Isla Los Erizos EcoHouse
Location: Isla de Rosario Isleta, Isla Grande, co
Star Rating: 8.1 Stars
Property Type: Hotels
About this Property
Sustainable Paradise
Seaside Dining Experience
Adventure Awaits
Book your stay at Eco Hotel Los Erizos for an unforgettable eco-friendly getaway. Indulge in delicious meals at our on-site restaurant while overlooking the crystal-clear waters. Explore the vibrant marine life through activities like snorkeling, diving, and fishing. With a prime location just a short distance from Cartagena de Indias and Barú, you'll have the perfect balance of seclusion and accessibility. Let our concierge service cater to your every need, ensuring a stress-free and memorable stay.
Important Information
Guests are required to show a photo ID and credit card upon check-in. Please note that all Special Requests are subject to availability and additional charges may apply.
Payment before arrival by bank transfer is required. The property will contact you after you book to provide instructions.
Please inform of your expected arrival time in advance. You can use the Special Requests box when booking, or contact the property directly using the contact details in your confirmation.
Policies
Check-in: 01:00 PM - 02:00 PM
Check-out: 12:00 PM
Amenities & Facilities
- Guest education on local ecosystems and culture
- Non-smoking rooms
- Restaurant
- Room service
- Terrace
- Family rooms
- Express check-in/check-out
- Safety deposit box
- Tour desk
- Massage services
- Packed lunches
- Private check-in/check-out
- Board games/puzzles
- Shuttle service (additional charge)
- Grocery deliveries
- Kid meals
- Public Bath
- Fruits
- Staff adhere to local safety protocols
- Guest rooms disinfected between stays
- Cleaning standards that are effective against Coronavirus
- Physical distancing rules followed
- Hand sanitizer in guest room and key areas
- Cashless payment available
- Fire extinguishers
- First aid kit available
- Sanitized tableware & silverware
- Contactless check-in/check-out
- Invoice provided
- Guests can opt-out any cleaning services during stay
- Shared stationery like menus, pens are removed
- Guest room sealed after cleaning
- Property cleaned by professional cleaning companies
- Physical distancing in dining areas
- Food delivered to guest room
- CCTV outside property
- Process in place to check health of guests
- Screens / Barriers between staff and guests for safety
- 24-hour security
- Security alarm
- Thermometers for guests provided by property
- Mobile app for room service
- Television in common areas
- Front desk (limited hours)
- Express check-in
- Free wired internet
- Scuba diving on site
- Snorkeling on site
- Pool sun loungers
- Private beach nearby
- Internet access
- Housekeeping on request
- Wine release events
- Reception hall
- Japanese garden
- Fishing nearby
- Beach club nearby (surcharge)
- Hosted evening meal (reserve)
- Beach toys
- Guest education on local ecosystems and culture
- Accessible shuttle
- No accessible shuttle
Rooms Available
-
Standard Double Room
Providing free toiletries, this double room includes a private bathroom with a shower. Among the room amenities are a private entrance, a wardrobe, a safe deposit box as well as an outdoor dining area and sea views. The unit offers 1 bed.
Max Occupancy: 2 (2 Adults)
- Shower
- Safety deposit box
- Fan
- Private bathroom
- Additional toilet
- Private entrance
- Tile/marble floor
- Wardrobe or closet
- Additional bathroom
- Linen
- Outdoor furniture
- Outdoor dining area
- Entire unit located on ground floor
- Clothes rack
- Toilet paper
- Board games/puzzles
- Trash cans
- Shampoo
- Conditioner
- Socket near the bed
- Key access
- Hand sanitiser
-
Standard Double Room
Offering free toiletries, this double room includes a private bathroom with a shower. Among the room amenities are a private entrance, a wardrobe, a safe deposit box as well as an outdoor dining area and sea views. The unit has 1 bed.
