W Bogota Hotel Review: All That Glitters Is Golden

Colombia’s capital city has an energetic pace and lively hotel scene. The W Bogota is the city’s top design property and one of just two W hotels in South America (the other is in Santiago, Chile).

Since I stayed at the Santiago W several years ago, I wanted to try the Bogota location.

A night at this Marriott Bonvoy property goes for between 27,500 and 40,000 points. The paid rates at hotels in Bogota are affordable, starting around $115 — a nice price for a chic W property.

Here's our full W Bogota hotel review, including details about its location, amenities and more.

Location

Close to the Usaquen neighborhood, the area around the W hotel bustles with skyscrapers, shops and restaurants. I walked just a short distance to a coffee tasting (it’s Colombia, so why not!) at Cafe San Alberto, which was an entertaining way to rev up my morning.

Also in the neighborhood is a shopping mall with outdoor areas for dining and relaxing. Downtown Bogota is a short drive by car, and is where the city’s most popular museums are located, including the Botero Museum and Museum of Gold.

Design

Like other W hotels, the decor here is edgy, playful and sleek. The entry lobby for guest check-in is on the bottom floor, but most public areas, like the bar and restaurant, are on the third floor. One set of elevators leads from the reception area to the main part of the hotel, and a separate key-card-activated elevator takes guests to the rooms.

Inspired by the legend of El Dorado, the public areas glitter with gold and metallic accents, including whimsical golden butterflies that fill the reception area. Music and nightlife are central to the W brand. Popular music fills the hallways and lobby area, and DJs sometimes spin in the bar area, drawing lots of locals.

The hotel’s design and music focus attract a mix of local business and international tourists to its restaurant and bar. Hotel staff tell me that they get a lot of “staycation” business since people enjoy the interior design and clubby atmosphere that is so different from other hotels in Bogota.

» Learn more: Your guide to the Marriott Bonvoy award stays

Food and beverage

The hotel's main restaurant serves three meals a day with a focus on Colombian flavors. The breakfast buffet is beautifully presented, with plexiglass barriers for added protection during the COVID-19 pandemic. Staff plate your food selections for you. Egg dishes are prepared in the kitchen. The cheese and meat empanadas and arepas, combined with house-made salsas, were a hit.

The tasting menu at lunch featured innovative flavor combinations and local ingredients. I started with vegetarian tacos with eggplant and onions, and followed that with a delicious salad that mixes local guava with celery, truffle, nuts, blue cheese and apples. It was excellent, and the chef explained to me that he likes to mix local flavors and ingredients with different textures in his cuisine.

The presentation was stellar, so it is no surprise that locals come here for an upscale dining experience. Sitting around me were a family celebrating a birthday and several business lunch groups.

Connected to the hotel is a popular bar and lounge called BBC Cerveceria, part of a local chain.

At night, the bar area came alive with clever lighting and colorful cocktails on the golden tables. Rows of dangling golden strings act like curtains and still allow the lights and atmosphere to come through. A local graffiti artist’s work enlivens the lounge and brings an edgy, gritty look to the stylish space.

The crowd was a mix of locals and tourists in see-and-be-seen attire — very much the traditional W party scene. On weekends, brunch offerings draw more locals for the eclectic Colombian menu. They offer both a traditional brunch and a “night brunch” (basically dinner), each accompanied by the sounds of a local DJ.

» Learn more: Marriott Bonvoy Boundless review: Free night award, elite status

Accommodations

The hallways are intentionally dark to make it feel like you’re exploring a gold mine. Open the door to your room, and the bright colors and natural light that greet you are like discovering a hidden treasure. Interior designers often incorporate creative story lines in their design, but sometimes you have to ask hotel staff to discover them. The experience made me want to learn more about the tale of El Dorado.

Rooms feature high ceilings, curvaceous lamps, floor-to-ceiling windows and creative design elements like a fabric canopy that stretches from behind the bed to across the ceiling. The platform bed is incredibly comfortable. I especially loved the firm pillows — great for my neck after a long flight. The beds are meant to mimic the raft that the Muisca king in the legend of El Dorado used on the lake.

The bathroom is separated from the room only by a curtain, but the toilet has its own room. A wide countertop is stocked with Bliss Spa toiletries, including face wash, and plenty of other amenities like toothbrush and toothpaste, shaving kits, and even eye shades and ear plugs.

Mosaic tiles in the bathroom intersperse different colors with gold squares. There’s a rainfall shower head and an enormous tub, each well positioned to enjoy great views of Bogota and the distant Andes mountains.

I loved the panoramic views from this hotel, and it was a great spot to “work from hotel” during my visit. The wireless internet was fast and free, and I appreciated the power outlets by the bed and desk.

Rooms feature a "vinyl menu," which pairs classic international songs with craft cocktails reminiscent of the drinks that might have been popular when the song was written. Guests can order something from the menu any time. The staff delivers the cocktail for guests to mix, plus a record player with the chosen song.

Amenities

Elsewhere in the hotel, there is plenty of diversion, too. A heated indoor pool features massaging jets, great for a dip after a day of touring or meetings. There’s also a spa and modern fitness center. Spa charges to your room all count toward earning Marriott Bonvoy points.

There are many properties vying to be one of the best hotels in Bogota, including plenty of Marriott brands like AC, Aloft, Sheraton, Autograph Collection, Marriott, JW Marriott, Four Points by Sheraton and Courtyard by Marriott. W Bogota is certainly the most fashion-forward and hip of them all, and it is the perfect base from which to explore the city.

How to get there

Bogota is easily accessible from the U.S. on major airlines.

• American Airlines flies from both Dallas-Fort Worth and Miami.

• Delta flies from Atlanta and New York-John F. Kennedy.

• United flies from New York, Miami and Houston.

• Local carrier Avianca is a member of Star Alliance and flies to several U.S. cities, too.

Major U.S. airlines’ frequent flyer programs offer award flights to Bogota. On Delta or United, the number of miles you need can vary greatly depending on season and demand. American publishes an award chart with set prices for award flights. From the continental U.S. to Bogota, a round-trip economy class flight on American starts at 35,000 miles, while a round-trip business class flight on American starts at 60,000.