Guest Post:
When traveling to Panama you will likely arrive at Tocumen, Panama’s International Airport and the first thing to decide is which of the Panama Hotels you want to stay in. Your decision will be determined by a couple of things: your budget; things you want to do in Panama and what surroundings you prefer.
Cheap Hotels in Panama
If you are budget minded you will want to know about the Cheap Hotels in Panama. In Panama City you’re going to find low budget hotels in the El Cangrejo neighborhood. This is quite central in the City and there are numerous Panama City Hotels to choose from all along Via España. This part of Panama is very busy as it is the main area for both commercial and retail business. there are tons of shops, restaurants and hotels. This is not a tropical seaside locale though. It can appear a bit grungy and scary to the first time visitor but once you settle in the lively neighborhood of El Cangrejo can be quite a lot of fun. One of the best deals here is the Hotel Marbella. For under $50 you get a clean and comfortable room just a block from Via España. Don’t be fooled though El Cangrejo may be a busy and somewhat dirty part of Panama City but it is also home to some of the best hotels in Panama. The Crown Plaza, the Marriott Panama and the Wyndham Grand Veneto are also located in this part of town. Now, if you really want to go low budget there are a number of Hostels operating in Panama City and throughout Panama. But be prepared if you’ve never stayed in a hostel it’s quite the experience!
El Panama Hotel
El Panama is one of the original Panama Hotels. Back in 1946 just after WWII a group of visionary businessmen purchased over 60 hectares of land in this area now known as “El Cangrejo”. The land was originally owned by a Panamanian woman who at the time was living in Paris, France. At the time the President of Panama was Sr. Enrique Jimenez. When Presidenté Jimenez heard of the sale and purchase he requested that the businessmen donate a portion of the land to found a university. He also asked them to sell six hectares of land in the best corner of El Cangrejo for the purpose of building a luxury hotel. This was to be first large hotel in Panama City it was to be El Panama. Today El Panama continues it’s fine tradition of being one of the Best Hotels in Panama with over 330 luxurious suites, 35 meeting rooms, restaurants, a huge free form pool with swim up bar, casino, conference center and more.