Kimkim Trip Reviews for Panama

This hotel was very nice. The decor beautifully reflected the name. It was pretty in all of the common areas, and had all the amenities you would need. The room was spacious and clean. The rooftop bar was convenient for evening cocktails. The rooftop infinity pool was nice, and inviting. The breakfast buffet was plentiful with a lot of variety. We could walk to nearby stores, restaurants, and the Metro easily.

The Golden Frog Inn was tucked away in the woods, and the views from our room, and from the dining area, were like looking at a small piece of paradise. Very green, lush, and plentiful with flowers and birds. The staff was accommodating and nice. The food was delicious, and the drinks were refreshing. We liked the swimming pool, and we also enjoyed walking around the grounds to look at the many flower varieties. There was a craft brewery within walking distance, which was an added perk.

The Westin was a nice hotel. We stayed on the 16th floor with an Ocean View. The room was clean and spacious. There were lots of restaurants to choose from and several swimming pools.

The Golden Frog Inn and grounds felt like a slice of paradise. The views from our balcony and the dining patios were stunning! I really enjoyed listening to the birdsong as we dined each day. I highly recommend the Golden Frog to anyone looking to get away from the city and enjoy nature.

This was a very modern hotel in a lively neighborhood. The accommodations were very nice and the restaurant, bar and swimming pool very enjoyable. Easily walked to neighborhood restaurants, shopping and the Metro.

The Ceviche was amazing!

Enjoyable walk through the old town.

Once in a lifetime experience! Pictures don’t do it justice…you have to see it for yourself.

We really enjoyed the informative walk through the nature preserve and the boat ride. It was especially nice to eat a leisurely lunch on the boat, taking in the gorgeous surroundings. The monkey, birds and sloth sightings were fun!

Great experience! It was such a happy, relaxing time. Great music, drinks and dancing. The highlight was jumping into and swimming in the clear, calm Pacific Ocean! Unbelievable!

The e-bike tour was a much welcomed chance to commune with the natural surroundings and get some exercise!

Enjoyed being surrounded by the serenity of the forest. The birdsong and fragrant plants and waterfall were very pleasurable.

Being to travel through the locks was especially interesting.

It was fun to tour Anton by bike.

Perfect location in the heart of Old Town. Beautiful hotel. Excellent breakfast.

Clean, spacious room. Beautiful rooftop pool and bar.

Spacious room and bathroom. Loved the balcony with the hammock overlooking the rainforest. Hotel also had a beautiful lobby and nice food options.

Hotel was probably an incredible resort at one time but is in need of some maintenance and cleaning. The attention to detail was not there. Pool water was not clean and pool and beach loungers were not comfortable. Room was musty but that resolved after a few hours of having the air conditioner on . Stains on the sofa fabric. Breakfast was good. We moved after one night.

Luis, our tour guide was exceptional!

Exceeded expectations. Luis, our guide, again was exceptional. Between seeing the ships traversing the Canal on the lake and meeting some local wildlife up close and personal, it was a great way to transition from the city to the jungle.

Seeing things from the water gives you a whole other perspective. We enjoyed both Bird Island and Starfish Beach!

We were on our own and went to the Amador Causeway and rented bikes and rode up and down the causeway with the locals on the bike path. That was a lot of fun!

A MUST STAY the treehouse was a room that was so unique, views for miles from every area. To have cocktail hour on the top floor during a sunset or breakfast as the birds awoken is something we will never forget The over water bungalows with private saltwater pools led to a brilliant morning and evening. The service was more of a 7,8,9 star hotel than a 5star. At a push of a button you can have any food , that was Michelin like , a kayak, a bottle of champagne/sparkling wine, a cocktail, or some waters at any time of day. The food does take 45minutes to come out when ordered (except for dinner which is in a restaurant). The ELEPHANT HOUSE FOR DINNER—the most romantic beautiful best food I have ever eaten at a hotel. This is more then just a restaurant, it’s an experience The staff—wow wow wow. So polite so genuine so nice. 12/10

We did not have a balcony for some reason but we had a 2 story lifted hotel room that was beautiful! The service and the food is 5star. Every morning breakfast got better and better. The bartenders were fun and personable. The pool was beautiful. The moet roof top is something to not be missed on a weekend with live music and a dj.

Please do this and support the tribe. Such nice People Started with a 30 min canoe ride that was BEAUTIFUL! We then hiked 20 min into the forest to a waterfall that we swam in before continuing our canoe ride to the village. We danced with the children and watched some music. We walked around learning about the village and how they lived This is a MUST DO

Christian was there to pick us up on time in a lovely car. He is great!

VERY clean, new and comfortable rooms and facilities. The owners were fantastic and the breakfasts each morning were delicious and plentiful. The views are amazing and the grounds are well laid out with flowers and interesting trees - the butterflies enjoyed it as well! Highly recommend if you are in the area.

