Santa Marta-so glad I went

Most folks go to Cartagena and tick off the Colombia Caribbean coast to-do.  Santa Marta often overlooked, to me had a lot of character, grit, and a sense of what Cartagena may have been like before the tourist masses. HOT town (in September anyway) that crackles with life and character. Never been to Havana, Cuba, but I imagine with the old coloured colonial buildings, the malecon and the desultory shuffle of the townsfolks doing there banking, shopping and hustling, it must be like this.

Street vendors, students, coffee vendors,men debating the soccer league for the World Cup elimination, this town has a lot of colour and life. Had no time, but it is also a great hopping point for Tayrona NP just to the east.


The facts
Stayed in historic district at the second unmarked boutique location of the Casa del Farol, where check-in is. Hotel staff then walked us to the Casa del Agua (Calle 18 Cra 4), two doors down on the block next door.  Booked on Booking.com about $100 a night with breakfast served by the lovely Deanna, who took great care of us as did Anthony, the front desk guy.

Bliss awaits! Gorgeously thought through decor, very Ibiza: white walls and lines with shades of khaki. Beautiful wood furniture and large kitchen on the ground entrance floor. Small dipping pool is also in the center. Room was on 2n (top) floor, sharing a siting area outside with the room opposite. It also had an off room terrace, window overlooking interior courtyard and pool, and the shower had a rainfall shower head and the skylight right above it. Roof top terrace (3rd floor) was reason I booked and spent one night there on deck chairs drinking beers with Nathalia and Christian from Santiago. Great night talking until 3am with them.

Casa de farol-check in for Casa de Agua

 Gorgeously comfortable and aesthetic.

Eats/drinks
Made in Spain: Calle 18 @Cra 3 on corner. Right across the street from the Farol, and also owned by the Catalan couple who own the two hotels. GREAT meal in an old colonial home. Ate in the interior courtyard which was less formal than the AC dining room that overlooked the street. Fab fod-langostinas a la jillo, callos, good wine, no room for dessert sadly.
This couple will open a hamburger joint on the Paza e los Novios, and another boutique hotel just off that square too.

Lunch in Taganga-a 'fishing village' 30 minutes by colectivo (COP 1200) from Cra 5 in Santa Marta. Must have been blissfully unspoiled at some point, but now just looks and feel like a backpacker bum hangout. Rumours of drugs and drinking fests, so glad I didn;t book here looking for the sleepy fshing village experience.  Beachside kiosks serving fish dishes abound, most hustle you to eat there. Setteld on Kisok #4, run by women. Good food of the staple fish, coco rice, fish soup and Aguila beers overlooking the beach.

Nice place for a lazy few and a meal, but wouldn't sleep here-Santa Marta offers more of a locals experieenc and vibe.