"While Sofitel Barú Cartagena has a beautiful location, clean beaches, comfortable rooms, and a large resort complex, several aspects of our stay were disappointing and prevented us from having the luxury experience we expected from the Sofitel brand. The biggest issue was the complete lack of a proper welcome experience. We arrived around 1 a.m. and received no welcome drink, water, fruit arrangement, room introduction. We were simply given the key and left on our own. This was particularly surprising because we have experienced much higher standards at other Sofitel properties, including Sofitel Bogotá.
Another major disappointment was the beach experience. Throughout our stay, local vendors were allowed to approach guests daily with tours, products, and various offers. While some were polite, many were persistent and repeatedly interrupted our relaxation. A luxury resort should provide guests with a peaceful environment without constant solicitation.
Beach service was also below expectations. Only small glasses of water were provided, whereas other luxury resorts we have visited typically offer bottled water throughout the day.
The departure experience was equally disappointing. Check-out felt impersonal, with no farewell gesture, no bottled water for the journey, and no effort to leave a lasting positive impression. The resort is beautiful, the staff is generally friendly and hardworking, and the beaches and rooms are very clean. However
the lack of personalized service,
a"