While the rooms were very clean and comfortable, the landscaping and bird life was absolutely fantastic! I wish I had more time just to sit in the gardens plus the breakfast was excellent.

Really liked that this was a little more rustic (built on the side of a hill which was a little challenging walking up all the steps) and the view from our shared deck was amazing. The best thing about this place was the manager Gino Testo and the chef Arlin Camarena. Gino couldn't have been more attentive and helpful - he works nonstop (I was exhausted watching him) and he consistently wanted to ensure that we were having a great time. Arlin prepared amazing fish and seafood dinners - we were not tempted to eat at any other restaurants in the area because we were sure that they wouldn't top what Arlin prepared. The only reason that I didn't put 5 stars was that on our second day there, the driveway was being repaired and we couldn't drive off the property to do some more exploring. We did go for a walk but were unable to get to the surfing beach which was disappointing. I am sure with the driveway repaired, all is goof.

Exceptionally clean and comfortable in a beautiful location with gorgeous landscaping. A fairly long walk to town was the only downside but even then it was only a $5 cab ride.

While it was clean and the beds comfortable it wasn't located in a very interesting area, the staff weren't very helpful (issues getting $100 bill broken down, trouble getting directions - was told to google it and we weren't using wifi - and there wasn't a swimming pool only a NOT tub which was definitely not needed in 30 plus weather. Would not stay there again nor would I recommend it.

LOVED this experience!

Outstanding and so much more than we expected. Our boat driver was so good at spotting animals and giving us such an amazing experience.

I asked the night before I was to be picked up "if I could do this". At midnight when picked up, I asked the guide "can I do this". Having never done a hike like this (but I did a lot of training at home before coming down there), I had no clue what to expect. The guide, while nice, was ill equipped to 'hear' me when I said that I was in pain, that I was concerned about how I would get back down if I made it to the top. I was given a headlamp that lacked good batteries and had to use my cell phone since we started the hike at midnight and it was pitch black. No hiking poles available either. I was actually doing quite well until km 8 when my groin 'popped' - very strange as that has never happened before and was VERY painful. The guide encouraged me to go further even though I told him I was in pain and a bit dizzy. On we went for another 2 kms and which point I said that I could make it for the remaining 3 kms but would never be able to get back down so we needed to turn around. The guide walked 4-5 m's in front of me so wasn't offering any moral support. Finally at one point as 4x4 trucks were bringing tour groups up the mountain, the guide asked me if I would be willing to pay one of the drivers to let me ride with them. I jumped at the chance since I was in tears from the pain in my groin. Thankfully the last truck had room for one person. I never made it to the very top as I was in too much pain but I got as close as the truck could go so was happy about that. Thankfully I was fine within 48 hours and didn't damage myself but given the cost and my own expectations (rightly or wrongly), I was very disappointed in the lack of medical awareness and support

Unfortunately this hike was cancelled 2 nights in a row due to heavy rainfall.

Not worthwhile. While the water felt good and it was fun to jump into the canyon, the place was too crowded (busloads of people arrived) and it was dirty. There was litter everywhere making us feel 'cringey'

Wonderful experience! A very long boat ride but was very fun seeing the flock of pelicans, the brown footed boobies, the school of tuna and the dolphins swimming alongside the boat. The snorkeling was great as well.

So much better than expected! We saw a lot of the various areas of town plus a good 2.5 hours at the canal learning about its history and watching the boats for through the locks.

Not worth it. I thought we would get a 'flavour' of the culture as well as the food but instead we experienced some touristy stuff including a roof top bar that could have been in NYC or London England

Beautiful gardens with lots of birds. Nice breakfast and helpful, friendly staff.

Hotel was great. Friendly staff, great services. Food is fabulous.

This was a cool experience! Food was delicious and was great to do on the day we arrived in Panama City. The tour would have been better if the guide would have offered more facts about Panama City and local culture .

The zoo was amazing , lunch was amazing but others then that this excursion was lacking. We did like the tour guide we had for this excursion. Our assigned tour guide was sick so we had a replacement , who was very good.

Wonderful tour. Very enjoyable! This is definitely the expertise of the guide. Historic details were plenty and very interesting

This was the best day. We were able to see many animals in the wild which was amazing. Boat tour on Lame Gagun was very cool. A guide that had expertise in Panama wildlife, plants and rainforest would have been much better .

Overall it was very interesting to participate on this excursion. San Blas islands are beautiful.

Very interesting to go through the locks but overall long and slow! Guide was good. Lunch had no vegetarian option.

The Radisson is an older hotel that is somewhat run down. It is clean, but in need of a renovation. The area surrounding the hotel has nothing to offer, so we might have preferred a hotel in Casco Viejo with many walkable amenities.

