AKEN SOUL, Casa Mar Resort

For Cartagena regulars planning a return trip, AKEN SOUL, Casa Mar Resort is a watchlist property rather than an immediate booking decision: it is slated to open in 2027, so the practical move is to treat it as a future coastal retreat option, not a current stay. The appeal is clear if the next trip calls for sea air, more space, and a slower setting than a standard city base.

A 2027 coastal retreat built around space, nature, and longer stays

Cartagena already has a strong split between historic-center stays and beach-led escapes, and this project sits on the latter side of that decision. The planned scale matters: 120 rooms plus 20 luxury apartments. That apartment count is the more useful signal for repeat visitors, because it points to extra privacy and room to spread out rather than a purely room-only resort format.

The strongest reason to keep it on the list is the setting brief. The property is described around closeness to nature, spaces that dissolve the line between interior and landscape, and celebrations by the sea. That makes the case strongest for travelers who already know Cartagena and want their next stay to be less about being in the middle of the city and more about staying put near the coast.

Who should have it on the shortlist

Families get a concrete reason to pay attention because a kids club is part of the plan, giving downtime a clearer structure. Larger celebrations also fit the stated brief, with an event hall planned by the sea. For travel, the case is weaker from the available facts: there is no confirmed address, meeting setup beyond the event hall, or operating detail to judge commute and weekday practicality. The verdict: keep the hotel in mind for 2027 leisure stays, apartment-style privacy, and coastal events; do not treat it as a near-term Cartagena logistics solution.