The Sofitel Legend Santa Clara in Cartagena, Colombia is a historic destination that combines colonial architecture with French luxury. Today, this 17th century architectural jewel built in an old convent is a five star hotel that provides modern comfort and local hospitality. Guests can enjoy personalized attention, gourmet cuisine, and a lavish spa experience.

Built in 1621, our property was originally a convent and home to the Poor Clares until they were evicted in 1861. Before becoming a hotel in 1995, the destination was also a charity hospital, a prison, and a medical school. 

In 2012, the Sofitel Santa Clara became Sofitel Legend, joining a collection of landmark properties located in cities with a rich cultural heritage all around the world. Over the years, Santa Clara’s famous visitors have included royalty, numerous heads of state, fashion icons, musicians, and Nobel Prize winners. Visitors have included Jean Paul Gauthier, Mick Jagger, Don Juan Carlos Borbón & Sofía of Greece, Gabriel García Márquez, Sting, Shakira, Sofía Vergara, and Fernando Botero.

This Sofitel Spa at Sofitel Legend Santa Clara mixes ancient traditions of holistic treatments with French cosmetology for a rejuvenating spa experience in a unique historic setting. We chatted with spa manager Carina García Girone to learn about the spa’s treatments and offerings. 

Why you’ll love it: 

The guests of Sofitel Spa enter a French “joie de vivre” coupled with Colombian heritage and hospitality which is quite unique. Overall, I would say what our spa-goers love most is the way each of their senses is sparked. From the music to the therapies, the aromatherapy, and the design, we ensure that every sense is touched in a thoughtful way. 

We always hear that our guests feel calm and love the way that we connect with them too. Lastly, there’s a really incredible feeling being within the Sofitel Legend Santa Clara hotel as the building was built in 1621. Sofitel Legend Santa Clara is full of stories and is an old convent, offering the ideal combination of colonial architecture and French luxury. There is nothing else quite like it. 

Key features: 

Sofitel Spa at Sofitel Legend Santa Clara offers a sanctuary of relaxation for the body and soul, in soothing and luxuriously simple surroundings. The spa is over 8,500 sq. ft. and includes seven treatment rooms, a hammam, a fitness gym, tea area, and solarium. Ancient traditions of holistic treatments from around the world meet the refinement and skill of the latest French cosmetology to create Sofitel Spa. 

We only use professional spa products. Sisley Paris, a renowned French brand, is one of them. We have a great partnership with them. The Sofitel Spa is the only one in Colombia offering protocols and experiences according to the French brand for both face and body treatments, providing an experience of comfort and luxury.

Bonus: 

For couples, we have an ultra-special couple’s massage. We also love birthdays and celebrating those experiencing them. For birthdays, we offer a welcome Mimosa, a special birthday cake, as well as gift cards. 

Insider’s tip: 

Post-care guidance is key and that is our duty at wellness experts. We place a strong emphasis on giving guests advice that they can carry through after their therapies and treatments with Sofitel Spa are completed. We also do this in a personalized way, too, as each post-care process is dependent on the individual. For example, we share specific products to use or give tips on drinking more water. This is crucial because self-care does not end at Sofitel Spa. We want our guests to experience true wellness before, during and after their stay. 

Spa snacks: 

To bring inner balance and harmony, we offer special cold tea made from mango and passionfruit. We strategically do this at the beginning and end of the experience. At the end, we also provide our spa-goers with nuts, raisins, and pecans. We also have a newly launched experience called 7-in-1 Restore + Rejuvenate that is complete with a healthy lunch including nutritional vegetables and a protein.

Unique treatment: 

The most unique treatment is The Legendary Emerald Ritual which is a 150-minute experience that utilizes the benefits of the precious Colombian stone. There is a body scrub, aromatic pindas bath, relaxing massage, and facial. The emerald is known as the stone of wisdom, calms emotions, eliminates negativity, transmits mental clarity, and broadens your global vision and unconditional love. The Ritual will allow a complete cleansing of your energy centers and fill you with new perspectives, in addition to taking deep care of your physical well-being with a sublime massage and deep hydration of the skin, based on precious stones.

Insider’s favorite: 

My favorite experience is the 7-IN-1 RESTORE + REJUVENATE DAY. I love this experience because the goal is for guests to take a moment for themselves, find their inner peace and balance through a full immersion well-being journey. The guest can choose either a full day package or over two nights and three days that includes a workout routine, yoga, meditation, and several types of holistic facial and body treatments.

Wellness Offerings: 

The 7-in-1 Restore + Rejuvenate package is one of the most compelling, well-rounded experiences for guests to indulge in true wellness. Guests benefit from a routine of physical exercises, skincare treatments and restorative body rituals, the perfect complement to balance body, mind and spirit. Standout offerings from the experience include a Watsu Session which is an aquatic therapy session that combines relaxation in the water with a shiatsu massage (different pressures on the meridians to balance the body’s energy). It also includes an Ayurvedic massage and a Balancing Energetic Craniofacial Ritual.

The Transformative Wellbeing in Cartagena experience is also ideal for couples. We designed it in the pursuit of harmony and equilibrium, and it involves a blend of curated spa treatments and culinary delights at Sofitel Legend Santa Clara’s 1621 Restaurant. 

Yoga is a big part of our philosophy as well, so we have many different classes to choose from. 

Featured products: 

We have a partnership with Sisley Paris for products and we also have two spa suites branded by the French brand for guests to have the 360 experiences. We import Gerard’s from Italy and Cosmodern from France. We also use a Colombian brand called Loto del Sur.

For more information, visit sofitellegendsantaclara.com and follow @sofitellegendsantaclaractg.

Sofitel Legend Santa Clara
Calle Del Torno 39-29, Local 2,
Cartagena de Indias, Bolívar, Colombia
+57 3205424174

[Images courtesy of Sofitel Legend Santa Clara]