Are you looking for a a Cartagena, Colombia all Inclusive hotel or resort?

Does the idea of knowing your meals, and possibly drinks, are already prepaid at a Cartagena all inclusive hotel seem like a good option for planning your trip?

If so, you’ve come to the right place!

I spent over a decade living in Cartagena, so I know the city well (I even made this whole website devoted to it). To put this guide to the best Cartagena all inclusive resorts together, I combined my experience living in the city along with spending a lot of time researching the best Cartagena hotels with all inclusive options to make a list of what I would consider the best all inclusive Cartagena resorts.

However, you might be surprised to learn that I actually don’t normally recommend Cartagena all inclusives, especially in the city proper. I especially don’t recommend spending your full stay at a Cartagena all inclusive. I’ll explain why below as well as give you some ideas of good all inclusive resorts near Cartagena in the Rosario Islands or beaches north of the city I would recommend as options to complement a stay at a non-all inclusive in town.

And, don’t worry, I’ll still give you some options for the best all inclusive resorts in Cartagena itself if you do still decide you want to book one!

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Is Staying at a Cartagena, Colombia All Inclusive Worth it?

So, if you landed on this page searching online for tips on Cartagena all inclusive hotels, you are at least considering staying at one of the Cartagena hotels that are all inclusive or have all inclusive options.

You might be disappointed then that I’m going to say staying at a Cartagena all inclusive is not worth it, and it’s especially not worth it for your entire stay.

Now, before you click away, hear me out!

I lived in Cartagena from 2011 to 2022, and I’ve even stayed in a few all inclusive hotels near Cartagena. That experience makes me confident that most travelers will get the most out of their trip if they do not book their entire stay at a Cartagena all inclusive, and here I’m going to tell you why.

Mainly, it just isn’t necessary or all that beneficial to do a Cartagena all inclusive. Cartagena is not a secluded sit on the beach and relax your whole trip destination.

Don’t worry though!

That quality beach time is absolutely a must during any visit, and I’ll talk about how to make sure you get it in a moment.

However, there are lots of things to do in Cartagena, and you’ll want to spend some time out of the hotel without having to worry about going back to get lunch or dinner.

In fact, most of the top things to do in Cartagena along with the best areas to stay in Cartagena are concentrated in a small area that is very touristy, easily walkable, and most importantly for this discussion about staying at a Cartagena all inclusive resort, has tons of great restaurants.

While my top recommendations are always inside the historic areas of the Centro or Getsemaní, even beachfront Bocagrande has lots of great restaurant options, and is only a short taxi ride from the Centro.

Look, all inclusive resorts in Cartagena and everywhere generally serve food ranging from fine to good, but it’s usually not amazing. The main benefit of choosing an all inclusive is not to eat like a foodie but knowing you don’t have to pay as you go, that your meals are taken care of, and you can relax and enjoy yourself.

Oh, and if you’re thinking about not having to pay for drinks, well, you will get more or less the absolute bottom shelf at the all inclusives in Cartagena. This is great for spending a few days indulging (if you’re like me perhaps a bit too much).

However, not only do I think you’ll just get so much more of a trip to Cartagena, but I’m pretty confident, you will want to get out of the hotel!

One thing that makes this even easier is that tons of great hotels that aren’t all inclusive in Cartagena do include breakfast, and I mean like real, quality made to order breakfast, usually with the fresh fruits and juices Colombia is famous for, not pastries or if you’re the lucky school cafeteria/prison style food many hotels in the US serve.

So, you can get your first meal of the day at the hotel, and then eat elsewhere while you enjoy exploring.

So, at least in my humble, but strong opinion, booking your whole stay at an all inclusive hotel in Cartagena will mean you miss out on all the best Cartagena restaurants and a lot of the best foods to try in Cartagena.

However, I do think booking part of your stay at an all inclusive, especially in the Rosario Islands, can be a good option, and there are a few other options near town and even in town that I’d also consider in certain cases too, like for example, if you have children and want access to easy meals and resort activities.

