Nativa Refugio Escondido

It’s a VERY beautiful place, with delicious food and really attentive staff. But there’s a major problem I don’t understand why nobody mentions: machines dredge material from the river ALL DAY LONG, VERY LOUDLY. The highway is close too, so the cars, trucks, and motorcycles make a lot of noise as well. They turn the music up VERY loud to cover it, but that just gives you a headache. It’s unfortunate, but true. I’d recommend it if excessive noise doesn’t bother you.

The staff were polite, considerate, and discreet, which made the stay especially pleasant. The setting itself is lovely, quiet, and well cared for, and both the food and service were excellent. The facilities were comfortable too. The menu could use more options, and the portions feel small for the prices, though the experience overall makes that somewhat understandable. One useful addition to the directions would be a note that most of the road in is unpaved, since that adds time getting to the park and nearby spots. A great place to unwind and disconnect.

The loud music is a major problem here. Two speakers about as tall as a person fill the shared areas with music, so getting a peaceful rest is nearly impossible. There is also a gravel pit beside the hotel where the river is being dredged. Pebbles keep hitting metal sheets with a horrible clatter, and from around 3 AM trucks seemed to pass right through the room, leaving an oily smell across the grounds. We had reserved two pool junior suites through Booking.com, and that booking was confirmed. At check-in, we were instead told there was one suite and one standard room, right beside the bar and pool, so it was very noisy. The hotel blamed Booking.com, but Booking.com later gave us a different account. The assistant hotel manager handled that discussion, and other issues that came up, in an unacceptable tone. Her rather arrogant manner felt unlike the otherwise lovely Colombians we met. The hotel does have a striking design, a very large pool, roomy and tasteful rooms, and dinner was very good. But breakfast being included still meant paying extra for every drink, even the first basic coffee. At this price, that was hard to find reasonable. The meal itself was very basic, with no fruit or juice, though the omelet was excellent. The same “nice” lady mentioned above also tried to charge us for breakfast. None of these problems appear on the hotel's website. Some may be beyond the hotel's control, while the music is clearly a choice. That setup may suit a couples' hotel, as another review apparently suggests, or a party hotel, but guests looking for something else should be told in advance so they can choose elsewhere. There are wonderful alternatives in Santa Fe.

From the booking onward, the team was attentive, and everyone we met was so friendly. The food is hard to describe, it's that delicious. The place feels like a real retreat, with style and a calm, relaxing atmosphere.