longtimereader firstimeposter

I was told I could add breakfast for $10 a day for them to waive the VAT... whatever, it ended up saving me like $10 a night. I am platinum so I should have had it free anyway.

Also, be careful with rates at this hotel. They use an inflated currency conversion to show their prices in USD on the SPG website. This makes the prices look artificially low. They are using $1 = 3250 COP which added about $60 to my "prepaid" rate over 4 nights.

sfozrhfco

There were several changes made to the IVA law that were effective 1 Jan 2017. There was also a deal AirBNB made with the government to start collecting IVA from all lodging transactions as well.

sfozrhfco

I didn't have the exchange rate issue. They used 2890 for me.

longtimereader firstimeposter

it's not the rate they are charging me it's how they display the prices on the website. For instance, if you see $100 USD on the SPG website they are going to charge you 325,000 COP because they charge in local currency not usd. When they charge you 325,000 your CC company will use the correct or current rate of let's say 1 USD to 3000 COP making the charge actually $108 USD. If you stay multiple nights or your price is higher this will add up and cause a significant difference from the price you booked at.

I went back and forth with them and they kept telling me various reasons for the discreapancy of what the prepaid should have been and what I was actually charged. Finally they told me they use the 1 to 3250 rate.

Kacee

The "paquetes" language has been in there since something like 2007.

Most hotels do not charge tourists. Here's what Hilton Cartagena currently says on their website:

sfozrhfco

Many chain hotels display the rates in US$. If you switch on the SPG site to another currency, this just gives an approximation. My rate was correctly converted.

sfozrhfco

But the new law encouraging tourism exempts only those traveling on packages, not those booking the room alone. I will see what they say at the Hyatt Cartagena in a few weeks.

Kacee

I've been visiting Colombia since approx 2009. And I just don't know how to say this any more clearly: During that entire time, the DIAN regulation has said the IVA exemption only applies to "paquetes." To repeat, most hotels do not collect it from tourists, despite the language of the regulation which purportedly limits the exemption to "packages."

In dozens of stays throughout Colombia, the only hotels that have ever insisted on collecting IVA from me are Hilton Bogota and Alfiz in Cartagena. I won't stay at either of those again.

cur

any recent reports? planning first ever trip to columbia and this place is $100/night cheaper than the jw. we are fine taking uber or public transit tbh, and actually prefer being in residential areas where locals hang out over in the thick of a tourist area. only requirement for bae is a hot breakfast. plus we are staying friday-monday so the park and open streets on sunday sounds lovely.

wow quite the back and forth over the vat.

fortunately in year 2019 the hotel website and marriott.com make it crystal clear: "Please note - 19 percent VAT will be added to room rate for Colombian residents. Foreign nationals exempt on stays of 90 days or less."

how is vat calculated on a points booking from a columbian resident or someone staying 91+ days?

cur

ok so we just stayed here 3 nights. marriott plat, cash prepaid rate.

having used my suite night upgrades i thought a cool corner suite was superior to a marvelous or fantastic suite (i was fooled by the photos) and i was wrong. the room was nice but also had no bath tub so i called down right away and asked to be changed to a better room and they got it done. which was great. especially on 6pm on a friday for a 3 night stay.

our marvelous suite had the bathtub in the living room which with bae was amazing. we loved the open concept, way more than we love the confusing way w name these suites. but the living room was quite weak, it's very stiff hard furniture. a regular room would have been just as nice as we never wanted to sit in that stuff. we like sitting on nice comfortable couches, not vinyl hard furniture. but also our room had a bath tub in it so we loved that. and everything else with the room was 100, although a few outlets and a lamp were broken. same went for the lounge/bar area on 3F, this was a bit disappointing, we like sitting in comfortable couches. so maybe w concept can improve on that. but everyone in the bar/lounge area were so kind and nice and the drinks were AMAZING so we got over that.

everyone at this hotel was amazing. as plats we got full breakast buffet and full huevos menu, and bae even ordered fresh (instead of buffet) waffles and that was comped. i think this is a ymmv situation but i do know eggs to order are covered. the staff were so nice, and the spread at breakfast was lovely. all the fruit and cheese and hot items you want, although colombians overcook eggs and omelettes imo. so it was nice having benedicts every am.

as plat we got 2 free premium plat cocktails every night which amazing. they were stiff.

also our ambassador a------a was also super nice and gave us some drink chits which was above and beyond. she was also super helpful when i realized i should have suite-nighted for a nicer room with a tub maybe. she got it done and everyone at the front desk was super chill and gracious about it.

the gym is amazing, there are at least 2 coaches here running classes and you can easily get in one of their HIIT classes. the pool is like a warm-ish hot tub so it's worth doing and of course you have access to the spa/steam room after the gym which is nice.

this property is just terrific.

everyone here was amazing and great, we had such a great stay.

we wish we were closer into all the sights but it was nice being in this neighborhood. if you walk 3 blocks towards the little restaurant district and try your own little spots (instead what the concierge says, and they do recommend good spots btw), you can find some good stuff. taxis are cheap and we had such an amazing time here.

consider the location, which is not thick of things bogota wise but on weekends taxi only 15 mins to bolivar plaza so we had no stress. we just loved it in bogota.

GalaxyChris

I was staying there in January 2018 and I had another experience.
So much improvement ?

​​​​​

cur

i dunno what to say? we liked the low key vibe of the neighborhood and never had a bad dinner in the food area 4-5 blocks north west, including $20usd strips that were of the same quality of a $80 ny or $60 houston steak. we also went against "whatever"/concerge advice and wandered to a pizza place that was half the price and had proper neopolitian pizza colombian style (ie lots of cheese and ingredients)

rooms were fine, as a plat we had ambassador a------a who helped us out at first with our first world problem (ie me asking for a corner suite over a marvelous), but ya the living room was just a storage unit because it was unusable for relaxation, so i will give a -1 for that.

plat drinks every night were lit and stiff, we liked the bartenders

the gym was amazing and they had instructors who ran HIIT courses with the members and guests in the evening which was an awesome way to slack off and do a 20 min workout

plat breakfast was on point, everyone so polite and again we had rich af benedicts every am, i think this place was beyond reproach, along with the bar

what was your problem? i don't mean that rudely, i can see this place not being 100 for all, as a couple coming off a 4 day hike in the woods we were ecstatic to have a bathtub and climate control lol. but ya we have stayed at way better JW with way more comfortable rooms

arjen05

Stayed here last week. Plat drinks every night seem to be down to only 1 for the day of arrival, but instead got invited to the full brunch they're running every weekend. Which was great.

The VAT issue happened to me as well.. stayed in various hotels during my Colombia trip, none of them charged VAT except W Bogota. Which means a +19% compared to your booked rate. I've read the discussion this thread, but I'd like to add the text in my (English) conformation email when making the reservation. it said:
Hotel Alert19 percent VAT will be added for Colombian residents-Foreign nationals may be exempt subject to verification at check-in
As a non-Colombian resident which has been verified at check-in (passport ID page + stamp page was copied - passport number was even mentioned on the bill at check-out), I'm wondering how I should read that confirmation email..

Brandinho1

Wonderful service from the staff and excellent Ambassdor recognition. Originally booked junior suite was first upgraded to Fantastic Suite and then to Wow Suite. I wouldn’t hesitate to stay here any time in Bogota with the exception being if I have a short overnight here. Check out the Wow Suite below:

SkyTeam777

Anyone been here since Covid? What's the experience like on property these days? Seems like even the restaurant is closed according to the website.