Best Cartagena All Inclusive Resorts: Are They Worth It?

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Are you wondering if booking a Cartagena all inclusive resort is worth it for your time visiting Colombia’s Caribbean gem?

Maybe you’ve decided you definitely want to stay at an all inclusive in Cartagena, or maybe you’re still on the fence about whether doing one of the best all inclusive resorts in Cartagena, Colombia is the best option.

If so, you’ve come to the right place!

I spent over a decade living in Cartagena, and in this post, I’m going to share my picks for what I consider to be the best all inclusive hotels in Cartagena. However, I’m also going to share why I don’t think they are the best option for most travelers, at least not for your entire stay.

So, read on to learn all the pros and cons of the best Cartagena all inclusive resorts.

Best Cartagena All Inclusive Resorts – Quick Tips

As I said in the introduction, I don’t think staying at one of the all inclusive Cartagena resorts is the best option for most people. I’ll cover why in more detail below, but the short reason is there are just too many other great restaurants and things to do to lock yourself away in a resort.

There also are not really that many true all inclusive resorts in Cartagena.

That being said, there are some Cartagena all inclusive hotels, or at least, semi-all inclusive hotels, that can work well for families. Doing one of the all inclusives in Cartagena’s islands or by the beaches on the outskirts of the city can make a great complement to a stay in town and is something I would recommend.

You just don’t want to spend your full stay in the islands. You can make a full stay on the outskirts work if you really want to do the all inclusive route though.

I’ll go into more detail and cover some more options in the sections below, but here are a few quick picks for top all inclusives in Cartagena, Colombia:

• Best All Inclusive in Cartagena’s Islands: Isla del Encanto
• Best Cartagena All Inclusive Family Resort: Hotel Las Americas Casa de Playa
• Best All Inclusive on the Outskirts of Cartagena: Estelar Manzanillo

Isla del Encanto – Best All Inclusive Resort in Cartagena’s Islands

Honestly, if you want an all inclusive for Cartagena, staying at the Isla del Encanto for 1-3 nights plus a stay at either a non-all inclusive or perhaps a place like Las Americas later on this list for the rest of your stay, would be my top recommendation.

Susana and I stayed at Isla del Encanto for a staycation and loved it. You can read all about our experience at Isla del Encanto here.

The rooms are in two story townhouse style bungalows and offer a luxury hotel experience with A/C, comfy beds, and TV. There are also three pools. Two of them, including a kids’ pool, are exclusively for overnight guests.

We thought the food here was pretty good, definitely above average for an all inclusive.

It isn’t 100% all inclusive as alcoholic drinks aren’t included, only meals are included. However, we did find drinks to be fairly reasonably priced.

Most importantly, the beach here is terrific!

It’s a good size with lots of space, the water is crystal clear and calm, and there are plenty chairs and shade. There are also some kayaks and paddle boards you can use. The hotel also organizes excursions to go snorkeling or go to the Oceanarium in the islands, and it also offers scuba diving.

I think this makes a really good choice for families or couples of any age looking for some relaxed beach time at a place where your meals are already paid for ahead of time.

Decameron Barú – Nice Spot at the Far End of Playa Blanca

The Decameron on Barú is located on a private beach just across a little inlet from Playa Blanca, which has become overrun in recent years.

Decameron operates a chain of all inclusive resorts in Colombia and elsewhere. I would compare them to sort of a Holiday Inn style resort. They aren’t exactly the most luxurious, but they are nice enough, and aren’t too crazy expensive.

The hotel in Barú has several pools and a fairly large property with nicely furnished rooms. There is buffet style food and the option for sit down dinners. There are several bars, and, unlike Encanto, there are snacks served during the day as part of the all inclusive package in addition to your three standard meals.

There are are also activities during the day and at night. There is even a mini-Scuba diving course included in the all inclusive package, a nice touch, in my opinion.

This is a true all inclusive that includes alcoholic drinks as well.

