I recently stayed at Hotel Summer Frente Al Mar in Cartagena, and while the property itself may look fine, guests — especially foreigners — should be aware of a dishonest practice I encountered at checkout.
Upon leaving, I was told to wait while staff “checked” the room. A young employee returned and claimed I had to pay 50,000 pesos because the towels were “dirty.” Let me be clear: towels are supposed to be dirty — that’s why hotels wash them. I had no stains, no blood, no wine, nothing unusual. Just normal use from sweat, exercise, beach sand, and daily showering.
This was nothing more than a hustle aimed at taking advantage of foreigners who might not question it.
This kind of behavior is unacceptable. Hotels that rely on international tourism should not be running scams on their guests. Travelers deserve honesty, not intimidation over something as absurd as “dirty towels.”
My advice: do not stay at this property unless you’re prepared to deal with scams like this. And if you do, make sure you bring your own towel.