The Colombian city of Cartagena is large. But the part where tourists go comprises just a small fraction of the city around the waterfront. Still, within that relatively thin footprint there’s all manner of lodging available from bunk beds in hostels to five star hotels.
If you’re planning a trip there location is less a concern than the quality and maintenance of the property. At around $60 a night on Expedia does Ibis Cartagena Marbella deliver that quality? Let’s find out.
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Ibis Cartagena Marbella Location
This property is right on the beach and its beachfront location and views are its greatest strength. If you’re planning to spend time at the beach on your stay You’re going to really enjoy being steps away from Marbella Beach, which is far less crowded with both people and peddlers than the beach at Bocagrande. Those steps are across a busy four lane highway, but you can’t have it all.
The Ibis Cartagena Marbella is walking distance to the walled city. It’s about 10-15 minutes to get to the location of the walled city and then another 5-7 minutes to walk into the nearest gate. It’s easily doable but if you walk a great deal inside the waled city it will feel further on the way back. The walk is safe and well-lit all the way. When I selected this location I assumed I would be relying heavily on Uber and that was a great benefit. Every Uber ride was $3.00 and they all show up in about 2-4 minutes. No problems there.
There’s not much in the immediate area. Three restaurants are adjacent to the property and there’s a grocery about a block away, convenient for snacks, beer and wine. The lack of a good cafe nearby is a bit of a disappointment.
Ibis Property Overview
The Ibis Cartagena Marbella is a 26 floor high rise. The restaurant is on the second floor and 3-5 are given over to things like laundry service and other employee areas. So if you stay here you’re guaranteed at least a sixth floor view. They don’t seem to distinguish between ocean view rooms and others. It’s not possible to book an ocean view although I suppose you could request it in the notes field when you make a reservation.
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Being a budget hotel there are no amenities such as a gym or swimming pool. There’s no parking either. Most visitors to Cartagena will not want to have a rental car but if you are planning to explore along the coast it should be no problem to rent your car in Cartagena and park it on the street behind the hotel. The staff were very pleasant and most guest-facing employees spoke English.
The restaurant at Ibis Cartagena Marbella is serviceable. The option to eat outside facing the sea is great if you can stand the Cartagena heat and humidity. Even inside the restaurant the air conditioning struggled to keep up. The food is not great overall. But if you’re hungry and don’t want to leave the property it’s decent enough. Service was minimal with a QR menu and Spanish speaking staff.
Ibis Cartagena Marbella Guest Rooms
When staying at any Ibis, the room you’ll receive is prefabricated. They make a certain size rectangle and then build the bathrooms in. Add in pre-measured, built-in furnishings, et viola… an Ibis room. All of these rooms are very suitable for solo travelers, and can accommodate couples for shorter stays. A safe is included and housekeeping made up the room daily.
I like the Ibis room concept but I was disappointed by the cable box just hanging by its cords below the TV. There were plenty of channels, but only about 3 in English, all news channels.
The AC cranks cold and there is no limit on how you can set it, which is crucial in the tropical heat. I appreciated that an extra key card was already in the power slot when I arrived, and remained there throughout the stay for the purpose of keeping the AC running constantly.
The bathrooms are not the best in design but they’re generally fine. Two people sharing may find it a bit cramped. This one was beginning to show its age and in truth was probably ready for a renovation. But it was clean and everything worked nicely.
Selecting a Hotel in Cartagena
The least expensive hotel rooms in Bocagrande are around $55 a night. These all get mixed reviews on the travel sites. Considering that the Ibis Cartagena Marbella is only $60 you can count on it to deliver that much value and more. Some sites or YouTubers might insist you need to stay in the walled city, but hotels there are 2-4 times more expensive and you’ll still be relying on Uber quite often. Grab this room on Expedia and don’t look back.
Alternatively, check the map and find something in Bocagrande for around the same price and enjoy a little more walkability to restaurants and amenities.