So, if you’re looking for something a bit more along the lines of a traditional all inclusive beach resort in Cartagena, this is probably the best option, although you’ll still want to complement it with some time in town too.

Non All Inclusive Alternatives in the Islands

The truth is there really isn’t much else besides the beach in the islands, so you’ll end up doing all your meals and drinks at the hotel anyway. Of course, doing an all inclusive means you won’t have a bill at the end, but there are several other very nice resort options where you can just relax and enjoy the beach, pool, and hotel.

Here are a few options for that:

• Hotel Las Islas: Probably Cartagena’s finest overall beach resort. Las Islas has gorgeous luxury bungalows surrounded by mangroves on a tiny island off Baru. I think it works best for couples looking for a romantic getaway.
• Sofitel Calablanca: This is the newest resort in Baru, and it offers a more modern luxury resort experience. I like that they have entertainment and a lot of activities like cooking classes, movie nights, and sailing lessons, and think that makes it a great choice for families as well as couples.

You can compare more places in the islands in my post on the best Rosario Islands hotels. You might also consider a place on the closer island of Tierra Bomba, which doesn’t have crystal clear waters but is just a short boat ride away. The newer Makani Luxury Wanderlus offers the best resort style experience here. Palmarito Beach and Blue Apple are also nice.

The hotels in Manzanillo on the mainland discussed below also make great options for a complement to a stay in town.

Best All Inclusive Cartagena Hotels on the Mainland

I think there’s really one standout all inclusive in the city itself that works best for a full stay, especially for families, but there are a few other all inclusives on the outskirts of Cartagena that can work for a full stay too but are best as a complement to a stay in town.

There are also a couple other options for all inclusives in the city that I’ll mention at the end.

Las Americas – Overall Best All Inclusive in Cartagena Proper

I consider Las Americas to be the best of the best all inclusive resorts in Cartagena, Colombia itself.

Ok, well, maybe I’m cheating a little. Las Americas doesn’t actually offer a true all inclusive experience. They do offer plans that include breakfast or breakfast and dinner on their website though, and there are several bars and restaurants on site.

So, it functions very similarly to an all inclusive, even if you do have to settle up for some stuff at the end.

Las Americas actually has two adjoining hotels. The Casa de la Playa is a smaller, more relaxed property, while the Torre del Mar is a newer high rise. You get access to all the facilities of both hotels regardless of which one you book.

They are located on what is my personal favorite stretch of beach in Cartagena proper, have several pools, and are still only a 10 minute or less taxi ride into the Walled City.

I especially think this makes for a good choice for families. There are some kid friendly areas and activities and, unlike the other good options below, you can easily get out of the hotel to enjoy things around town.

Personally, I would choose the Casa de la Playa if I was traveling as with kids, while I’d choose the Torre del Mar if I was traveling as a couple or with friends. You can’t go wrong though!

Estelar Manzanilo – Best True All Inclusive in Cartagena

After Las Americas, the Estelar Manzanillo is the Cartagena all inclusive I’d most recommend if you don’t do the islands.

We did a staycation here once and really enjoyed it. In fact most of the photos on this post are from our stay there. You can read all about our stay at the Estelar Manzanillo here.

Keep in mind that it is about half an hour outside town, and there’s not much else out here besides hotels and the beach. Getting transportation out here at night can sometimes be difficult and costly.

That’s why it works best as a complement to a stay in town, in my opinion. However, I think it can work for a full stay, and they do have a daily shuttle into the city.

It is a true all inclusive as well, which means it includes food, snacks, and alcoholic drinks.

It’s family friendly too. There were daily activities for kids, and there is a big stage and shows at night by the beach.

Our room was very nice. The property was gorgeous with 2 nice pools, a big beach area, and several bars. We also thought the food was above average for an all inclusive.

I also felt like prices, while not cheap, were fairly reasonable and it works out to a decent value if you take advantage of the all inclusive.

I’d still recommend splitting your time, maybe at the sister Estelar in Bocagrande if you don’t want to go for a place in the historic city, but it’s nice to know the option to get into town from here via the shuttle is there.

