Colombia Sees Rise in Hotel Openings, Developments
Colombia Sees Rise in Hotel Openings, Developments
Thousands of sparkling new hotel rooms are glittering in Colombia, including high-end brands such as InterContinental, Hilton, Sofitel, Sonesta, Ibis and Wyndham. With its geographical location, favorable climate, and easy access to the United States, Europe, and the rest of Latin America, Colombia is a destination ready for discovery.
“In recent years, Colombia has achieved international recognition as a tourism destination and also as an attractive place for tourism investment,” said Maria Claudia Lacouture, President of Proexport Colombia. “Between 2009 and 2011, the country opened more than 1,600 new hotel rooms with the most prestigious international chains, thus emphasizing confidence in Colombia and the hotel industry.”
From luxury hotels that operate in exquisitely restored historic convents, to cozy, versatile boutique hotels, and state-of-the-art hotels in modern neighborhoods, Colombia is a mecca for Latin American hotel development. Here is a glimpse of the hottest hotel news in Colombia’s cosmopolitan cities of Cartagena, Bogota, Cali and Medellin:
Chain hotels such as the Sonesta Seaway 935, Estelar Cartagena de Indias Marbella, and Estelar Playa Manzanillo, and more have made their appearance in opening big hotels reaching over 1,000 room capacities in 2011.
Sonesta Collection announced the opening of its fourth hotel in Colombia, the 114-room Sonesta Hotel Cartagena, joining its sister properties in Bogota, Barranquilla and Valledupar. Not to be missed is the much anticipated Las Americas Hotel that debuted last month.
Top hotels continue to open and develop in Cartagena, as the city looks forward to the InterContinental, which is set to open in 2013 with over 282 rooms. Further ahead in 2013, the Sheraton Cartagena is slated to join its sister property in Bogota.
Other upcoming properties in Cartagena include MELIA, IBEROSTAR and Marriott in 2014 with 278 rooms.
Opened this past March, the much acclaimed Sonesta Bogota is the third Sonesta hotel in Colombia. The city is also celebrating the opening of Bogota’s luxurious JW Marriott, and the much acclaimed Ibis Bogota Hotel.
Other hotels slated to open soon include Aloft Bogota Airport Hotel in November, Wyndham Bogota in December, and NH Parque de la 93 hotel later this year. Hotels in the planning/development stages include a Hyatt property and a Wyndham Hotel Group property in Bogota.
Four Points by Sheraton debuted this year, along with the always fabulous InterContinental, that overlooks the entire city from its lush location in "El Poblado".
Wyndham Hotel Group announced the opening for the Medellin TRYP; this is the first TRYP by Wyndham property in Colombia. The hotel's 140 spacious guest rooms include junior suites and TRYP by Wyndham's signature family rooms.
Announced future hotel developments in Medellin included MELIA Hotels & Resorts an Ibis property, and Marriot.
Also worth highlighting is the opening of the tremendous Sonesta property in Barranquilla, Sonesta Hotel Barranquilla. Containing 126 guest rooms with first class amenities and a full service business center, the hotel is located 450 miles north of Bogota overlooking the Caribbean Sea.
The rise of top hotel chains in Colombia has been a major achievement of Proexport. The organization’s hard work has allowed the increase of tourism development in Colombia.
