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Dreams Karibana Cartagena Golf & Spa Resort

Cartagena, Colombia
4.3(960 reviews)
Family

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Dreams Karibana Cartagena Golf & Spa Resort is a family-friendly all-inclusive resort in Cartagena, Colombia with 268 rooms. Amenities include Babysitting, Beach, Buffet Dining, Free Wi-Fi and Golf Course. Travelers rate it 4.3/5 across 960 Google reviews.

Price Range
$$$$
Rooms
268
Brand
Hyatt

Atmosphere

CharmingOcean View

Room Upgrades

Swim-Up Rooms

Amenities

Babysitting
Beach
Buffet Dining
Free Wi-Fi
Golf Course
Gym
Kids Club
Nightly Entertainment
Pets Allowed
Room Service
Spa
Walk-In Dining Available
Family Vacation

Quick answers

Is Dreams Karibana Cartagena Golf & Spa Resort adults only?
No — Dreams Karibana Cartagena Golf & Spa Resort is a family-friendly resort that accepts children of all ages.
Where is Dreams Karibana Cartagena Golf & Spa Resort?
Dreams Karibana Cartagena Golf & Spa Resort is in Cartagena, Colombia. Its address is Anillo Vial Km 12 Between Manzanillo Del Mar Cartagena, Cartagena de Indias, Zona Norte, Bolívar, Colombia.
How many rooms does Dreams Karibana Cartagena Golf & Spa Resort have?
Dreams Karibana Cartagena Golf & Spa Resort has 268 rooms.
Is Dreams Karibana Cartagena Golf & Spa Resort all-inclusive?
Yes — Dreams Karibana Cartagena Golf & Spa Resort is an all-inclusive resort, so meals, drinks and most on-site activities are covered by the rate.

Traveler Insights(520 discussions)

Dreams Karibana Cartagena is doing something genuinely different in the all-inclusive market: it is bringing the Unlimited-Luxury Dreams formula into Colombia, a country that until recently had almost no all-inclusive resort infrastructure. The Jack Nicklaus golf course next door with its oceanfront holes on the Caribbean Sea is a singular attraction — there is nowhere else in South America where you can tee up with the ocean visible from the fairway. The entertainment program channels Colombian cultural energy authentically, with salsa shows, live music, and beach club nights that feel like a real expression of the local culture rather than a rehearsed resort production.

The resort itself delivers the core Dreams experience reliably: five clean pools, spacious rooms, walk-in dining across multiple outlets, and an Unlimited-Luxury package that actually includes premium spirits. The staff service earns consistent praise for being warm and naturally hospitable — a quality that stands out even compared to well-trained teams at other international resort chains. Families are well served by the Explorer's Club and teens programming, and the five pools mean families and couples can find their own separate zones without conflict. The beach is the most common point of disappointment — and recent guests go further than calling it small: a rock barrier along the shore prevents direct sea entry for swimming, walking the nicer golf-course beach stretch is prohibited, and the pools end up carrying the swim experience.

This resort is the right pick for travelers who want to combine a high-quality all-inclusive beach experience with a genuinely interesting city destination. Cartagena's UNESCO-listed old city is about 20-30 minutes away by taxi and is consistently described as one of the most beautiful colonial cities in the Americas — building in a full-day city exploration is strongly recommended and makes the trip feel culturally complete in a way that purely beach-resort destinations cannot. For golf travelers specifically, the Karibana Club course is a bucket-list experience that is reason enough to book the trip. Compared to Dominican or Mexican alternatives in the Dreams portfolio, Karibana trades beach perfection for cultural richness and golf exclusivity.

Pros

  • +Located next to a Jack Nicklaus-designed 18-hole championship course — the only oceanfront golf holes in all of South America, making this a genuinely rare destination for golf travelers
  • +Vibrant Colombian cultural entertainment including live music, salsa dancing shows, and themed beach club nights that feel authentically energetic rather than generic resort production
  • +Five pools that stay reliably clean and at a comfortable temperature, with enough chairs that guests rarely struggle to find a poolside spot even during peak periods
  • +Walk-in dining policy (no reservations required) with three a la carte restaurants, a buffet, a cafe, and a pool snack bar covering a wide range of tastes
  • +Explorer's Club for Kids and Core Zone Teens Club are included, giving families full-service supervised programming for multiple age groups simultaneously
  • +Direct beachfront location with 266 spacious rooms means ocean views are accessible across a wide range of room categories, not just premium upgrades
  • +Pets allowed policy is a standout differentiator in the all-inclusive category, where most comparable properties do not accommodate traveling with animals
  • +Unlimited-Luxury model includes top-shelf spirits without the downgrade to house brands that frustrates guests at other all-inclusive properties

