Las Islas

Colombia
Rooms
55
Floors
1
Pools
2
Restaurants
3
Location
  • Beachfront

key features

Calm Beach

Calm Beach

Eco-Friendly

Eco-Friendly

Luxury Choice

Luxury Choice

Welcoming Staff

Welcoming Staff

Stay here for

A breathtaking return to unspoiled nature in a treetop or waterfront bungalow, with thoughtful flourishes that add a sense of luxury, including an especially warm welcome for families.

Sea level bungalows start around $460

why we like it
for families

Location and
Activities

Tour of Amenities

Best Rooms
for Families

Traveler Reviews

Other Hotels
and resources

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Why we like it for families

  • You’ve found a hidden gem. Private spaces, sprawling grounds, lots of activities, and an attentive staff complete the feeling that you and your family have come ashore someplace off the usual maps.
  • The bungalows. There’s nothing like a thatched roof bungalow to make you and your kids feel like you’re on an jungle adventure. But even better when those bungalows have comfortable beds, private decks with cushy lounge chairs, and saltwater plunge pools to ensure you also relax during your stay.
  • The grounds. Boardwalks and pathways connect the expansive forests and mangroves, making every trip around the hotel feel like an epic journey.
  • The beach. White sand and barely rippling blue water at the hotel’s private beach is great for smaller waders and sand castle building. The view will entice anyone who wants to feel like a cast away for a few days (or more).
  • The vibe. Rustic luxury. Despite being an eco-hotel, Las Islas’s modern tropical flourishes, well-considered amenities, high-end linens and bath products all contribute a sense of luxury. Paired with the otherwise rustic setting, these touches make it nearly impossible to avoid relaxing. You can (and should!) spend time discovering the charms of Cartagena’s old city, but once you drift up to the dockside reception at Las Islas, you’ll immediately downshift.
  • The people. The staff at Las Islas are attentive and courteous to little travelers, inviting them to respond in kind. Don’t be surprised if children get a little gift or two – in addition to smiles – to make them feel welcome.
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Location and Activities

From Cartagena’s Rafael Nunez International Airport, getting to Hotel Las Islas takes a 15 minute drive to a marina, and then a 45 minute speedboat ride. You can arrange a shared boat transfer (appx. $50USD per person) or private boat transfer (appx. $600 USD) through the hotel. Alternatively, turn the journey into a full day adventure: book a full day boat excursion out of Cartagena, enjoy the day on the water, and ask the captain to end with a drop off at Las Islas.

Once you arrive: Baru is known for its crystalline waters and lush mangroves. Biking around the property is a great way to see the mangroves. The hotel also offers yoga, culinary instruction, and an guided astrotour with a roof-deck telescope.

Tour of Amenities

Dining

  • 2+ Restaurants
  • Breakfast Included
  • High-Chairs
  • Restaurant On-Site
  • Room Service

Rooms

  • Air Conditioning
  • Cribs
  • Laundry
  • Private Pools
  • Rollaway Beds
  • Terrace/Balcony

