4 Seasons Casa Medina Bogota lodge evaluate

Editor’s observe: The 4 Seasons Lodge Casa Medina Bogota offered TPG with a complimentary two-night keep in order that we may get an inside have a look at the lodge and its facilities. The opinions expressed under are solely these of the writer and weren’t topic to evaluate by the lodge or any exterior entity.

It is common to see residential models comprising components of accommodations nowadays. What’s uncommon, although, is to remain in a former residential constructing that has been transformed right into a lodge. This is not simply any lodge — it is one of the vital luxurious lodging in South America.

Initially constructed within the metropolis’s upscale Chapinero district by famed architect Santiago Medina Mejia in 1946, 4 Seasons Casa Medina Bogota feels directly fashionable but nostalgic and offers a great residence base for exploring the Colombian capital.

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” because the district is residence to a lot 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 may be typically site visitors exterior the entrance door. In case you have one of many rooms going through the internal courtyard or aspect streets, it is a lot quieter.

The drive to or from El Dorado Worldwide Airport (BOG) takes anyplace from 30 to 75 minutes, relying on the time of day. It ought to price between $20 and $35 by a ride-hailing service like Uber, which is broadly out there 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 evening, relying on the time of 12 months.

The lodge is a part of Amex Nice Lodges + Resorts, so of us with The Platinum Card® from American Specific or The Enterprise Platinum Card® from American Specific who make a reserving by AmexTravel.com can take pleasure in some advantages. These embody complimentary each day breakfast for 2, room upgrades based mostly on availability, a $100 on-property credit score to make use of throughout their keep and assured late checkout.

The lodge can be a part of Chase’s The Edit. In case you have an eligible card and make your reserving by Chase Journey, you may count on perks resembling each day breakfast for 2, availability-based room upgrades, early check-in and late checkout based mostly on availability, a $100 property credit score to make use of throughout your keep and a welcome present. These with the Chase Sapphire Reserve® can redeem Final Rewards factors for stays booked at The Edit properties.

Different playing cards you should utilize for The Edit bookings embody:

Standout options

• Historical past is palpable within the structure, which options components 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 must deal with site visitors noise from bustling Avenida Carrera 7.
• Attributable to its historic nature, the constructing isn’t wheelchair-friendly. Stairs are required to entry a lot 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 will in all probability have to enterprise out for meals.

The vibe

Many accommodations nowadays boast about having a residential-style atmosphere. Nevertheless, the 4 Seasons Casa Medina Bogota truly started its existence as a luxurious condo constructing when it was constructed almost eight many years in the past.

It is no marvel, 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 components 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 isn’t any wow issue, although. Simply stroll within the entrance door, and your eye will likely be drawn to the dramatic wood spiral staircase framing a colourful stained-glass window. Equally intriguing is the gang of Chanel-clad socialites you will commonly spot celebrating birthday brunches and women’ 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 flooring overlooking Avenida Carrera 7. It was a wide-open house of about 400 sq. toes 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, by 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 position of furnishings, for example, and the scale of the toilet. Nonetheless, it lent the house a lot distinctive character that it ended up heightening the sense of luxurious.

Food and drinks on the 4 Seasons Casa Medina Bogota

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

It was throughout an internal backyard courtyard from the reception space and the concierge’s parlor off the principle entrance. That stated, you needed to go up and down a couple of completely different small units of stairs, both by the internal courtyard backyard or through some hallways, to get there from the foyer. If you wish to keep away from stairs, although, take the opposite entrance through a aspect avenue; you will cross by 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 completely different sorts of paella, together with a scrumptious and hearty conventional Valencia-style one with seafood and hen ($18) that I attempted.

The breakfast unfold was fairly lavish as effectively. It included decisions of espresso drinks (that is Colombia, in any case), 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 12 months, the lodge opened a brand new speak-easy Boulevardier in a former back-of-house house that’s, paradoxically, towards the entrance of the constructing. It’s open Tuesday-Saturday from 5 p.m. to midnight.

Positive, you may stroll in off the road, but it surely’s much 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 historic cultures and Bogota’s well-known, artifacts-filled Museo del Oro.)

Earlier than lengthy, a bar individual will seem to point out you into the moody, two-story, artwork deco-inspired house.

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 control the motion, although, the bar is the place to take a seat. You may watch the workers 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 be recognized for its flights of whisky and Cuban cigars. There was an intriguing number of “finger meals” (mainly 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 lovely internal courtyard with varied seating areas, together with a coated one with a hearth for cold climate. Right here, you might sit within the sunshine and get some work executed through the day or come for a espresso or a cocktail within the night. I noticed many different company coworking out right here and even consuming their meal from Castanyoles exterior.

The lodge had a small subterranean spa and fitness center accessible through 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 therapy rooms. Visitors 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 out there. Ultimately, they known 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 sort of artisan boutique with handmade handicrafts from round Colombia, together with baggage, hats and baskets. Nevertheless, you may in all probability discover a lot of these things at decrease costs across the metropolis.

Service on the lodge was impeccable but approachable. Everybody I interacted with was congenial, desirous to have a dialog in English or Spanish (relying on whether or not I wished to apply) and knew me by identify after my first evening. A number of provided useful recommendations for issues to do round Bogota, offered buying suggestions or provided to e-book varied excursions by companion operators. The workers members have been actually probably the greatest 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 encompassing streets are full of 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 brief drives away. (You may even stroll to Leo.)

One in every 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 lots 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 varied museums (together with one dedicated to Colombian artist Fernando Botero), it takes a few half-hour in a automobile. The drive prices round $10 by 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, resulting from 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 through stairs, and although visitor rooms are accessible through elevator, the elevators themselves are fairly small; it might be tough for wheelchair customers to enter and exit.

Trying out

4 Seasons Casa Medina Bogota stays one of many metropolis’s most luxurious and authentic accommodations. Due to its palpable historical past, it seems 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 would possibly count on from a flagship 4 Seasons outpost, the workers 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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