SABAI

Hotels
Independent
8.8 (52 reviews)
Barú Playa, Cartagena, 130017 , Cartagena , CO

Pets allowed

Facilities

Free beach club on site
Books
Free WiFi
Terrace
Garden
Concierge service
Wheelchair accessible
Snorkeling nearby
Safe-deposit box at front desk
Front desk (limited hours)
See all facilities

Review Highlights

Pros:
Beach atmosphere
Friendly staff
Cons:
Basic room features
Food value for price

Categories

Cleanliness
8.55
Rooms are basic and have no screens on windows, necessitating AC use.
Service
9.55
The staff was very nice and accommodating, with quick and kind waitstaff.
Location
9.55
Beautiful and private beach, creating a great atmosphere.
Room Quality
8.05
Rooms are pretty basic with beds that are overly soft.
Amenities
9.05
Inclusion of day use of the beach is a nice feature, though crowded.
Value for Money
8.05
Food quality is just okay for the price given the remote location.
Food and Beverage
8.55
The food was amazing but could be understood as just okay given location challenges.
Overall Experience
9.05
The experience is enjoyable overall, with a mix of positives and some areas for improvement.
* This sentiment is summarized by AI based on user reviews.
Updated at: 2025-12-11 13:25

Property Description

Private Beach and Pool Amenities - Unwind at the private beach or relish the outdoor pool, providing the perfect blend of relaxation and recreation.

Dining and Entertainment Options - Indulge in delectable meals at the hotel's restaurant, savor drinks at the various bars including a beach bar, and make the most of room service for a cozy night in.

Convenience and Comfort - Benefit from complimentary WiFi, concierge services, and laundry facilities. The hotel's well-equipped guestrooms offer modern amenities like flat-screen TVs and minibars for a comfortable stay.

We invite you to experience the beauty of SABAI in Cartagena with its exquisite beachfront location and top-notch services. Book now to create unforgettable memories by the water's edge.

Important information:

  • There is no hot water on site.
  • If you are traveling with a child your property may require you to present the following documents: Parents traveling into Colombia with a child under 18 may be required to present the child's birth certificate and photo ID (passport for non-Columbian visitors) upon check-in. If a relative or legal guardian is traveling into Colombia with the child, that relative or legal guardian may be required to present a notarized consent of travel signed by both parents and a copy of both parents' ID. If only one parent is traveling into Colombia with the child, that parent may be required to present a notarized consent of travel signed by the other parent. Visitors who plan to travel with children should consult with a Colombian consulate office prior to travel for further guidance.
  • Only registered guests are allowed in the guestrooms.
  • Guests can arrange to bring pets by contacting the property directly, using the contact information on the booking confirmation (surcharges apply and can be found in the Fees section).

Check-in and check-out hours:
Check-out: 12:00 PM
Airport code: CTG

Property Policies

  • General

    Individually-wrapped food options are available for dinner

  • Sustainability Certifications

    Property confirms they are implementing guest safety measures

  • General

    Individually-wrapped food options are available for breakfast

  • General

    Individually-wrapped food options are available for lunch

  • General

    Guests are provided with free hand sanitizer

See all policies

Location

Guest Reviews

8.8
Based on 52 reviews
Cleanliness: 8.55
Service: 9.55
Location: 9.55
Room Quality: 8.05
Amenities: 9.05
Value for Money: 8.05
Food and Beverage: 8.55
Overall Experience: 9.05
K
Krista family
8
Pros:

It was cool to be on this beach at night after all of the boats leave. The lights on the beach are lovely at night. The staff is very nice and accommodating. The rooms are pretty basic for the price, with no comfortable sitting areas and no screens on the windows, so you need to run the AC at all times and can't leave the widows open to hear the ocean, lest you get bitten by mosquitoes. The beds are overly soft. The fact the room includes day use of the beach is nice, but the beach and pool do quite crowded with day pass users. Ocean access is tricky due to washed up coral and sea grass. Food is just OK for the price, although maybe understandable since the resort is remote.

2025-07-18 via Nuitee
V
Valerie family
10
Pros:

This property is a hidden gem. The beach is beautiful and private, and the food was amazing. The waitstaff were quick and kind, and the beds were comfortable as well!

2025-06-12 via Nuitee
E
Erin
10
Great for solo travel
Pros:

Great remote location and very quiet in early morning/evening. Would highly recommend

2025-04-10 via Nuitee
B
Betzaida partner
10
Pros:

The hotel is absolutely beautiful, it’s clean, the food and drinks are amazing, the staff are so friendly and welcoming 🙏we were so lucky the day we arrived. We were the only guest. So we had the whole place to ourselves. We definitely will come back.

2025-03-02 via Nuitee
D
Duncan partner
10
Pros:

Totally loved it!

2025-01-22 via Nuitee
V
Verified traveler
6
Pros:

Dyrt. Når du betaler såpass mye for et rom, og man er fullstendig avhengig av hotellet (finnes ingen butikker i nærheten) så bør i det minste drikkevann være noe som tilbys gjestene gratis.

2025-01-15 via Nuitee
C
Corey
10
Pros:

We truly enjoyed our stay here, the grounds were clean, the staff was attentive and friendly, chill music, and good food. The beach is great and relaxing with nobody hassling you. One of our lunches we had to wait 2 hours, but aside from that it was a great getaway.

