Facilities

Guest education on local ecosystems and culture
Non-smoking rooms
Air conditioning
Swimming pool
Restaurant
Room service
Terrace
Express check-in/check-out
Safety deposit box
Tour desk
See all facilities

Review Highlights

Pros:
Excellent staff service
Lovely location
Cons:
Dirty rooms
High prices for poor quality

Categories

Cleanliness
7.25
Multiple reviews indicated issues with dirty rooms and unclean facilities.
Service
10
Many comments highlighted the incredible and attentive service provided by the staff.
Location
9.75
The location was generally appreciated, though some found it complicated to reach.
Room Quality
8.75
Rooms were noted as nice but reported to be unclean, affecting the overall impression.
Amenities
9.25
Amenities were mentioned positively but noted as not fully meeting luxury expectations.
Value for Money
8.25
Prices were criticized as extremely high relative to quality, impacting perceived value.
Food and Beverage
8.75
Food was rated as good but also had complaints about quality in some instances.
Overall Experience
10
Despite some criticisms, the overall sentiment reflected positive experiences during stays.
* This sentiment is summarized by AI based on user reviews.
Updated at: 2026-01-10 15:36

Property Description

Luxurious Amenities

Indulge in a stay at Soy Local Islawa with its outdoor swimming pool, private beach area, and lush garden - perfect for a relaxing getaway.

Exceptional Services

Enjoy top-notch services with a 24-hour front desk, room service, and free WiFi throughout the property for a seamless and comfortable stay.

Exciting Activities

Embark on thrilling water sports adventures and explore the underwater world through snorkeling, all while staying at Soy Local Islawa.

Book now to experience the ultimate blend of luxury and relaxation at Soy Local Islawa in Cartagena de Indias.

Important information:

This property does not accommodate bachelor(ette) or similar parties.
Please inform of your expected arrival time in advance. You can use the Special Requests box when booking, or contact the property directly using the contact details in your confirmation.
Guests under the age of 18 can only check in with a parent or official guardian.

Check-in and check-out hours:

Location

Guest Reviews

9
Based on 243 reviews
Cleanliness: 7.25
Service: 10
Location: 9.75
Room Quality: 8.75
Amenities: 9.25
Value for Money: 8.25
Food and Beverage: 8.75
Overall Experience: 10
N
Nadir • couple • fr
10
2026-01-25 • via Nuitee
G
Gonzalo • solo_traveller • es
8
Precioso lugar, muy tranquilo,
Pros:

El lugar, las habitaciones , muy bonitas, muy relajado, comida muy rica y bien de precio

Cons:

Tenía reservado una júnior suite, pero creo que nos dieron un habitación standard, estaba muy bien pero creo que no nos dieron lo reservado. Los empleados bien, amables pero sin más. Raro tener la “recepción” en la zona donde se come , oyendo todas las conversaciones del staff. El staff se va de la isla a las 21:30 si uno quiere un oktail para tomar y conversar , no es posible. La agencia de tours nos cobró 300 euros mucho por un tour muy simple. El hotel tendría que estar más atento a eso.

2026-01-24 • via Nuitee
F
Francesca • couple • it
9
2026-01-21 • via Nuitee
J
Joseline Marcela • couple • cl
10
2026-01-21 • via Nuitee
B
Brett • couple • ca
8
2026-01-20 • via Nuitee
A
Amani • couple • dk
10
Pros:

Perfect location in Isla Baru. Staff are super friendly and the food is really good

2026-01-19 • via Nuitee
I
Izzy • couple • gb
8
Pros:

Lovely staff and beautiful setting

2026-01-18 • via Nuitee
J
Johannes • couple • ch
8
Pros:

We really enjoyed our stay overall. The hotel offers a beautiful, private, and relaxing atmosphere. The room was very modern and well designed, and the staff was generally friendly, although limited English skills sometimes made communication frustrating.
There is no real beach at the hotel, but they made a good effort to create a beach-like area. Access to the water is only via a ladder, which is something to be aware of. The food was okay, but a bit overpriced for the quality.

Cons:

What seriously disappointed us was the parking situation. We arrived by car and were given the contact of a man at the harbor to park our car, which made us assume this was organized or at least endorsed by the hotel. When we later asked the reception about the price, they had no information at all. The parking guy then tried to massively overcharge us, and we had to haggle just to reduce the price — which was still far too high (around $10 per day) for a dirty beach-shack parking spot.

For a hotel in this price range, this lack of professionalism and indirect support of obvious overcharging is unacceptable. With better organization and transparency, this could be a truly excellent place.

2026-01-17 • via Nuitee
T
Tamsyn • solo_traveller • gb
8
I enjoyed my time here due to the staff, there are some improvements that could be made
Pros:

The service from the staff was great. The free welcome drink, free kayak use, decent pizza and pasta (with free delivery to my room!) and amazing coconut lemonade, as well as the comfortable day beds on the beach were all appreciated, as was turning the music down in the bar when I could hear it from my room. We didn’t have water for part of one day and without being asked Grace offered a free cocktail or starter in recompense.

Cons:

The room I booked was next to a noisy kitchen, but Grace made it feel like no problem at all to move me. The taxi picking me up was 40 minutes late, but then they knocked 20000 COP off the price which was a good recompense. It is however usually 170000 one way from Cartagena, which as I paid £140 for one night at the hotel felt like more money than I wanted to spend. I left a review on Google with more little niggles like dirty toilet brush, no bath mats, etc.

