Where to stay in Cartagena, Colombia using credit card points?

Recently, our family spent 8 days in beautiful Cartagena, Colombia, and absolutely loved it. During our 7-night stay, we divided our time between the Old Town, Bocagrande, and the Rosario Islands. If you’re wondering if there’s a way to save on lodging while staying in Cartagena, the answer is yes! Keep reading to find out how we maximized our spending on our stay.

Book your stay in Cartagena with Hyatt Points

For our 5 nights in Cartagena, Colombia, we stayed at Hotel Movich Cartagena De Indias (Small Luxury Hotels of the World) right in the Walled City and Hyatt Regency Cartagena in Bocagrande.

We booked both stays around 10 months ahead of time and redeemed our Hyatt Points. It’s important to note that when booking with points (Award stays), resort fees are not charged.

Everything you need to know about booking Hyatt hotels with Points

Hotel Movich Cartagena De Indias

We booked our stay at Hotel Movich Cartagena De Indias, redeeming 12k Hyatt Points per night, and paid 96k for 2 rooms for 4 days. The hotel is located in the heart of the Old City within walking distance of all the sightseeing, dining, and shopping. During our time there, we were impressed by the perfect blend of sophistication, coziness, and exceptional service.

💡 Good to Know

Sadly, the Hyatt/SLH partnership ended on May 15th, 2024, and Hotel Movich Cartagena De Indias is no longer bookable with Hyatt Points. The good news is that Small Luxury Hotels of the World will eventually become part of the Hilton family and be bookable with Hilton Points.

Hyatt Regency Cartagena

We stayed at the Hyatt Regency Cartagena, a Category 3 Hyatt hotel, and redeemed 12,000 Hyatt Points points per night (though check cash rates, too; sometimes, it is more reasonable to use cash vs. points).

It’s a relatively new hotel, built in 2016. As Globalists, we got upgraded to a One-Bedroom Suite.

The suite was spacious and beautiful. The only minor issue was that the windows were dirty. Usually, this is not something we pay attention to, but being on the 22nd floor overlooking the sea was definitely obstructed by that.

Hyatt Regency Cartagena has a Lounge with complimentary food and drinks, but due to some renovations, it was only open from 4-6 p.m. The access to the Lounge was complimentary for us as Globalists.

Note that the hotel was about a 10-minute drive from the Old Town area of Cartagena, which felt like the place to be in the city, and the vibe In Bocagrande was completely different from the Old Town.

Mr. & Mrs. Smith

Another thing to keep in mind is that last year, Hyatt acquired the Mr. & Mrs. Smith hotel collection, and some of those hotels are already bookable with Hyatt points!

Check out Las Islas, on an island off the coast of Barú, just outside Cartagena Bay, and Hotel Casa San Agustín in Old Town Cartagena, and keep an eye out for the official date these hotels join Hyatt and be bookable with Hyatt Points.

💡 Good to know

How did we get Hyatt Points? Strategically opening Chase’s credit cards, meeting minimum spend requirements, and earning sign-up bonuses (Chase Ultimate Rewards).

This allowed us to book our stay in Cartagena, Colombia, for $0. The best part? Chase Ultimate Rewards are transferrable to Hyatt at a 1:1 ratio, maximizing the value of your points!

Don’t forget that you can only transfer Chase Ultimate Rewards to Hyatt if you have one of these premium credit cards first: Chase Sapphire Preferred, Chase Sapphire Reserve, or Chase Ink Preferred.

The best current Credit Card Offers are:

• Chase Sapphire Preferred ($95 annual fee, spend $4,000 in 3 months), which can earn you 75,000 Ultimate Rewards.
• Chase Ink Business Cash (no annual fee. 35,000 UR after you spend $3,000 in the first 3 months, and + 40,000 UR after you spend a total of $6,000 in the first 6 months), which can earn you 75,000 Ultimate Rewards points.
• Chase Ink Business Preferred ($95 annual fee, spend $8,000 in 3 months), which can earn you 100,000 Ultimate Rewards.

Book your stay in Cartagena with Hilton Points

Hilton Cartagena Hotel

You can book a Standard Room at the Hilton Cartagena Hotel using 50,000 Hilton Honors Points per night. This hotel is a tropical beachside resort that rises above El Laguito Peninsula, six kilometers from Cartagena’s ancient Walled City.

The great news is that when you book a Standard Room reward stay, every 5th night is free, so to make the most value out of your points – book at least 5 consecutive nights! 

In addition to that, you can take advantage of the 30% transfer bonus when transferring Amex Membership Rewards to Hilton, which Amex is running sometimes, to top up your account!

The cash rate per night at Hilton Cartagena is relatively reasonable, usually around $220-250 per night. Therefore, before redeeming points, it’s important to check the cash rate and select the best option. Nonetheless, if you don’t have any upcoming Hilton trips but plan to stay in Cartagena, it’s great to have the option to book this hotel using points.

Small Luxury Hotels of the World

The Hyatt/SLH partnership ended on May 15th, 2024, and Hotel Movich Cartagena De Indias is no longer bookable with Hyatt Points. The good news is that Small Luxury Hotels of the World will eventually become part of the Hilton family and be bookable with Hilton Points.

Keep an eye on the official date of SLH joining the Hilton program and be available for booking with Hilton points.

Bottom line

Cartagena, Colombia, offers excellent opportunities to maximize your credit card points and miles for luxury hotel stays. By strategically earning Chase Ultimate Rewards points and transferring them to Hyatt at a 1:1 ratio, you can book nights at Hyatt Regency Cartagena. Additionally, keep an eye out for when Small Luxury Hotels of the World joins Hilton’s portfolio, allowing you to redeem Hilton Honors points at the Hotel Movich. With proper planning and the right credit card strategy, an upscale stay in this Caribbean gem can be remarkably affordable.