About Us COPIA 2
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Casa Pestagua,
Where Three Centuries Hold Their Breath
Casa Pestagua is an 18th-century colonial mansion in the heart of Cartagena de Indias, one of the Americas’ most historically significant cities.
Its architecture is original. Its title is noble. Its address, on Calle Santo Domingo within the UNESCO-listed walled city, is unrivalled.
Our Origins
Born Behind the Walls of Cartagena
Casa Pestagua takes its name from Andrés Idelfonso José de Madariaga — born in Cartagena in 1718, lawyer, civic leader, and the only person ever to hold the title of Conde de Pestagua, granted by Royal Decree of King Carlos III of Spain on January 11th, 1770.
The mansion he left behind is the last of the great colonial houses of Cartagena’s walled city. Restored in 2022 and awarded Two Michelin Keys in 2025, it is now the house of Casa Pestagua — sixteen rooms and suites within walls that have stood for over three hundred years.
A Chronicle
Three Centuries, One Address
Luis Blanco de Salcedo — maternal ancestor of the future Conde de Pestagua — arrives in Cartagena as Notary of the Secret alongside the Inquisitors who founded the Tribunal of the Holy Office. The family's bond with this city is sealed in parchment and ink.
Andrés Ildefonso José de Madariaga was born in Cartagena de Indias, son of Andrés de Madariaga y Álvarez de Mondragón and Doña María Antonia Paulina de Morales, both of the most principal families of the city. A lineage that stretches back to the knights of Navarre, the lords of Gaviria, and the captains of Seville.
Graduating from the Javeriana University as Bachelor, Master of the Arts, Licentiate, and Doctor of Sacred Canons, Don Andrés returns to Cartagena as its most distinguished jurist — lawyer to the Royal Councils, defender of the poor, judge, mayor, and counsel to the Inquisition.
On January 11th, King Carlos III issues his Royal Cédula from Madrid, conferring upon Don Andrés and his heirs in perpetuity the title of Conde de Pestagua — recognising a man descended from the most distinguished noble families of both kingdoms, in honour of his extraordinary services to the Crown.
Empires rise and fall. Colombia wins its independence. The walled city breathes and changes. But the house endures — its double-height ceilings, its Moorish-inspired arches, its inner garden — holding the memory of everything that passed within its walls.
After meticulous restoration that honours every original detail — the arches, the proportions, the spirit of the place — Casa Pestagua reopens as one of Latin America's most celebrated boutique hotels. Sixteen rooms and suites, each a world unto itself. A restaurant. A courtyard. A story, still unfolding.
Casa Pestagua becomes one of the only hotels in Colombia — and one of the very few in Latin America — to receive Two Michelin Keys, the highest recognition of hotel excellence. A distinction worthy of the house's history
Each and every one of our customers receives personalised assistance from our dedicated support team.