And, if you want to spend a few days with bottomless drinks hanging at the beach or pool, that’s all good too (I’ve most certainly done that!)

So, I recommend staying at one of the best Cartagena boutique hotels or one of the best luxury hotels in Cartagena for most of your stay and then maybe tacking on a few nights at one of the all inclusive resorts in Cartagena I’ll discuss below.

I’ll also highlight a few that I think work for an entire stay if you want to go that route.

Best All Inclusives in Cartagena

So, I’m calling this a best of list, but as you can tell from my introduction, I’m not completely in love with the Cartagena all inclusive resorts, at least as a good choice for your entire stay.

However, I do think everywhere on this list is a good choice to do part of your stay, and I don’t begrudge you if you choose to do your full stay at one of the ones near or in town (I definitely wouldn’t do your full stay in the islands).

I’ve split this list up into three sections.

In the first I’ll talk about a couple options in the islands, one of which I do absolutely love and both of which make great options to combine with a stay in town.

Next, I’ll talk about some options on the mainland outside of town. I think these options work as a nice happy medium for a complement to a stay in town that isn’t as isolated or pricey as the islands and could possibly work for a full stay.

Finally, I’ll discuss some options in town proper, two of which I think are fine options, and two of which I would personally skip unless I just really really had to stay at an all inclusive hotel in Cartagena and they were my only options.

All Inclusive Resorts in Cartagena’s Islands

The crystal clear waters and white sand beaches of Cartagena’s islands make the best choice for getting your beach fix in Cartagena.

Getting out here for at least a day trip is an absolute must on a visit. This is actually what I recommend if you have fewer than 5 nights total for your stay, and you can see my picks for the best Rosario Islands day trips here if that’s the case for you.

For those with time to split their time between the city and the islands, spending a night at one of the all inclusives in Cartagena’s islands makes a terrific choice.

Both of these options are in Barú, which is technically not part of the Rosario Islands but has arguably even better beaches. Importantly, both of these offer less crowded beaches and better amenities than Playa Blanca, the most popular beach on Barú.

Now, there are lots of other great options in the islands themselves that are not considered all inclusive although some do offer the option to include your meals (the islands are quite isolated with not much else besides the hotels and ecolodges).

You can see options for that in my post on the best Rosario Islands hotels.

However, I’d like to highlight the Sofitel Calablanca as an especially great option for those considering an all inclusive resort. They do not sell an all inclusive package, but they do offer many amenities and activities similar to what you would find at an all inclusive. So I’d encourage you to consider them.

For an especially unique experience in the island, you could also consider the lovely luxury bungalows Las Islas, which is probably the finest luxury beach resort near Cartagena but is pretty pricey.

But let’s kick off this list of the best Cartagena resorts with all inclusive options with the two places I’d recommend that do have all inclusive options.

Isla del Encanto – Great Beach and Modern Style Rooms

Honestly, if you need something that is all inclusive for Cartagena, staying at the Isla del Encanto for 1-3 nights plus a stay at either a non-all inclusive or perhaps number a place like Las Americas later on this list for the rest of your stay, would be my top recommendations.

Susana and I stayed at Isla del Encanto for a staycation and loved it. You can read all about our experience at Isla del Encanto here.

The rooms are in two story townhouse style bungalows but offer an experience like a luxury hotel with A/C, comfy beds, and TV. There are also two pools, including a kids’ pool for guests here. We also thought the food was overall very solid, especially for all inclusive hotel food, and we thought the service was terrific.

Most importantly of all though, the beach here is terrific!

It’s is really wide, the water is crystal clear and calm, and there are plenty chairs and shade.

Now, it is worth pointing out that this isn’t 100% all inclusive as alcoholic drinks aren’t included, only meals are included. However, we did find drinks to be, while not exactly cheap, fairly reasonably priced here.

