Casa San Pedro feels rather like staying in the home of your rich aristocratic uncle. Pleasantly tucked away in the old town’s quieter San Diego district town, this Andalusian-style mansion is one of Cartagena’s most evocative hotels. Behind the colossal Roman Doric door, a wrought-iron gate leads to a central courtyard where plants are woven amid magnificent Romanesque archways that enclose a mosaic-tiled swimming pool. Each of the eight grand rooms ooze colonial grandeur with period furnishings, eclectic antiques, and rich fabrics of deep burgundy, indigo, or gold. The small rooftop terrace with a hot tub has views of Castillo de San Felipe de Barajas. What really distinguishes Casa San Pedro (at this price point) is the warm service and thoughtful touches: welcome drinks, a complementary foot massage in the basement spa, and an elaborate breakfast served in the courtyard or beneath chandeliers of the regal salon.