4 Seasons Casa Medina Bogota lodge evaluate

4 Seasons Casa Medina Bogota location

The 4 Seasons Casa Medina Bogota is within the metropolis’s Zona G — the place the “g” stands for “gastronomy” for the reason that district is residence to lots of Bogota’s finest eating places. It is the Chapinero district that drapes down the foothills of the Andes on the town’s northeast aspect.

The lodge sits proper on one of many space’s busiest thoroughfares, Avenida Carrera 7, so there’s usually site visitors outdoors the entrance door. When you have one of many rooms dealing with the interior courtyard or aspect streets, it is a lot quieter.

The drive to or from El Dorado Worldwide Airport (BOG) takes wherever from 30 to 75 minutes, relying on the time of day. It ought to value between $20 and $35 via a ride-hailing service like Uber, which is extensively accessible and secure to make use of.

4 Seasons Casa Medina Bogota reserving particulars

Charges on the 4 Seasons Casa Medina Bogota begin at round $330 per night time, relying on the time of yr.

Standout options

• Historical past is palpable within the structure, which options parts like stone columns and hand-carved wood doorways salvaged from colonial-era convents.
• The situation cannot be beat, inside strolling distance of a number of the metropolis’s finest eating places and buying.
• Rooms are spacious and distinct because of the constructing’s distinctive previous — no cookie-cutter lodging right here.

Drawbacks

• The home windows are soundproof, however some rooms nonetheless need to take care of site visitors noise from bustling Avenida Carrera 7.
• Because of its historic nature, the constructing is just not wheelchair-friendly. Stairs are required to entry lots of its areas and the elevators won’t accommodate some gadgets.
• Eating is proscribed to a single restaurant (and the speak-easy, Boulevardier), so you may in all probability have to enterprise out for meals.

The vibe

Many motels as of late boast about having a residential-style atmosphere. Nonetheless, the 4 Seasons Casa Medina Bogota really started its existence as a luxurious condo constructing when it was constructed almost eight a long time in the past.

It is no surprise, then, that every of the distinctive brick constructing’s 43 visitor rooms and 19 suites feels self-contained and distinctive. That is partly because of their idiosyncratic layouts — every room is pretty distinctive, even inside the identical class.

The lodge additionally feels homey as a result of the lodge incorporates lovingly restored architectural parts salvaged from demolished colonial-era convents. These embody intricately carved wood doorways, half-timbered ceilings and sculptural stone columns.

That is to not say there is no wow issue, although. Simply stroll within the entrance door, and your eye will probably be drawn to the dramatic wood spiral staircase framing a colourful stained-glass window. Equally intriguing is the gang of Chanel-clad socialites you may usually spot celebrating birthday brunches and ladies’ nights on the restaurant Castanyoles and the sultry speak-easy Boulevardier.

The room

My Premier Queen room was simply reverse the elevator on the lodge’s second ground overlooking Avenida Carrera 7. It was a wide-open area of about 400 sq. ft with a piece and eating space paneled in darkish wooden simply contained in the door. The minibar included a Nespresso machine, complimentary bottles of water (a godsend for staying hydrated at Bogota’s excessive elevation), and snacks like a candy and salty nut combine.

Past that, via a stone-pillared archway, was the bed room. The signature 4 Seasons mattress was framed by its personal set of rough-hewn stone pillars, wrought-iron hanging bedside lights and steamer trunk-inspired nightstands. (I discovered electrical shops and USB-A plugs tucked away on the nightsrands.)

Throughout from the mattress, there was a stone fire and a chest holding the 55-inch flat-screen tv that resembled a classic suitcase and a club-style high-backed leather-based armchair. Wi-Fi was complimentary and quick.

Again towards the entrance door, the toilet was clad in beige and brown limestone and marble. It had a single sink and a walk-in bathe, each of which featured high-end Colombian model Loto Del Sur’s Acacia del Amazonas line of hair and pores and skin merchandise.

The historic structure appeared to restrict some prospects for the room — the location of furnishings, as an example, and the scale of the toilet. Nonetheless, it lent the area a lot distinctive character that it ended up heightening the sense of luxurious.

Foods and drinks on the 4 Seasons Casa Medina Bogota

The lodge’s restaurant, Castanyoles, is open daily from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. It felt like a festive greenhouse because of its glass ceiling and wall of crops in the primary eating room and bar space, to not point out the colourful tiling and white chairs.

It was throughout an interior backyard courtyard from the reception space and the concierge’s parlor off the primary entrance. That stated, you needed to go up and down just a few totally different small units of stairs, both via the interior courtyard backyard or by way of some hallways, to get there from the foyer. If you wish to keep away from stairs, although, take the opposite entrance by way of a aspect road; you may go via an off-the-cuff cafe space in your manner.

For lunch and dinner, the menu skews largely Spanish with specialties like croquettes with Iberico ham ($7) and juicy prawns in savory pil pil sauce ($13). There are three totally different sorts of paella, together with a scrumptious and hearty conventional Valencia-style one with seafood and rooster ($18) that I attempted.

The breakfast unfold was fairly lavish as nicely. It included selections of espresso drinks (that is Colombia, in spite of everything), tropical fruit juices and smoothies, recent fruit, made-to-order eggs and house-baked pastries, together with native cheese-filled arepas, amongst different choices.

