Tag Archives: Panama Hotels

Panama hotels – cheap hotels in Panama

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.

Gamboa

Guest Post:

If you ever travel to Panama you want to be sure to visit Gamboa.  Gamboa is right in the middle of the rain forest. I know that may sound like a strange idea – going to the tropics and deliberately going into the rain forest but here’s what’s cool and different about this Panamanian  Rain Forest – It’s only 17 miles from Panama City and the Pacific Ocean. So, if you are staying at one of the Panama Hotels in the city you can drive in and out of this rain forest in less than an hour.

The Gamboa Rain Forest Resort

Now what’s really special about Gamboa is the Gamboa Rain Forest Resort. This Panamanian Resort is located smack dab inside the Soberania National Park where it sits on the banks of the Chagres River. The Chagres is part of the Panama Canal so just one of the bonuses of visiting here is seeing the huge ships, including some beautiful cruise ships, pass right by the front door. Although you can stay at Gamboa for the day and take in it’s long list of eco-tours and activities I recommend staying over at the resort at least a few nights. The Gamboa Resort is one of the most stunningly beautiful luxury hotels and resorts in Panama. Many visitors comment that it’s just like staying at a luxury beach resort only in the jungle rather than on a beach.

Gamboa Eco-Tours

The Gamboa resort does have a huge, beautiful pool but it’s really not the kind of place where you want to lie around. Gamboa is all about adventure, eco-adventure. There are over a dozen different eco-tours you can participate at Gamboa Rain Forest Resort. One of the most popular is a boat trip to Monkey Island. I don’t need to tell you what that is all about and why kids love it so much! For the sportsman there is some of the best fresh water fishing around right on Lake Gatun. You can either rent a boat or take one of the Sport Fishing Tours where you are sure to learn about all of the ‘hot spots’.  Gamboa is also known for it’s Aerial Tram which takes you up into the rain forest canopy to discover numerous birds and wildlife you won’t see on the ground.

More than just the Panama Canal

So, if you thought Panama was just a small country with a big shipping canal think again! Panama has it all from beautiful beaches to historic sites to modern cities to the wonders of the Gamboa Rain Forest. The next time you’re planning a trip may I suggest you try something new, visit Panama!