Hotel el Prado

Beautiful hotel, absolutely gorgeous. Such a lovely Caribbean and historical vibe with an amazing pool area. Unfortunately the staff is not great. Lady at reception desk was in such a bad mood, she couldn’t offer us a simple smile and she wasn’t warm and welcoming at all, such a shame because you would think that the first face you show to your customers is a happy welcoming face. Staff at the bar were better but slow.

Amazing place in the down town. |An historical villa which preserve its original architecture. The rooms are comfortable and well refurbished, the amenities superbe, like the outdoor pool, the gym, the spa and many other services. |Staff is very welcoming and helpful, attentive to special requests.

Old. Air-conditioning temperature can't be changed from room. You have to call front desk each time you want to change room temperature. Pool is the top amenity. Avoid room C203, small, dark, TV located to the side of the bed. No minibar and no closet. Great breakfast, pizzeria El Prado is great! Service, bellman, concierge and cleaning team is really good.

I am not someone who typically writes a review. I did however feel compelled to write one after my terrible experience at El Prado the last few days. I got to the hotel initially excited, I have been to Colombia about 7 times. I was excited to check out Barranquilla for Christmas with my family and chose the El Prado hotel for it’s location and the colonial feel to stray away from the regular hotel chains. The positives: The hotel itself is nice in the lobby and the pool area is it’s best feature. They had a decent breakfast buffet included too I like that. The locations is also in a great spot. The food is good if you ever receive it. The negatives: You have to see the bubbles below I literally went past the character limit with all the issues.

Five-Star Marketing, Two-Star Reality For a hotel that trades on its legacy, I expected something closer to timeless — not tired. The first surprise was being charged local taxes because my American passport apparently wasn’t sufficient proof of living abroad. That conversation alone set the tone. I’m still waiting to hear back from the manager who promised to “review” the issue. The room was… fine. Not offensive, just uninspired — sparse furniture, little character, and none of the polish you’d expect at this price point. Service felt reactive rather than attentive. And the poolside food? Cold, forgettable, and wildly out of sync with the hotel’s self-image. My overall impression is that this place peaked about 20 years ago and is now relying on cosmetic updates to preserve the illusion. Unfortunately, hospitality isn’t about makeup — it’s about execution. And execution was lacking. I’ll be back for Carnaval in 2027. Just not here. Update 2 weeks after: Still waiting to hear back from the hotel manager about the VAT they charged me for being Colombian but living abroad. Apparently, I fall into a mysterious “special status” category — one that disqualifies my residency for this hotel’s purposes, yet works perfectly fine at every other hotel (including Faranda the week prior). It’s remarkable how selectively rigid the policy seems to be. Either the rule is uniquely interpreted here, or it’s conveniently applied when it benefits the property. Silence from management only reinforces the impression that guest concerns are easier to ignore than resolve. I would recommend spending your hard-earned money somewhere else.

This hotel really has everything you need for a great holiday. The best pool, good gym, good breakfast. The rooms need a good shaving mirror, friendly staff and the gardens are spectacular in this historical arquitecture.

The infrastructure of the hotel is iconic, being almost 100 years old. The hotel from outside has great presence and the lobby and pool areas are beautiful.||The rooms are in desperate need of renovation, the amenities (soap, shampoo etc) are of very low quality and I'm very limited amounts. All that can be managed and somehow can be over looked but the thing that was extremely disappointing was the service.||First I asked for two keys for the room because we were 3 people and they declined the request, only gave us one key upon check in.||Later I went with friends to the pool bar at night and the service was terrible. Unfriendly, unapproachable, the staff needs to be train desperately in basic customer service. Particularly an older gentleman - Eduardo - was rude in his delivery, didn't even make time to listen when I was ordering, it was all a transaction for him. When the bill came we wanted to split in two and they did not allow either.||I would not stay here and would not recommend it, this place at best is 3 stars.

We had a disappointing experience at the poolside restaurant. We returned after 2 years and the change in quality is noticeable. The drinks were shrunk and served diluted while the food disappointed. The appetizer was great but the main dishes were off. The cazuela was overly salted, almost unedible, while the rest of the food was bland. I would like to return for the charm of the building and the memories, but will not given the 👎🏻food.