Hotel Irotama Lago

The hotel is very close to the airport and offers an efficient free pickup service. The architecture and the interior design are extremely tasteful and are harmonious with the landscape and the building styles of the region. The staff are attentive, helpful and competent. The room was very well equipped and comfortable. We had a stunning view of the sea and mountains. There are several large and attractive swimming pools, including slides. There is a lake where you can look at iguanas. The hotel backs onto a (not private) beach where a helpful member of staff will provide you with seating. The beach is functional - not the most beautiful but clean enough and the water is calm enough to swim in. The whole setup is fantastic for kids. The buffet breakfast (included in the price) was excellent in variety, quality and quantity. The Irotama - in its cuisine, design and activities - clearly seeks to showcase elements of the regional culture. As far as big hotels close to the airport go, this one offers a relatively "authentic" experience. Two small gripes. The pools close at 7pm. The lunch and dinner options (not included in the price - we went for the "budget" options) were not up to the quality of the breakfast. In summary - if you want to relax and enjoy a bit of luxury in beautiful surroundings in a convenient location by the sea, this is perfect. On the other hand, if you want to visit picture-postcard tropical beaches you're better off staying nearer Tayrona park.

Our entire stay was wonderful. We adventured to various destinations (Santa Marta, Minca, and Tayrona). The staff was very helpful in getting us to and from these locations (getting back from Tayrona would have been difficult without their assistance in setting up a taxi both directions). They were also extremely helpful in answering all of our questions throughout our stay. We really wish we spent more time in this wonderful resort, as it has many amenities, including multiple very nice, clean pools, bars and restaurants, beach access (private, however vendors will hassle you constantly to buy their product or service), and a wonderful atmosphere. The only knock we have is that the restaurants are relatively sub-par, although there are several options. This area of Colombia does not have many English speakers, so come prepared with a little bit of Spanish and a language translation app; it will help a lot. Some of the staff know enough English to help out, but it’s best to have your app handy.

Irotama fue muy buena experiencia. Todos los trabajadores muy queridos. Hasta el perro de nosotros lo trataron súper bien! Le dieron cama y todo! Volveremos a pasar vacaciones en el Irotama.