Max Occupancy: 2 (2 Adults)
- Shower
- Safety deposit box
- Fan
- Private bathroom
- Additional toilet
- Private entrance
- Tile/marble floor
- Wardrobe or closet
- Additional bathroom
- Linen
- Outdoor furniture
- Outdoor dining area
- Entire unit located on ground floor
- Clothes rack
- Toilet paper
- Board games/puzzles
- Trash cans
- Shampoo
- Conditioner
- Socket near the bed
- Key access
- Hand sanitiser
-
Basic Triple Room
Featuring free toiletries, this triple room includes a private bathroom with a shower. Among the room amenities are a private entrance, a wardrobe, a tiled floor as well as a patio and garden views. The unit has 2 beds.
Max Occupancy: 3 (3 Adults)
- Shower
- Fan
- Private bathroom
- Additional toilet
- Private entrance
- Tile/marble floor
- Wardrobe or closet
- Additional bathroom
- Linen
- Outdoor furniture
- Outdoor dining area
- Entire unit located on ground floor
- Clothes rack
- Toilet paper
- Board games/puzzles
- Trash cans
- Shampoo
- Conditioner
- Socket near the bed
- Key access
- Hand sanitiser
-
Standard Family Room
This air-conditioned family room features a private bathroom, a private entrance, a wardrobe as well as a patio. The unit offers 2 beds.
Max Occupancy: 5 (5 Adults)
- Shower
- Air conditioning
- Fan
- Private bathroom
- Additional toilet
- Private entrance
- Tile/marble floor
- Wardrobe or closet
- Additional bathroom
- Linen
- Outdoor furniture
- Outdoor dining area
- Entire unit located on ground floor
- Clothes rack
- Toilet paper
- Board games/puzzles
- Trash cans
- Shampoo
- Conditioner
- Socket near the bed
- Key access
- Single-room air conditioning for guest accommodation
- Hand sanitiser
-
Economy Quadruple Room
This quadruple room features a private bathroom, a private entrance and sea views. The unit offers 2 beds.
Max Occupancy: 5 (5 Adults)
- Shower
- Fan
- Private bathroom
- Additional toilet
- Private entrance
- Tile/marble floor
- Wardrobe or closet
- Additional bathroom
- Linen
- Outdoor furniture
- Outdoor dining area
- Entire unit located on ground floor
- Clothes rack
- Toilet paper
- Board games/puzzles
- Trash cans
- Shampoo
- Conditioner
- Socket near the bed
- Key access
- Hand sanitiser
-
Triple Room with Terrace
The triple room features a private entrance, a wardrobe, a terrace with garden views as well as a private bathroom boasting a shower. The unit has 2 beds.
Max Occupancy: 3 (3 Adults)
- Shower
- Fan
- Private bathroom
- Additional toilet
- Private entrance
- Hardwood or parquet floors
- Wardrobe or closet
- Additional bathroom
- Terrace
- Linen
- Outdoor furniture
- Outdoor dining area
- Entire unit located on ground floor
- Clothes rack
- Toilet paper
- Board games/puzzles
- Trash cans
- Shampoo
- Conditioner
- Socket near the bed
- Key access
- Hand sanitiser
-
Superior Bungalow
Boasting a private entrance, this air-conditioned bungalow features 1 bedroom and 1 bathroom with a shower. The bungalow has a terrace with outdoor furniture and sea views where you can relax. The unit has 1 bed.