2026-01-15 • via Nuitee
J
Javier • extended_group • xa
9
Pros:

El paisaje y la ubicación del complejo, al lado del mar. El personal muy solícito, buena atención. Saludos

Cons:

Un día se corto el agua y los baños no funcionaron bien.

2026-01-15 • via Nuitee
A
Antonia • couple • at
2
Would NOT GO!
Pros:

The Design of the room is Nice

Cons:

We were extremely disappointed with our stay. We were misled by the positive reviews on Booking (which made us wonder whether some of them are genuine). We were hesitant at first, but decided to book the hotel anyway.

The bed was dirty, the food was inedible, and the prices were extremely high for the poor quality, especially when compared to far better restaurants and hotels elsewhere in Colombia. We wanted to leave immediately. The staff was not very helpful at first, and only after about six hours of discussion and waiting were we finally allowed to leave.

The beach itself is very strange and feels unsafe. You are constantly worried about being hit by one of the jet skis passing by to sell things, often driven in an inexperienced and reckless manner. The beach loungers and the exterior area are designed without any care and feel very neglected.

2026-01-13 • via Nuitee
M
Manuela • family_with_children • ar
8
A pesar de algunas falencias pasamos unos días espectaculares. Deben reforzar el abastecimiento de la cocina para cumpli
Pros:

El lugar es muy lindo, tiene buenas instalaciones y amenities. Está asolado de todo. Literalmente una isla. Uno solo puede consumir en el lugar. A precios bastante elevados. Quiero destacar la atención de todo el personal, desde los que rebusca en lancha, están en la recepción, personal de bar y de limpieza. Siempre bien predispuestos, muy atentos y amables. Hacen malabares frente a la falta de recursos, todo el tiempo faltaba algo de la carta, pero igualmente siempre trataron de resolverlo para que estuviéramos a gusto. Quiero agradecer sobre todo a los chicos que están en el bar y Restoran. Los 4 siempre alegres, súper dedicados y amorosos.

Cons:

No me gustó que había poca oferta gastronómica. Estuvimos 4 días y se fueron quedando sin comida. Teniendo en cuenta que solo se puede consumir lo que venden no está bueno. La carta de por sí es bastante reducida y algo cara para lo que ofrece.

2026-01-09 • via Nuitee
V
Valentina Cruz • couple • fr
8
Pros:

Une vraie déconnexion au milieu de la nature et de la mer
La vue était incroyable

Cons:

Les zones de plage sont assez limitées.
Coupure d'eau pendant plusieurs heures.
Les repas du restaurant ne sont pas au rdv.

2026-01-09 • via Nuitee
J
Jordan Fatid • couple • pe
9
Relajanate
Pros:

La vista, la limpieza, el orden y la atención

Cons:

El lago que estaba un poco sucio

2026-01-06 • via Nuitee
A
Alexandre • solo_traveller • fr
10
Pros:

Tout était merveilleux. Le personnel est très compétent, professionnel et attentionné. La nourriture très bonne et travaillée. Ceux qui se plaignent d'attendre 30mn a une heure alors qu'ils sont en vacances dans un mieu de rêve devraient revoir leurs priorités. Bravo et merci !!❤️

Cons:

Rien

2026-01-01 • via Nuitee
E
edna • couple • co
10
2025-12-29 • via Nuitee
R
Rafael • couple • es
10
El paraíso de Colombia
Pros:

Solo podemos decir que es el mejor sitio de Colombia, un lugar paradisiaco, el personal es increíblemente encantador (Alberto y Paula espectaculares) y las instalaciones perfectas, limpias y con todas las comodidades que se necesitan para unos días de desconexión y relax.

Cons:

Todo nos gustó. Solo que llegar es algo complicado pero ellos te facilitan todo.

2025-12-25 • via Nuitee
A
Antonia • couple • at
3
Never again
Pros:

The rooms look nice but unclean

Cons:

We were extremely disappointed with our stay. We were misled by the positive reviews on Booking (which made us wonder whether some of them are genuine). We were hesitant at first, but decided to book the hotel anyway.

The bed was dirty, the food was inedible, and the prices were extremely high for the poor quality—especially when compared to far better restaurants and hotels elsewhere in Colombia. We wanted to leave immediately. The staff was not very helpful at first, and only after about six hours of discussion and waiting were we finally allowed to leave.

The beach itself is very strange and feels unsafe. You are constantly worried about being hit by one of the jet skis passing by to sell things, often driven in an inexperienced and reckless manner. The beach loungers and the exterior area are designed without any care and feel very neglected.

2025-12-24 • via Nuitee
A
ANDRES FELIPE • couple • es
10
Fantástico lugar para disfrutar del mar y descansar
Pros:

La atención del personal y las instalaciones

Cons:

Un poco de ruido de los vecinos en la noche en otro hotel

2025-12-23 • via Nuitee
L
luis • couple • co
10
Excelente
Pros:

Nuestra experiencia en Islawa fue simplemente maravillosa. Desde el primer momento nos sentimos muy bien recibidos. El staff es increíblemente amable, cercano y siempre dispuesto a ayudar con una sonrisa. Nos apoyaron con mucho cariño para preparar una sorpresa muy especial para mi esposa por su cumpleaños, y ese gesto hizo que la experiencia fuera inolvidable. Sin duda, volveríamos una y mil veces.

Las instalaciones son hermosas, limpias y muy cómodas. La habitación estaba impecable y era extremadamente confortable, perfecta para descansar y disfrutar. Nos llevamos recuerdos muy lindos y una sensación de gratitud por el trato tan humano y especial que recibimos.

Totalmente recomendado.

2025-12-19 • via Nuitee