Dreams Karibana – Golf Resort in Cartagena

If you’d like to hit the links during your time in Cartagena, the Dreams Karibana Cartagena Golf Resort and Spa is basically your only option. I have not played the course, but I’d imagine it’s fine, not amazing, since Cartagena isn’t known as a big golf destination.

Like the Estelar, it’s located about half an hour north of Cartagena. It’s a bit further away and in a more isolated area though.

Also like the Estelar, this is a true Cartagena all inclusive with all food and drinks, including alcohol included. If you book a “preferred club” room, you do get access to higher shelf liquor and some exclusive lounges, as well as a higher quality room.

In addition to the golf course, this Cartagena resort has several pools, a spa, and a tennis court. It is a short walk to the beach and there are complementary golf cart shuttles to the beach. It also has some shows and entertainment throughout the day and night.

Reviews of the rooms themselves are good and photos look very nice. Comments I read on the food sound pretty typical for all inclusives.

Overall, it offers a very similar in quality and similar in experience to the Estelar. I’d choose the Estelar over it personally to be right on the beach and a bit closer to town, but the Dreams makes a fine option, and should obviously be your choice if you want to golf.

Grand Sirenis Karmairí – Another Option on the Outskirts

The Grand Sirenes Karmairí is located right near where the Estelar is in Manzanillo. As mentioned above, this used to be branded the Melía Karimarí and was an adults only resort. However, it is now marketing itself as family friendly.

They appeared to have remodeled and updated the property as part of the rebrand, and rooms here do look nice. There is also a nice looking pool on site, and there is a very big and solid looking beach area too.

To be honest, I don’t think their all inclusive price is a horrible value either when compared to the prices of other all inclusive resorts in Cartagena.

However, reviews here are a bit mixed, which is why I’d choose the two options above over it. Maybe the rebrand and update will help, so you could take a look at the most recent reviews when comparing.

Hotel Cartagena Plaza – Best Value for an All Inclusive Cartagena Hotel

I think the Hotel Cartagena Plaza stands out as a nice value for an all inclusive resort in Cartagena. They actually offer the option to reserve with only breakfast included as well as an all inclusive option.

To be honest, I’d go so far as to say the all inclusive price isn’t a bad value compared to most non-all inclusive hotel prices. That, I think, makes it a somewhat compelling option.

If you decide you want to get out of the hotel for some or even a lot of your meals (which I think you likely will if you stay at any all inclusive in town), you won’t feel terrible about skipping meals at the hotel.

Plus, the all inclusive price includes snacks, alcoholic drinks, including at the nightclub on site. So, you ought to be able to get your money’s worth even not eating all your meals here.

The hotel rooms look comfortable. The pool here isn’t as big or impressive as other hotels, but it is perfectly fine, and the hotel is across the street from the beach.

To be honest, if I felt like I really had to choose an all inclusive in Cartagena, this might be my choice since I’d be paying similar to what I would at a non all inclusive and would have the option for drinks and food whenever I wanted to just bum around the hotel while not feeling obligated to do so to take advantage of what I paid for with the all inclusive option.

Decameron – Best Cartagena All Inclusive in Bocagrande

I mentioned the Decameron in Barú above, but the Decameron in Cartagena proper is another possible option.

This hotel is located in a decent spot near the start of the better beaches in Bocagrande and just a short taxi ride from the Walled City. It’s also within easy walking distance to other restaurants and shopping.

It, like the Barú property, is also a true all inclusive that includes alcoholic drinks and snacks throughout the day in addition to your main meals.

The hotel does have sort of a cheesy tropical decor that highlights the fact that it is a bit of a dated property compared to some of the newer and nicer hotels and resorts in Cartagena. It does have some kid friendly amenities though.

The reviews here overall are fairly mixed, but if you want to be in Bocagrande and have an all inclusive experience, it’s the only other option I would recommend considering. To be honest, I’d probably skip this if you’re traveling as a couple, but it might still be worth doing if you’re traveling as a family.