Panama City Hotels
 

Any anyone stayed at either the Riande Continental or El Panama Hotel in Panama City? Which would you recommend? What are their neighborhoods like? Near many restaurants and shops? Thanks.

I've stayed at the El Panama and it's very near the center of town. The rooms are OK, not great. There's a lot of activity at the hotel and the casino is popular. I have a friend who stays at the Continental and likes it there. I think both are good options and are fairly near one another.

Casey

We stayed at the Bristol. Lovely hotel, had a car pick us up at the airport. Could not have been nicer
http://www.lhw.com/property.aspx?propertyid=348

No cheap, but worth it.

check out Country Inn and Suites on the Amador Causeway, great view of the canal and the ships...all the money you save you can spend in an evening in town. If you insist on a big hotel, the Miramar is the top.

Yeah, Miramar Intercontintenal is cool, but it's nothing compared to the service level at the Bristol.

Have fun!
Mark
www.tiogringo.com

It depends on what you are looking for - large "impersonal" hotel - then you have the choice of:

El Panama or the Riande Continental
Both are on Via España basically opposite of each other - central to shopping etc Not much between them - Riande has renovated a lot of rooms, El Panama can be a bit tired at times.
Very busy road - haven't stayed in either so not sure if noise is heard in rooms... Both have large casinos, pool areas etc.

Miramar Intercontinental
On the waterfront - not that you could swim there - but great view - can get a bit smelly when the tide is out...
Very nice pool area and rooftop pool for executive floor - very nice gym and spa

Marriott Panama
A couple of blocks off Via España down the street alongside the Riande - modern, business hotel - very small pool area, okay gym and spa area

These all cater primarily to the business traveler as against the tourist...

A charming large hotel is the Caesar Park - not as cold and business like as the others has a great pool/tennis area with good gym and spa - about 10 mins by taxi to the central area and they do have a regular shuttle into town as well... There's a new very nice mall just 10 minutes walk away...


There are tons of options in the smaller hotels though - the Bristol is a boutique hotel - very upmarket and very nice

If you are looking at something more reasonable let us know you budget for more specific advice...

Cheers,
Andrew

Agree with AndrewGW on the Caesar Park. I stayed there about a year ago --- seems to cater to more of a latino businessman crowd. Service was definitely first-rate and their ground floor restaurant has what has got to be the BEST lunch buffet in the city. The one thing I didn't really like about Caesar Park was the LOCATION --- it's not very central for most folks, being in a somewhat more residential kind of area (though next door to the convention center). Views are unremarkable, can't easily walk to anything. But it is nice, and the service is excellent.

Have fun!
Mark
www.tiogringo.com