The Journey
Dream Caribbean one hour from the walled city
I know I know….this is only a month behind. I have been slacking on my posts over the last month but a lot has been happening.
I decided to splurge for 3 nights at the luxurious Hotel Isla del Encanto. (I booked it on Hotels.com) I woke up nice and early and took a cab to the harbour in front of the infamous clock entrance of the walled city. Upon arrival, the harbour is chaos…gobs of people trying to sell you tours, gobs of people arriving to go on their tours and gobs of taxis making pick ups and drop offs.
With all the COVID restrictions and health safety protocols, I had to fill out a form before I arrived at the harbour to board my boat to confirm that I wasn’t sporting any of the typical COVID symptoms. After working my way into the secured portion of the harbour I located my waiting area and patiently awaited my speed boat to take me on the 1 hour journey to my secluded beach hotel.
The ride was amazing, wind on my face seeing the sights and enjoying the smooth ride of the boat. We drove out of the inner harbour and past all the tall buildings that make up Boca Grande, past the last shores of the main part of Cartagena and towards the Corales del Rosario National Park where the hotel is, approx. 50km from the walled city.
As we all approached the hotel we were greeted by the elegant entrance to the resort and off boarded the boat and walked down the dock to check into the hotel. There were a couple hours before the room was ready unfortunately but we all arrived just in time for lunch and a cocktail. Someone say….Pina Colada?
Now you Know!
At Isla del Encanto hotel, they are committed to the conservation, protection and good management of natural resources, as well as to strengthening the social and cultural responsibility of their local communities, by raising awareness of their staff, suppliers and visitors about good environmental practices.
The Highs and The Lows
Day 2 and then there was Day 3
The hotel is stunning, let’s be clear about that. The rooms are majestic and no doubt fit for a Queen. I had booked a Junior Suite so it was a bungalow style room that had the most welcoming bathroom I had ever seen, mood lighting and a perfectly positioned balcony.
The bed was undoubtedly the most comfortable hotel bed I have ever experienced in all my life. It was perfect and absolutely worth the cost.
All the meals were included which is a great addition to make the costs palatable, unfortunately the alcohol is not included so if you enjoy a frothy blended drink or a cold beer on the beach, you will need to dip into your wallet for that added pleasure.
The hotel grounds were immaculate and even though the hotel was fairly booked up, there was plenty of space for everyone to keep their social distancing in check. The hotel is a boutique hotel so it is fairly small and as such so are the grounds. I was a little surprised to be honest, I expected to be able to go on a hike given that I was in a national park but unfortunately I would have needed to catch a ride (which was extra $$).
I had brought a snorkel and goggles to do some diving, but I didn’t have any fins so I was going to borrow them, but again…unfortunately that was going to cost extra. Not only was it going to cost extra but they also didn’t allow me to use them on the private beach that the hotel was on. They said that there was nothing to see here, which was true but still…so if I wanted to go snorkeling I was going to have to book something with them to take me to another beach. sigh!
So the only thing left to do is lay on the beach and wait for the next meal bell to ring, then take another swim in the ocean and repeat. By the end of Day 2, I was BORED! Keep in mind that I arrived on a Thursday and was booked there until Sunday afternoon when the boat left back to Cartagena. So by the end of Friday, I was bored out of my mind.
Saturday morning and the sunrise is stunning and I remind myself how luck I am to spend a few days in such a majestic destination. I reset my constitution and enjoy some fresh fruit and delish coffee on the desk overlooking the perfectly calm ocean and I feel blissful.
Two hours later….all that serenity is lost and I am reminded at how bored I am again. Even being Christmas time doesn’t placate my boredom. Luckily I was able to have several video chats with friends and family back home while I lay on the beach with the sun and ocean views strategically placed behind me to rub it in a little. hehehe.
And then rings the food bell…boredom is destructive. It truly is.
Cutting to the chase
The truth is that the hotel was 100% worth it. I have never stayed anywhere like it before. I knew going into it that the drinks were not included so there was no surprise there. But I do wish I had known about the limited things to do with an added cost. The food was great, the staff were sooooo friendly and accommodating and the accommodations were an elevated elegance I have not enjoyed before.
My final word is that is was Jackelyn Approved and It was worth it, there is no doubt there. BUT, now I know that two nights is plenty of time and I will not make that mistake again. So…enjoy the hotel, it’s stunning…but 3 nights is too much time. 
