As tourism to Bogota, Colombia, continues to increase from the U.S., more clients are calling their travel agents about this formerly off-limits city. Business travelers in particular are finding new reasons to travel to Bogota, as the city’s Corferias Convention Center is becoming a magnet for international conventions. Although plenty of large international hotel brands can be found dotting the streets near the convention center, agents may find that the perfect solution for their client is the independently owned and operated Ar Hotel Salitre.
So named for its positioning in the Ciudad Salitre neighborhood, the new 199-room hotel is located about a 10-minute drive from Bogota’s El Dorado International Airport. Guests will instantly feel welcomed by the hotel’s airy, spacious lobby, which includes an open fireplace, a lobby bar and the integrated Restaurant Kanka, the hotel’s sole eatery. The lobby, as well as the rest of the hotel, has been carefully crafted to include furnishings, lighting fixtures and other design elements in the hotel’s signature color, red. The lobby, which has clearly been designed to maximize networking opportunities, is the hotel’s nerve center and feels more like a social club than an actual lobby.
Because of its open floor plan, the hotel’s restaurant adds to the property’s general buzz. For example, guests can enjoy the hotel’s inclusive breakfast buffet, while keeping a lookout for their business colleagues. Although the space is most popular during breakfast, the restaurant features an open-air kitchen with a huge grill, which is helping it gain a reputation for its grilled meat entrees.
The hotel guestrooms are fresh and spacious, and their neutral sand color works well with hotel’s signature red elements. Guestrooms have been designed for business travelers, who will be especially happy with the free Wi-Fi access (also available throughout the hotel) and the large desk with plenty of outlets for charging electronics.
Travelers with some free time on their hands should check out the property’s deluxe spa, which boasts a water circuit pool featuring a flotation pool, three showers with chromotherapy and music therapy, several pool shower cascades and in-pool, oxygenated beds. The spa also features a hammam and four treatment rooms. Treatments start at approximately $60 for a 90-minute program.
Travel agents should note that, even though the Jonas Brothers stayed here during their Bogota concert last year, the hotel is relatively new and there are still plenty of people in the city who are not familiar with it. If you have clients planning to take a taxi or use a currency exchange booth, be sure to advise them to carry one of the hotels’ business cards for their convenience.
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Hotel Ar Salitre
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The hotel is currently offering a special American Visa package, which includes a one-night stay, airport transportation, a buffet breakfast and transportation to the American embassy in Bogota for about $185 per night.
