Hotel Boutique Casa Carolina

Casa Carolina is an 18th-century townhouse restored and opened as a boutique hotel in 2014. The building sits in a quiet part of Santa Marta's historic centre, minutes on foot from the cathedral, Parque Simón Bolívar, and the Caribbean seafront promenade. Parque de Los Novios, lined with bars and restaurants, lies five minutes away along pedestrian streets. The hotel is family-owned and run by a Santa Marta–English couple with a local staff.

Twenty-one rooms spread across four floors. Standard rooms range from 18 m² to 31 m², with options on the ground floor opening to private patios or facing the pool, and upper-floor rooms with private balconies. Deluxe rooms span 28 m² to 33 m²; some include bay windows or private balconies. Suites measure 35 m² to 60 m² and offer separate living areas, balconies, and in one case a kitchenette. The top-floor loft apartment covers 80 m² across two levels with private terraces facing the city and sea. All rooms feature king or twin beds, air conditioning, en-suite bathrooms with power showers, international television, and coded security boxes. Egyptian cotton sheets and towels are standard. Ground-floor rooms are accessible without a lift.

Two courtyard pools anchor the property. Rooftop terraces hold two jacuzzis, sun loungers, and panoramic views. The Bamboo Spa offers massage, chocolate and fruit therapies, volcanic rock treatments, facials, and reflexology. Eli's Restaurant serves a fusion menu in the colonial dining room, poolside, or on the rooftop terrace, sourcing ingredients locally and preparing all dishes to order. The concierge arranges transport, diving with Atlantic Divers, and tours to Tayrona National Park by bus, four-wheel drive, or speedboat from the marina or Taganga. Minca's waterfalls and coffee farms lie 40 minutes into the Sierra Nevada foothills. Santa Marta, founded in 1525, is Colombia's oldest remaining city.