La Casa del Totumo

Alana deserves five stars for the care and attention. After a day walking around the city, the pool was great. Nights can be noisy, as they often are in the historic center, but they provide earplugs. Highly recommend.

We decided against booking because the offer and its terms kept changing without a clear explanation. This wasn’t about refusing to pay a fair price: we ended up choosing a very similar property that cost a little more, because its pricing was transparent and we felt sure we wouldn’t face unexplained extra charges. We’d first found this house on Airbnb for a family New Year’s Eve trip. The listed full-house rate said it could accommodate 12 people. Since a comment mentioned that individual rooms were also rented, we asked Juan whether we’d be booking the entire house. He said yes, then almost immediately changed the price and sent an offer that was $600 USD higher, saying the app’s price was wrong. We thought the sudden increase was in poor taste, but asked him to update the offer anyway because it listed 8 people, even though the house sleeps 12, which he had already confirmed. He sent another offer and raised the price by a further $250 USD. We didn’t book.

The rooftop is a lovely spot, and the small pool is a nice extra. Rooms are clean and roomy, breakfast is delicious, and the staff are really friendly. It’s also a great base for exploring the city. Highly recommend.

The staff were a huge help. We arrived from hiking with loads of laundry, and they got it done the same day, which was great with all our sweaty clothes. They also let us add another night when our plans changed. A really nice place in Santa Marta, highly recommend.