For Kids

  • Calm Beach
Pool at Martinhal Sagres in Portugal

Activities

  • Pool
  • To be shipwrecked, first you have to get on a boat. Hotel Las Islas can be found about 45 minutes away from Cartagena’s marinas by boat. Although it can also be reached by car in about 90 minutes, the roads are rough and windy, and the journey can sometimes take longer than expected, and thus we highly recommend arriving by boat instead.
  • Quiet electric golf carts amble over wooden walkways and through lush mangroves to reach your room: either a treetop hideaway (if your kids are 12 or older) or a beachfront bungalow with private deck and plunge pool overlooking the ocean. More than just transportation, the golf carts are a highlight of the stay, especially for kids.
  • The eco-bungalows are small but well-appointed and totally worth it for the sense of place.
  • If you can tear yourself away from your private deck, or the beach, you’ll be fully entertained with the resort’s two pools (one at the spa, another at the clubhouse), ice cream and coffee parlor, cooking classes, and water-based experiences like snorkeling and mangrove tours.
  • As sun sets, take a glass elevator above the hotel’s clubhouse to its lounge above the tree canopy. The whole family can watch for the green flash with panoramic views of the jungle and sea. Keep watching as the hotel puts on its own light show with a projected display that brings the whole canopy to life in the dark.
  • The hotel has 3 restaurants, giving you a range of options. A breakfast buffet is served at an overwater dining area near the spa. For lunch, try the fried whole fish at the beachside bar. And for dinner, get cleaned up to feast on upscale local cuisine at the well-appointed main room. The food is accessible, even for fussy palates, but with plenty of interesting options. A fresh and inviting breakfast buffet at the over-water restaurant will be a daily highlight.
  • Be aware: Although it has touches of luxury, this is an eco-hotel. The plunge pools are filled with unfiltered Caribbean sea water. The resort is nestled in an important and delicate ecosystem next to the Parque Nacional Natural Corales del Rosario y de San Bernard – and great care is taken to preserve it. Much of the seasonal, organic produce used in the restaurants is grown on-site, and the resort supports the local coral reef conservation project.

Best Rooms for Families

The hotel has 10 categories of rooms, ranging from single-room bungalows to a two-bedroom floating suite. These ones are the best for families.
Sea-level Bungalows

Sea-level Bungalows

  • Best for family of 3 (crib)
  • No separate bedroom for children, but rooms are spacious
  • Private pool, jacuzzi, or direct sea access available
View on Hotel Website
Adjoining Sea-Level Bungalows

Adjoining Sea-Level Bungalows

  • Best for family of 3-5
  • Bungalows #21 and #22 adjoin (king, twin/twin)
  • One has pool, other has jacuzzi
View on Hotel Website
Grand Treetop Bungalow with Private Pool & Jacuzzi

Grand Treetop Bungalow with Private Pool & Jacuzzi

  • Best for families of 3-4 (Children 12+)
  • Two separate bedrooms (king, king)
  • Two separate bathrooms
  • Private pool and jacuzzi
View on Hotel Website
Grand Sea Level Bungalow with Private Pool

Grand Sea Level Bungalow with Private Pool

  • Best for families of 3-5
  • 1 main bungalow with king bed
  • Adjacent room with king or twins
  • Private deck at sea level with plunge pool
View on Hotel Website
Grand Familiar Bungalow with Private Pool

Grand Familiar Bungalow with Private Pool

  • Best for families of 3-5
  • 1 main bungalow with king bed
  • Adjacent room with king or twins
  • Private deck at sea level with plunge pool
View on Hotel Website
Sailing House – Casa Navigante (2-bedroom suite)

Sailing House – Casa Navigante (2-bedroom suite)

  • Best for families of 4+ or groups
  • Two spacious, well-appointed rooms, each with a king and sofa bed…on a boat
  • Includes deck with a plunge pool
View on Hotel Website

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Traveler Reviews

This place is a hidden gem. The staff is super friendly, the food is amazing. Yes, the beach is not long as in an average resort but the water is really shallow which was perfect for us because we have small kids. We stayed in one of the bungalows with private pool and it was just perfect. It was such a gift to wake up every day and sit at the den, enjoying nature at its best. We will come back.

Reviewed by Blake C, Feb 2022, via TripAdvisor

If you’re expecting the Four Seasons, stay at a Four Seasons!! This is a beautiful eco hotel in the heart of the jungle, employing local residents who only got bridge access & TVs less than a decade ago. They sell handicrafts made by hand from the women who live in the island. They are restoring the local coral reefs, have donated & are teaching school kids to play instruments, and even grow a lot of their own produce on site! They also won’t cut down the vegetation unless absolutely necessary (so you’ll have to duck on some paths) — and they have bikes at each bungalow.

Reviewed by Blake C, Feb 2022, via TripAdvisor

Other Hotels and Resources

Want to see more of what Colombia has to offer? Dive into our complete Colombia Collection for more family-friendly hotels in Colombia and must-do activities. If you’re still in the ‘Hmm, which island?’ phase, our ‘Find Your Caribbean Island‘ page is designed to help busy parents like you sift through the noise and pick the perfect family getaway.