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Decameron Cartagena

Cartagena, Colombia
4.2(8,904 reviews)
Family

Decameron Cartagena is Cartagena's flagship all-inclusive option for the straightforward reason that there isn't much competition in the same category — Cartagena's tourism ecosystem is built around boutique hotels in the Walled City and high-end beach clubs rather than all-inclusive resorts. What Decameron offers is a vertically integrated stay in Bocagrande, the city's densely built beachfront district, at a price point that feels like value when compared to Caribbean island equivalents. The crown jewel is the 23rd-floor Principe Galeotto restaurant, where panoramic views of the Cartagena Bay, the colonial skyline, and the Caribbean horizon make it one of the more memorable meal settings in any all-inclusive property anywhere.

Traveler Insights

Pros

  • +The 23rd-floor Principe Galeotto seafood restaurant offers panoramic views of the Cartagena Bay, the old city walls, and the Caribbean Sea simultaneously — a dining setting that no other all-inclusive in Colombia can match
  • +Bocagrande beach is steps from the hotel entrance, placing guests on one of Cartagena's most accessible urban beaches without needing transportation
  • +Four restaurants — including à la carte Italian (Boccaccio), à la carte seafood with panoramic views (Principe Galeotto), and a grilled-meat buffet (San Carbon) — cover genuine variety for an all-inclusive at this price tier
  • +Walking distance to Bocagrande's nightlife strip, restaurants, and shops means the all-inclusive bracelet doesn't tether guests to the resort the way remote beach properties do

Cons

  • −Maintenance is the resort's most persistent weakness — guests report water seepage in rooms, ceiling leaks in bathrooms, dated decor, and infrastructure that hasn't kept pace with traveler expectations for a 4-star property
  • −Pools are small relative to the guest count, with limited seating areas that become fully occupied quickly on busy days, leaving guests without comfortable poolside space
  • −The hotel caters primarily to a Colombian and South American domestic market, with very limited English-speaking staff — international travelers who don't speak Spanish will encounter genuine communication barriers
  • −Room air conditioning is reportedly centralized in some room categories rather than individually controllable, which means guests can't adjust temperature independently and either roast or freeze depending on common settings

The practical experience is a study in contrasts. Service and dining quality genuinely impress in some interactions and genuinely disappoint in others, and the pattern doesn't appear to be random — it reflects staffing inconsistency rather than institutional indifference. Maintenance is the resort's most cited problem: water leaks, dated rooms, and facilities that aren't being replaced at the rate they're wearing out. The pools are too small for the property's capacity, and during Colombian holiday periods the resort fills in ways that expose every constraint in the infrastructure. Guests who speak Spanish and understand the Colombian hospitality culture tend to rate the property higher than those arriving with expectations calibrated to Caribbean island all-inclusives.

Decameron Cartagena is best positioned as a base for Cartagena itself rather than a self-contained beach resort. The Walled City is 10-15 minutes by taxi and genuinely extraordinary — UNESCO-listed for good reason, with colonial plazas, boutique restaurants, evening salsa bars, and the Castillo de San Felipe fortress providing days of exploration. Bocagrande's own nightlife and seafood restaurants are walkable. Guests who want to spend 80% of their time inside the resort and 20% exploring should look at Decameron Baru (on an island outside Cartagena) instead — a superior beach experience with the same brand infrastructure. Decameron Cartagena makes sense precisely for those who want the reverse ratio.

