One Santuario Natural

Guests reach the bungalows by walking or tubing down the Palomino River, which threads through the 80-hectare reserve the hotel calls home, in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta near Palomino, Colombia. The Camino Real, a route still walked by the Kogi and Arhuaco peoples, crosses the property and doubles as the start of most excursions here. Two river paths lead from the reserve to the hotel's beach: one via Pozo Caimán, roughly half an hour on foot, the other past a red-roofed lookout, closer to forty minutes. Both end in a float downstream on an inflatable tyre or paddle board, guided, with dry bags provided for phones. It is a short, easy descent. A two-hour guided walk along the same river corridor turns up around 35 species of bird, migratory and resident, through habitat recognised for its conservation value. Bungalows sit close enough to the canopy that guests wake to birdsong rather than an alarm. A riverside yoga shala runs sessions for groups or individuals, and the on-site restaurant serves dishes built from what the jungle and coast provide. The attached foundation works with Sierra Nevada communities on cultural and environmental projects tied to the land. Day passes are available for those who want the river and the reserve without staying the night.