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Music carries through the streets in Getsemaní — drums, voices, the scrape of chairs on stone as tables fill up along the sidewalks. Murals stretch across entire blocks, and the air holds that mix of heat, color, and constant motion that defines this part of Cartagena. Step a few minutes closer to the edge of the Walled City and the pace tightens even more. Right there, across from Parque Centenario, a series of restored buildings now form one of the most significant new hotel openings in the city: Four Seasons Hotel and Residences Cartagena, officially open and welcoming guests, as Caribbean Journal first reported.
A New Arrival in the Center of Cartagena
This is the first Four Seasons in Cartagena and the brand’s third in Colombia, placing a global luxury name directly inside one of the city’s most active districts. The setting matters. You are in Getsemaní, not tucked away on a distant beach or removed from the city’s daily life. The Walled City is a short walk away. Camellón de los Mártires sits nearby. The convention center stands next door. The surrounding streets are filled with small cafés, bars, galleries, and local shops that stay busy well into the night.
You walk out the door and you are already in it — Cartagena as it actually operates, not a version set apart from it.
A Hotel Built From Cartagena’s Past
This is not a single structure built from the ground up. The hotel is made up of multiple historic buildings, restored and connected over several years. That approach shapes how you experience the property. You pass through courtyards instead of corridors. You cross from one building into another through archways and open-air passages. Light enters from above in unexpected places.
One of the anchors is the former Club Cartagena, a 1920s landmark that now holds some of the hotel’s main public spaces. Inside, the architecture stays intact — high ceilings, original proportions — with new elements introduced carefully. A glass atrium rises above part of the property, bringing in natural light without replacing what was already there.
Throughout the property, the original framework remains visible. You see thick walls, old masonry, preserved details that carry through from one space to the next. The hotel doesn’t attempt to smooth over those differences. It lets them remain, so each part of the property feels distinct.
Design That Stays Close to the Architecture
The interiors follow a restrained approach. Neutral tones, natural materials, and clean lines allow the buildings themselves to take the lead. The late French designer François Catroux influenced key spaces, particularly in how rooms balance comfort with simplicity.
Local artists contribute throughout the property. Sculptural plaster elements appear along walls. Large-scale artworks bring in landscape references from across Colombia. Furniture and textiles reflect local craftsmanship without turning into decorative statements. The design keeps a consistent tone across the hotel while still allowing each building to maintain its own identity.
Rooms Across Old and New Structures
The hotel has 131 accommodations, divided between heritage rooms and more contemporary spaces. Inside the historic buildings, rooms retain original architectural features — wood beams, detailed ceilings, and layouts shaped by earlier uses of the space. Furnishings are custom, but they follow the lines already established by the architecture.
In the newer sections, rooms open up with more light and a simpler layout. Large windows, softer palettes, and modern finishes define these spaces, with artwork and sculptural details tying them back to the rest of the property.
The Catroux Suite stands as the top accommodation, with two bedrooms, private elevator access, and a furnished terrace. Details draw from both colonial-era design and contemporary elements, with features like a ceramic fountain and custom finishes throughout.
Private residences are also part of the development, offering longer-term stays with full access to hotel services. These spaces extend the property beyond short visits, placing residents directly inside the same network of buildings and amenities.
A Dining Program Spread Across the Property
Dining here is not centralized in a single restaurant. Instead, eight venues are distributed across the hotel, each tied to a specific space within the buildings.
The Grand Grill operates inside the former Club Cartagena, focusing on premium cuts and seafood in a setting defined by the building’s original architecture. Bar Lelarge sits nearby, offering a smaller, more intimate environment with cocktails built around local ingredients.
Café Rialto centers on Colombian coffee, paired with pastries and desserts in a space designed for both quick stops and longer stays. Pizzeria Della Chiesa occupies a former church site, now serving Neapolitan-style pizza in a room that still carries traces of its earlier structure.
El Aljibe functions as a hidden bar, accessed discreetly and set apart from the rest of the hotel. El Patio del Limonar provides breakfast in an open-air courtyard, with stations and a range of local and international dishes.
Atrio acts as the central meeting point — a lobby lounge under a high glass ceiling, with marble floors and seating arranged for both guests and visitors. Above it all, El Palmar sits on the rooftop, offering wide views across Cartagena, from the harbor to the dense grid of rooftops below.
Wellness Inside Restored Walls
The spa occupies another historic structure, once used as a cloister. Treatment rooms line the interior, with a layout that separates the space from the rest of the hotel. The concept focuses on Colombian botanicals and traditional healing approaches, incorporated into modern treatments.
Facilities include multiple treatment rooms, a couple’s suite, steam room, salon services, and a relaxation area. A fitness center operates throughout the day, with equipment, personal training, and scheduled classes.
Two rooftop pools provide additional space to spend time above the streets. From here, you look out across the city — the harbor, the rooftops, and the edges of the Walled City visible in the distance.
A Different Kind of Cartagena Stay
Cartagena has no shortage of places to stay, from small boutique hotels inside colonial buildings to larger resorts along the coast. This property takes a different approach by combining multiple historic structures into a single experience, while keeping the city’s daily life right outside the door.
You are not removed from Cartagena here. You are positioned inside one of its busiest neighborhoods, with direct access to the streets, the plazas, and the energy that defines the city. The hotel builds on that setting rather than separating from it.
With its opening, Cartagena adds a new option at the top end of the market — one that connects directly to the city’s history, architecture, and current pace, all within a walkable stretch of Getsemaní.
Prices at the Newest Four Seasons
You can find rooms starting at $700, according to what I saw on Google Hotels.
The post The Four Seasons Cartagena Is Officially Open appeared first on Caribbean Journal.
