La Isla del Encanto

So beautiful and staff is amazing. Gonzalo was the most caring and helpful man ever. He truly made our experience at this hotel extra special with his hospitality. This hotel overall beautiful and so peaceful. If you are looking in to getting away.. please go ! You won’t be disappointed.

Isla del Encanto is a unique Colombian island experience with lovely rooms, 3 meals included daily, an amazing saltwater pool (with a swim-up bar in the middle) and the opportunity to pay for additional activities - which were a little bit pricey to be honest. They offer free transport for guests to the hotel every day around 11 and back to Cartagena around 2 pm. We were flying in from Medellin and couldn't make the 11 am boat, so the hotel reserved a car for us. It was actually a full bus that picked us up at the airport. It's a 2 hour drive through Baru island to a parking lot in the small town where we hopped on a small motor boat for a 2 minute boat ride to the island. They gave us a lovely pineapple smoothie when we checked in and then we went up to our room. We walked around the property, took a dip in the pool and had a drink from the bar, and waited until dinner service started at 7 pm. The staff didn't seen overly friendly to me when we first arrived but I think maybe the staff that evening did not speak a lot of English. The next day I arranged a tour of the Rosario Islands and snorkeling with their partner business that works on the island / hotel and does all of the tours. The boat and snorkeling tour was a lot of fun, although in the end they took us to a beach to spend an hour where we had to pay for a chair and/or food which I wasn't into because we already had paid to stay by the beach and have meals, so I asked to go back to Isla del Encanto. That day at the restaurant our server was Lucas, who is learning English and was so nice and welcoming to us. The next day I booked a trip to National Aviary. It cost 3x the cost of the 2 hour bus ride for a 30 minute (each way) car ride to the Aviary, but we went ahead and paid it. The rest of our time on the island I felt very welcomed, and we enjoyed the pool and the sunset and also our boat ride back to Cartagena. In the end, we were very happy we spent three days there. There were a lot of other families there, and it feels like a very inclusive place.

The staff and level of service at Isla del Encanto are truly top notch and the best in the business. Every question and need was met with smiles and friendly service. List of folks that made our stay memorable are Luis Fernando, Gyscar, Alfonso, Ivan, Gustavo, Venia, Alberto y Cristian. I will return to Baru and stay at Isla del Encanto hotel again.

Isla del Canto Trip We stayed for three nights and four days relaxing at Isla del Encanto the experience was wonderful and we had a great time. Our bunglow was spacious, clean, well maintained, and conveniently located near the pools, food service and beaches. Our activities were more for relaxation but there was a variety of options to choose from, including tours, snorkeling, kayak and other water transport, ping pong, and more. We mostly enjoyed our cool room, being around the pool, beach, and eating food while engaging with the people working there. Our interactions with the employees was the best part of our stay. They were cheerful, conscientious, and eager to be helpful. There was a wide range of language skills as far sd English is concerned from very little to fluent. The management seemed understanding in directing more fluent employees to those who needed it. My wife's Spanish is excellent and mine is poor so I had excellent assistance from a young man named Lucas. He is a pleasure to be with and made my visit very special. The food was good, plentiful, and varied. The fruit was freshly cut chilled and nicely ripened. I am sending a few photos though the ten picture restriction limits my ability to send allthe pictures I’d like. I will focus on the people and let web page show you the amenities. Here is my list of the people who made our experience so nice: Marcelo, Alfonso, Sebastian, Gustavo, Rosa, Señor Lucas, Sylvia, Mayra, Samuel, Alberto, Molina, Andres, and several more that did not catch all their names. Benjamin our Gardner was an incredible worker with pride of purpose which showed in the plantings in our yard. Katya and Jessica our masseuses were great. Jessica our housekeeper was diligent and kept out room looking clean and fresh. Finally the administrative staff that answered all our questions patiently, politely and with smiles always!: Maria Nela, Gyscar, Junior There is no particular order in the listings here other than chronological as we met them and enjoyed their company. Kindest regards, John and Martha

Amazing and beautiful place!! Lucas our dinner server was the best! He worked hard to translate our spanglish with his limited English! The food was good, the snorkeling was better, and the relaxation was the best!!

We traveled with our two kids (3 and 6) and we had a great time at Hotel Isla del Encanto. They do a good job mixing up the menus everyday. Also everyone was so friendly and willing to help with everything we needed. It was very relaxing and we spent mostly all our time at the beach or salt water pool. If you are looking for a party place this is not the place for you, but if you are looking to relax and disconnect from your busy lives then you will enjoy Isla del Encanto! Thanks again to all the staff members who made our stay so pleasant! Lastly, be prepared to leave the hotel with a couple extra pounds ?.

Went here for a day trip from Cartagena. Staff were very friendly and welcoming. The beach was clean and water was beautiful. Was very safe and could swim without worrying about your stuff. No one haggled you on the beach. The food was delicious for lunch.

The resort is clean and family friendly. The employees were very very nice and accommodating. The location is pretty and clean rooms. The food was terrible! They had set times you had to eat. We missed breakfast by 10 minutes and had to wait till noon to eat no other options. The next day we were sitting at the beach and boat after boat arrived brining over 200 people to use beach and bar area. There is a private area for guests but it was a big surprise to see the surplus of people. All in all good for family getaway that wants sun and beach bar. Pack your own snacks.

We are a family of 4 - 2 adult children - and spent 2 nights at Isla del Encanto. We absolutely loved our stay. The resort was beautiful, perfectly suited for the environment, and located in a secluded part of gorgeous Isla Barú. The accommodations were comfortable and we had everything we needed. The grounds are spacious and we enjoyed both time on the beach and time in the pool at the swim up bar. The food and drinks were great and the service was excellent. The staff were attentive and helpful and made the whole experience a very enjoyable one. The transport to and from Cartagena was seamless, though be prepared that you will arrive at the resort and have a few short hours before you can check in and will need to check out a little over an hour before the boat back. Just plan to wear a bathing suit so you can enjoy the beach before and after you have access to your room! We also took advantage of the paddle boards on the grounds and opted to take a snorkeling trip. There is no shortage of activities to do! Our snorkeling guide, Darwin, not only took good care of our group but took the time to search for and point out many of the highlights of the beautiful reef. This is a great location for families of all ages, couples and friends and we hope to be back soon!

We went as a family of ten -- my wife and I, our two adult daughters and their husbands and four grandkids (ages 8-14). Very relaxing and good optional activities (island visit -- half-day boat trip), luminescent plankton/swimming (after sun down), etc. The staff was consistently friendly and helpful. Our room was spacious with good wifi and TV. Oddly, there were no bedside reading lamps; also, oddly, we had to ask for a second hand towel for the two of us (what's that about?!). The rooms where our daughters stayed with their families were rather cramped (unlike ours). The pace of service in the dining area was mixed -- sometimes prompt; not always. The food was good but not superb. Mostly, our grandkids had a lovely time with the various water-based activities -- and it was quite relaxing for the six adults in our family.

Lovely owner and delicious food. She even offered us hot chocolate on a cold winter day on the house

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

(Translated by Google) Delicious food good price very friendlyDelicious taste(Original)Deliciosa comida buen precio bien amablesDelicioso sabor