I think this makes a good choice for families or couples of any age looking for some relaxed beach time in particular. We went just after things starting opening up after the Covid pandemic, so this might have been a product of that, but there wasn’t much going on at night here. That was just fine for us, but there are some other places that have shows and more active bars and those sorts of things elsewhere on this list. There are also more additional activities and excursions offered at the aforementioned non-all inclusive Sofitel Calablanca.

Decameron Barú – Nice Spot at the Far End of Playa Blanca

We have actually never been to the Decameron on Barú, however, I know the area around it quite well because I lived in the tiny town close by during my year as a volunteer teacher in 2011, my first year in Colombia, and I spent lots of time at Playa Blanca back then when it wasn’t so overrun.

This is a true all inclusive that includes alcoholic drinks.

So, if that is important to you, this would be my top choice to complement a stay somewhere in town for the other part of your trip.

Decameron operates a chain of all inclusive resorts in Colombia and elsewhere. They have several properties on the island of San Andrés, for example. I would compare them to sort of a Holiday Inn style resort. They aren’t exactly the most luxurious, but they are nice enough, and aren’t too crazy expensive.

The property on Barú is located at the very end of Playa Blanca, and is set off with its own private beach. The water here is terrific and the exclusiveness of it allows you to avoid the overcrowding elsewhere on Playa Blanca. There is pretty good snorkeling literally almost in front of the hotel (we have been snorkeling there).

The hotel also has several pools and a fairly large property with nicely furnished rooms. There is buffet style food and the option for sit down dinners. There are several bars, and also unlike Encanto, there are snacks served during the day too as part of the all inclusive package. There are are also activities during the day and at night, and there is even a mini-Scuba diving course included in the all inclusive package, a nice touch in my opinion.

So, if you’re looking for something a bit more along the lines of a traditional all inclusive beach resort in Cartagena, this is probably the best option, although I’d still complement it with some time in town too.

All Inclusive Hotels on Cartagena’s Outskirts

These Cartagena all inclusive hotels are all located north of the city, roughly 20-30 minutes from the Walled City.

On the one hand, these all inclusives near Cartagena do make it much easier to get into town for a day or part of a day between your beach lounging than the places listed above in the islands. There is also a golf course at one of them for those who want to hit the links during their Cartagena trip.

However, on the other hand, the beaches here, while better than those in town, are not nearly as nice as those in the islands, and you won’t find that crystal clear water like at the two places discussed above.

So, I’d personally choose splitting my time between town and one of the two all inclusives in the islands over splitting it between town and one of these.

However, I do think if you really want to spend your entire trip at an all inclusive and want nice pools along with a beach and still be able to get into town to explore, these work for that.

In fact, I think if you are set on doing a Cartagena all inclusive for your entire trip I’d recommend them over every other place on this list besides Las Americas below.

Estelar Manzanilo – Our All Inclusive Near Cartagena

Honestly, out of all the Cartagena all inclusive hotels on this list that aren’t in the islands, the Estelar Manzanillo is the one I’d most recommend.

Now, in full disclosure, it’s the only other one besides Isla del Encanto where we’ve actually stayed. We were pretty pleased overall. Our room was very nice. The property was gorgeous with 2 nice pools, a big beach area, and several bars.

Yes, it is also a true all inclusive with alcoholic drinks included. Drinks were fine, not great, but kind of what you expect for an all inclusive. We also thought the food was above average for an all inclusive.

You can read all about our stay at the Estelar Manzanillo All Inclusive here.

While we were staying there for just a staycation, I appreciated that they had a daily shuttle into the city, so if you did want to do all your stay here, you can get into town pretty easily. I’d still recommend splitting your time, maybe at the sister Estelar in Bocagrande, if you don’t want to go for a place in the historic city, but it’s nice to know the option to get into town is there even if it’s only to get some last minute souvenirs.

While it is an all inclusive with alcohol, I do think it’s family friendly too. There were daily activities in the main pool for kids, and there is a big stage and shows at night by the beach. I also felt like prices, while not cheap, were fairly reasonable here.