2025-01-10 via Nuitee
K
Katia
10
SABAI is gorgeous!
Pros:

This property is gorgeous. Being steps from the water (beach) or pool was just what we needed to start 2025 relaxed! We loved the views from the pool and the room was very comfortable with a large bed, bathroom and even small dining table. The cable TV from the room was comprehensive.

2025-01-07 via Nuitee
P
Peter family
10
Pros:

Eine sehr ruhige und entspannte Anlage,
perfekter Pool optimal für ein paar Tage zum entspannen.

2024-04-04 via Nuitee
P
Paul
4
Disappointing
Pros:

We chose SABAI to end our trip for the peace and quiet it advertises. However, on one of the days we stayed here, the hotel accepted an exceptionally large group of really loud partygoers that really ruined the experience. I talked to the manager and explained my discontent, which she understood, and offered a discount. At checkout, the discount was forgotten, and I ended up having to argue with staff who gave us 20% off of one night, which is peanuts. Very disappointing. I hope that management realizes that booking large groups at the expense of the quality of guests is unacceptable and cheap.

On the bright side, staff were wonderful and the place is great. Thank you to Miri and Juan and all the other staff members that were lovely.

2024-03-23 via Nuitee
S
SARA
2
Not recommended
Pros:

Good location, however the service is lacking especially for the money they charge. I did not assume resort level service but I also expected better service. The host either caters better to day trippers or to non- solo female travelers. Either way, I felt taken advantage of.

I am fortunate to have visited dozens of countries, including remote, and from the day I booked the reservation, the ball was dropped. I had to plea at times for communication and had this been a refundable fare, I would have cancelled.

Even while on-site, I continued to plea, via written messages for communication. A couple of people onsite did attend to my situation but even that felt like a negotiation and that I wad being scammed.

So, yes, I was taken advantage of, perhaps "scammed" - and no, I would never return or recommend this location. Plenty of others around if you do a bit of research.

I am in the process of capturing my travels through Colombia in a blog where this experience will be further detailed along with photos.

In the meantime, if you have questions, email me: liban0214@gmail.com

2024-01-24 via Nuitee
J
Jose Luis partner
8
Pros:

Todo muy bien, sólo el costo de transporte para llegar, es caro

2023-10-16 via Nuitee
K
Kimberly
10
What a gem 💎
Pros:

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.

2023-04-08 via Nuitee
M
Marcos partner
10
Pros:

Nos encantó la tranquilidad, que no haya vendedores constantes y la exclusividad qué hay para los huéspedes. Muy atentos todos los empleados. Con variedad y calidad gastronómica.
Hermosa estadía!!

2023-03-31 via Nuitee
G
Gisela partner
10
Pros:

Great customer service! The staff was very friendly and accommodating.

2023-03-08 via Nuitee
G
Gary partner
10
Pros:

Great views and setting with top notch building amenities. Very stylish

2023-02-06 via Nuitee
E
Esmeralda
10
Paraíso en Colombia
Pros:

Nuestra estancia fue espectacular! Las fotos no hacen justicia a ese paraíso. El servicio 10, comida riquísima, una de las mejores experiencias en hoteles que hemos tenido. Pensamos volver en un futuro a Baru para quedarnos allí

2022-12-01 via Nuitee
M
Marion
8
Schönes Hotel am ruhigen Strand
Pros:

Vor allem das Servicepersonal war großartig und hat versucht, uns alle Wünsche zu erfüllen. Der Aufenthalt kann schnell langweilig werden, weil man fast nichts machen kann außer am Strand liegen und baden. Sie haben aber schöne Hängematten und Schaukeln im Wasser.

2022-07-17 via Nuitee
P
Philippa partner
10
Pros:

My husband I visited Baru Playa Eco-Beach resort in March and simply could not have been more pleased with our choice. We read all the reviews before booking, found them to be mostly true BUT for us we LOVED LOVED LOVED it. A real piece of heaven!

To reach the resort you need to take a boat, we were coming from Catagena and contacted the resort (by whatsapp NOT expedia or phone) and they arranged for pick up by taxi from our hotel. It worked really well and we were in the car for an hour until then in a small boat for 15 mins.

Once we got there we did not leave! We ate all our meals there (we had paid full board but it was hard for me to understand the half board). We did read the reviews and took two big bottles of water for cleaning our teeth and some snacks just in case - which honestly I am not sure we needed.

The food was exceptional for my husband. He enjoyed extremely fresh fish in some form for most meals. For me, a bit harder as I am a vegetarian, but the chef and everyone there did there best to look after me - and the food I got was very nice but I definately had to be flexible.

The place was just what we needed - very quiet, peaceful and so restful. The staff were INCREDIBLY nice. There were a couple of dogs that were very, very friendly - and I fell in love with them! We read books and sat on the beach beds and took the rowing boats out.

The boat ride back took us through the mangroves after tearful goodbyes to the staff who were friends now!

2022-04-05 via Nuitee
S
Stuart
10
Wonderful Private Beach Paradise
Pros:

The resort is very cozy and well maintained the beach is immaculate and the ocean is clean. The staff is very friendly and accommodating. I recommend this resort is anyone who is looking to get away to a private quite beautiful beach paradise.

2022-03-15 via Nuitee