Decameron Isleño
Decameron Isleño, which trades under the full name Decameron Isleño, A Trademark All Inclusive, has one defining advantage that almost no other all-inclusive in the region can match: it sits directly in front of Spratt Bight, the iconic, soul-of-San-Andres beach with that instantly recognizable turquoise Caribbean water. This is not a manufactured resort beach. It is one of the genuinely beautiful beaches in the Caribbean, and the hotel's position on it is the whole reason to book here. San Andres itself is a Colombian Caribbean island that most North American travelers have not discovered yet, which keeps the vibe authentic and free of the mass-market feel of the bigger Dominican or Cancun properties.
Traveler Insights
Pros
- +Sits directly in front of Spratt Bight, the most photographed beach on San Andres, with shallow turquoise water and white sand; the hotel's own page sells the location the same way, and it is the main reason to pick this property over the other Decameron hotels on the island
- +San Andres has some of the clearest water in the Caribbean, with the Seaflower reef system just offshore, so snorkeling and diving from the resort area are legitimately world-class
- +Strong all-inclusive value on an island where eating and drinking outside the resort gets expensive fast; the package covers 2 a la carte restaurants, 1 buffet and 3 bars
- +Non-motorized water sports are part of the daily programme (kayaks and paddleboards), and travelers mention transparent-bottom kayaks that let you see the reef without getting wet
- +Three interconnected pools (active, leisure and hydromassage) plus a separate children's water park with shallow pools and slides, which is more water area than the compact footprint suggests
- +Relaxed, warm island service; staff have an unhurried attitude that many travelers say stands out against more corporate resort chains
- +Walking distance to the North End town center for the duty-free shops and the seafront restaurants serving Caribbean-Colombian food
- +Five minutes from the airport (the hotel's own page says 'just steps'), so arrival and departure logistics are painless, and the Decameron inter-hotel system opens the bars, restaurants and shows at the chain's other four hotels on the island
Cons
- −Specialty restaurant reservations are only bookable through an app that opens at 8am; by 8:10am dinner slots are gone, which travelers describe as genuinely frustrating
- −Limited dining variety with just 2 a la carte restaurants and 1 buffet, smaller than most Decameron properties, and the a la carte options rotate slowly
- −Not the most up-to-date property; some rooms show wear, and travelers have reported door locks that do not work reliably
- −During Colombian holiday weeks (Semana Santa, the first week of January) the hotel runs full and loungers around the three pools and on Spratt Bight go early in the morning
- −The buffet does not showcase local Caribbean-Colombian cooking the way it could; the menu reads as generic international for the location
- −The inter-hotel system covers facilities at the sister properties but not transport between them, so hopping over to Marazul or San Luis means paying for a taxi
- −Being the most popular resort on the island means a lively domestic-tourist energy in peak weeks, a very different feel from a quiet escape
The property is compact and relaxed. Dining is 2 a la carte restaurants, 1 buffet and 3 bars, so variety is thinner than at larger Decameron hotels; fresh fish and seafood feature consistently on the a la carte menus, the buffet is reliable rather than adventurous, and reservations are a competitive sport through the hotel's app, which opens at 8am and empties within minutes. Water is where the hotel over-delivers for its size: three interconnected pools (active, leisure and hydromassage) and a separate children's water park with shallow pools and slides, plus non-motorized water sports in the daily recreation programme. There is a spa and a gym with cardio and strength machines, and evenings run on live shows with a nightly ballet. Some rooms show their age, and lock problems come up in traveler reports, so the room is the weakest part of the stay.
Decameron Isleño suits Colombian travelers who already know San Andres, international visitors who want a Caribbean beach with far less tourist saturation than Cancun or Punta Cana, and families, since the kids' water park and all-ages pool zones make it more child-friendly than its compact size suggests. Couples who care more about water clarity than amenity counts also do well here. Price-wise it sits in the mid-range for the Caribbean, and San Andres as a whole is noticeably more affordable than comparable destinations. The duty-free shops and seafront restaurants are a walk away, and boat trips to Johnny Cay and the Acuario snorkeling cay, plus the Mar de los Siete Colores viewpoints, give you plenty to do beyond the resort.
Common Questions
Is Decameron Isleño good for families with kids?
Is the snorkeling really that good right off the beach?
How hard is it really to get a specialty restaurant reservation?
Is this resort better than the other Decameron properties on San Andres?
What's the best time of year to visit San Andres?
Is San Andres easy to reach from the US or Europe?
Restaurants (3)
| Type | Restaurants |
|---|---|
| Buffet | Restaurante Rasta |
| Seafood | Restaurante The Islander |
| Mediterranean & Spanish | Restaurante Sasson Med |
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
Rocky Cay7 min drive · 4.0 mi
3 min drive · 1.1 mi
3 min drive · 1.1 mi
Casa Museo Isleña5 min drive · 3.9 mi
First Baptist Church (La Loma)6 min drive · 2.6 mi
Morgan's Cave7 min drive · 5.3 mi
More things to do (12)
- Muelle Casa de la Cultura · marina3 min drive · 1.1 mi
- Spratt Bight Beach · beach3 min drive · 0.9 mi
- Mirador La Loma · viewpoint6 min drive · 2.5 mi
- Green Beach · beach6 min drive · 3.7 mi
- Cocoplum Bay · beach6 min drive · 4.0 mi
- San Andrés Botanical Garden · nature7 min drive · 4.8 mi
- Big Pond lagoon · wildlife8 min drive · 3.6 mi
- Sound Bay (San Luis) · beach8 min drive · 5.8 mi
- West View · nature9 min drive · 7.5 mi
- La Piscinita · nature10 min drive · 8.3 mi
- South End beach · beach12 min drive · 8.8 mi
- Hoyo Soplador · nature12 min drive · 9.0 mi
Amenities
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Seaweed & sargassum
San Andrés gets sargassum, typically worst March through September, with documented influxes in March, April-May and September.See the month-by-month guide →Similar Resorts
$$$$Currently closedDecameron Aquarium
San Andres, Colombia
Temporarily Closed - Structural repairs (no reopening date announced)