Dreams Karibana – Only Cartagena All Inclusive with a Golf Course

If you’d like to hit the links during your time in Cartagena, the Dreams Karibana Cartagena Golf Resort and Spa is basically your only option. I’m not a golfer, nor have I been there, so I can’t really comment on the quality of the course from experience but I’d imagine it’s fine but not amazing since Cartagena isn’t a big golf destination.

This is a true Cartagena all inclusive with all food and drinks, including alcohol included. The hotel has several pools, is a short walk or shorter complementary golf cart ride from the beach, and also offers entertainment, although reviews I read seem to suggest the entertainment is just ok, not great.

Reviews of the rooms themselves are good and photos look very nice. Comments I read on the food sound pretty typical for all inclusives.

Do note that the hotel does offer a “Preferred Club” option that gives you access to some special lounges and other areas of the hotel like a preferred club bar as well as a room in a top tier location with a nicer view. It also says it includes premium liquors.

While I’d probably just choose the Estelar over this, especially since I don’t golf, it does sound like this is a slightly nicer property with more amenities and entertainment, which makes it another good choice for a Cartagena all inclusive resort. If you want to golf during your time in Cartagena, then you should definitely plan to stay here for at least part of your stay.

Melía Cartagena Karmairi – Best Adults Only Cartagena All Inclusive Resort

The Melía Cartagena Karmairi is located right near where the Estelar is in Manzanillo, a bit closer to the city than the Dreams Karibana. It is the only Cartagena, Colombia all inclusive hotel that is adults only that I know about.

So, that means it isn’t family friendly, but it is a good option for those looking to have a kid free resort experience at a Cartagena all inclusive. It might make an especially good option for a romantic escape, bachelor or bachelorette trips, or a nice group girls or guys friends trip (or a girls and guys friends trip too!).

There is a very nice pool on site (complete with a pool bar), rooms look nice, and there is a very big and solid looking beach area too.

To be honest, I don’t think their all inclusive price is a horrible value either when compared to the prices of other all inclusive resorts in Cartagena. Do keep in mind when reserving though that they have several rates, some that only include breakfast, some that include breakfast and dinner, and some that are all inclusive.

All Inclusives in Cartagena Proper I’d Consider

To close out this list of the best all inclusive hotels in Cartagena, I’m going to look at a few options in town itself, a few of which I think make pretty good options, and a couple which I’d recommend avoiding.

As I’ve noted numerous times, I would generally recommend only doing part of you stay at an all inclusive in Cartagena if any time at all. That being said, if you did want to do your full stay at an all inclusive resort in Cartagena, my top pick below would be where I’d most recommend doing it.

Las Americas – If You Want to Do Your Entire Stay at an All Inclusive

If you just want the ease and peace of mind of doing your entire stay at a Cartagena all inclusive hotel, my recommendation would be to choose Las Americas (although I’d still say this also makes a good option for some days to relax to complement a stay in town too!)

This Cartagena resort is located right on the beaches at the very northern tip of the city just a stone’s throw from the airport and so much closer than the choices mentioned above. I lived very close by for several years, and the location is close enough to town to make it easy to take a taxi to see everything in the historic city center even if it isn’t within walking distance.

While I haven’t stayed here, I have visited a friend who was staying there with her family and hung out a bit, and the property is nice with multiple pools, and there is a nice beach area. My friend had mostly good things to say about the hotel and the food too.

There are actually two connected hotels that are part of the property, and guests do have access to all the facilities at both regardless of which you stay in. I personally would probably choose the smaller Casa de la Playa hotel, but the larger, Torre del Mar hotel also looks great.

Do also note, that while I’ve included links to Booking.com, my preferred platform for hotel bookings, you do have to book via their website directly for the all inclusive option, while Booking’s rates only give you the option to book with breakfast included.

I especially think this makes for a good choice for families. There are some kid friendly areas and activities and, again, you can easily get out of the hotel to enjoy things around town.

