We began our Colombian journey with a stay in Bogotá, one of Latin America’s more appealing cities. Many flight schedules require visitors to spend at least one night in the capital, but Bogotá can easily fill three or four days with its museums and historic neighborhoods, plus day trips to sights such as the underground Salt Cathedral of Zipaquirá.
Nestled against a range of misty green Andean foothills at an altitude of 8,660 feet, this city of about 7.5 million remains pleasantly cool throughout the year. The northeastern section of Bogotá contains most things of interest to visitors, starting with pedestrian-friendly La Candelaria, the colonial quarter of the city, which is home to ornate churches as well as major museums, notably the famous Museo del Oro. (This contains the world’s largest collection of pre-Hispanic gold artifacts, including the extraordinary “Muisca Raft,” depicting the El Dorado ceremony on Lake Guatavita.) The cable car up to the aerie of Monserrate leaves from the edge of La Candelaria, and the excursion is well worth it for the panoramic views. Farther north are the Zona G, so called for its many gourmet restaurants, and the nearby Zona Rosa, an upscale shopping and nightlife hub. In the far northeast, Usaquén is an elegant low-rise neighborhood that used to be a separate town with its own square and cathedral until the capital absorbed it. Several of the city’s best restaurants and cafés are to be found here along Carrera 6.
My recommended base in Bogotá is the gracious Charleston Casa Medina, housed in an attractive 1946 stone building incorporating elements salvaged from two demolished colonial convents. Service at this 58-room hotel proved to be far more helpful and professional than at its sister property in Cartagena. Every request I made was handled promptly and courteously. Almost as important, the Charleston Casa Medina’s location in Zona G is within walking distance of some of Bogotá’s most acclaimed dining establishments, such as the French Criterión and the Peruvian Rafael. Staying in most other neighborhoods, including colonial La Candelaria, requires taking taxis to and from dinner.
Behind the Casa Medina’s stone-and-red-brick façade lies a parquet-floored entrance hall flanked by cozy reception and business lounges, each with a fireplace. Throughout the hotel, the public areas are comfortable and traditional, with beamed ceilings, Oriental rugs, fresh flower arrangements and framed copies of oil portraits and photos of Bogotá. Dining options consist of a tiny trattoria and an international indoor/outdoor restaurant. We also received an invitation to visit Bárbaro Medina, a dark and clubby members-only bar accessed by knocking on a locked exterior door.
We had reserved a Junior Suite, and I was pleasantly surprised by its comfort and size. The separate living room came with vaulted wood-beamed ceilings, inviting leather sofa and armchairs, a fresh fruit plate (including unusual Colombian varieties) and best of all, a woodburning fireplace. The black-and-tan marble bath offered a single vanity and sizable pebble-floored shower stall, while the bedroom had ample space for a king bed, wingback chair and ottoman, iPod dock, iPad and flat-screen television. Though the technology was modern, the room evoked a more graceful era of travel, with several pieces of furniture designed like leather-strapped trunks. Each night after dinner, we would retire to the living room with our books and have a bellman light the fire, a wonderfully relaxing and civilized way to end the day.
AT A GLANCE
LIKE: The spacious and atmospheric accommodations; our woodburning fireplace; very helpful service; the detail-oriented housekeeping; the location near several excellent restaurants.
DISLIKE: The bar is not really incorporated into the hotel.
GOOD TO KNOW: Although the property has no spa, it does have a dedicated room for treatments.
Charleston Casa Medina 94 Junior Suite, $380; Master Suite, $450. Carrera 7 69A-22. Bogota. Tel. (57) 1-217-0288.
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