everything was super clean.