Max Occupancy: 2 (2 Adults)
- Shower
- Air conditioning
- Fan
- Private bathroom
- Additional toilet
- Private entrance
- Hardwood or parquet floors
- Wardrobe or closet
- Additional bathroom
- Terrace
- Linen
- Outdoor furniture
- Outdoor dining area
- Upper floors accessible by stairs only
- Clothes rack
- Toilet paper
- Board games/puzzles
- Trash cans
- Shampoo
- Conditioner
- Socket near the bed
- Key access
- Single-room air conditioning for guest accommodation
- Hand sanitiser
Guest Reviews
- Belais (10/5): Un angolo di pace - Staff gentilissimo, cibo ottimo
- arianna (10/5): -
- Monica (1/5): -
- GerbenV (10/5): -
- Victor (7/5): Great times - Friendly staff and very eco vibes Not much of an actual beach area
- Anne Piron- Lambion (10/5): -
- FRANCK (10/5): Super tranquille 😉 - Calme et tranquillité
Idéalement situé pour le sunset
Restauration de qualité
La gentillesse des gens
Idéal pour se ressourcer
- Miguel (9/5): -
- Jhoan Sebastian (8/5): -
- Anne (2/5): Bruyant, pas de plage, repas très bof! - Les langoustes Le lieu l’emplacement la différence entre les photos et la réalité
- Matera (10/5): -
- Lo Spagnuolo (6/5): A ne pas y aller - Ma chambre , quand il y avait de l électricité, car c était couper en journée La photo prise dans les air du ponton et de l hotel ne ressemble pas du tout a sa , des travaux sur le ponton une toute petite plage pour aller ce baigner cote droit a gauche trop de travaux pour aller ce baigner, on passe par un ta de sable de de ciment, avec des outils rouillé , et a l arrière de l hotel une décharge
- Melisa (9/5): Una buena estadía - El desayuno era exquisito y completo; el personal, muy gentil. El lugar, increíble... el mar y su proximidad del hotel es inmejorable. Creo que en la habitación falta un mueble para poner la ropa y la cama debería ser un poco más confortable.
- Fleiderman (7/5): El personal es muy amable pero tienen mal manejo de la logística y del uso de los espacios comunes - Muy linda ubicación. La isla es muy tranquila y se puede pasear en lancha por las islas de alrededor Ofrecen almuerzo a tours que van a pasar el día, por lo que hay mucha gente en la zona para nadar, música fuerte y las embarcaciones tapan la vista
- Kai (8/5): Echtes Karibik-Feeling auf einer Mini-Insel - Tolle Bademöglichkeit
- Hannah (3/5): No service. Very average food. Book somewhere else! - It was in a good location with a nice deck and pier to swim in the ocean. Overall this place was quite disappointing. The food was exceptionally slow. The first day we ordered lobster, corvina fish and grilled chicken (for my celiac friend which they assured was gf). Beforehand we had asked about kitchen preparation and ability to provide safe gf food for my friend. She didn’t get sick but at one point served fries on the same plate not guaranteeing it was gf safe and then asked for some plain rice instead and proceeded to tell her the rice grain wasn’t gf (bizarre considering its the main gf substitute carb). They later told us the lobster was no longer available as we chose to have another corvina fish. 2 hours later 1 corvina fish came and without telling us after changing the lobster to corvina had cancelled the second crovina order, all without our knowledge, resulting in one of us having no lunch! If you order a cocktail it takes at least 30-60 min to arrive and at one point after waiting 45 min they apparently ran out of tequila so we had to order something different. Every meal we ordered took at least an hour so we started order 1.5 hours early and telling them when we wanted to eat. The saving grace was the nearby hotel Coralina island which has lovely food and service and they were more than happy to host us. Better food, gorgeous sun beds and lovely French owner who showed us great hospitality. We went back the next day for lunch and following day for breakfast to avoid our hotel. Our rooms were clean and sufficient but the power shuts off in the morning until night and the bathroom door didn’t shut properly not offering proper privacy. We won’t be coming back here. Service is so slow and just a let down every time. We enjoyed our time on the Rosario islands due to spending our days at Coralina Island hotel next door and the beautiful landscapes . Do yourself a favour and pick somewhere else to stay.
- Maite (7/5): Un lugar muy familiar con unas vistas espectaculares y un atardecer precioso. Buena comida. - Un sitio muy familiar con buena energia, comodo y facil de llegar . Buen desayuno y comida exquisita. Llegan muchos barcos a la hora de la comida y se genera mucho ruido. La espera para comer y cenar era muy larga.
- marques (10/5): -
- Sophie (6/5): Relaxing sometimes - The quiet before the day trippers arrive. The lovely staff. Lack of food hygiene, toilet not always flushing, cold water and no shower curtain. No head board.
- Carol (10/5): Volveré sin duda alguna. Lo amé - Todos fueron súper amables! Atención 10/10
La comida es deliciosa 20/10
Mantienen limpios los espacios.
Los precios son bastante razonables.