Cons

  • −The beach is the resort's most disappointing feature per recent guests - a rock barrier along the shorefront prevents direct entry to the sea for swimming, and walking on the nicer beach stretch along the golf course is prohibited; one 2026 review is bluntly titled 'There is no beach here'
  • −As one of only a handful of all-inclusive resorts in Colombia, the property lacks strong regional competition, which some travelers feel shows in pricing that doesn't always match value
  • −Cartagena's Caribbean water is not the crystal turquoise of the Mexican or Dominican coasts — the ocean here is warmer and calmer but the visibility and color are typically less striking
  • −Food quality at the buffet is standard all-inclusive fare and does not match the ambition of the a la carte venues — guests who eat primarily at the buffet often rate the dining less favorably
  • −The resort is not walkable to historic Cartagena's old city — the walled city and tourist center are a 20-30 minute taxi ride from the resort's location in the Karibana district
  • −Nighttime entertainment runs late by Latin American convention, which is energizing for night-owl travelers but disruptive for guests trying to sleep with rooms near the beach club
  • −Golf at the Karibana Club is typically at an additional cost beyond the all-inclusive rate — confirm current inclusions when booking
  • −Being the only major international all-inclusive in the area means transportation options to/from the airport and city are limited to hotel transfers and taxis, with no established shared shuttle network

Common Questions

How far is the resort from historic Cartagena, and is it worth visiting the old city?
The resort is located in the Karibana district, roughly 20-30 minutes by taxi from the center of Cartagena's walled old city. The taxi fare is reasonable, and the old city is consistently considered one of the most beautiful in Latin America — colorful colonial buildings, cobblestone streets, excellent local seafood restaurants, and a vibrant nightlife scene. Most travelers who visit Dreams Karibana specifically recommend building at least one full day in the old city into your itinerary, even if you are primarily at the resort to relax.
Is the Jack Nicklaus golf course included in the all-inclusive rate?
The Karibana Golf Club's 18-hole Jack Nicklaus course is adjacent to the resort but golf fees are typically additional to the all-inclusive package. Confirm the current package inclusions when booking, as occasional promotional packages have included complimentary rounds. The course is considered exceptional by golf travelers and is specifically notable for having the only oceanfront holes in South America — a fact that comes up in nearly every discussion of the resort among golf-focused travelers.
How is the beach? Is the ocean water clear and swimmable?
Manage expectations here. Recent guests report a rock revetment along the shorefront that blocks direct entry to the sea, so ocean swimming from the resort is effectively off the table - the five pools (including a kids pool) are the primary swim option. Walking on the more attractive beach stretch along the golf course is also prohibited. The water color and visibility are typically less striking than the turquoise Caribbean of Cancun or Punta Cana anyway - a regional characteristic of Colombia's coast - so plan on a pool-forward trip with the beach as scenery rather than swimming.
What is the entertainment like at Dreams Karibana?
This is a genuine strength. The nightly entertainment leans into Colombian cultural traditions — salsa and vallenato music, live shows, themed beach club events, and dance performances. Most travelers describe it as more authentically energetic than the generic resort shows at comparable all-inclusives in Mexico or the Dominican Republic. The beach club events run late by Latin American convention, which is a feature for night-owl guests and a potential noise concern for early sleepers in rooms near the beach.
Is Dreams Karibana good for families?
Yes. The Explorer's Club for Kids offers supervised programming for younger children and the Core Zone Teens Club covers the older age group — both are included with the Unlimited-Luxury all-inclusive. Five pools include a dedicated kids pool. The walk-in dining policy means no coordinating reservation times around nap schedules. Guests with pets will also find this one of the only all-inclusive properties that formally accommodates them.
How does Dreams Karibana compare to Dreams resorts in Mexico or the Dominican Republic?
The core experience — Unlimited-Luxury service, walk-in dining, top-shelf drinks, kids clubs — is consistent across the Dreams brand. Karibana's distinguishing features are the Jack Nicklaus golf course, the Colombian cultural entertainment, and the proximity to historic Cartagena, which adds a city-destination dimension that purely beach Dreams properties cannot match. Trade-offs include a smaller beach, less visually dramatic ocean water, and a location that requires more intentional planning to explore beyond the resort. For golf travelers and cultural explorers, Karibana is the best Dreams property; for pure beach-and-pool relaxation, the Mexican properties have an advantage.

Google Rating

4.3(960 Google reviews)

Google Reviews

S K.
a month ago

“I didn't know what to expect, coming to Colombia for the 1st time. So, im happy to report we are in love with the place. The hotel is about 30 minutes from the city, out on a quiet road on the water. The hotel is big and beautiful and we were greeted...”

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