Las Islas

Style

Jungle floozy

Setting

Tropical treetops

Las Islas is an eco-friendly jungle estate a just speedboat ride away from historic Cartagena, with thatched-roof bungalows raised into the canopy on stilts, and a white-sand beach lapped by emerald sea. Caribbean and Peruvian flavours are cooked up in the overwater restaurant and barbecue-focused beach bar, and there’s an indulgent spa with a saltwater pool. But, despite its big-resort credentials, there’s a decidedly small-scale feel here – the hand-woven rope floors, bamboo bathrooms and colourful hammocks are all made by local artisans, and you might meet a free-roaming iguana as you cycle around the grounds.

Facilities

Rooms

55, including one suite.

Checkout

Noon, check-in 3pm. You can check-out as late as 6pm and check-in as early as 8am, but you’ll be charged half of the nightly rate.

More Details

Rates include a buffet breakfast, with options including the local speciality arepas and fresh fruit.

Also

Bungalows 12 and 19 are set up for wheelchair users, and all common areas are accessible, thanks to ramps and elevators across the resort.

Fitness Center

Free Internet Access

Laundry

Pet Friendly

Pool

On-Site Restaurant

Room Service

Spa

At the Hotel

Free WiFi, kayaks, bikes. In rooms: TV with DVD player, Nespresso machine, minibar, air-conditioning, video intercom, free bottled water.

Our Favourite Rooms

Bungalow 30 has an oversized private pool and sweeping sea views; Tintipan is the owner’s favourite, so snag that if he hasn’t got in there first. The connecting bungalows 21 and 22 (Serrano and Quitasueño) are best for families.

Poolside

There are two pools – one at the spa, with saltwater cascading over its infinity edge, and another at the clubhouse, surrounded by tropical flora and with trees overhead for shade.

Spa

The Niña Daniela spa has high-tech kit for neurostimulation alongside some of the old classics – a Turkish bath, sauna and Jacuzzi. Try a stress-busting body wrap here, in your room, or out on a treatment bed in the open air.

Packing Tips

Leave space in your case – the small resort boutique sells the kind of locally made handicrafts you’ll want to take to all your friends back home (and keep a few for yourself).

Also

The local community is actively involved in the all aspects of the resort – more than 90 per cent of the staff hail from the area, and the hammocks are handwoven in a nearby town.

Children

All ages are welcome. Under-3s are only allowed in ground-level bungalows; cots can be added for free.

Gallery

Food & Drink

Top Table

As close as you can to the sea – for the good views and convenience when you go for a post-pudding dip.

Dress Code

Leave the leopard-skin loincloth at home (this isn't the place to go full-Tarzan); light linens and beachwear are the thing.

Hotel Restaurant

You can swim right up to the overwater Tía Coco restaurant, and take a seat on a Philippe Starck chair, ready for breakfast or lunch; expect plenty of seafood on the menu, including Caribbean-style grilled fish. In the towering Clubhouse lodge, Las Guacas does relaxed date-night dinners under the corocillo cane chandeliers. Plus, the ceviche is sublime. For a healthy post-gym juice (or just an ice cream), drop by Los Mangos Cafeteria.

Hotel Bar

Climb the spiral staircase to the top of the clubhouse and you’ll be greeted by 360-degree views at Las Islas bar; pick a fresh-fruit cocktail from the menu, and settle onto a sofa for sunset. Monaprieta is a bite-sized beachside bar for afternoon cocktails and occasional live music – jazz or classical, usually. Down on the beach itself is Choco (named after the owner’s dog), where you can order heaving plates of barbecue lobster and arroz con coco to go with your Kola Román.

Last Orders

Breakfast is served in Tía Coco from 6:30pm to 10:30pm. Los Mangos is open from 9am to 6pm, Choco is open from 9am to 6pm, and Las Guacas is open from 6:30pm to 10:30pm. Monaprieta is open from 10am till 5pm; Las Islas bar serves drinks 24 hours a day.

Planes

You can fly direct to Cartagena’s Rafael Núñez International from several US cities including New York and Miami; if you’re coming from Europe, the only nonstop flight is with KLM from Amsterdam. The journey from the airport is a mini adventure (in a good way) – you’ll take a private car to the port, and then hop onboard a speedboat (shared and private options are both available – costs vary) to the island; it takes an hour and a half in total. If you’re tying in a visit to Cartagena, they can pick you up from the city instead.

Automobiles

You could hire a car from the airport or the city of Cartagena, but it’s not worth the trouble – once you’re at the hotel, there are plenty of guided excursions to keep you busy (and safe).

Worth Getting Out of Bed For

Outside your bungalow you’ll find a pair of Isla's Panda e-bikes – borrow them and make tracks through the forest to every corner of the resort. Swim to the floating platform offshore, or just paddle in the shallows with a snorkel. Climb into a glass-bottomed kayak and navigate the mangroves, or test your balance on a stand-up paddleboard; later, sign up to the night boat tour and stare wide-eyed at bioluminescent plankton. To learn the secrets behind Caribbean and Colombian cuisine, sign up to chef-led cooking class. The island is practically surrounded by the Parque Nacional Natural Corales del Rosario y de San Bernardo, a largely underwater national park with 170 species of fish and the most vibrant coral reef in Colombia – don your snorkel, and dive in. Ornithologists rejoice – Colombia’s national aviary is just a few minutes’ drive away, and has over 130 different species of indigenous birds. If you prefer your birdlife wild and free, join a tour to the Canal del Dique, which divides the peninsula ("island”) of Barú from Cartagena. For an unforgettable day trip, fly by helicopter to the Ciudad Perdida (Lost City), deep in the Sierra Nevada mountains – think Machu Picchu, without the crowds. The flight takes an hour and a half, and you can stop mid-trek for lunch with the indigenous Kogui people in a remote village. You can’t come to Las Islas without visiting colonial Cartagena, where colourful, crumbling mansions line the streets and you’re never too far from a party.

Earn or Redeem Points with World of Hyatt

This Mr & Mrs Smith hotel participates in the World of Hyatt loyalty program. As a member, you can earn and redeem points and enjoy exclusive benefits for qualifying nights. .