Four Seasons Hotel and Residences Cartagena officially opened on April 2, 2026, marking the third property for the hospitality brand in Colombia. The project is a joint venture with San Francisco Investments, a subsidiary of the Valorem holding company. Located in the Getsemaní neighborhood, the hotel is situated near the UNESCO World Heritage Site Walled City and the Cartagena Convention Center.

The development involved the multi-year restoration of several historic buildings, including the 1920s-era former Club Cartagena. The architectural and interior design was led by the late François Catroux, with additional technical expertise provided by WATG and Wimberly Interiors. The food and beverage concepts were developed by SBM Interior Design and AvroKO. Landscape architecture for the rooftop and grounds was managed by Enea Garden Design, led by Carolina Jaimes.

“Welcoming a third Four Seasons to Colombia, joining our Bogotá and Casa Medina Bogotá properties, marks an important milestone in the continued expansion of our global portfolio,” said Rainer Stampfer, Four Seasons President of Global Operations, Hotels and Resorts.

The hotel features 131 guest rooms, 27 of which are colonial-style suites located within the heritage wing. These units include preserved architectural elements and custom furnishings designed by Poli Mallarino. The property also contains Private Residences designed by Rodriguez Valencia Arquitectos. The primary presidential suite, known as the Catroux Suite, features a private elevator and a terrace with a Moorish-inspired fountain by María Cecilia Franco Berón.

There are eight dining and drinking venues on the property. The Grand Grill and Bar Lelarge were conceptualized by Major Food Group, focusing on steakhouse traditions and seasonal cocktails. Additional venues include Café Rialto, Pizzeria Della Chiesa, El Aljibe, El Patio del Limonar, and the rooftop sunset lounge, El Palmar. Lighting for these venues was designed by Lang Lighting Design.

Wellness facilities include the Umari Spa, which offers six treatment rooms and uses botanical ingredients derived from the umari plant. For business events and social functions, the hotel provides several spaces, including the Ballroom de la Veracruz, which can host 300 guests and features a centuries-old fresco. The Ballroom Centenario provides views of the Walled City for smaller gatherings of up to 100 people.

Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts is a global hospitality company partially owned by Kingdom Holding Company (TADAWUL: 4280). The company currently operates 136 hotels and 61 residential properties across 47 countries, with more than 60 projects currently in its development pipeline. In Cartagena, the hotel operations are led by General Manager Annie Monnier.

Now Open: Four Seasons Hotel and Residences Cartagena (PRNewsfoto/Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts)

Located in Getsemaní, a neighborhood adjacent to Cartagena’s convention center and the historic walled city, a UNESCO World Heritage site, Four Seasons Hotel and Private Residences Cartagena plans to revitalize and restore several culturally significant buildings dating as far back as the 16th century, including the Cloister of Saint Francis (Claustro de San Francisco) that includes the 16th-century Saint Francis Church; the Club Cartagena, a 1920s Beaux Arts venue; and four historic theatres, Teatro Cartagena, Teatro Calamarí, Teatro Bucanero and Teatro Rialto. Four Seasons plans a careful restoration aimed at preserving the iconic facades and historic architecture. Situated in the Getsemaní neighborhood, the Hotel and Private Residences will provide guests and residents with convenient access to Cartagena’s burgeoning culture and entertainment scene, and numerous architectural landmarks. The hotel also will offer easy access to Cartagena’s convention center, which constantly attracts international events.

“We are proud to partner with the iconic Four Seasons brand to build a new luxury Hotel and Private Residences in the vibrant city of Cartagena,” says Carlos Arturo Londoño, President, Valorem. “Paired with Four Seasons exceptional service, the newly restored Hotel and Private Residences will be the most sought-after destination to live and visit and will transform the hospitality landscape in Cartagena.”

“This new Hotel and Private Residences is the perfect project for us to expand our presence in South America, providing us with the rare opportunity to convert such an exceptional collection of historic buildings within a marquee location in one of the region’s most alluring cities,” says Bart Carnahan, Executive Vice President, Global Business Development and Portfolio Management, Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts. “Together with our partners at Valorem, we look forward to bringing the very best in luxury hospitality to Cartagena.”

With interiors designed by François Catroux and Wimberly Interiors, the new Hotel will feature 131 rooms, including a Royal Suite and a Presidential Suite boasting 4,200 square feet (390 square meters) and 3,500 square feet (325 square meters) of living area respectively. The hotel will offer six unique AvroKO-designed food and beverage concepts with both indoor and terrace dining as well as an atrium lounge inside Club Cartagena. The rooftop pool will offer views of Cartagena Bay and the ancient walled city where guests can access the pool bar and grill from private cabanas and day beds. A  Four Seasons spa and fitness center will also be available.

Four Seasons Hotel and Private Residences Cartagena will also include approximately 16 Private Residences, the first branded residential alternative in Cartagena’s historic district. The hotel will also include 16,000 square feet (1,485 square meters) of meeting and event space.

Founded in 1997, Valorem is a Colombian conglomerate owning or controlling Caracol Television, El Espectador newspaper, Cromos magazine, CineColombia movie theater chain, the D1 convenience store chain (Koba S.A.) Refocosta timber, and Ditransa cargo, among other investments.

As of December 2017, Grupo Valorem’s assets and sales were USD $1.2 billion and USD $1.3 billion respectively (based on ownership in subsidiaries).