All programs / Colombia
Kosher by Malka
Sofitel Baru Calablanca Beach Resort
Cartagena (Isla Baru), Colombia
The operator is advertising Pesach 2027 on its own website.
Kosher by Malka takes over the 170-room Sofitel Calablanca beach resort near Cartagena for a boutique Pesach that runs through the Shabbat after the holiday. Food is non-gebrokts, cholov yisroel and without kitniyot under Rabbi Simantov Nigri, with a kitchen led by chef Meir Adoni and both Ashkenazi and Sephardic minyanim. Evenings lean toward lounge-style entertainment such as a piano bar, casino night and beach parties.
- Dates
- April 20 - May 2, 2027, includes Shabbat after Pesach
- Price
- Price on request
- Operator’s track record
- Founder Malka Perlman writes that Cartagena is 'where my story began'; site refers to the 2026 program and says 2027 is intentionally smaller.
- Whole hotel
- The program takes over the whole hotel
- Hotel
- 5-star hotel
- Setting
- Beach, Resort
- Languages
- English
- Contact
- Malka@KosherByMalka.com+57 310 270 0000
Kashrut and standards
Taken from the operator’s own website. A dashed outline means the operator hasn’t said, not that the answer is no.
- Supervision
- Rabbi Simantov Nigri
- Who it suits
- Boutique program; Ashkenazi and Sephardic minyanim
- Minyanim
- Ashkenaz, Edot HaMizrach (Sephardi)
Who is the supervisor?
The names below come from the operator. Each links to a page of what public sources say, with the sources.
- Rabbi Simantov Nigri
No public source linked yet. That says nothing about him either way. Ask the operator the questions below.
Worth asking the operator
- Who signs the kashrut certificate for this program, and can I see this year’s certificate?
- How many years has he supervised this operator’s Pesach programs, and this hotel in particular?
- Does an agency or beth din stand behind the certificate, or is it his personal hechsher?
- Is he in the hotel for the whole of Yom Tov, and how many mashgichim work under him?
Ask before you book
The operator’s website doesn’t state these. If any matter to you, get the answer in writing:
- Glatt
- Pas Yisroel
- Shmura matzah
- Separate swimming
Standards can change from year to year. Confirm with the operator and your own rav.
The hotel
About the building itself, all year round. The Pesach program is run by the operator, not the hotel.
I don’t have confirmed details for this building yet. The map and reviews below come straight from Google.
Ratings and reviews of the hotel
These are year-round guests rating the hotel, not Pesach guests rating the program. For the program, see the guest reviews further down.
Food
Menus led by Israeli chef Meir Adoni across several restaurants, with beachside barbecues, sushi, a salad bar, a dairy lunch, wood-fired pizza, a juice bar and a late-night tea room.
Chef or caterer: Chef Meir Adoni (executive chef)
Entertainment and activities
In the operator’s words: Whole-resort takeover, about 170 rooms, Executive chef Meir Adoni, Late-night tea room, sushi, beach BBQs, Sports camp 5+, kids camp 4-11, baby camp 2-5, Casino night, beach parties, piano bar, Chol hamoed day trips (Rosario Islands, old city, golf).
Speakers and scholars announced: Rabbi Ethan Stein, Rabbi Yaacov Laredo, Rabbi Albert Chait, Caroline Bryk
Kids and teens
Baby Camp ages 2-5, Kids Camp ages 4-11, Sports Camp ages 5 and up.
Price
Rates on request
Check what’s added on top: many programs add taxes, service charges and tips of 20 to 25 percent. Work out your real total.
Getting there
There is a nonstop flight from New York (JFK), about 4.5 hours in the air.
Cartagena has year-round flights from New York JFK, Miami and Toronto.
Most US travelers fly nonstop from New York or Florida, or connect through Miami, Panama City or Bogotá.
Routes come from each airport’s published route list, checked October 2026. Flight times are estimates from the distance. Airlines change schedules, so confirm before you book (route list we used).
From the airport
- Rafael Núñez International Airport (CTG): about 60 minutes by carCartagena's airport, on the north side of the city; the resort is about an hour south on the Barú peninsula.
Late April weather
It's hot and humid, with daytime highs around 88°F (31°C) and nights around 77°F (25°C), and the Caribbean is very warm at about 82°F (28°C).
Good to know
- Colombia is 1 hour behind New York in late April.
- The currency is the Colombian peso; cards work at the resort, but carry cash for beaches and taxis.
- The resort is about an hour from the old city, so plan day trips with a driver or the hotel boat.
- US passport holders generally do not need a visa; check entry rules for your passport.
The hotel on Google Maps
Google’s star rating and reviews are for Sofitel Baru Calablanca Beach Resort all year round, not for the Pesach program.
This content is hosted by Google Maps, which may set cookies.
Safety and travel advisories
What governments say about travel to this country. Nothing here is this site’s own judgment.
US State Department travel advisory for Colombia
Level 3 of 4: Reconsider travel
- Reasons the advisory gives: crime, terrorism, civil unrest, kidnapping, and natural disasters.
- The level is for the whole country, not for the hotel or its neighborhood. Level 1 is the lowest of the four and Level 4 the highest.
- Advisory dated March 30, 2026; I read it on October 4, 2026. Levels change, so open the advisory before you book and again before you fly.
This is the governments’ own wording, not a rating by this site. Israel’s National Security Council also publishes travel warnings for Israelis abroad. Ask the operator what security the program itself arranges, such as guards and entry checks.
Things to do near Isla Barú (Cartagena)
Ideas for chol hamoed. Check opening times before you go; some places close or get very busy during the holiday.
Walled City of Cartagena
History, about 60 min awayA UNESCO-listed colonial old town with thick sea walls, bright balconies and shady plazas.
Good for kids, teens, couples, grandparents
Castillo San Felipe de Barajas
History, about 60 min awayA massive Spanish hilltop fortress with tunnels that kids can explore.
Good for kids, teens, couples
Getsemaní
City, about 60 min awayA lively neighborhood next to the old town known for street art, small cafes and music.
Good for teens, couples
Rosario Islands
Beach, about 10 min awayA group of small coral islands reached by boat, known for clear water and snorkeling.
Good for kids, teens, couples
Playa Blanca
Beach, about 20 min awayBarú's best-known white-sand beach, popular and busy, especially on weekends.
Good for teens, couples
National Aviary of Colombia
Family, about 15 min awayA large, well-kept bird park on Barú with flamingos, toucans, macaws and a bird show.
Good for kids, teens, couples, grandparents
Convento de la Popa
History, about 65 min awayA 17th-century convent on the highest hill in Cartagena, with a view over the whole city and bay.
Good for couples, grandparents
Palace of the Inquisition
History, about 60 min awayA museum in the old town in the building where the Spanish Inquisition held its trials, including of people accused of secretly practicing Judaism.
Good for teens, couples, grandparents
Guest reviews
No guest reviews yet. Ratings on this site only ever come from guests, so this program has no score until someone who went writes one.
Were you there? Tell other families how it went
The email opens with a short set of questions. We read every review before it appears, to keep out spam and reviews written by operators, and we only show the name you choose.
Where this information comes from
Checked on October 4, 2026. These are the pages we read:
Run this program, or spotted a mistake? Send a correction.