Simply final yr, the lodge opened a brand new speak-easy Boulevardier in a former back-of-house area that’s, sarcastically, towards the entrance of the constructing. It’s open Tuesday-Saturday from 5 p.m. to midnight.

Positive, you possibly can stroll in off the road, but it surely’s way more enjoyable to undergo the courtyard, down a set of clandestine stairs and thru a upkeep space till you attain a golden door. (It is a reference to Colombia’s historical cultures and Bogota’s well-known, artifacts-filled Museo del Oro.)

Earlier than lengthy, a bar particular person will seem to indicate you into the moody, two-story, artwork deco-inspired area.

Settle in at one of many tables alongside the inexperienced velvet banquette or within the low-slung chairs forming a vignette by a bricked-up fire. To regulate the motion, although, the bar is the place to sit down. You’ll be able to watch the employees combine up specialties like a tangy however earthy Crimson Espresso Fizz with Macallan 12 Sherry Oak Cask whisky infused with Colombian espresso beans, Amaro and Tonka soda ($12.50).

The bar can also be identified for its flights of whisky and Cuban cigars. There was an intriguing number of “finger meals” (principally fancy bar bites), together with candy and bitter “bang bang” tempura shrimp with panela sauce, lemongrass and lime ($6), and cute mini beef Wellingtons with serrano ham and bearnaise sauce ($7).

Total, the ambiance was quiet however convivial on a Tuesday night, and it acquired progressively busier all through the week.

Facilities and repair on the 4 Seasons Casa Medina Bogota

The lodge had a gorgeous interior courtyard with numerous seating areas, together with a lined one with a fire for cold climate. Right here, you could possibly sit within the sunshine and get some work accomplished through the day or come for a espresso or a cocktail within the night. I noticed many different friends coworking out right here and even consuming their meal from Castanyoles outdoors.

The lodge had a small subterranean spa and fitness center accessible by way of an elevator close to Castanyoles. The fitness center had a treadmill, elliptical and recumbent bike, in addition to some free weights and some weight machines.

The spa, in the meantime, had a cute little ready space and simply two remedy rooms. Friends can select from signature remedies resembling a 150-minute, invigorating Colombian Inexperienced Espresso physique wrap meant to enliven the pores and skin earlier than a therapeutic massage and a facial. There’s additionally the 150-minute Tropical Escape Ritual, full with a mango-papaya exfoliation earlier than a nourishing physique masks adopted by a therapeutic massage and a facial.

Oddly, the receptionist was unable to cost remedies out for me, and there was no menu accessible. Ultimately, they referred to as the lodge’s sister property close by to ask the costs and decided them to be about $185.

On the cafe space reverse Castanyoles, there was an off-the-cuff nook that functioned as a form of artisan boutique with handmade handicrafts from round Colombia, together with baggage, hats and baskets. Nonetheless, you possibly can in all probability discover lots of these things at decrease costs across the metropolis.

Service on the lodge was impeccable but approachable. Everybody I interacted with was congenial, wanting to have a dialog in English or Spanish (relying on whether or not I wished to observe) and knew me by title after my first night time. A number of provided useful recommendations for issues to do round Bogota, offered buying suggestions or provided to guide numerous excursions via associate operators. The employees members have been actually top-of-the-line components of the lodge expertise.

Out and about

The lodge is in one of many easiest-to-navigate neighborhoods in Bogota, particularly if you wish to expertise a number of the metropolis’s finest buying and eating. The encircling streets are stuffed with bars, cafes, eating places and style boutiques. Eating places that routinely rank among the many world’s finest, together with Leo and Humo Negro, are quick drives away. (You’ll be able to even stroll to Leo.)

Certainly one of my favourite shops within the metropolis for buying genuine handicrafts from across the nation, Artesanias de Colombia, is a 20-minute stroll away within the upscale Zona T. This space is residence to a whole lot of eating places and nightlife in addition to a number of luxurious buying facilities.

If you wish to get to Bogota’s historic middle to see the imposing Plaza de Armas or go to the charming close by neighborhood of Candelaria to see its numerous museums (together with one dedicated to Colombian artist Fernando Botero), it takes a few half-hour in a automobile. The drive prices round $10 via a ride-hailing service. The identical is true if you wish to take the cable automobile or funicular up Monserrate for gorgeous metropolis views.

Accessibility

Sadly, as a result of its historic nature and preservation as a listed landmark, the lodge has restricted accessibility for wheelchair customers. A lot of its public areas are solely accessible by way of stairs, and although visitor rooms are accessible by way of elevator, the elevators themselves are fairly small; it will be troublesome for wheelchair customers to enter and exit.

Testing

4 Seasons Casa Medina Bogota stays one of many metropolis’s most luxurious and authentic motels. Because of its palpable historical past, it looks like there’s a shock round each nook, be it a stained-glass portrait or a gorgeously carved doorframe; there are each architectural and ornamental options to admire. As you may anticipate from a flagship 4 Seasons outpost, the employees members are extraordinarily polished but genuinely heat. They do as a lot as they will to make sure your keep is memorable.

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