La Passion, Cartagena de Indias, Colombia
Bang at the centre of the Cartagena bustle and concealed behind a plain, unassuming door - passed by many a local mango-laden street seller - you'll find the ultimate Latin-Quarter hideaway.
Everything about this traditional three-storied dwelling works, from the faded grandeur of the original paintwork - a cocktail of weatherworn pinks, blues and greens - to the expansive central courtyard. Here, a salvaged boat has been converted into a hammock and a guest-friendly cat patters about on a cool tiled floor. Thierry, its French owner admittedly acknowledges it's been his personal passion since opening three years ago.
The bedrooms are equally exquisite, expensively finished and dotted with quirky junk-shop finds - ours had a rusted gramophone with an old Latin record still in place. Similarly stunning was the rainforest-style bathroom at one end of the bedroom, set behind a glass wall and equipped with a cascading waterfall shower and leafy foliage that provided clever cover from the terrace above.
Who goes: A cool crowd of chic urbanites and young honeymooners.
Must-do:
Spend some time cutting through the water of the generous rooftop pool - although if you're more of a lounge-lizard there's ample sunny deck-space as well.Top tip:
Ask the chef to rustle up some local specialities; hand-made carimañolas (lightly-fried balls of cassava and meat) and arepa de huevo (a saucer-sized disc made from maize and filled with meat and egg) are out of this world.Downside: There's no hotel restaurant, although Thierry will gladly arrange a candle-lit supper on the terrace at your request.
Contact
La Passion, Calle Estanco del Tabaco No. 35-81, Cartegena, Colombia, +57 (5) 664 86 05, info@lapassionhotel.com
Rates From 390 Colombian pesos for a single room and 690 Colombian pesos for a suite.
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