The Best Hotel in The Canal and Central Panama, Panama

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The accommodations in Central Panama range from big resorts to colorful bungalows in stunning natural surroundings. The region includes some comfortable nature lodges surrounded by rain forest, all-inclusive beach resorts where the bars stay open well past midnight, homey B&Bs, and boutique hotels in natural settings. Even in the cheapest hotels you can expect a private bathroom and air-conditioning. Although nearly all the hotels accept credit cards, some smaller places offer a discount if you pay in cash. Most hotels can book area tours for you, but tour companies will generally expect payment in cash. You can sometimes save a bundle (occasionally upward of $100) at some of the more expensive hotels and resorts by booking via their websites, especially for midweek or off-season stays.

Playa Blanca Hotel and Resort

$$$ | Carreterra Interamericana, Playa Blanca, Panama

The smallest of Playa Blanca's all-inclusive beach resorts, this Mediterranean-style hotel has attractive rooms in two-story buildings scattered around sunny grounds, just steps away from a wide beach. Because the hotel is next to a river mouth, the ocean is sometimes murky, but there are two large pools. Guest rooms are bright and spacious, with wooden furniture and balconies, some of them quite small, though the best ground-floor rooms have terraces. There are a few rooms that have ocean views, but they are worth the additional $35. Unfortunately, there is often music blasting by day and the nightly "entertainment" performed by the pool is also rather loud. An aquatic center provides free kayaks and pedal boats, rents motorized watercraft, and sells an array of tours.

Pros

  • On the beach
  • Nice rooms
  • Low-season discounts

Cons

  • Mediocre food
  • Inconsistent service
  • Can be noisy
Carreterra Interamericana, Playa Blanca, Panama
507-993–2910
Hotel Details
Credit cards accepted
219 rooms, 3 suites
All-Inclusive

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