BEWARE: Hotel Las Americas, a Large Beachfront Resort in Cartagena, Colombia

Don't Believe the Hype! Sometimes the gorgeous photos you see on Websites and in magazines are misleading, and many properties receive undeserved praise in the press. By giving you honest feedback from our personal experience, or that of someone we know and trust, the Beware files help you steer clear of disappointment and wasted time and money.

"This sprawling resort, on a beach ten minutes north of the Old Town of Cartagena, bills itself as a five-star property, but any sophisticated traveler would find the 250-room hotel unappealing and lacking Colombian charm, especially when compared to all the quaint, historic hotels in the walled city," says my editor Chantal, who warns that Hotel Las Americas also has a convention center.

"Its beach isn't bad, and families with young children might like kid-friendly amenities and pools with water slides—plus there are tennis courts, a spa and fitness center—but if holing up in a large resort is your desire, then head to a Four Seasons or a Ritz-Carlton on a nice Caribbean island instead." Luis Angel, a Colombian expat and executive in New York, agrees: "Don't bring children to Cartagena unless you plan to rent a colonial mansion or to spend all your time in the islands," he says. Luis is no less emphatic when it comes to advising against Hotel Las Americas. "It's outdated, far from the old city, and caters to tacky Colombian tourists."

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