Del Mar Hotel — Hotel in Santa Marta

As a Tripadvisor DESTINATION EXPERT for Colombia with 30 years of visits and now living 4 years in Medellin and exploring just about every city large and small - it is my pleasure to provide this reasoned and accurate review of the Del Mar Hotel.||||My travel partner and I just drove in from Cartagena to Rodadero and as soon as we arrived found the hotel which is very good located. As this was our second stop as we travel the whole coast of Colombia were were ready for some rest and relaxation as this hotel provided exactly what we needed.||||I had been to Rodadero a few times before but this is my first stay at the Del Mar Hotel.||||The reception desk were very welcoming and friendly and quickly got us checked into our room and then gave some good instructions about use of the pool along with breakfast hours and other important info. ||||Our room was located on the 3rd floor and I applaud the hose keeping staff as our room was spotlessly clean, everything was in order and all items in the room worked and zero issues. They must take maintenance seriously as I could not find something in the hotel room or the common areas or the pool that was not working.||||On word of advice to the hotel manager - let your hotel staff house keeping people know not to meet in the hallways and talk on the walkies-talkies radios so loudly at the start of their shift at right before 8 AM, the loud talking echos throughout the hallway and into the rooms and does wake the hotel guests up should they be sleeping. Be mindful of this advice please. ||||The breakfast was simple but freshly prepared and a good way to start the day. Again the staff waiters very as quick and efficient with serving breakfast as they could.||||The pool is also kept spotlessly clean. I could not find even a light bulb that was out and not working so again they keep the grounds very well maintained.||||As I drove from my home in Medellin I have a car but the hotel does not have any garage but no problem as I parked right in front of the hotel and it sat for 3 days while we stayed with no issues.||||If I could offer any advice just be aware that on some nights there will be noise in the street below, this is a beach touristy town in Colombia after all, so I suggest that you request a room on the upper floors or better yet get a room located in the courtyard side.||||The check out process was as quick and simple as could be. The front desk made a quick call to the housekeeper and they confirmed everything was good in the room and we were on our way.||||I easily give a 5 star rating as the service and the comfort and the value is excellent at Del Mar Hotel.||||Highly recommend and I will stay again next time I am...

We arrived in Santa Marta with intentions of staying at a relative's home, but he didn't have internet and we needed to work a few hrs each day. It was a busy holiday weekend in Colombia, so we rushed to downtown Rodadero Beach to see if there was anything still available. My job is demanding, so I needed a quiet place with ample room to take conference calls. There are tourism "consultants" everywhere, so we let one of them guide us around to a few hotels and apartments for rent. Nothing was quite right for my needs, so we decided to walk around the 4 square blocks and just see if anything caught our attention. Be aware that Rodadero is the most popular spot around, but also one of the older spots, so if you're used to new, luxury amenities there's not much to choose from. More luxury options exist south, closer to Bello Horizonte beach, but it's also farther from the nightlife and restaurants. We turned down Calle 8 and just stumbled upon the relatively young Del Mar Hotel. The young lady at the reception was very friendly, spoke some English, and showed us to their standard room, which would have been perfect if we didn't have to work while we were there. My wife explained that we needed just a little more space and she showed us to their deluxe suite on the 7th floor. It was absolutely perfect...just a little out of our budget, but when she heard we had to work through our 10th anniversary she got approval from mgt to cut us a little break. Though the hotel wasn't on the beach, it still had an ocean view, and was insulated from all the partying that happens on the streets that run North/South because it's in the middle of the block on the East/West roads. We were within a minute or two of everything: beach and restaurants. Full size kitchen, gigantic bathroom, king-size bed I think, and the wifi didn't fail once. I remarked to my wife that I could live in that suite happily. The inclusive continental breakfast beat any free breakfast at most US hotels, and even rivaled paid restaurants. Fresh eggs, fruit, meats, cheese arepas, caldo, squeezed juices, cereal. Just watch out for the birds that wait for you to leave the table to refill your coffee. The pool is modern and everything is kept clean. The only warning I can make is to check the laundry prices before you request service. 10-12 articles cost us $45 USD. We could have waited until we got home to wash. Otherwise, we'll be back if we ever return to...

NO RECOMENDADO... hace una semana visite por 1ra vez el hotel y creo que sera la única, pues no nos quedaron ganas de volver... a la hora de hacer el check out a las 5.10 am el recepcionista nos dice que debe revisar la habitación para verificar que todo este bien, que solo tardaría 2 min, lo cual nos pareció totalmente normal, pero ohh sorpresa cuando baja de nuevo y nos informa que el duvet y ropa de cama esta manchada de sangre, que debo subir a verificar (algo de lo cual estaba completamente segura que era errado, pues no teníamos ninguna herida, yo no tenia la regla, ni nada que causara manchas de sangre)... y pues efectivamente NO era sangre, aunque el joven insistia en que lo era, me toco demostrar que era solo diminutas manchas de crema de chocolate, ni enseñándole el empaque de dicho chocolate el cual había quedado en la mesa de noche el recepcionista se convencía!!... me dijo que también había dejado sucia la sabana y la toalla con maquillaje, (sera que pretenden que todo quede limpio o que no use nada)... el insistia en que debía pagar el duvet porque este era de los nuevos y yo lo había manchado, pues me toco lavar parte de la funda de almohada en el baño para que observara que con solo agua y jabón salían las pequeñas manchas de maquillaje y chocolate, aun asi me decia que debia llamar a la jefe para que ella decidiera que debía pagar... me pregunto si antes de recibir la habitación tenia que preguntar si podía o no dormir maquillada???... si podía o no comer algo en la cama???... si el duvet era nuevo o viejo para usarlo o mejor dejarlo de adorno en la habitación??? ... debía de lavar o dejar todo limpio antes de irme???... será que en este hotel no lavan nada después de cada huésped???... como hacen con los niños inquietos???... me hizo sentir como los huesped mas cochinos del hotel, pero se que somos adultos conscientes, cuidadosos y responsables!! finalmente después de 20 minutos y ver que seguía insistiendo con llamar a su jefe para que pagara el duvet, le dije iba a perder el vuelo, pues habíamos salido con suficiente tiempo pero nunca nos había pasado algo similar en ningun hotel, nunca había tenido que lavar sábanas antes de salir del hotel... el decidió dejarnos ir solo porque le pregunté si iba a asumir el costo de los tiquetes que perderiamos por su culpa, pero llegamos tarde al aeropuerto, a mi me toco pagar para que me ubicaran en otro vuelo y todo lo que implica no llegar a tiempo!!

NO LO RECOMIENDO,...