Santa Marta, Colombia

Hilton Santa Marta, Colombia beach vacation review by Hank Thomassen

I returned to Santa Marta, Colombia, after a ten-year absence for a one-week vacation in March 2025. The city has been transformed with a hotel and condo construction boom. I stayed at the two-year-old Hilton Santa Marta. A five-star beachfront hotel. I highly recommend this hotel. The Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta Mountains meet the sea in dramatic fashion here - similar to Big Sur in California. The scenic views from the hotel are spectacular. Safety, always important, in Santa Marta is good. Did not spot or hear of any significant crime or pick-pocket activity. Taxis and Ubers are plentiful.

Hilton Santa Marta Infinity Pool

Colombia’s answer to the overcrowding at Cartagena, Colombia’s premier beach town, is to build infrastructure and encourage development in Santa Marta. The airport in particular, has been upgraded. However, getting to Santa Marta still has limited choices. No airline has direct service from the US. Most airlines book you through Bogota. A better choice is to fly to Medellín and then get an Avianca flight to Santa Marta. The airline environment in Colombia is highly competitive, and airfare prices are relatively inexpensive.

One of the advantages of staying at an American-branded hotel is that you usually get American amenities: plenty of hot water in the shower, multiple elevators, American food choices, and an overall American hotel experience. The Hilton Santa Marta is a justifiable five-star hotel. Rooms are spacious. The beach is beautiful, and the ocean water quality is very good. The beach is not crowded, even on weekends. You do have to travel by boat to find the turquoise water. The Hilton has two pools, with the rooftop infinity pool being drop-dead gorgeous. Food and drinks are served at both pools. I paid $200 per night for two people including breakfast. Rooms are very spacious and well-appointed. Many ocean-view rooms with balconies. I always enjoy going to Colombia because the people are friendly, courteous, and happy you are there. The Hilton staff does an excellent job and is always helpful. Food at the restaurants is good at a decent price. I was surprised that beach chairs and umbrellas are free. Breakfast is good but could stand additional food stations with more choices – my only real suggestion for improvement.

There are many excursions in Santa Marta. An eight-hour boat ride to Tayrona Park is the number one choice. Tayrona Park has a white sand beach and crystal-clear water for snorkeling. A day trip to Playa Blanca is also recommended. I always book through Viator. An evening stroll along Playa El Rodadero is also a must-do activity with many bar and restaurant choices.

Restaurant prices are a real bargain here. The BK Restaurant is one of the limited high-end restaurants with impressive ocean and beach views. There are shopping opportunities here but nothing that stands out.

Overall, if you are looking for the typical Caribbean beach vacation, the Hilton Santa Marta is a good choice at a reasonable cost.