Grand Sirenis Cartagena — Hotel in Cartagena

I am overwhelmed with disappointment. This establishment has truly put a pause on trying new hotels. From stepping on the grounds it was interesting. The junior suites are in a separate tower, that you walk to and there's no elevator when you get there, very narrow step ramp. There was no way someone prechecked and cleaned my room prior to my visit, suite 3052. The balcony was full of leaves, the shower and ceiling had mold and there were no towels and wash clothes. I dial 9 on the hotel phone as instructed no one answers because the phone does not work. I continue with my walk through when I notice the bolt lock is missing. I walk back to the front desk they advise they will send maintenance. Well that works for the door, not the tub and towels.

I proceed to leave out for late lunch it's about 5p I stay out maybe until 7p. I return and the room is the exact same. No towels, no lock shower with mold. Someone eventually comes and replaced the phone but still no towels and wash clothes.

Next morning, I call or either go to the front desk to advise of my concerns and to let them know that I'll be out for the day of the can go in and just address the issues. Seems really simple. Front Desk says ok. Come back from beach shower with my personal supplies, take a seat and out of no where the ceiling from the door all the way to bathroom is leaking. Like water is dropping. I am calling from now then working phone and no response, I am really calling like back to back. Nothing. I walk over and advise I need a new room, there is water coming into my room, front desk representative advise that they are sold out for the next 2 days. We'll I have a room that's defected and you're telling me you're sold out so now what. The representative advises that I can downgrade my room to a regular room and she will adjust the price and throw in the spa for free. Well I need somewhere to stay and I travel solo. So i have no choice. My new room is 3011, the room is in the main building with one working elevator so life is quicker taking the steps. But let's get into my room #3011 right in front of the hotel which is right in front of the restaurant and I guess where DJ/games and party. Friday night they played music until I know midnight. But guess what still no wash clothes and towels but the door does have a lock.

Saturday housekeeping finallllllyyy comes in and brings towels and wash clothes. Saturday I took advantage of the spa service which was "free" and the shuttle into the wall city, Saturday moved along very smoothly. Sunday I go down to the lobby in the morning like I always do because there's only one person there that speaks English so I try to catch her early and right before she leaves everyday. Sunday I go confirm my covid testing information, she helps me count the Columbian money and I tell her that I am going out. I leave the hotel around 9:30a. No calls no emails from the hotel. I called the hotel directly many months ago to reserve my room, confirm the dates, confirm the dates when I arrived, everything aligned until Sunday the day before my trip ended at 4p. Now the front desk representative is saying today, Sunday is my last day, mind you I spoke with her this morning just like I do every morning because she's the only one that speaks English.

I sit in the lobby from 4p-6:30p trying to figure out what what is what, I create a new reservation at this point I have a credit on my account and of the managers was able to contact house keeping who advised that they would clean my room in 30 minutes. Why is my room just being cleaned at 7p. When I walk back in from the day housekeeping was working on the rooms on the side of mines so why not just come in and do what needs to be done. This has truly been the worst experience ever. There is a lack of communication, diversity, sanitation products and services and basic hotel needs and necessities. I would not recommend, I would...

I recently stayed at the Karmairi Hotel in Cartagena and was left extremely disappointed with my experience. Despite its high online ratings, I find it hard to understand how the hotel has maintained such scores. It appears they may engage in questionable practices, such as buying reviews or deleting negative ones, as the actual experience is far from the glowing reviews online. Below is a detailed account of the many issues I encountered.

Misleading Name and Atmosphere

The hotel’s name, Karmairi, suggests a tranquil, adults-only retreat. However, there were children everywhere during my stay. While the children were not loud or misbehaved, their presence contradicted the serene, relaxing atmosphere the hotel name implies. This is highly misleading for anyone seeking a quiet, kid-free getaway.

Overpriced and Low-Quality Food and Drinks

Exorbitant Prices:

A bottle of water costs 30,000 COP (about $8 USD), which is absurd, even for a luxury hotel—especially since this is not one.

Cocktails and shots are priced at 60,000 COP ($15 USD), far exceeding the cost of even the best restaurants in Cartagena.

Subpar Offerings:

Drinks are prepackaged and poorly prepared. Bartenders lack basic skills; for instance, I asked for a cocktail with mezcal and was offered a margarita instead. They also don’t know how to make an iced latte.

