La Ballena Azul Hotel

Hotels
7.7 (96 reviews)
Carrera 1 # 18 -02 , Taganga , co

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Children allowed

Facilities

WiFi available
Free WiFi
Air conditioning
Family rooms
Luggage storage
Safety deposit box
Fax/photocopying
Tour desk
Snorkelling
Non-smoking throughout
See all facilities

Review Highlights

Pros:
Location (near beach, sea view)
Helpful / friendly staff
Nice rooms
Good view
Parking
Pleasant inner courtyard
Successful lost-item assistance
Cons:
Not clean (reported)
No breakfast included / F&B limited
Perceived as expensive / poor value
Feels like 'only a place to sleep' for some guests
Some noise reported

Categories

Cleanliness
4.5
Explicitly called out as dirty in one review ('No es limpio'), indicating below-average cleanliness.
Service
10
Multiple mentions of helpful, friendly staff (helped return headphones; 'staff friendliness'); strong positive sentiment justifies top score.
Location
10
Repeatedly praised (near the beach, 'Lage direkt am Meer', 'La ubicación', 'Location'); clear strong positive for location.
Room Quality
9.5
Rooms described as nice/beautiful and 'everything perfect' for some guests; generally positive room quality with minor notes about being basic for longer stays.
Amenities
8.5
Some positive mentions (parking, nice inner courtyard, good view); amenities are viewed favorably though limited (e.g., no included breakfast).
Value for Money
5.5
Several comments indicate it's perceived as expensive or 'only a place to sleep' and that breakfast should be included—downward pressure on value.
Food and Beverage
5
Multiple guests noted lack of included breakfast and suggested breakfast should be offered; negative sentiment for F&B.
Overall Experience
8.6
Mixed-but-leaning-positive: excellent location and service and good rooms for short stays, offset by cleanliness and breakfast/value issues.
* This sentiment is summarized by AI based on user reviews.
Updated at: 2026-08-13 03:19

Property Description

Beachfront Paradise

Unforgettable Dining Experience
Indulge in fresh seafood and gourmet cuisine at our two beachfront restaurants.

Convenient Location and Transportation
Located just 12 minutes from Santa Marta, our hotel is the perfect base for exploring the Tayrona National Park. Let us take care of your transportation needs for a hassle-free stay.

Book now for an unforgettable beach getaway at Ballena Azul Hotel.

Important information:

The property is currently undergoing renovations, guests may experience some noise or light disturbances, and some hotel facilities and services may not be available.
A deposit may be required at the property.

Check-in and check-out hours:
Check-out: 01:00 PM

Location

Guest Reviews

7.7
Based on 96 reviews
Cleanliness: 4.5
Service: 10
Location: 10
Room Quality: 9.5
Amenities: 8.5
Value for Money: 5.5
Food and Beverage: 5
Overall Experience: 8.6
M
Monica • family_with_children • es
8
2026-08-26 • via Nuitee
A
Andre • extended_group • es
7
Buena ubicación y trato pero calidad- precio baja
Pros:

El trato del personal, ha sido muy amable. El hotel está bien ubicado

Cons:

La calidad no está acorde al precio de las habitaciones, siendo que es un precio muy elevado para las instalaciones que ofrecen.

2026-08-20 • via Nuitee
H
Herrera • solo_traveller • pl
10
Pros:

La ubicación, es importante por que esta al lado de los negocios necesarios, farmacias, D1, tiendas y supermarket y el Personal, estaba disponible las 24 horas del dia.

2026-08-17 • via Nuitee
J
James • solo_traveller • us
1
Booking.com should not have La Ballena Azul as a stay option
Pros:

Zero

Cons:

This stay should have a different rating: below atrocious, evil
Booking.com: please reconsider maintaining this stay as one of your options.
Your options are usually reputable and worthy. La Ballena Azul is NOT worthy of Booking.com.
All of us travelers at one time or another have had safety concerns for our money or items left in our hotel rooms. Not only outside thieves but actual employees, housekeepers, etc stealing from us. Trust in the hotel to a certain degree: no more, I certainly lost that trust. This is the first time in my 60 years of traveling that I have had a hotel employee steal from me.

