Hotel Estelar Playa Manzanillo

The two big pools are kept up well, with one for activities, kids, and pool parties, and a quieter side that’s good for reading or relaxing. The beach is clean and feels safe, with plenty of umbrellas and places to sit. The semi-private beach was a big plus for us, since public beaches can be crowded with vendors trying to hustle tourists. Food is available all day, so you won’t go hungry, and the all-inclusive access is a strong reason to stay here. A couple of things to plan around: the pools close at 7pm and they clear everyone off the beach at 6pm sharp. Maybe that’s because it’s family friendly, but other all-inclusives I’ve stayed at in other countries kept access open until 10pm. Breakfast runs from 7am to 10am, then lunch starts at 12:30pm, so there’s no brunch. The hotel is pet friendly, and there are lots of friendly dogs belonging to the property that you can pet. It’s outside Boca Grande and the walled city, around 20 to 30 minutes from downtown Cartagena. If you want nightlife and party vibes, you’ll be farther from it all, so plan on using Uber or hotel cabs. There aren’t many places to walk to because the hotel is secluded. That suited me, since I wanted a restful vacation. It’s a good option for couples or families. The staff were friendly and attentive. Kevin the concierge was especially helpful, spoke English, answered all my questions on WhatsApp before I arrived, and helped arrange airport transportation and spa reservations. Johnier at the bar also helped me get lactose-free milk for my Colombian coffee. English isn’t spoken by everyone, so brush up on Spanish or have Google Translate ready. I speak Spanish, so it wasn’t a problem for me, but I can see others struggling. The rooms were clean. There’s only local cable on the TVs, with no streaming services, so bring a firestick if you need those. One more thing, breakfast is served early. There’s no brunch.

Booking with this resort was such a nightmare that I chose somewhere else instead, nearly two months before my trip. Even after I told them I had canceled, they emailed me a welcome message a week before what would have been my first day. I wrote back to say I had never booked and asked them to cancel it, but they still charged my card.

The food areas were the worst part. Tables were often dirty, and used dishes could sit there for 30 minutes without staff noticing or clearing them. Wild dogs roamed around the hotel and even into the dining areas, jumping on chairs and eating leftovers straight off tables. Birds also landed on dishes to eat. It was really unpleasant and dirty, and the video shows what I mean. This was a daily occurrence. On the buffet, breakfast, lunch, and dinner were much the same every day: rice, a few kinds of arepas, soup, pork, and beef. The beef was always tough. Three of the five people in our group got diarrhea. One dinner was especially bad for me. The hotel has three restaurants where you can book a table. My family ordered included dishes, while I paid extra for a steak. It arrived an hour and a half after everyone else’s food, was the wrong cut, and was full of tendons. The chef and someone from hotel administration apologized and took a photo after we complained, but I still had to pay. I wouldn’t eat at that hotel restaurant again. The room itself was okay, but we had cold water for showers on three of our four days. The balcony or terrace door wasn’t locked and had no key. You have to ask the front desk for one, otherwise anyone could get in and steal your belongings. The hotel’s condition is very poor. The outside facade looks old, dirty, and run-down, like it hasn’t been renovated in 15 years. I stayed here very recently, and the experience was not good.

The hotel has a relaxed, family feel, and the staff were all kind and helpful. It’s casual, so I never felt underdressed. It’s pet friendly, with cats and dogs wandering around for midday scritches. The massage was excellent, and I’m tough to please. Food was average. There were no towels or drinks at the adult pool. Chocolate croissants showed up at the buffet every meal, though the ones served later at the back coffee bar were really yummy and should be offered at breakfast, lunch, and dinner too. Not many staff spoke English. They don’t have to, of course, but bring a translator app and don’t count on finding someone bilingual.