Hotel Isla del Sol in Cartagena is a one of the eco-hotels and resorts located in the Rosario Islands about an hour off the coast. Isla del Sol Hotel offers both day passes as well as bungalows for spending the night. We visited Isla del Sol with a day pass, and enjoyed it. Read on for our review of Isla del Sol resort in the Rosario Islands.
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Our Experience at Hotel Isla del Sol – A Review
Where is Isla del Sol in Cartagena?
Hotel Isla del Sol is located in the Rosario Islands, a chain of small coral islands about an hour by boat off the coast of Cartagena. Isla del Sol hotel itself is nestled in a bay along the northwestern coast of Isla Grande, the largest of the islands, and the one where the majority of the resorts and eco-lodges are located.
When did we go to Isla del Sol?
We visited in December 2020 on a day pass. It was one of the first things we did as things started to open back up here in Cartagena. Getting some sun was nice after being locked away for so long! Although, I definitely got sun burnt quick, so make sure you pack plenty of sunscreen!
What we liked about Hotel Isla del Sol
It is a good location. The bay it is located in makes the view from the beach area nice, and you’ll surely see some yachts and sailboats go by. It is also nice that there is a nice little sandy beach area. A lot of places in the islands do not have a true beach area since the Rosarios are coral islands so the coasts are mostly rocky. The Day Pass is also a pretty decent value compared to some of the other places in the islands.
Going into the water here is a bit rocky, so it’s a good idea to bring along some water shoes, your feet will thank you for them and you’ll be more comfortable when wading out. The only drawback of the beach area is that the water is a tad murky as sand, leaves, and sticks get caught up in it as it gets washed into the bay. It’s not dirty by any means but the water isn’t crystal clear like out a bit further off the island and you wont’ be able to see much snorkeling right around the hotel itself.
Still, the beach are is a good spot to hang out and there are nice beach chairs and shade spots here. If you’re looking for a better beach area for swimming, I recommend Islabela or San Pedro de Majagua in the islands, Isla del Encanto in Barú, or Palmarito Beach in Tierra Bomba.
The pool, however, is terrific. It’s a really good size and perfect for taking a dip and cooling off. Drinks from the bar were also good and fairly reasonably priced for being out in the islands. The included lunch was also quite good.
Isla del Sol hotel also offers several optional tours. We did the tour of the mangroves with a local from the islands. It was terrific, better than we thought it would be to be honest, and I highly recommend it.
It includes a short walk through the nearby town where the locals live, through a forest where you can climb up to a little bird observatory, and then a canoe ride that takes you through the mangroves into several lagoons before stopping to take a dip at a little outlet back out to the Caribbean. It was all very pretty, allowed us to learn a bit more about how the island’s residents live, and since it is run by them a good way to support these communities that are largely neglected.
Accommodations at Hotel Isla del Sol
We did not spend the night at Isla del Sol but only did a Day Pass. However, they do offer private bungalows for overnight accommodations. There are 9 total, some that can sleep up to 3 and some that can sleep up to 5. Do note that if you spend the night, you do have to pay separately for the boat ride to and from the islands.
Hotel Isla del Sol – Conclusion
Isla del Sol makes for a good choice for visiting the islands. The day pass is pretty fairly priced, and the property is pretty. There are places with better beach areas, but this makes a good day pass or overnight option. If you do visit yourself, let me know how it was in the comments!
Want to visit Isla del Sol yourself?
Looking for alternatives?
For a day pass consider doing a day tour to the islands on a private boat (the best way if you have a group and/or the budget), a tour on a catamaran, a shared group boat to party spot Cholón, or a day tour to 4 spots around the islands.
For staying the night in the islands, I really can’t recommend Islabela enough. Coralina also makes for a good option in the islands and for a budget option, check out Secreto Hostel. Hotel Las Islas and Isla del Encanto in Barú are also great luxury options.
Check out my full article on the Rosario Islands as well to see even more options for seeing the islands.
Cheers and Happy Exploring!
Did you like this post?
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