A practice built on hospitality, not transactions
Tayrona began as a conversation about what good consulting could feel like — one that listens before it advises, and respects the people it works with.
← Back to HomeWhere Tayrona came from
Tayrona takes its name from the protected bay east of Santa Marta — a place that has always balanced openness to visitors with care for what makes it worth visiting. That balance is what we try to bring to our work with hospitality businesses.
The practice was founded in 2019 by a small group who had spent time working inside hotels and tour operations across Magdalena — not as investors or executives, but as people who understood what it felt like to run a front desk, manage a seasonal team, or explain a price increase to a returning guest.
We started with a single conviction: that the hospitality sector in Colombia's Caribbean region had plenty of ambition, but too few quiet voices helping operators think through their day-to-day realities. We set out to be one of those voices.
What we are here to do
Our work is to help small and mid-sized hospitality businesses see themselves more clearly — not through the lens of what they should be, but through what they already are and where there is natural room to grow.
We don't arrive with a set of recommendations we've already written. We spend time in your space, talk with your team, and look at your operations with the kind of attention you may not have had the bandwidth to give them yourself.
Every engagement is shaped around the reality of your business — its seasonality, its staffing, its relationship with guests. What we offer is a considered outside view, delivered in language that respects your time and your intelligence.
The people behind the practice
Laura Castillo
Lead ConsultantLaura spent eight years managing boutique hotels in the Sierra Nevada foothills before moving into advisory work. She leads guest experience reviews and seasonal planning engagements.
Jorge Mendoza
Operations AdvisorJorge's background is in tour operations and small-business finance across Magdalena and La Guajira. He leads operations assessments and works with teams on their service flow and bookings structure.
Ana Parejo
Client RelationsAna manages client communication and scheduling, and contributes to the written summaries produced after each Guest Experience Read. She is the first point of contact for new enquiries.
How we hold ourselves to account
Professional Conduct
We follow the ethical standards of the Colombian Association of Business Consultants and maintain clear professional boundaries with every client engagement.
Data Discretion
Client information, financial data, and operational details are never shared with third parties. All working materials are handled with care and stored securely throughout and after each engagement.
Clear Communication
We write and speak plainly. Deliverables use clear language, not consulting jargon, so your team can actually apply what we share without needing us to translate it.
Balanced Perspective
Our assessments acknowledge both strengths and areas for improvement. We don't overstate problems to justify our fees, nor gloss over difficulties to seem agreeable.
Timely Delivery
We respect your time. Written summaries and roadmaps are delivered on the dates agreed at the start of each engagement, and we communicate promptly if anything changes.
Sustainable Advice
We only suggest changes your team can reasonably implement with the resources available to you. We avoid recommendations that look good on paper but create strain in practice.
How Tayrona works with hospitality businesses in Santa Marta
Small hotels, lodges, and tour operators along Colombia's Caribbean coast face a specific set of challenges. High season arrives quickly, staffing needs shift with demand, and the expectations of international visitors continue to evolve. Most operators manage these pressures well — but often without the time or distance needed to see which parts of their business could work more smoothly.
Tayrona works with these businesses as a quiet, practical presence. We conduct guest experience reviews for properties wanting an honest external perspective on how arrivals, check-ins, and day-to-day interactions feel to visitors. We support seasonal preparation with structured planning sessions that cover staffing, pricing strategy, and guest care. For more established businesses, we carry out four-week operations studies that look at booking flows, service processes, and financial management, and produce a roadmap the team can work through at their own pace.
Our fees are stated clearly for each service, and our work does not depend on ongoing retainer arrangements. Clients in Santa Marta, Taganga, Minca, and the Sierra Nevada foothills have worked with us across all three services — some returning for different engagements as their businesses develop.
We are based in Santa Marta and meet clients at their properties wherever possible. For businesses based elsewhere in Magdalena or the broader Caribbean coast region, we are open to conversation about how we might work together.
Curious about working together?
We're happy to hear about your business and explore whether one of our services might be a good fit. No pressure — just a conversation.
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