Decameron – Best Cartagena All Inclusive in Bocagrande

I mentioned the Decameron in Barú above, but the Decameron in Cartagena proper is my pick for the best all inclusive in Cartagena’s hotel zone of Bocagrande.

This hotel is located in a decent spot near the start of the better beaches in Bocagrande and within a longish walk or short taxi ride from the Walled City. If you want to be in a Cartagena all inclusive that is within easy walking distance to other restaurants and shopping, while still being across the street from the beach, it’s the best overall option.

It, like the Barú property, is also a true all inclusive that includes alcoholic drinks.

The hotel has a borderline cheesy tropical decor and is a bit of a dated property compared to some of the newer and nicer hotels and resorts in Cartagena, but it’s far from ugly. The reviews I read on the hotel are fairly mixed, but if you want to be in Bocagrande and have an all inclusive experience, it’s the nicest option.

Hotel Cartagena Plaza – Best Value for an All Inclusive Cartagena Hotel

So, I’m going to go ahead and beat the dead horse that I’d personally opt for a non-all inclusive hotel in Cartagena at least for my time in town. However, I think the Hotel Cartagena Plaza stands out as an excellent value for an all inclusive resort in Cartagena.

In fact, I’d go so far as to say it’s not a bad value even before factoring in the all inclusive option. That, I think, makes it a somewhat compelling option, since you’ll pay a similar price to what you would for a non-all inclusive.

So, if you decide you want to get out of the hotel for some or even a lot of your meals (which I think you likely will if you stay at any all inclusive in town), you won’t feel terrible about the price you paid for meals you don’t eat at the hotel.

The all inclusive price does also include alcoholic drinks by the way, so again it’s by far the best value on this list.

The hotel is solid, with nice enough and comfortable looking rooms. The decorations in some are a bit eclectic but feature historical and cultural figures from Cartagena, which is kind of nice if a tad over the top in some of the photos. The pool here isn’t as big or impressive as other hotels, but it is perfectly fine, and the hotel is across the street from the beach.

To be honest, if I felt like I really had to choose an all inclusive in Cartagena, this might be my choice since I’d be paying similar to what I would at a non all inclusive and would have the option for drinks and food whenever I wanted to just bum around the hotel while not feeling obligated to do so to take advantage of what I paid for the all inclusive option.

They do also have a non-all inclusive rate, but the difference is such I’d probably go against most of what I’ve recommended here and just pay the bit extra to keep my options open.

A Couple All Inclusives in Cartagena I’d Avoid

To close out this list, there are two Cartagena all inclusive resorts I’d avoid. They are both located in Bocagrande. One looks a bit nicer, while one looks a bit more of a value. However, both have pretty atrocious reviews, and neither is a particularly good value, especially factoring in those negative reviews.

The first is the Hotel Cartagena Dubai, which I think is kind of the ultimate in cheesiness even if the building itself is pretty and fairly unique looking along the beach. The other is the Hotel Dorado Plaza Bocagrande. It is at least cheap, I guess.

I don’t know, you can always compare prices and if you score a good deal on one of these two and really want an all inclusive, by all means go for it, but I’d opt for one of the other places on this list or just avoid the all inclusive option entirely.

Will You Book an All Inclusive Cartagena Hotel?

So, as I’ve said repeatedly here, I personally would not choose an all inclusive hotel for a visit to Cartagena unless it was a stay at one of the places in the islands for a few nights to complement a stay in town, although I do think one of the options on the beaches on the outskirts of town, or maybe Las Americas are good options too.

If you feel like you agree, do please do check out my picks for the best luxury hotels and best boutique hotels.

However, if you do want to do the all inclusive route, I do hope this article helped you make your choice and was valuable for your planning.

Most importantly, I hope you have a wonderful stay!

Please do check out all the other content on the site to help you decide what to do when you do get out of the hotel.

Cheers and Happy Exploring!