At

At
first, Marquee Hotel’s low-key entrance on the fabled Parque
Lleras is hard to spot. Located in Medellín’s hedonistic El Poblado commune, this
elegant stay offers a vibe shift from the clashing reggaeton,
vallenato, and pop music blasting out from the open bars and
discotheques beyond its doors. Decked out in warm, burnished tones,
with high concrete ceilings and pendant brass lantern lights in the
lobby, it’s modern and art-centric, with a dash of Great Gatsby
glitz.

Don’t let the expansive entrance deceive you, though. With 42
rooms, Marquee has an intimate feel – and the staff go to great
lengths to preserve it. You’ll be on a first-name basis with the
team from the get-go. Guests return to this grown-up hotel after a
night out on El Poblado’s tiles to rest, relax and refuel. And
while the party appears to be kept outside, there’s a scene of
sorts hidden away inside, too. It’s the kind of place that sells
fat Romeo y Julieta cigars from a glass cabinet and, in a
subterranean space beneath the lobby, a sophisticated bar
specialises in smooth jazz.

Lobby

Rooms

We stayed in a Junior Suite, where floor-to-ceiling windows
offered views across Medellín’s complex architectural folds.
Bedrooms are infused with an art deco spirit. Amber globe lights
create a soft ambience, while rosy mirrors illuminate the room.
It’s incredibly comfortable: deep and luscious king-size beds have
soft white linens and ample pillows. A French-tiled bathroom offers
plenty of storage spaces and a large vanity stocked with L’Occitane
products.

Yet it’s the attention to detail that stands out, especially if
you’re in search of an urgent hangover cure. A well-stocked minibar
(with necessary electrolyte drinks) pairs well with the enormous
television screens, Netflix access and a full-menu room service,
while the vast bathtubs (big enough for two in some rooms) offer
space to continue the party. Just pour in the bubble bath and set
the lights to “disco setting”.

What’s for breakfast?

Start with an organic Colombian coffee from the hotel’s
extensive Caffe Speziale list. Then, opt for the signature
breakfast to scoff a selection of local fruit – including golden
uchuva and lulo – followed by a luxurious main. Everything from
blue crab pancakes to beef brisket and classic arepas (filled
cornmeal flatbreads) are on the menu. Most guests around here
breakfast late, so at 7.30am you’ll have the place to yourself.

Lunch and dinner?

Head to Marquee’s Italian-inspired restaurant, Abbiocco by
Carmen, set in an intimate, covered patio filled with lush green
palms, monochrome woven chairs and dove-grey, deep-seated
armchairs. The menu offers comfort food with a flavourful Colombian
twist. Think pizza topped with Paipa cheeses or salamito (sausage).
Fresh, sustainable Pacific seafood options are also on offer, as
well as classics such as 35-day dry-aged, 100 per cent Colombian
beef steak. You can order to your room or, for a lazy lunch by the
pool, ask to take your meal upstairs.

Is there a bar?

There are three: a rooftop bar, a lobby hangout and the moody Z
Bar. Start sipping upstairs with views across the cityscape and the
Aburrá Valley mountains, then slink down to ground level, where an
onyx lobby bar curves around an amber-lit, floor-to-ceiling
showcase of international spirits, to sip experimental high-ball
Latin cocktails such as the tequila-based “four aces”.

From Thursday to Saturday, the sunken Z Bar opens its doors for
low-lit performances from jazz, soul, blues, Latin jazz, cumbia and
Pacific folklore artists. The cavernous concrete speakeasy features
wood panelling, amber lighting and velvet curtains. Shows start at
9.30pm and wind up around 1am.

Suite

Amenities

Known as the “City of Eternal Spring”, Medellín is renowned for
generally being the perfect temperature, but the midday sun has
been shining with an unwelcome intensity of late. Refresh yourself
pre-lunch in the Marquee’s rooftop pool or enjoy a late-night
cocktail-fuelled dunk. While the bar is public, the pool area is
only open to guests. There is no gym, but weights and yoga mats are
available on request.

Hotel rooms come equipped with all the fluffy accoutrements
needed for a mini-pamper (bathrobes and slippers included), but if
you’re looking for more intense wellbeing opportunities, the hotel
has an agreement for guests to use facilities at nearby Celestino
boutique hotel.

What are the hotel’s eco-credentials like?

Reasonable. While the hotel has made changes to its amenities
package, meaning all plastics in it are degradable, we did notice
quite a few single-use plastics floating around. You’ll find
special filtered-water dispensers in each room for filling water
bottles, and in the restaurant, only locally sourced ingredients
and seafood caught using sustainable fishing practices are
used.

What about accessibility?

All floors are accessed via a wide elevator, and wheelchair
users can easily enter the large wet room-style showers, although
we didn’t spot any grab rails. The hotel recommends that you call
reception ahead of booking to discuss any additional
requirements.

A suite, left, and the lobby

What’s the crowd like?

Bougie girls and boys hellbent on hedonism.

Within a short walk I can find…

Much of what Medellín has to offer: you’re close to the Museo de Arte Moderno de
Medellín and a quick Uber ride away from Plaza Botero and
Museo Casa de la Memoria.

While we wouldn’t recommend walking around Medellín at night,
much of the city’s nightlife is near enough for you to feel
comfortable exploring on foot. In the evening, make a nearby dinner
reservation at Alambique and listen to a live salsa band, then head
to Dance
Free to get your bachata step on.

Things I should know

The best thing about the Marquee is that it’s in the centre of
the action, but that can also be one of its downfalls. Anyone who
has travelled to Colombia will know that large blaring sound
systems are considered part of the city’s cultural heritage. Parque
Lleras is no exception, and come evening, the sound soars. The
hotel has excellent triple glazing, but book a room on the upper
levels at the front of the hotel for less sound exposure.