La habitación fue cómoda. El flujo del agua no es mucha pero se entiende por las condiciones de la isla.
La vista es espectacular, el mar se ve con todos sus colores, en la mañana hay muchos peces cerca al muelle y al coral.
El fin de semana llegan botes para que la gente almuerce pero esto a mi no me incomodó. Es más tranqui en semana.
Hay un espacio de playa para nadar con tranquilidad.
Tuve una estadía de 4 días y quiero volver una semana completa!
Gracias a todos por todo! No tengo ninguna queja ni sugerencias. Usualmente tengo observaciones cuando visito un lugar perp esta vez no.
- miguel (8/5): -
- Ndilyo (10/5): - Loved my stay here. Super calm, beautiful spot right by the sea with crystal-clear water — perfect for swimming and watching the sunset. The staff were incredibly kind, and the seafood they catch and cook themselves is amazing. My bungalow was cozy with AC, own bathroom and a fan. It’s a remote island, so water pressure and electricity are basic, but that’s totally fine. If you’re looking for peace, nature, and good vibes, this is it. Very offbeat and far from noise.
- AUDE (7/5): - L’emplacement Les chambres très délabrés , sans climatisation
- Ilan (6/5): Pleasant - Very exposed to the local native island life, which some may or may not prefer. Not much to do besides the beach, and the beach is kinda small. Rooms were nothing special, but it is one of the most affordable places in the rosario islands, so that was expected.
- John (4/5): Unprepared for guests - Perfect setting; nice staff No AC or running water during the day! Advertising on booking.com not accurate. Not a single mirror in private room. Nothing soft to sit on anywhere. Food was ok, but it took forever to get. For example, 45 minutes in am to get coffee; an hour to get dinner after placing order. Unfortunately, despite setting, I would not recommend
- Mats (9/5): Superb - The food was amazing. The location was great as well. Can definitely recommend borrowing a kayak and paddle around. Bring snorkeling great Some fresh paint and small fixes would make a big difference at this place. It was a little "rustic" :)
- Emily (10/5): Exceptional - Peaceful and quiet, great little beach and dock with lounge chairs, friendly staff, yummy food
- Rincon (9/5): Superb - local staff, good service and good food all was good
- Maureen (7/5): Good - The staff is wonderful. Super friendly and welcoming. The restaurant is a popular stop for day trippers, so it gets very busy between 11:30-3:30. Large crowds, loud music, they take over the dock and interrupts the chill vibe. Also, the kitchen is busy so takes a long time to get your lunch. Not relaxing at all during those hours.
- David (4/5): It was supposed to be a relaxing beach stay but was far from relaxing. - The space was quiet before around 10:30am and after around 5pm and you could sit outside peacefully. Food was, overall, not bad. The location was used by hordes of people for lunches which meant from around 10:30 to 5pm it was noisy, crowded, with boats continually pulling up, belching out petrol fumes, often with loud music, etc. There were very few options to escape to quieter areas. One evening they seemed to run out of most food options. Room had no air con but was open to the outside and used fans to cool. There was no safe, as stated on the descriptions, and no private outside eating area. No fridge in the room for cooling water. The shower didn't work for a couple of hours one evening and, when it did, was a single, narrow tap-like slow stream of lukewarm water.
- Max (10/5): Exceptional - Location, staff, food and overall vibe were perfect for us to relax a few days completely care free. All our needs were always adressed
- Carlos (2/5): Honest - The location The rooms were terrible, not like shown in the pictures
- Jessica (10/5): Exceptional - Amazing food and a great spot to swim! Activities they organise for you if they ask! Way better than the bigger island, a lot more chill and better!
- Lucila (9/5): Superb -
- Clodagh (6/5): Pleasant -
- Erik (6/5): Pleasant - Remote island This hotel does also accept motor boats with extreme load music. This is making the island to a disco.
- Sherron (8/5): Nice -
- Latino (1/5): Double charged on the payment of our stay. - The sea. Rooms were very basic. They double charged our card (nearly 200 euro) and 2 months later we are still waiting for them to refund us. Very poor customer service.
