It's been about 10 years since I first started hearing about post-cartel Colombia and the accompanying tourism and hotel development in the country. So I was a little surprised at the shocked reactions I got when I told people I was going to Cartagena.
I'm sure the slew of recent television shows about Pablo Escobar and the 1970s and '80s cocaine cowboy era hasn't helped. But perhaps they've done the country a favor, helping it maintain that still-authentic mix of old and new, big city vs. Caribbean beach resort destination vibe that makes this town a must-see on the luxury travel bucket list.
But go soon. International visitor arrivals have grown more than 250% over the last decade. While Colombia officials said they are still battling perception problems because of the country's past, especially in Europe, they are seeing increased airlift, including the recent addition of a direct flight from Amsterdam to Cartagena. Several new luxury brands have or are about to open in Cartagena.
My trip was sponsored by the InterContinental Cartagena de Indias, a modern luxury high-rise in the exclusive neighborhood of Bocagrande and just across the street from one of the city's most popular beaches.
With its large, modern rooms, an infinity pool with views of the beach; the Old City and nightly sunsets; and two restaurants and a lounge, the year-old hotel offers all the modern comforts one would expect from the InterContinental brand.
At the same time, it's just five minutes away from Cartagena's main tourist attraction, the walled Old City, built by the Spanish at the beginning of the 16th century to protect what was South America's most important port from pirates and other hostile forces.
The Interno restaurant is in an outdoor hall of the San Diego women's prison in Cartagena, where prisoners learn culinary and service skills. Photo Credit: Jeri Clausing
Today, you can spend all day or night wandering or riding horse-drawn carriages through its cobblestone streets, filled with colorful colonial buildings that house museums, hip new restaurants and boutiques, traditional Colombian food stands and boutique hotels.
Inside the walls there is a women's prison, which recently opened a courtyard restaurant in the former prison yard called Interno, where inmates can hone their cooking and serving skills before they get released.
Although Cartagena is right on the Caribbean, the beaches in the city have darker lava-based sand than what you usually see on the nearby islands. But in less than an hour by boat you can be in the Rosario Islands, a string of 27 mostly private islands that offer a mix of private homes and small inns on white, sandy beaches and the more customary clear blue of Caribbean waters.
While the beauty and history alone makes this a destination for anyone seeking out the authentic, there is one thing that residents said really makes it stand out from the rest of Colombia: the people.
Because of its history as a gateway to South America, it was a center of the slave trade and attracted a mix of races from around the world, creating a diverse melting pot of friendly, happy and welcoming residents.