Placita Vieja Hotel Boutique Spa

The atmosphere was welcoming, the rooms were clean, the staff friendly, and the cocktails tasty. There’s no room service, but some great restaurants are right nearby. Prices are on the high side, though I felt it was worth it. They also had good connections with tour guides and masseurs who came to the hotel. We weren’t told in advance that the Turkish bath wasn’t working. Breakfast had just two options, so we ate the same thing for all eight days. Service also felt limited at first and improved once more guests arrived.

The location is on a dirty, chaotic street, and the room was tiny, like a closet. Its window faced a solid wall. The restaurant and bar next door shared a wall with the hotel rooms and played loud music until 1:00 am. I don’t recommend staying here. If you have to be in Santa Marta, I’d look for a hotel with an ocean view and stay away from the city centre. It’s a dirty, ugly city without much charm, and you won’t miss anything by skipping the centre. I got there at 3 pm, and they charged my credit card before telling me the room wasn’t ready. It was extremely hot, so I had to wait at a cafe until 6 pm. Even then, they said the room still wasn’t ready because the lock was broken. They moved me to another room that smelled like someone had recently smoked in it. I showed them my reservation for a non-smoking room, but they said it was my imagination and made me take the smoking room.

The music from all the nearby bars is incredibly loud, and this hotel is in one of the city’s noisiest areas. Avoid it if you want a few quiet days in Santa Marta. Also, the positive reviews seem mostly fake to me. Most were written 10 months ago. NOT RECOMMENDED!

The staff made Placita Vieja feel like a home away from home. Jesus Eduardo, Jesus Miguel and Eliana were especially wonderful, always making sure we were comfortable and anticipating what we needed. The rooms were spacious, the bathrooms spotless and modern, and the rooftop pool was a great spot to relax. This hotel is an oasis of quality in Santa Marta. I’ll only stay here when I’m in town.