Santa Marta Marriott Resort Playa Dormida

“Superb Full Service Beach Resort - The Best Hotel in Santa Marta”

As Marriott Bonvoy Titanium Elite, we travel frequently and really know hotels. Marriott Santa Marta is consistently at the top of our worldwide travels. The entire resort always feels clean and fresh, very well maintained. The hotel provides the highest level in all departments, food & beverage, … more

As Marriott Bonvoy Titanium Elite, we travel frequently and really know hotels. Marriott Santa Marta is consistently at the top of our worldwide travels. The entire resort always feels clean and fresh, very well maintained. The hotel provides the highest level in all departments, food & beverage, service, check-in, housekeeping and accommodations. Reception team is top notch, with a quick and friendly check-in. Meals are delicious, with fresh ingredients and impeccable presentation. Chefs and servers very friendly and attentive to any special requests. Relaxed setting combined with a beautiful beach and ocean view. Suggest the special events offered most Friday evenings at Cayeye Restaurant on the beach, with great dinner buffet, drinks and live entertainment all included. We recently hosted a large group through the event department that handles weddings and corporate events, all was excellent - event room set-up and layout, food delicious and desserts (wow!), very responsive personal service at every group table the entire evening. We enjoy the resort’s spacious pool area every day, with full service food and beverages, and use the well equipped gym (with ocean view) and relaxing spa. At every visit all of our interactions with staff and management really make a great experience. As frequent guests, we compliment the team members and highly recommend Santa Marta Marriott Resort Playa Dormida.

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“Need to up the game to make it a true 5 star hotel”

It looks like the nicest hotel in this place. We had a super hot and smelly Lost City trek and just glad we came back to a hotel to wash up. Upon arrival, it feels like a resort style feel. Checked in by a good English speaking lady, place was a bit run down and when we went up to our Junior Suite… more

It looks like the nicest hotel in this place. We had a super hot and smelly Lost City trek and just glad we came back to a hotel to wash up. Upon arrival, it feels like a resort style feel. Checked in by a good English speaking lady, place was a bit run down and when we went up to our Junior Suite room, I was disappointed that it was right beside the lift. The room was run down but we were glad it has 2 toilets. Room has a huge TV, no electric flask just 2 paper cups. No teaspoon or teacups. Luckily have 2 drinking glasses. Has a small fridge that is rather cold - thank you! Shower area is great but tiles are dirty, no bathtub and is spacious enough. Junior Suite does not have a separate room, just bigger with a large balcony (Super HOT and SUNNY) and a rather dirty looking sofa (pls consider replacing it). This is the most expensive Junior Suite hotel I’ve booked after 4 weeks here in Colombia ~ USD 600 per night. A very average wine by the bottle cost ~ 250,000 colombian dollars. Their terrible sparkling wine cost 320,000. Tattinger was 1,300,000! So is not cheap by local standards. Especially when the surrounding area looks rather rural. Breakfast is OK. Fruits were surrounded by lots of small fruit flies (they need to do something about it). Beef and chicken broth soup 2 days in a row are the worst (beef and chicken were hard and not much flavor) comparing with all the weeks I’ve spent in hotels, treks, farmhouse, huts, tent. Courtyard Marriott in Bogota a 3 star hotel breakfast is way better than here. Swimming pool is cold and quite dirty. I saw clumps of hair and some dead bugs. Gym has quite updated equipment but not suitable for small Asian bodies trying to use the leg machine. The free weights! The smallest weight is 10kg dumbbell - really?? Staff is a hit and miss. We had excellent service from Laundry service lady Lina who tries so hard for us and made things happen within 3hrs!!! Reception ladies are so pleasant and helpful. However the breakfast room some ladies are rather fierce and authoritative. We always like to choose a larger table as we’ve laptop and like to do some work while having breakfast. The huge breakfast area was literally empty at 7:30, this lady in blue not great on smiling and told us fiercely we’re “DOS” so choose a table for TWO! I refuse to back down as I told her nicely and calmly we’ve laptop and will sit here to have a slow breakfast. She was not impressed but have no choice. While some staff were so smiley and happy. Overall this is a 4 star hotel that charges 5 star rate. As an International hotel and charges this rate in a poor country, you’ve to train all staff to be consistently pleasant.

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“Nice place, far from Santa Marta center if you want to explore the city”

I went with my teenage daughter for 4 nights. The staff is very kind, they were lovely people. I had a great massage and the spa is not to be missed. Breakfast was excellent. We got upgraded to a suite which was a nice surprise. Unfortunately, our AC was not working on the last night, and no AC in … more

I went with my teenage daughter for 4 nights. The staff is very kind, they were lovely people. I had a great massage and the spa is not to be missed. Breakfast was excellent. We got upgraded to a suite which was a nice surprise. Unfortunately, our AC was not working on the last night, and no AC in the Caribbean is pretty uncomfortable. I had seen other reviews where this was the case. It's such a big issue in a hot climate I wonder why they haven't tried to resolve it yet. The pool is very nice, poolside service great. The beach is hit or miss. The hotel itself only has a sliver of room where they will let people sit. There are many people selling things (massages, necklaces, beer) and this is not something we are used to and I found it very taxing. I just want to sit and be left in peace and many of them were fairly pushy. Also take note, you are not near Santa Marta, it is about a 30 minute uber ride. I wish I had understood that better but we left a few nights to find more affordable restaurants with greater variety. The resort would be better off as an all-inclusive, and to add a restaurant or two to make it more convenient for people. All in all, a 3/5. I was hoping it would be a 4/5. If we get some compensation for our no AC night I'd call it a 3.5 out of 5!

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