- Katherine (7/5): Good -
- Andrea (5/5): Basic and cheapest option if you are on a budget, low expectation, and strong adaptability. - close by there is another resort and beach club were we spent 90% of the time. The place was surrounded by garbage, very small space to stand, swim, sunbathe. Very basic services overall and not super welcoming. We felt multiple times like they didn't like having people around.
- Marco (9/5): Superb -
- Marina (1/5): Overbooked us and wasted a lot of our time to find a solution - I want to make sWhen we arrived at the hotel after a boat ride from Cartagena, they informed us that our room had been overbooked. They had only realized this that morning and failed to notify us in advance. It took them over 3 hours to find an alternative for us, and we ended up having to research available options ourselves. The host initially refused to acknowledge their mistake and claimed there was poor signal to communicate with other hotels. However, we discovered that most accommodations were already booked or more expensive, and the host was reluctant to cover the additional costs. After contacting her, expressing our dissatisfaction, and presenting her with an alternative option we had found online, she agreed. This caused us to lose a significant part of our morning on the island. Additionally, the host was absent, so her staff had to handle the situation and make calls to her for us to speak with her directly.
- Nadhem (8/5): Paradisiaque - Extraordinary location, nice facilities clear water, pure tranquility facing the sea. Nice island not crowded with tourists at all the food was delicious The weekend there is loud yachts come eat at the restaurant but they are frequent on all the islands i think
- Masashi (6/5): Pleasant -
- Sarah (1/5): I left immediately to another property. They still charged me for the stay. And that took 45 min due to there was no WiF - Islands are always nice We arrived no electricity or wifi and food expensive and no swimable beach. The girls there were young and not wanting to discuss any thing to do or options
- Kate (5/5): Needs to offer drinking water after 8pm - The dock was nice and a great place to swim! Views were also nice. We had a tasty welcome drink and the staff were available in the day to help with anything we needed. The bar closed at 8pm and we were unable to buy water after this. The staff were nowhere to be found and there was nowhere else to buy water nearby. This meant that one night there was a group of 7 different guests looking for water and we had to walk through the island in the dark searching for other resorts with water. It would be beneficial to have a water dispensar on site. Also very limited vegetarian options which made us not want to eat there every day. Good food if you eat fish.
- Deanna (10/5): Very beautiful - The location is wonderful. The staff was very nice and welcoming. It's very relaxing and peaceful. Nothing I didn't like
- Simona (8/5): Very good - Right on the sea and very kind and attentive staff We like everything
- Luis (8/5): Very good - Staff and view
We love the Island There were some guests that were very loud around 3 am -4:30 am and there was not control from staff, however, we understand that they may not notice the noise.
- Lily (10/5): Exceptional - We had an amazing stay here! Isleta is very quiet and laid back, with some good options to spend the day at the beach at another hotel 5 mins from this one (for example Coralina hotel) while staying and eating at this way cheaper accomodation with good and clean rooms (more like huts). It even has a deck with nice sun beds to go into the water from, you could easily spend an entire day at this accomodation itself as well. Nothing!
- Juan (10/5): Exceptional -
- Loic (9/5): Superb -
- Homa (7/5): Beautiful location, nice food, kind staff - The location was stunning, food great and staff very nice. Rooms were spotless. Was v good value for money The rooms were boiling at night - even with 2 big fans.
- Jv (8/5): Very good -
- Marte (8/5): Very good - The location is fantastic, because the hotel has only a few rooms it gets really quiet at night and you can really get a nice feel for the area. The tours we did were with three other people so we could snorkel as long as we like. We especially loved seeing the plankton at night. The shower could be better, but what would you expect of such a small island. The food is either amazing or so so, just choose the local food such as cochora and you are golden.
- Alison (3/5): Poor - The cousin or friend who brought us out snorkelling was amazing. He showed us loads and then let us go to a different hotel to chill for a few hours According to the address on booking.com it says it's Isla Grande which it's actually on Isla Marina. This island is very small and you cant walk around without a guide.
Some of the staff kept laughing at us for our lack of Spanish.
No one else was staying at the hostel the first night and so it felt strange being the only guests there.