The food at their Fish House restaurant was terrible, possibly the worst I’ve ever had at a hotel that claims to be “high-end.” At $30 USD per main course, the food is grossly overpriced for its extremely low quality.

All-Inclusive is a Scam:

The “all-inclusive” package is extremely restrictive, covering only low-quality food and drinks, and is limited to specific hours.

It’s also inconvenient to use, as staff are rarely available or proactive in taking orders.

Poor Service and Undertrained Staff

Overworked and Untrained Staff: The staff seem overworked and poorly trained. This results in long waits and subpar service.

Language Barrier: For a hotel in a major tourist destination, it’s surprising that no staff speaks English, making basic communication a challenge.

Lack of Attention: Staff are difficult to reach, whether for food, drinks, or general assistance.

Dilapidated Facilities

Spa in Ruin:

The spa’s aquatic circuit was broken, and the entire area smelled strongly of mold, making it seem unsanitary and unsafe.

The outdoor pond used for massages is covered in dust and out of order.

The massages were mediocre at best, no better than budget options in New York City—despite being priced comparably.

Poor Maintenance:

The building’s paint is peeling off, giving the hotel a run-down appearance.

The pool closes early at 8 PM, leaving no good options for evening relaxation.

After 9 PM, the only open space is the lobby bar, which lacks ambiance and is far from enjoyable.

Lack of Activities and Amenities

No Activities: There are no activities offered at the hotel, leaving guests with little to do on-site.

Remote Location: The hotel’s location is remote, with nothing to do in the surrounding area. Guests are essentially stuck on the premises, relying on the limited and overpriced offerings.

Breakfast Limitations: Breakfast ends early at 10 AM, which is inconvenient for guests on vacation.

Conclusion

Karmairi Hotel falls drastically short of expectations. It misrepresents itself as a luxurious, serene getaway but delivers overpriced, low-quality food and drinks, poor service, and facilities that are in desperate need of maintenance. The misleading name, high prices, and lack of amenities make this a place I would never recommend. There are far better options in Cartagena that provide real value for money and a genuinely...

THIS IS THE SECOND TIME I POST THIS, THEY DELETED THE FIRST TIME I POSTED THE REVIEW!!

STAY AWAY FROM THIS HOTEL!!!! If you came across this “5 star hotel”, PLEASE BE INFORMED IT IS THE COMPLETE OPPOSITE!!

This hotel is full of Colombians, therefore if you are from another country, you are not welcomed. All of the staff ignores you and does not greet you nor try to help you. This is NOT for tourists.

This so called “resort” is the complete opposite from what Expedia, Viator and Booking websites show. Do not fall for the pictures you see. This is an unsanitary and DANGEROUS HOTEL. You do not get an ocean view. Instead you get a trashy construction view everywhere you go.

The rooms- EXTREMELY DISGUSTING, there is mold everywhere you go. You can smell it as soon as you enter the room. They try to cover up the smell with paint, but trust me, if you suffer from sinus allergies, you will immediately become congested and sick once you enter these rooms.

Bed bugs- we only stayed one night, and immediately developed rashes all over our bodies from the bed bugs on the sheets. Truly unsanitary.

The food- they leave the food out in the lobby for who knows how long. The cups and silverware are all old and nasty. A wine glass is supposed to be clear, NOT yellow.

The staff & management- All in all, we have been trying to request our hard-earned money back because we absolutely did not stay past one night, and they HAVE NOT ANSWERED OUR CALLS NOR RETURNED OUR MONEY. THIS HOTEL WILL ROB YOU!!! They refused to give us any type of paperwork or statement as we left. This hotel is keeping our money for services that were NOT rendered and that is absolutely illegal!!

There is NO BEACH NEARBY. You have to walk a long distance to reach the beach. Once you’re there, it’s dirty and full of vendors that will rob you if you go past the beach club parameter or if you go past 6pm. Even the staff warns you not to go over there once it’s past a certain time because it’s unsafe.

Overall, it’s truly sad to see how this hotel operates. We will be taking legal matters against them since they are avoiding us and refusing to give us our money back. The manager said it’s a “process getting your money back when you book through a travel website”, which is a bunch of lies. Now I see what the other reviews meant. DO NOT STAY IN THIS...