ZiOne Luxury Hotel Cartagena

The staff were a highlight. Everyone was friendly and quick to help, and when the air conditioning gave us trouble at night, they responded promptly and fixed it. Housekeeping kept the room clean, though the service could have been a bit more efficient. We also appreciated the coffee station by the front entrance. Hotel Zi One Luxury is in Bocagrande, Cartagena, close to shops, restaurants, and other conveniences on foot. It's about 10 minutes from the historic city center, in a somewhat quieter area, with local beaches nearby. The hotel and our comfortable room were clean. Breakfast was decent, but more variety and warmer food would help. The pool is cute and pleasant, though the bar could have more drinks and snacks, and some music would make the area more inviting. Hot water was only warm. More towels and toiletries, plastic cups, and access to a microwave would be useful. The TV options were fine, but I couldn't cast or share my screen to it. The decorative fountain would add to the atmosphere if it ran, especially in the evening. We enjoyed our stay and would consider returning. It's comfortable and well located, with excellent staff, though breakfast, poolside choices, and room amenities could improve.

The rooftop pool and views were lovely, and the stay felt relaxing throughout. Check-in was simple and transparent, and the staff were polite, friendly, and responsive. The beach is very close. We had some trouble with the A/C and a leaking toilet, but they fixed both quickly.

Do not book here as an international guest. They took my money, wouldn't give me a room or refund, and called the police when I asked for either. The police, to their credit, handled it admirably and seemed to understand what was happening. My night was unnecessarily ruined, though it could have been worse if the cops had been corrupt or inept. What seemed to be the scam was that, after making up a reason to prevent normal check-in, the hotel tried to charge me twice my rate.

The hotel pool is a small rooftop setup with a little bar, and breakfast was okay, with fresh fruit each morning. The ocean and beach are a short walk away, as are two 24-hour supermarkets to the north. Locals didn't seem friendly unless you were buying something or they wanted you to buy. The elevator had been out for over a week. When I arrived the toilet didn't flush properly, and the seat cover was still cracked and broken, with a yellowish color, though the area around it was clean. It was my first time here; I'd visit the area again.