Santa Marta Marriott Resort Playa Dormida — Hotel in Santa Marta

The Marriott is always a good bet. We stayed for a long weekend. The rooms were clean and nicely decorated. Staff was great and friendly. Food was good. Nice beach and pool. Everything you would want from a stay at a Marriott with one exception. I have always had great service at Marriott's for tours and excursions, but this time was not the case. The company that is housed in this Marriott is Amercan Traveling. We had a simple request, book a sport fishing boat for a day of fishing. We asked for a boat with a cabin and a restroom. After all day of going back and forth literally all day into the evening they asked for 4 million COP ($1200.00 US) for a boat an additional 250 thousand COP ($75.00 US) for an additional deck hand with no drinks or food included! Also the boat would leave at 9am after the best fishing is done. Ridiculous! So we settled on a open bow center console boat with no restroom, a captain with a deck hand, two bottles of water and two beers, no food, and two fishing poles for 1,350,00 COP($400.00US). Here how things went: Boat was late. Only one fishing pole not two that had the reel mounted on the pole backwards. The captain and deckhand knew nothing about fishing and kept asking if we wanted to go the the beach. After I fixed the pole and we had done some trolling I asked to go the the nearby beach so my wife could use the restroom. We landed on the beach went to the restroom and were walking on the beach when our boat left the beach with all of our things including money and phones with no explanation! The boat returned in about twenty minutes telling us they had no gas and were trying to get fuel. They phoned for help and some other boats brought them fuel. When we got on our way in the water again I opened the cooler to find is had only a few waters. I asked were is the beers and they said oh we will go get some. Anther trip to shore were I purchased my own beers. They returned us safely to the hotel but what a total mess of a day. The crew tried hard but they are used to taking people on short excursions with loud music and leaving them on the beach to feed money to their land loving partners. So we were extremely disappointed in the service and pricing. The Marriott can do better I know this from previous fishing excursions I have booked. Great Place horrible travel excursion services. So I suggest you figure a way to book your own tours and excursions unless they...

The hotel is beautiful. And there are certain staff that went out of their way to make us feel at home. One especially was Willis at the Pool. His attention was what anyone would expect. He already knew that we were in need of something prior to asking. There were minor things that were corrected at the beginning of the stay. Tatiana did an excellent job in taking care of it, however I though it was unnecessary to hear an explanation as to why or why not. Just please take care of it. The room was very comfortable and modern. The amenities were what I have come to expect from Marriott. However we did have an incident with room service, I will not go into details. The matter was very serious and needed immediate attention. Once it was discovered the following morning the Food Service manager: Cristina and Chef: Felipe apologized and went out of their way to correct. They did and excellent service to try and remedy the situation and both my wife and I were very grateful. They both went out of their way to accommodate the incident from the previous night. On the morning of checkout I let the front desk know that I will need personal attention (again I will not get into personal specifics). I was told that I would have to pay for the service when two nights earlier it was offered free of charge to fix the room service incident. Furthermore. My flight was leaving from Barranquilla which is a 2 hour drive. I reserved a personal service direct to the airport at a cost of $80+ Two nights earlier. I reconfirmed the night before. When it was time to leave I was told they hadn’t reserved the service yet. So… I clearly stated you have five minutes to correct this. Of which scrambling began and someone was found. As the driver got to Barranquilla he had to use his GPS. Not a good feeling.

I need to say this here. I have been a Bonvoy member for many years and have stayed at different Marriotts. Reactionary service never works for the guest. It’s not welcoming nor is it satisfactory. We never felt an at home feeling for our weeks stay. That is very troubling to me since it’s not what my expectation is. Nonetheless I was not going to write this since up to the day of checkout things were being handled, again with reaction but handled. Checkout was not good…..

Thank you for allowing us to stay. I will not be...

I recently had the opportunity to stay at the Santa Marta Marriott hotel and overall, I had a pleasant experience. However, there were a couple of factors that affected my comfort during my stay.

Firstly, one aspect that stood out was the noticeable airplane noise. The hotel is located near the airport, so occasional aircraft sounds can be heard throughout the day. While it wasn't constant or excessively loud, it might be a concern for light sleepers or those seeking complete tranquility. Nonetheless, the hotel's amenities and friendly staff made up for this minor inconvenience.

On the positive side, the hotel's beach access was a definite highlight. The property boasts a beautiful beachfront location, allowing guests to enjoy the sand and sea just steps away from their accommodations. The beach itself was clean, and there were ample opportunities for relaxation and water activities. Whether you prefer lounging under the sun or engaging in beach sports, the convenience of having such proximity to the beach is a significant advantage.

Moving on to the hotel itself, the rooms were spacious, well-appointed, and maintained to a high standard of cleanliness. The bed was comfortable, ensuring a good night's sleep after a long day of exploring the city. The staff members were friendly, accommodating, and always ready to assist with any requests or inquiries.

Additionally, the on-site amenities provided various options for entertainment and relaxation. The fitness center was well-equipped, and the pool area offered a refreshing retreat. The dining options within the hotel were diverse, providing a range of cuisines to cater to different tastes.

In terms of location, while the hotel's proximity to the airport may be convenient for some travelers, it may not be the ideal choice for those seeking complete serenity. However, the noise was not overwhelming and did not significantly detract from the overall experience.

To summarize, the Santa Marta Marriott hotel offers a pleasant stay with a few minor considerations. If you don't mind occasional airplane noise and appreciate easy access to the beach, this hotel can be a great choice. The comfortable rooms, friendly staff, and excellent amenities contribute to an...