AN ART HOTEL WITH A
SEXY ROOFTOP
AND A JAZZ BAR
COLD MARTINIS
SUNSETS
FRESH COCKTAILS
TASTY BITES
CARTAGENA NIGHTS
WEEKEND BRUNCHES
LAZY DAYS AND
LONG LUNCHES
PANORAMIC CITY VIEWS
DJS, LIVE MUSIC
BURLESQUE SHOWS
FANCY DOESN'T
NEED TO BE BORING
AN ELEVEN ROOM ART HOTEL IN THE MIDDLE OF CARTAGENA’S HISTORIC OLD TOWN.
Our rooftop is a smashing cocktail bar and diner with panoramic views. Our lobby is a jazz bar with occasional burlesque. We live for the arts. Painting, photos, music, dance. Townhouse is a city haven for creative minds, bodies and souls, and anyone who wants a hotel to feel like more than just a place to sleep, or a bar to feel like more than just a place to drink.
“WHEN WE ARRIVED IN CARTAGENA IN 2014, EVERYTHING WAS EITHER A ROMANTIC LUXURY HOTEL (YAWN) OR A RAVING BACKPACKER HOSTEL (NAH). WE FOUNDED TOWNHOUSE IN 2017 AS A PLACE TO HOST OUR FRIENDS, AND ANYONE ELSE WHO WANTS TO LIVE CARTAGENA THE WAY WE DO. FANCY DOESN’T HAVE TO BE BORING. IT CAN BE FUN, PERSONAL AND FULL OF COLOUR.”
IS THIS A ROOM OR A MASTERPIECE?
Who said you have to choose? Each of our rooms - named after what Colombia should be best known for, its birds - was designed and decorated by a young artist. Just like us, they’re smart*, laid back and just as fancy as you need. Hot water, A/C, ethical soaps with cacao and cannabis in them (perfect for you Little Miss Hipster). And you don’t even need to leave the building to get to two of they city’s favourite bars.
*Smart as in voice commands and high-tech vibes
YES, IT’S TOO HOT TO DO ANYTHING BUT LIE HERE
If you’re not in the islands and you’re not in bed, stop right there. Cartagena weather is delicious before 6am and after 6pm. At any time in between, you need to be by some water with a cold drink in your hand. Our rooftop opens at 8am for breakfast. It’s a chill, comfortable lounge with pools big enough for a full immersion. We got you.
Open to public from midday until midnight.
THE PRE- TO EVERY GOOD CARTAGENA NIGHT
We were the first hotel to open our rooftop up to the public, because we’re just nice like that. These views are too good to keep to ourselves. Open until late every day and popular with locals (if you live in Cartagena you get 25% off - didn’t we say we were nice?), it’s safe to say that wherever you’re having dinner, Townhouse is where you should be having cocktails first.
TOURIST HACK #1
LOCAL PEOPLE LIKE FOREIGN FOOD
There are so many must try restaurants in Cartagena that we just fill in the gaps. Our rooftop diner serves food all day, every day from 8am - midnight. Because fixed meal times are so last century. And just like the French need more than snails and frogs’ legs, Cartageneros need more than ceviche and fritos. Locals come here for something different. You should come here for some locals.
WAIT, DID SOMEONE SAY MICHELIN?
We’re not quite sure how we landed him, but this guy worked his way up some Michelin star kitchens in New York and now he’s… here with us. Chef Pedro Mosqueda is our family culinary genius. When he’s not working his magic over at Blue Apple Beach or Amare, he’s here at Townhouse putting the zing into a simple (but sophisticated) menu. Pedro’s a stickler for provenance and good ethics (bless him) so everything you eat, no matter how slutty it sounds, is made the right way, with local, fresh things. No UPFs, no cheating, no being mean. Awwww, Pedro.
SALSA SCHMALSA
IF YOU HAVEN’T GOT THE MESSAGE YET, WE’LL SAY IT AGAIN. TOURISM IS FOR TOURISTS, AND LOCALS LIKE TO DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT. SO, IN A LAND OF SALSA, WE THROW JAZZ! LOCAL MUSICIANS, LOCAL LICORS, LOCALLY OWNED. ALSO AN EXCELLENT CHOICE IF YOU’RE ON A DATE AND HAVE TWO LEFT FEET. NO DANCING REQUIRED. JAZZ, LIVE MUSIC, DJS, BURLESQUE.
COLOMBIA, WHERE YOUR FIVE A DAY COME IN A COCKTAIL
Colombians think people who buy juice in a carton are total weirdos. Colombians are not wrong. Here, you just squeeze it, grind it, blend it, juice it. All juice is fresh and that makes it healthy. You’ll try fruits you never even heard of. That makes it cultural! OK, so we add a little poison, but we’re proud that we serve locally distilled gin, rum, aguardiente, viche and ñeque in our house cocktails. Do you know the CO2 footprint of a Hendricks and tonic? Neither do we! We just know that if the gin was made here, it’s like 99.9% less. Be a hero, have a cocktail.
