The InterContinental Cartagena de Indias is a 285-room luxury hotel located on the beachfront in Bocagrande, Cartagena's modern tourism and business district. Part of the IHG Hotels portfolio, the property is about three miles from the city's Walled City, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and about 25 minutes' drive from the Rafael Núñez International Airport (CTG).
I recently stayed at the hotel during a familiarization trip sponsored by the Colombian government and found my room to have some thoughtful accessibility features, but also a few significant shortcomings that wheelchair users should be aware of before booking.
Room Rates & Reservations
Room rates at the InterContinental Cartagena typically start around $175 USD per night, but rise significantly during peak travel periods. Accessible rooms are available in the ocean view category only, and are priced in line with standard guest rooms of the same category. Room reservations can be made via the InterContinental Cartagena website.
There are three wheelchair accessible hotel rooms at the InterContinental, each with two queen sized beds.
Wheelchair Accessible Hotel Room at InterContinental Cartagena de Indias
My room, number 911 on the ninth floor, was accessed via an entry door that measured 35 inches (89 cm) wide and was easy to open. The door featured two peepholes: one at 59.5 inches (151 cm) and a second, lower peephole at 40 inches (102 cm), which is a bit too low to be accessible from my power wheelchair.
The room was spacious and modern, with colorful artwork, striped carpet and floor-to-ceiling windows that flooded the space with natural light and fantastic views of the Caribbean Sea. There was sufficient space to maneuver my large power wheelchair, and to park between the beds.
The beds sat at a height of 25 inches (64 cm) from the floor to the top of the mattress. A solid platform base with no clearance underneath prevents use of a patient transfer hoist.
A desk was positioned along the wall opposite the beds, measuring 29.5 inches (75 cm) in height with 27.5 inches (70 cm) of clearance underneath. An office chair and an upholstered chair provided additional seating near the window.
Wheelchair Accessible Bathroom with Roll-in Shower at InterContinental Cartagena de Indias
The bathroom was modern, but not as accessible as it should have been. Let's look first at the good: the toilet and vanity.
The toilet measured 18.5 inches (47 cm) from the floor to the seat — a comfortable height within the ADA-standard range. Grab bars were mounted on both the rear wall and the adjacent side wall at a height of 37.5 inches (95 cm).
The sink featured a long white marble countertop with an open vanity design, measuring 30.5 inches (77 cm) in height with 27 inches (69 cm) of clearance underneath. The open base allowed me to roll my wheelchair beneath the counter. Another inch or two of clearance would have been nice, but it worked.
The roll-in shower is where accessibility best practices fell apart. Although the shower had all of the necessary pieces to be accessible, they were put in all of the wrong places.
Its folding seat measured just 18 inches (46 cm) wide by 14.5 inches (37 cm) deep, and sat at a height of 16.5 inches (42 cm) above the floor. The placement of the seat was problematic, in that it was centered on the back wall, positioned far from the grab bar on the adjacent side wall and far from the handheld shower head. The seat was also awkwardly positioned relative to the water controls.
I was only able to use the shower by sitting sideways on the seat and holding for dear life onto the grab bar positioned behind the seat. If I returned to this hotel in the future, I would rent or ask for a portable shower seat — that at least could be positioned to provide easier access to the shower fixtures. The shower was clearly designed by someone who has never thought much about accessibility or practical use of a shower from the seated position.
Location & Transportation
The InterContinental sits in Bocagrande, Cartagena's beachfront hotel and shopping district. The neighborhood's sidewalks are a mixed bag — not in the best repair, but there are curb ramps in some (but not all) places. It is one of the more accessible areas of the city, with restaurants and shops all within walking distance.
Wheelchair users visiting Cartagena and attractions like its wheelchair accessible beach and UNESCO-listed Walled City, will almost certainly need to rent or hire a car. Valet parking is available at the hotel.
Final Thoughts
The InterContinental Cartagena de Indias is a comfortable and modern hotel with a spacious accessible guest room and a partially accessible bathroom. If you are planning a trip to Cartagena and are comfortable using a portable shower chair, this hotel is worth your consideration.