But the worst of it was when we arranged to be dropped back in the morning to Cartagena through our hostel. We were not dropped to the main port but rather a different one that was covered in rubbish and felt very dodgy and unsafe for tourists. Our hostel didn't tell us this information and this was really infuriating. We had to walk nearly an hour to get out of that area and only safe once we were far away
- Jake (3/5): Poor - Some staff were nice. Felt like we were being scammed whenever possible, prices quoted were different to their list of prices. Be aware this is not of the main island so there is virtually nothing in the island.
Charged 100,000 COP to go to Isla Grande when the listed price was 30,000, we get there and are told by ‘security’ that we are not allowed to walk round the island or go to any of the restaurants. Charged 80,000 for a 5 minute boat to Oceanarium when listed price was 55,000.
Had a cockroach in our bed.
Food was ok but not great if you don’t like seafood.
Service was awful sometimes waited over an hour for food.
- Una (8/5): Lovely eco stay - Beautiful location. Friendly staff. Decent food. Close to Oceanarium. Jumping off the dock. The heat in the rooms despite the two fans (expected). The boats that pull in for lunch block the dock
- Ian (8/5): Almost perfect, but . . . . - Location is beautiful and peaceful. Away from the bigger island and busier resorts. Food is excand staff are very good. It's a popular lunchtime destination, so rich arrogant boat owners show up blaring music and acting like they own the place. It's a real shame that spoils an otherwise perfect place.
- Claudia (9/5): Superb - Great staff, food, and location. It was great value for money and we'd recommend anyone travelling on a budget to stay here! The rooms were clean and everyone was very friendly and helpful. No AC in rooms
A little loud at times
- Thomas (8/5): Very good - The cocktails.
Helpful and friendly staff.
Nice area for swimming and sunbathing. Although this is our fault for not checking before we booked, this isn't actually on Isla Grande, so you have to pay to get a boat across to Isla Grande (or swim a long way). Ideally we wanted to stay on Isla Grande so that we could walk around and explore easily.
If you don't like fish then the food here is a bit limiting.
- Francesca (9/5): Lovely stay - The staff was great. They were very attentive and caring.
The location was really pretty and relaxed. We could enjoy lovely food and cocktails. Many people come to eat at the restaurant, and that creates a less peaceful environment because of many boats/yachts approaching the island.
- Karim (4/5): different experience - quite and beautiful scenery accommodations and staff
- Elo (10/5): A laid back lovely little hostel with super sweet staff:) -
- Dora (8/5): Very good -
- Heiki (9/5): Local feeling getaway paradise - Super nice views and not too touristy. More of a local homestay feeling. Not overcrowded and can just enjoy the sounds of nature, with some roosters in the background 😀
Boat ride there and back could be a separate adventure. Especially when the waves are high. - Internet - no mobile data or internet in the room. Outside sometimes yes, sometimes no.
- Food - Ordering food is messy. They sometimes forget you and sometimes you have to wait for an hour to get your drinks.
Food prices are kind of high too. For Colombia atleast.
- Transportation - Much confusion when getting on the boat. Ladys walking around and making calls non stop, but nothing happens and nobody knows anything. Just wait. Took over an hour waiting in the harbour so bring a lots of water!
- Angela (8/5): Very good - The food was great. It was quiet and serene. The boat trip on the return had an unexpected stop in Baru which is not mentioned neither from the hotel or the agency they push to use to get there. The unexpected stop is a trick to urge and trap tourists into stopping at the beach and spend money (oftentimes way over an agreed price or terms). This was unpleasant and I was not the only tourist taken on this ride. Next time I will use a hotel with its own boat and not use outside services.
They could afford to offer snacks and other foods available while the kitchen was closed. Fruit, chips, etc.
- Anonymous (4/5): Disappointing -
- Jerome (8/5): amazing sunset in a calm bay - the view and the calm in the morning and in the evening; comfortable beds; the possibility to escape for a good lunch at islabella hotel the lunch when too many boats & people arrive from outside. the bottle of water for 5000 and the price of the rest of food and drinks in general.
