Hotel Help Please!

There are only two Country Inn and Suites in PC.  One is the Amador.  We stayed there and liked it.  Most of the rooms look at the canal and you can sit on your balcony and watch the ships make their very slow progress through the canal.  The hotel had nice rooms, good AC, the breakfast was okay and they have a nice pool. The little penninsula down the road from it has all kinds of shops and restaurants and a really nice view of downtown PC and all the high rises.  They both have good reviews on Trip Advisor.  The other one is not on the water but further inland but the reviews are still good.  Have fun.

Thanks Auntie Flo,
I see you are in Boquete that is one of the places we would like to visit. We still have to book a rental car too I would suppose the airport would be the best place?

You said you are staying in PC for a couple of days.  Are you perhaps thinking of flying to David and then touring this area? 

We drove across our first trip to Panama and yes we rented a car at PTY.  We now fly from Albrook to David and if we need a car here in Boquete we rent one (Value Motors Boquete).  They have a service where they will come and get you at the David airport.  And Bill the owner is from the states so I always recommend him.  On top of the fact that his prices are half of the other guys in town.

So I don't know if you need to rent a car in PC and how long you are staying and what you have planned to do so it's hard to answer that.  I hate driving in PC and the traffic is a nightmare.  The roads here are not well marked and directions are rough.  There are no street names or street numbers on anything.  You have to go by landmarks. 

So tell me just a little more and I can answer you better. 

We've stayed at Avilla Eco Lodge in PC and they always take very good care of us. It's in the city though, not near the canal but it's an easy walk to the waterfront. I highly suggest you do not get a car in PC but use cabs to get around, or walk. The traffic is a total pain, and especially if you aren't used to the driving style, you will not enjoy it at all. For the cost of a rental car you can take all the cabs you want.

If you want to visit Chiriqui Province (David, Boquete) there are planes and buses that come here, and you can get a car after you arrive. There are also excellent buses and taxis here, but you might want the freedom of your own car.

Kris

bpcahoon wrote:

My husband and I are coming in Feb. and would really like to get some suggestions for a hotel. We are looking for something near the Panama Canal. We are staying for 5 nights and really do not need anything fancy. I thought I saw some good reviews on the Country Inn & Suites. Any advice would be appreciated. We are coming to do some discovery of hopes of moving in the next 1-2 years, if we decide it is someplace we like we will then come back and stay for an extended time.
Thanks!

My daughter and I spent 2 days Jan 1st - 2nd at Country Inn - Canal and very much liked it.  Be sure you specify you want a room on the Canal side.  Extra $15.00 but the only way to go.  We were on the 3rd floor with a great view of the marina in front and the ships heading to the bridge which is also in view and then the canal is beyond that.
They also offer a shuttle service from the airport but you end up dealing direct with the driver.  We had a great guy with a mini-van and ended up using him for our tours as well. $10.00 per hour to the canal, the old city,  the new city and other spots. His name is Ruben and speaks good English. We found out early on that if you don't have Spanish speaking ability , you will wish you did.
Should you like to contact him, his name in Ruben Cowan and can be reached at [email protected] and his cell # is 507 6683 4042.
My closing comment,  Panama is a wonderful place and the people even more so. 
P.S.  Hi Auntyflo & Kris

Mick,

Happy to see you got home safe.  How is your daughter feeling?  Hope she is well. 

Take care, it was nice meeting you.

Best,

Florence

Yes , home safe and sound with Panama still very much on  my mind.
Daughter is feeling much better. She improved the following day and enjoyed the flight on the F100 from David to Albrook and was really impressed with the Riande Hotel.  Great swimming pool and surroundings , excellent staff.
It was nice to meet you and Mike and please pass on to him, that I read Applecore this morning about "whats wrong with Boquete"  good article . Something inside me says,  I am sorry to see you folks leaving Panama.  Can't explain it.

Best regards,
Be safe

Mick

Thanks for your help everyone. We are a little overwhelmed trying to make the most of the week we will be in Panama. I think we are going to split our time up between PC and David, and rent a car to drive from PC to David. Can anyone recommend a hotel in David?
Thanks

My daughter and I stayed at the Gran Hotel Nacional
A clean quality hotel with amenities and the best pizza place in town. There is a casino across the street for those who indulge.
They have a nice pool, bar and restaurant with sometimes entertainment. Pleasant staff , complimentary breakfast and a good air conditioner.  It does get hot there !! Seems to me, my daughter said "no hair dryer".  Big deal...

ooops  my mistake,  that was a different hotel - sorry

We are from South Florida so the heat/humidity doesn't bother us. And I think we can do without a blow dryer for a few days:D  I think we may use Ruben as well.  Thanks for your help & advise.

you are most welcome

Enjoy

We moved here from Sarasota, (now live in David) and find this weather more comfortable that Florida in the summer, and quite similar to a warm spring or fall FL day. Boquete is much cooler, too chilly for us.

http://www.chambresenville.info/english/index.html  We have stayed here. It's a hostel, not a hotel so cheaper and you get to share the community kitchen, etc. but it's a lot of fun. There is AC in the rooms. The owner speaks excellent English and is a really nice guy. The Gran National is a traditional hotel, very nice (haven't stayed there myself though), so it just depends on what you prefer. Both are within easy walking distance of downtown and the park.

PC to David is a long drive. You might consider taking a bus. They leave from Allbrook every hour, big (double decker), comfortable, air conditioned (and sometimes chilly) buses, $18. They let you off midway for food and a rest break, and show you a couple movies along the way too. You can enjoy the scenery while someone else does the driving.

Hi Mick! It was such a pleasure to meet you and your daughter

Kris

PS I don't know what's up with Applecore, perhaps a bad experience with one location or one person? I don't think that applies to Panamanians in general. Our experiences here have been extremely positive, and we feel more welcome here than we did in various US locations where we have lived.

bpcahoon wrote:

We are from South Florida so the heat/humidity doesn't bother us. And I think we can do without a blow dryer for a few days:D  I think we may use Ruben as well.  Thanks for your help & advise.

Need to be reading more than just Expat.com for what is really happening to a lot of people in Panama.  Of the over 300 people who have read my husband's post only two said it wasn't so and then privately in email that other readers could not see they admitted that they too had troubles in Panama at one time or the other.  My husband and I read over 5 sites about life in Panama and Boquete.

Ask yourselves this; if this was paradise, why are there so many empty homes built by expats here.  Four more went on the market just since yesterday.  And they don't all leave because they are lonely and miss family.  Not by a long shot.

To us, life is too short to live someplace near people who are not really happy that you are here.  More of that resentment is building in certain areas of Panama.  Chiriqui is one of those areas.  The expats are pushing the locals out of Boquete because they have caused the cost of living to increase.  They are not friendly to people because they are still not making decent wages.  I know of one person who only pays her cleaning lady $10 for a days labor.  Is that the way to make friends?  I don't think so.  And watch what is beginning to happen in Bocas del Toro province.  There are three provinces where the Indians are getting mad and fighting back; Colon, Chiriqui and Bocas.  Google alert those areas, you'll see.

Hey AuntieFlo,  if you pause on your way perhaps through Ecuador, let me know the vibes of that country.  It would be appreciated.
Enjoy your travels, be safe and will try to stay in touch

All the best,

Sorry Mick,

We flew from PTY directly to Mexico City.  Perhaps you can find an Ecaudor board to follow on here?  I'm sure they have one.  If not try InterNations, Fodor's, Trip Advisor, and even LinkedIn.  I do all of those and more.

Good luck.  Let us know where you travel to next!

Florence