As far as I’m concerned, there’s only one way to vacation in old-town Cartagena, and that’s in one of the center’s boutique 3-15 room boutique hotels or rental villas designed for more privacy and local flare. The larger, more generic hotels in Boca Grande and Castillo Grande are similar to any flash hotel you may find near a major airport: identical rooms, robotic staff, and an inclination towards the mundane. Staying in a Cartagena villa however takes the concept of conformity and turns it upside down, totally shattering any preconceived notions a vacationer might have about cultural immersion.

There’s an overwhelming feeling of vitality in the historic district: this compact, almost Venice-like set of narrow streets and alleyways, which act like the veins running through a pulsating human body. Behind the walls of Cartagena’s old and often-simple facades sits a network of private homes that most of its visitors will never see: one of grandiose archways, vaulted ceilings, and privacy level that’s usually reserved to royalty and diplomats. One company has taken on the challenge of making this experience accessible to the everyday traveler.

La Heroica is a vacation rental company based out of Cartagena: they offer both short and long term high-end villas to vacationers on a number of different budgets.

The house where I stayed looked, from the outside, not unlike every other house on the block: large heavy wooden door, street side floor-to-ceiling windows with wooden bars, and a twisty decorative tree that’s omnipresent in this part of the city. Just inside the entryway, the villa opens up to a large living room and kitchen area, all of which is exposed to the elements, a feature I found myself adoring about Cartagena’s historic homes. Half-indoors, half-outdoors, it’s the type of layout you’d concern over were it not for Cartagena’s perfect weather and cool breezes. Just beside the open-air dining room is a small pool shaded by the leaves of a dwarfed palmetto palm.

Perhaps the coolest feature of the house was not the real estate itself but rather the employee that came with it. It can be awkward being treated to maid service if you’re not used to such a lifestyle. “No, that’s OK, I usually wash my own armpits,” I wanted to say. “I’ll make my bed. Really, I can do it on my own just fine.”

But once embraced, the luxury of a personal maid is one that heightens the Cartagena experience. Homemade ceviche for lunch? No problem. How about new towels everyday by the pool? Consider it done. Our particular maid prepared some of the best food we had during our stay: fresh fish, coconut rice, grilled lobster. Everything was distinctly Colombian and the stay itself cost less than a nearby fancy hotel.

Returning at the end of our Cartagena explorations to the villa was a great feeling. It added immensely to the Cartagena experience as a whole: void of the sterile walls and those boring abstract paintings bolted above the bed. The villa experience is not only perfect for a vacationing family or group, but for business trips as wireless internet and ultimate privacy are mainstays at each of La Heroica's high-end homes.