One of the most famous luxury hotels in Panama City , the El Panama Hotel is one of the classic older hotels, a historical landmark, now about 50 years old. Designed with the open air tropical concept in mind, the hotel is undergoing renovations at the current time. I’d first heard mention of this hotel in the movie “The Tailor of Panama”, made in 2001. Don’t let the renovations bother you, you will hardly notice that they are going on.
Located in the center of town in the El Cangrejo area, the hotel is just under a half hour from the airport. The neighbourhood is safe to walk around 24 hours a day. Enjoy a stroll at night time and you will feel safe. You will see many policemen with and without guns otherwise known as the "tourism" police standing around to know that the crime rate is low. You can obtain a map of the neighbourhood at the reception desk to help avoid paying for expensive taxi rides here and there. Just walk out the front door of the hotel, turn right to Veneto and then you can go in any direction to find other four and 5 star hotels, shopping, casinos, restaurants, car rental agencies all within just a short walk away.
I found the large open breezy, Latin/Caribbean tropical style of the hotel architecture delightful and gets you in that tropical mood for your vacation in Panama. It has a very Panamanian atmosphere which gives a certain ambiance to this luxury hotel in Panama. You will find in the lobby, a collection of several very “chi-chi” (upscale) stores. In the pool area, the pool is large, the surrounding tropical foliage is beautiful. There is a swim-up bar in the pool and a restaurant by the pool which serves delectable cuisine. The hour glass shaped pool is lovely to swim in and lounge around developing your sun tan. The overall sense of luxury and comfort makes this hotel in Panama City a fabulous vacation getaway for romantic occasions such as honeymoons for newlyweds, couples wishing to escape, romantic getaways for younger and older travelers, disabled travelers and families with children or teenagers.
My room, although the air conditioning was set a little to high, was excellent and had all the modern amenities such as WiFi, cable TV, telephone, and a safe to protect my valuables. The room was spotlessly clean, spacious with tiled floors. However, I’ve got to say, perhaps because of the location or the noisy traffic below, it was, at times difficult to sleep at night. If you rent cabañas on the ground-floor, you will have immediate access to the pool. All in all, there are 330 guest rooms including standard, junior Suites, Cabanas by the pool, and a presidential suite. For those demanding butler service, there are two executives floors with butler service to give you personalized assistance as well as private meeting rooms if you require. For the fitness conscious, there is a spa and sauna to use.
There are quite a few restaurants at the hotel that serve up delicious cuisine. There is a different breakfast buffet served daily which is included in the price and is an excellent way to start your day in Panama City.
The business center is good for the business traveller with internet available for a couple of dollars per hour. There are 35 meeting rooms and a convention center on the premises. It is a popular place for international conventions and you will find it is a favourite luxury hotel in Panama for Latin American and European visitors to book their vacations in Panama at this hotel. The staff, although they don’t speak a lot of English are friendly and efficient. The service provided was excellent. The restaurant serves great food and the service is excellent. For the gamblers among us, there is a casino and nightclub attached to the hotel. It is a more pleasant stay than the chain hotels which lack the atmosphere and ambiance of the El Panama in Panama City, so if you can ignore the renovations and want something in a more Panamanian style, definitely try this classic hotel. Remember, the renovations will not last forever at this luxury hotel in Panama City.