WE DON’T MEAN TO BRAG, BUT…
Everyone’s winning prizes these days, and we’re no exception. We’ve been listed in Latin America’s top bars and our in-house mixology guru Jeff ‘Doc’ Garcia has clocked up a few medals himself. He also won a $50,000 grant for our non-profit because we came up with a system to turn old bottles into cash and building sand (and you thought we just did drinks). But we’re not here to win. We’re here to get you tipsy. We just wanted to let you know, we’re really good at it and we take it very seriously indeed. Seriously.
BECAUSE FUN AND FANCY DON’T HAVE TO F*%& EVERYTHING UP
If you call us an eco-hotel we’ll kick you out. We simply believe that all business can be good business. Good for us. Good for you. Good for our neighbours. Good for the planet. We are a waste free operation (more than 70% diverted from landfill). We measure and strive to reduce energy and water consumption. We serve real food from ethical sources. We prioritise local supply chains to strengthen our economy and avoid importing. We pay fair wages (no one takes home less than the minimum wage + 15%) and we are completely anti sex-tourism (because also, just EW.) Fingers crossed we will be a B Corp soon too (application pending!)
WHO DOESN’T LOVE A BARGAIN?
Up until December it’s low season here. While that might be sad and stressful for us, it’s only good news for you. Book a stay with us before 20th December and get 3 nights for the price of 2. Oh, and when you’re done, head over to Blue Apple and you’ll get an extra 15% off with them for being a loyal groupie.
A LIFE WITHOUT ART IS NO LIFE AT ALL
OK, maybe we exaggerate, but this is a city of noise, colour, dance, music. It’s an art city. So we’re an art hotel. Not the stuffy, silent, white walls kind though. The crazy, sexy, cool, unpredictable, hot AF and might-throw-the-tv-out-the-window-but-wow-is-it-exciting kind*. All of our rooms were hand painted by Colombian artists. Our lobby is a gallery. We make our furniture. We created Members Only as a space for young, local musicians - from DJ’s to jazz groups - to do their thing. We do host artists in residencies in exchange for some kind of creative gift. Sounds like a match? Hit us up with your ideas.
* You throw it, you pay for it.
“A HOME FROM HOME, THE TOWNHOUSE’S RELAXED VIBE DOESN’T COMPROMISE ON QUALITY: CHIC BUT NOT STUFFY, VIBRANT YET ELEGANT. THE DÉCOR IS SLEEK, THE CHILL-OUT AREA FEELS LIKE THE LIVING ROOM OF YOUR TRENDIEST FRIEND, WHILE THE PALM-FRINGED ROOFTOP OOZES LOW-KEY GLAMOUR.”
The Telegraph
TOURIST HACK #2
TRUST US OVER TRIP ADVISOR
Did you ever wonder who online reviews are aimed at? Is it… THE WHOLE WORLD? Do these people know you? Do you like them? Can you trust that advice? If you’ve read this far, it seems like you like what we’re saying. So why not let us help you out with our top recommendations of things to do, places to go, people to see and what to eat and drink in Cartagena. Is this nepotism? Well yeah, loads of them are our friends. But maybe we’re just friends with really cool people who are great at hospitality. And maybe we think it’s cool if you support independent businesses owned by local people (who are usually onsite). Also, you’ll meet us this way for sure. We go here!
3RD FLOOR @more_diseno
MEET THE BARBIE OF BEACH CLUBS
Unlike Ken, Blue Apple does SO much more than beach. She’s our big sister and we're proud AF. The world’s first island resort to certify as a B-Corp. Covered in accolades for all the good deeds. Also, genuinely a really good beach club (if you ask us, the best in the islands, but yes we’re 100% biased). Only 20 mins away by boat, no janky 3pm return through rough seas, you can head out whenever you like (a private water taxi for your whole group is only $50) and Chef Pedro’s in the kitchen, serving up exactly what you need.
WANT SOME TOWN IN YOUR HOUSE?
What with being so good at drinks ‘n’ parties ‘n’ food ‘n’ fun ‘n’ stuff, we’re often asked to help make Townhouse mischief at private events. Food, drinks, service, music, entertainment. In a villa, in another hotel, on the city walls, at a wedding. If we like you, we say yes. Let’s spread the fun.
Contact Oswaldo for catering and events quotes.
*****
"TOWNHOUSE WAS PERFECT FOR OUR GIRLS TRIP. WE BOOKED 3 ROOMS, INCLUDING THE PENTHOUSE WHICH GAVE US ACCESS TO A PRIVATE POOL AREA. EVERYTHING FROM THE STAFF, TO THE AMENITIES, TO THE LOCATION WAS TOP TIER."
5 stars from this happy camper