- Andres (7/5): Good - The personel and the food There was no mosquito net in the room I stayed, though in other rooms there was
- Cecily (4/5): We left within 10 minutes - The room was a little dated but comfortable enough, we got a welcome cocktail and the staff were understanding when we wanted to immediately leave again. Where to start:
- wouldn't let us cancel or suddenly became unreaponsive. We booked this based on reviews but quickly tried to change our mind and cancel on the same day. Despite having been very responsive when we booked, the hotel never replied to my cancellation request so we felt obliged to go ahead as planned to avoid being charged.
- unfriendly welcome. We stepped off the boat and were greeted by a young chap who barely smiled at us. I don't speak lots of Spanish (my fault, not his) but I speak enough to check into a hotel and understand information about our room, tours, food etc, but he barely tried. Spoke at high speed, didn't give us the WiFi, didn't share any information about tours, didn't give us a tour of the site, just showed us to our room and left us. I had to ask for all that.
Only guests - we were the only people there except the staff. It's high season, it shouldn't be empty.
Only men - the staff were male, there were also two random men at the bar who didn't smile or greet us at all. We're two women travelling together and unfortunately we found this very intimidating, especially as we were the only guests.
- lack of space - the relaxation area was essentially a jetty with boats coming and going. One big boat was blocking the view from the jetty and more came along in our brief time there. As a result it didn't feel safe to swim in case a boat came along. There were no other relaxation spaces either as the small beach area was penned in by boats too.
- expensive for what it is. We ended up staying somewhere else for the night instead which had cheaper tours, food half the price, free snorkels (I was told snorkels would be 20,000 here) and a much cheaper room.
Given all the above we left shortly after arriving and moved to another hotel. We had to pay the full price for the night sadly, despite having received little service from them, but we didn't regret our decision for a second.
- Stefan (10/5): Wonderful and private place - I can totally recommend this place!
A very nice place, with a privat beach facing to the east, so you have the best view for the sunset.
We stayed 2 nights and were the only guests.
The view and nature is wonderful especially as the place is very quiet so you see a lot of special birds and fish.
They offer some activities and we booked the snorkeling for a fair price as it was very privat, just us too, and two persons from the hotel.
The restaurant is very good but be prepared that they mostly serve fish, obviously.
In the morning they head out to the ocean to catch crayfish which you can eat at the restaurant and you choose your own catch fresh from the water.
The place has a lot of shady places for the hot time at noon. The WiFi could be a bit better.
It's true that some day tours dock at the beach and yes, they can be annoying but mostly they were normal guests and left after a few hours.
We only had some disturbing ones at Friday because their boat was so big it blocked the wonderful view.
- Valen (10/5): Beautiful local place to enjoy the sea and have a relaxed experience - The location, the view, the food, the people who works there. the sunset is gorgeous. it’s a great local place. It’s perfect to feel the island vibe and have a beautiful sea.
you can also do some kayak At noon, they receive a lot of boats and people. And the park right where you get in the water so it’s almost impossible to do it, or enjoy the view, while they’re there having lunch.
and also the could improve a lot the cleaning part specially the bathroom.
- Juancabeu (8/5): Very good -
- Matthew (8/5): Great value ecohotel, excellent food! - 9/10 Breakfast (several options, inc. arepas, eggs & fruit)
9/10 Staff (most staff are friendly and went above & beyond. In parts, lacking in hospitality experience)
10/10 Location (15m walk to the beach from the room!)
8/10 Facilities (basic room & bathroom - expected for ecohotel & price. Restaurant has GREAT seafood & is inexpensive)
9/10 Value For Money (would recommend this budget-friendly, family-run hotel with opportunity to improve) Slightly rough around the edges, but that met our expectation.
Mosquito net available, though had to ask for it (staff didn't hesitate)
- Rosa (10/5): Idyllic - Isla Marina is a small island right next to Isla Grande - much quieter and much more private. We took one of the many shuttles departing from the harbour and , after an adventurous sea journey, arrived perfectly on time for a lovely reception by the kind staff.