Common Questions

How does Decameron Cartagena compare to Decameron Baru?
These two properties serve fundamentally different purposes despite sharing the same brand. Decameron Baru is on an island outside Cartagena with pristine Caribbean beach access and a classic resort-on-the-beach experience — it's the better pick for guests who want beach, sun, and resort isolation. Decameron Cartagena is an urban all-inclusive in Bocagrande that works best as a base for exploring the city. Guests who want to see Cartagena's Walled City, markets, and nightlife should choose Cartagena; guests who want to lie on a beach should choose Baru.
Is the Bocagrande beach good, and is it private?
The beach is public — Bocagrande is an urban beach strip shared with the general public, locals, and guests from surrounding hotels. It's clean and convenient but not the secluded, palm-fringed Caribbean beach that resort photos sometimes imply. The water in this part of Cartagena Bay is calm and generally swimmable, but guests expecting a deserted paradise should recalibrate their expectations before arrival. Also be aware that through 2026, Cartagena's coastal-protection project has active groin and breakwater construction on parts of Bocagrande beach - the payoff is wider beaches when it finishes, but some sectors near the hotel are work zones in the meantime.
Is English widely spoken, and how do non-Spanish speakers manage?
English proficiency is limited among most staff members — this is a resort built primarily for the Colombian and broader South American domestic tourism market. Basic needs can be communicated with patience and some pointing, but nuanced requests, complaint resolution, and reservation-making benefit significantly from even minimal Spanish. Non-Spanish speakers report more friction than at comparable Caribbean properties that cater to North American and European travelers.
What is included in the all-inclusive package?
The package covers all buffet and à la carte meals across the four restaurants, all beverages including domestic alcohol, access to the water park, daily activities organized by the entertainment team, and evening shows. Some premium international spirits may carry surcharges. The inclusion of water park access without an upcharge distinguishes Decameron Cartagena from comparable urban hotel properties in the area.
How far is the resort from Cartagena's Walled City, and how do guests get there?
The Walled City (Ciudad Amurallada) is approximately 10-15 minutes from Bocagrande by taxi, with fares running around $3-5 USD by local taxi or rideshare app. The resort concierge can arrange transfers, but using InDriver or Cabify (Uber alternatives that operate in Cartagena) directly is often faster and cheaper. The historic center is worth an evening stroll at minimum and ideally an entire day for the plazas, street food, and the Castillo de San Felipe fortress.
Are there issues with room quality that guests should know about?
Yes — maintenance-related issues appear frequently enough in reviews to constitute a genuine pattern rather than isolated incidents. Water seepage in bathrooms, inconsistent room temperature control (some rooms have central rather than individual air conditioning), and dated decor are the most commonly cited problems. Guests who are sensitive to room quality should request a recently renovated room at booking or upon check-in, and consider travel insurance given the maintenance uncertainty.

Restaurants (5)

TypeRestaurants
BuffetRestaurante Palenque
ItalianRestaurante Bocaccio
SteakhouseRestaurante San Carbon
SeafoodRestaurante Galeotto
Caribbean & localRestaurante Cafe San Pedro

From the resort's own dining pages. Only restaurants the resort lists are shown. All are covered by the all-inclusive rate, per the resort.

What's nearby

  • Marbella Beach
    Marbella Beach
    14 min drive · 4.7 mi
  • Bocagrande Beach
    Bocagrande Beach
    10 min walk · 0.5 mi
  • Bocachica forts boat trip (Tierra Bomba)
  • City Walls of Cartagena (Las Murallas)
    City Walls of Cartagena (Las Murallas)
    6 min drive · 1.9 mi
  • Iglesia de San Pedro Claver
    Iglesia de San Pedro Claver
    6 min drive · 1.8 mi
  • Museo Naval del Caribe
    Museo Naval del Caribe
    7 min drive · 1.9 mi
More things to do (21)
  • Rosario Islands day trip · excursion4 min drive · 1.0 mi
  • Castillogrande Beach · beach5 min drive · 1.3 mi
  • Getsemaní · town7 min drive · 1.8 mi
  • Museo de Arte Moderno de Cartagena · museum7 min drive · 2.1 mi
  • Museo del Oro Zenú · museum7 min drive · 1.9 mi
  • Casa Museo Rafael Núñez · museum7 min drive · 2.4 mi
  • Torre del Reloj · historic site7 min drive · 2.2 mi
  • Walled City (Ciudad Amurallada) · town8 min drive · 2.2 mi
  • Catedral de Cartagena · historic site8 min drive · 2.2 mi
  • Club de Pesca marina · marina8 min drive · 2.2 mi
  • Sunset cruise on Cartagena Bay · excursion8 min drive · 2.2 mi
  • Fuerte de San Sebastián del Pastelillo · historic site8 min drive · 2.2 mi
  • Palacio de la Inquisición · museum8 min drive · 2.4 mi
  • Las Bóvedas · historic site8 min drive · 2.6 mi
  • Castillo San Felipe de Barajas · historic site8 min drive · 2.5 mi
  • Marina Santa Cruz · marina9 min drive · 2.7 mi
  • Convento de la Popa · viewpoint13 min drive · 3.9 mi
  • Crespo Beach · beach25 min drive · 7.2 mi
  • La Boquilla · beach25 min drive · 7.1 mi
  • La Boquilla mangrove canoe tour · excursion25 min drive · 7.1 mi
  • Manzanillo del Mar · beach35 min drive · 14 mi

Amenities

Waterpark For Little Kids
Nightclub
Free Wi-Fi
Nightly Entertainment
Buffet Dining
Gym
Beach

Google Reviews★ 4.2 · 8,904 reviews

Mel
5 months ago

“We had a wonderful experience at the Decameron Cartagena, thanks to the exceptional staff. Everyone we met, from Carlos the front desk manager, to the restaurant staff, Lyda, John, and Louis, were extremely polite, friendly, and helpful, despite the...”

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