The seaside city of Cartagena will be home to Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts‘ third property in Colombia.

The luxury hospitality company and San Francisco Investments, a subsidiary of Valorem, a business group with ownership of Colombia’s leading players in media, entertainment, retail and renewable resources, plan to open a 131-key luxury hotel and private residences on the doorstep of Cartagena’s historic walled city.

“We are proud to partner with the iconic Four Seasons brand to build a new luxury hotel and private residences in the vibrant city of Cartagena,” says Carlos Arturo Londoño, president, Valorem. “Paired with Four Seasons exceptional service, the newly restored Hotel and Private Residences will be the most sought-after destination to live and visit and will transform the hospitality landscape in Cartagena.”

“This new Hotel and Private Residences is the perfect project for us to expand our presence in South America, providing us with the rare opportunity to convert such an exceptional collection of historic buildings within a marquee location in one of the region’s most alluring cities,” says Bart Carnaham, executive vice-president, Global Business Development and Portfolio Management, Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts. “Together with our partners at Valorem, we look forward to bringing the very best in luxury hospitality to Cartagena.”

The Four Seasons Hotel and Private Residences Cartagena will be part of Four Seasons Historic Hotels portfolio, a collection of unique and architecturally-important heritage hotels featuring buildings with origins that range from the fifteenth to the early twentieth centuries.

The property will revitalize several culturally significant buildings dating as far back as the 16th century, including the Cloister of Saint Francis (Claustro de San Francisco), which is home to the 16th-century Saint Francis Church; the Club Cartagena, a 1920s Beaux Arts masterpiece; and four renowned theatres—Teatro Cartagena, Teatro Calamarí, Teatro Bucanero and Teatro Rialto. The restoration will preserve the iconic facades and historic architecture of the buildings.

François Catroux and Wimberly Interiors have been charged with the interior design of the hotel, which will feature 131 rooms including a Royal Suite (4,200 square feet) and a Presidential Suite (3,500 square feet).

Other features and amenities are:

• six unique AvroKO-designed food and beverage concepts with indoor and terrace dining;
• 16,000 square feet of meeting and event space;
• an atrium lounge at the heart of the Club Cartagena;
• a rooftop pool, pool bar and grill with private cabanas and day beds;
• fitness centre;
• and a signature Four Seasons spa.

The property will also house 16 private residences, the first branded residential alternative in Cartagena’s Historic District.