The hotel is small with only 5 rooms, which means that you almost have a private beach/dock. They have an excellent restaurant and bar on-site, which means that in the afternoons, some boats come to visit and have lunch (fresh lobster straight from the trap!) here for a few hours. But the mornings and evenings are idyllic and private: the sunsets in the calm bay are spectacular.
I read some reviews that were unhappy with the lack of beach: it's true that the actual beach is only a few metres wide. This is more than what we saw anywhere on the island(s) - most use their docks with comfortable lounge chairs, as did this ecohouse. It's really not an issue at all. Additionally, because the ecohouse is in the middle of a small bay, the water is perfectly calm and pleasant for swimming, with no strong waves or currents.
- Gerry (10/5): Loved the Rosario Islands! - Loved the mojarra fish; the staff was very friendly; staff was helpful in arranging from transportation to another island and back to Cartagena. It was fine the way it was.
- Elena (8/5): Wonderful cove with green water, a quiet place before and after the "yacht attack" - We stayed 2 nights and had a relaxing time. It was mostly sunny and the water there is amazing and calm because it's a cove, so you can swim around without scary streams. The sandy beach is really small but nice in the early morning, then it gets occupied by boats. You mainly use the dock to access the sea. The business is run by a local family / community. They keep everything clean, we saw them working from 7 am to late night, including taking out bottles from the water and the mangroves. They have some vegetarian options in the menu and the cocktails were very nice. The room was very simple and clean (they ask if you need cleaning every morning) and there is a mosquito net for the bed. People who left really bad reviews should probably understand where they are going before they book. We were worried before arriving there, reading some terrible reviews, but what we got what exactly what we knew and looked for. I guess some privileged tourists want to have a cheap stay and the exotic esthetic of roofs made with leaves and also have a 5 stars gentrified resort as well. Some also complain about the bar closing at 8. We were actually happy to have peace in the evening and sleep early so that we could wake up fresh at 6/7 am and enjoy the bay all by ourselves in the best hours of the day and see the life of the island slowly starting. The boats that take you there from Cartagena as partners of the structure (I think the name is Mary Cruz/ Cartagena Life Travelers) are the worst part of the experience. They are too small for this kind of distance in the open sea, the crew doesn't seem professional and reliable at all. Going there, one of the engines of our boat failed and they had to fix it in the middle of the see. We saw the same happen to the other boat that left just before us. There was a hole next to me and water came in and they didn't seem to care about it. On the way back to Cartagena there were big waves and they drove this small boat at full speed anyway, just heading straight, and it was really a scary experience, especially knowing that they obviously don't have a constant maintenance and checks on their boats. If you go there, do yourself a favor and pay a little more to find another way to reach the island with a proper boat. Regarding our stay at the hotel, the only negative side are the yachts that come and dock at the pier from around 11:30 to 4/4:30 pm for lunch and cocktails. Some of them leave their music at a crazy volume for their whole stay and from what we could see they are mostly rich arrogant people and there is no way to have them lower the volume. We once tried to ask them to, but they completely ignored the request. It made us feel powerless and basically it becomes their own place in the middle of the day. But I think this issue is found in any place that offers good food and drinks on the island. However the loud music issue should be addressed in the future if they want foreign tourist to keep on coming and enjoy their stay. The boats that carry the guests from Cartagena also dock at the pier for several hours and ine of them occupies the small beach. All this said, we had plenty of time to enjoy the sea and the peace from 7am to 11am and from 4 pm to sunset. On Sunday evening it was just the two of us in the whole place and it was magic.
- Stephen (9/5): Superb -
- Desislava (5/5): Passable -
- Gerard (1/5): considering the price, it is a fraud - not much The “eco” mention is only an excuse for offering poor and cheap services and facilities, no light during the day, no AC, bad beds, no real beach.
for the rest, you have to live with undesired bugs, stray dogs, noisy yachts taking the small space available at the pier, and a terrible service.
- Dinara (10/5): It was an amazing and memorable experience for me and my now-fiancé - The stuff is super helpful and kind. The place offers different activities in the area such as canoeing, snorkling on bioluminescentic beach, bar and good food.
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