Casco Viejo is very lively at night. It is quite beautiful.

We were interested in learning more about the history of Panama, and this tour provided that background. The ruins were interesting, Casco Viejo was impressive, and the visitor center at the locks was worthwhile.

The crew on the Red Cat catamaran made the trip to Taboga a lot of fun. Taboga was interesting to see, and the view of Panama City from the boat was spectacular.

El Valle is a beautiful place. We enjoyed a hike with several waterfalls providing interest. A surprising and memorable experience was our visit to the butterfly haven. Being surrounded by hundreds of beautiful butterflies was spectacular. Spending a little time outside of Panama City certainly enriched our experience in Panama.

Learning about the canal with the experience of a cruise through a portion of the canal and the locks was a highlight of our trip to Panama. Visiting the locks from land is worthwhile, but experiencing the canal aboard a boat is even better.

I don't know where you got this picture but these are not the cabins we stayed in. So I have to rate them as a one because this is what we expected and not what we got. Now if I were rating the actual huts we were in on Iguana Island I would give them 4 stars.

Hotel was absolutely fantastic. The staff was impeccable, their concierge set us up with a number of fabulous tours, 100% would stay there again.

The restaurant chosen for this night was fantastic. We started at the Mercado de Pescado for a beer and some ceviche and continued on to a fabulous restaurant whose name I unfortunately don't remember. The staff and food at both locations were great. The only downfall of our tour again, was our guide. While very friendly, he didn't provide any information on Panamanian food culture.

This is a fabulous activity and a great way to see the cloud forest of Panama! Highly recommend. We had a great guide through Tree Trek.

This had the potential to be a fantastic tour but our guide unfortunately, was not very knowledgeable. He knew a lot about birds but not a lot about any other flora or fauna. The walk he chose was strange compared to where other cars were parked. We did see a lot of animals so that was neat. But at times I felt I knew more information having been to Costa Rica six months ago, than our guide. Still a fabulous national Park that everyone should visit. Just go with a good guide.

We did the coffee experience also through Tree Trek. Highly recommend, especially if you're headed up to Tree Trek for any of their other activities. We had an extremely knowledgeable guide who gave a fantastic tour that included an up close experience with hummingbirds. The coffee tasting was superb.

Hotel staff is excellent, responsive and good. However the hotel definitely has a mold problem and some rooms have clear water damage (we had to switch rooms for this reason). Fix this and the hotel would be great!

Comfortable well placed hotel

The location of the hotel is perfect and the hotel itself is beautiful and relatively comfortable. The room we got for 3 people was *very* small - we could really not all be standing at the same time without bumping into each other. If it were just 2 of us, I would have given it 5 stars. But the room was clean, staff were very friendly, breakfast was delicious.

Los Mandarinos was probably one of the most beautiful hotels I have ever stayed at. The views of the mountains from the hotel AND the pool were incredible. Our room was very comfortable, and the location was quiet and peaceful. I would definitely recommend this hotel to anyone traveling to/through El Valle.

The Palmar was a very nice hotel and the only reason I gave it 4/5 stars is personal preference. Our room was very comfortable (A/C was critical to cool down once or twice a day), staff very friendly and helpful, RIGHT ON THE BEACH. The restaurant and bar were very nice and we enjoyed the variety for a week without tiring of the menu. The only drawback of this hotel (for us) is that some nights can be a little more of a party atmosphere - nothing too big and certainly not loud enough to keep us awake. I probably would have loved this in my 20s....

I think this was one of my favorite days of the entire trip. Our guide Jose was very knowledgable about the rainforest plants and animals, as well as the fort at San Lorenzo. The drive to the fort and the walk down there road were spectacular - we saw so many animals and really got to quietly observe and have branches dropped on us by howler monkeys! The views were beautiful, and even though the workings of the Canal Locks was not my primary interest of this outing, I found them fascinating and am very happy we were able to watch a huge container ship going through the lock system.

Beautiful setting for a kayak trip!

Loved this tour - what an amazing place. If we could put videos below, I'd add the 3 species of monkeys we saw up close. We also saw a crocodile, numerous bird species, iguanas, and turtles. Our boat driver knew where to find certain animals and being on the lake with the big ships nearby was surreal. Also, being in the shade on the boat kept things a little cooler and more comfortable in the heat.

It could have been the timing of the particular tour we took, but we were a little disappointed with this tour. We shifted the time to 4pm to try and avoid the hottest part of the day. We did not get to do the chocolate tasting that our son was looking forward to b/c of the day it was scheduled for, and we were only able to see the interior of one church in town (and not the one directly across from the hotel). We also weren't even aware that the Presidential Palace was in the area until our driver the next day mentioned it while we were leaving town. My guess is we only experienced a portion of what this tour should have been... and again, this could have been b/c of the shifted time. It was a little disappointing b/c those were our surroundings during our stay and I would have liked to learn more about it. What we did see and learn about was very interesting. But there was not really any discussion about the current political environment around some of the changes the area has undergone to revitalize tourism (eg; we saw some signs on our own that locals were trying to resist gentrification - would have liked to learn more about how the will of the locals is balanced with tourism).

