Four Seasons Hotel Opens in Restored Cartagena Monastery and Theaters
A new Four Seasons Hotel in Cartagena, Colombia, opened last month after 18 years of development. The resort integrates a 1562 Spanish Colonial monastery, a 1920s French-style social club, and five abandoned movie theaters, all connected to a new wing. Developer Alejandro Santo Domingo, a New Yorker with Colombian roots, led the project through his company Valorem. The theaters had been derelict since the 1980s, with 'Top Gun' still on the marquee. Santo Domingo described the buildings as a war zone with vultures living inside. The hotel covers over eight acres in the Getsemani neighborhood, a five-minute walk from the Torre del Reloj. Santo Domingo framed the project as philanthropy, stating it was a gift to Colombia that could not be justified as an investment.
Key facts
- Four Seasons Hotel opened in Cartagena last month.
- The hotel incorporates a Spanish Colonial monastery built in 1562.
- It also includes a former 1920s social club and five movie theaters.
- The resort covers more than eight urban acres.
- It is located in the Getsemani neighborhood, near Torre del Reloj.
- The project took 18 years to complete.
- Developer Alejandro Santo Domingo is a New Yorker with Colombian roots.
- His company Valorem owns Colombia's largest cinema chain and other businesses.
- The movie theaters had been abandoned for decades; 'Top Gun' was still on the marquee.
- Santo Domingo described the buildings as a war zone with vultures inside.
Entities
Institutions
- Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts
- Valorem
- San Francisco Investments
Locations
- Cartagena
- Colombia
- Getsemani
- Torre del Reloj