Barú Playa Eco-Beach Resort

What a gem of a place. I feel super fortunate to have found this beautiful, relaxing, peaceful spot right in the Caribbean…….the perfect getaway from the business of Cartagena. The staff is welcoming and friendly, always available to accommodate. I was solo on this trip and loved it; there were also many families and couples enjoying a romantic getaway. This place if just perfect for anyone looking for tranquility and the beauty of the Caribbean.

This place is truly a hidden gem. If you are looking to get away from the hustle and bustle of the more crowded places and are looking for some peace and quiet this is the place. Not too many activities to do, there are kayaks, volleyball and a few other activities (for purchase) but just getting away with no itinerary and not being bothered with vendors trying to sell to you all day, this is the place. I recommend bringing bottled water and snacks to last your stay, although the food here is AMAZING and portions are decent. The water is amazing too, in the early morning it is as smooth as a piece of glass and depending on the weather out in the Gulf, you can have some decent waves. They rake the beach each morning in order to provide a clean start to the day, meaning all of the seaweed that washes ashore gets picked up. Speaking of the beach, it appeared this resort had the biggest beach in the area. I honestly probably won’t come back, just because there is so much more to see and do in Colombia, but I 100% recommend if you want time away from everything and/or spend quality time with your family or alone.

We stayed four days at this hotel. The staff were excellent and the food delicious, but the rest of the services did not fulfilled our expectations. I had the impression that the hotel promises more than it can offer, and certainly I found the rate, not justice. Some of the services we found unsatisfactory were: the transfer (by boat), the snorkeling trip, massage service and Wi-Fi/Cable connection. The shuttle boat seemed very precarious and insecure. I would not recommend it for the elderly or children. We hired a snorkeling trip that offered the hotel for an addition fee: The boat engine did not work well, they did not have the snorkel equipment available and the areas that took us were not the coral reef areas. We also hired a massage service that offered various types of massages: The masseuses were very nice, but certainly, I had the impression that they are not trained as masseuses. The Wi-Fi connection was weak, and we had no cable in the room. The beach was not what we expected. The sea was not as blue or transparent as seen in the pictures. There were many seaweed (not brought by the tide but growing under water-maybe it was the season. I don't know). We had the impression that the photos on the website had been retouched. In summary: I think, it is too pricey for what it offers. The place is nice, the staff is kind, the food is very good...but if you ask me if I would go there again, I would say no. Would you recommend it? Sadly, No.