Police report is with Detective Javier Acosta, Taganga, Santa Marta, Colombia Police Dept on August 10, 2026.

$600 (six $100 bills in my backpack) was stolen from me, James Fischer, inside my room, by Sandra or one of two front desk employees at La Ballena Azul. Which one, I do not know but $600 was stolen from my room, fact. It was determined it could not have been an outside job by cameras, no forced entry, etc.

I paid $179 for two nights stay before I discovered the robbery.
$179 should not remain charged to my booking. com credit card but I will address this later with booking.com
Aside from the robbery, Taganga is noise pollution (loud music, crowd noise) to the utmost hellish max. Loud music blaring below my two story room constantly until 5am. If you want peace and security, please avoid Taganga. The room was dirty, ants, had no hot water, no WiFi, refrigerator was rusty and dirty inside, no shampoo, and only two tiny cheap bars of soap. The $179 for two nights is tremendously overpriced because of very little value.
I only give reviews when there are exceptional issues one way or another. If I can prevent this from happening to another traveler, then possibly my $600 plus $179 room charge, went to a decent cause. I do care that another traveler does NOT go to La Ballena Azul. Please BEWARE of the above if you do!

2026-08-15 • via Nuitee
J
Juank P • solo_traveller • ec
8
2026-07-25 • via Nuitee
D
Dijk • solo_traveller • co
8
2026-07-13 • via Nuitee
L
Luz Angela • solo_traveller • co
7
2026-06-30 • via Nuitee
S
Siniel • family_with_children • co
6
Si solo vas a dormir es bueno.
Pros:

La ubicación, está cerca a la playa.

Cons:

Que solo es un lugar para ir a dormir.

2026-06-28 • via Nuitee
M
Maira Alejandra • extended_group • co
10
2026-04-04 • via Nuitee
L
Loris Toccaceli • solo_traveller • cr
5
Pros:

La vista

Cons:

No es limpio

2026-03-29 • via Nuitee
D
Dayana • family_with_children • co
8
Volvería … deberían incluir desayuno
Pros:

La ubicación

Cons:

.

2026-03-27 • via Nuitee
A
Ana • extended_group • de
10
Pros:

Everything perfect, i even forgot my headphones and they helped me to get them back, thanks!

2026-03-26 • via Nuitee
A
Andrea • extended_group • co
10
2026-03-26 • via Nuitee
J
Joachim • extended_group • de
6
Ganz ok für 1-2 Nächte
Pros:

Lage direkt am Meer, schöne Zimmer, schöner Innenhof, Parkplatz.

Cons:

zu teuer da nicht einmal Frühstück enthalten. Etwas laut.

2026-03-02 • via Nuitee
N
Neilyson • extended_group • fr
10
2026-03-02 • via Nuitee
G
Gustavo • extended_group • co
9
Pros:

Location, staff friendliness

2026-02-25 • via Nuitee
J
Josée • couple • ca
3
Pros:

L'emplacement près de la plage.

Cons:

Dans la première chambre, une suite présidentielle vue sur mer, tout est à l'abandon. Les robinets, les armoires, et lenplancher sales. Il y avait trois coquerelles adultes mortes et un lézard .
J'ai demandé à être remboursée pour partir et impossible. On a changé pour une petite chambre correct .
Et après on a réussi à être déménagé dans la chambre avec un lit double et un lit simple qui avait été rénovée et qui était correcte.
Mais jamais je n'ai pu être remboursée ou avoir la différence de prix .
Mais on a tout de même essayé de nous accommoder.

2026-01-31 • via Nuitee
T
TERRY • couple • us
8
2026-01-20 • via Nuitee
E
Estefanía • extended_group • co
10
Volveré
Pros:

El personal es increíble 10/10, hacen la experiencia otro nivel. La instalación están súper bonitas

2026-01-19 • via Nuitee
F
Flavia • couple • de
1
Nos robaron
Pros:

La atención fue buena

Cons:

Tenían fotos antiguas de lo que fue , nos robaron de la caja fuerte nos sacaron dinero es mejor no usar la caja fuerte porque ellos tienen llave de todo

2026-01-18 • via Nuitee