The island is beautiful, the water was warm, the food and drinks were delicious. It was a nice relaxing day after a few busy touring days.

This day was beyond amazing - tied for my favorite day of the whole trip. Cecelio was such a kind, fun, and warm host for us and the mountains are breathtaking. I kind of wish we had more days like this!!!! The slot canyon swimming hole is SO beautiful and refreshing - I cannot imagine a more perfect place.

This was the perfect landing spot and place to make our home base in Panama City. We chose it for its location in Casco Viejo on a square and with a pool and multiple restaurants. As we arrived, we realized that it was even better than we expected. The rooms and the lobby are gorgeous. All of the restaurants are excellent, and we ate at little tables on the town square the first night. Every evening has 2-3 forms of live music depending on where you are in the hotel. The rooftop pool has the most gorgeous evening view of the Panama City skyline and it was lovely to have a pool. I even used their gym 3-4 times during our stay, and it was well appointed, spacious, and perfect for a quick exercise. The desk staff helped us and went above and beyond many times. For example, they helped my husband get a pair of linen pants hemmed at a local tailor, as he needed some better tropical clothes. Well appointed, excellent professional staff, you will not be disappointed.

Golden Frog is an oasis in El Valle de Anton. It was even better than we hoped. There is a view from every room looking out over incredibly peaceful hills and tropical landscape. The pool and grounds are excellent and lovely to spend time in. We swam every day. They also have a lovely terrace patio restaurant and a smaller indoor coffee and bar area where you take your breakfast or have dinner. We were lucky enough to have an outside dinner on a Saturday night where there was a 3 person band playing in the midst of dinner, and it was so perfect, lively, and enjoyable. The staff go above and beyond and you are very well supported. We found it walking distance to the town and we loved the countryside walk into town. There is so much to do in the area! This is such an oasis and peaceful setting. We were sad to leave.

We loved walking around Panama City. We went to the Biomuseo which I highly recommend. There are also so many other things to see and do. Take some free time.

This was fascinating and well worth the trip. I was pleasantly surprised how interesting this was. Our local guide also did a great job of making sure we knew how to navigate the entry and viewing areas. Its worth the visit.

Really meaningful and special day. We went up the river in a dug out canoe, visited a waterfall, and then visited an Embera community. We were all part of a big community in this experience, which was neat, as it did not feel like being distanced from the community who was hosting us. Victoria our local guide and Julio our local driver were also well known by the main Embera people who hosted us and so we felt very welcome. It was beautiful and neat to be in the National Park setting via boat. We loved the lunch at the community and enjoyed seeing the traditions and crafts.

The hotel was excellent. I asked for a three star hotel and the Riande is four star. That is fine if there was not much of a price difference.

We had to leave early to be the first to the area where food was offered to the monkeys. (Once the monkeys were fed by anyone, they would not come for other people offering food.) It was exciting watching them come onto the boat for food.

It was informative. On some tours, one only sees traditional dancing, which does not say much about the culture. On this tour, we learned a lot and there was plenty of time for us to ask questions. The lunch was excellent.

This was interesting to experience and see how the locks worked. The caveat is that the trip is slow (not that it is anybody's fault.) Going through the first lock was exciting, the second lock was interesting, and the third lock was just a repetition.

Eduardo was informative. Nice to taste that very expensive coffee.

We were not taken there.

My husband and I stayed at the Central Hotel Panama for a total of 4 nights. It is in a fantastic location in the heart of Casco Viejo, with restaurants and shops all around it. The rooftop has a beautiful view of the city and has a nice small pool with lounges around it. The food and the staff in restaurant that is located one floor below the pool is amazing (get the Octopus!). A buffet breakfast is included and is served in the restaurant near the lobby on the main floor. We found it satisfactory, featuring a changing variety of items; however, most of the time the hot items were on the colder side and you wondered how long they had been sitting there. The staff also needed prompting to refill coffee, tea, etc. as they seem more interested in talking to each other than in helping the guests. We travel a lot and try to get hotel rooms with a bit more space. We reserved a Premium room for this reason but were suprised at how small it was. We even inquired to make sure that was the correct room type because there was barely enough space between the queen bed and desk to get to the bathroom. We had requested a king bed but did not receive it until we returned for our second stay at the end of the trip for one night. This beautiful hotel was the first hotel in Panama and has a lot of wonderful history. I gave it three stars because while we loved the location and the views on the rooftop, the service and food were not the best and the rooms were less than we were expecting based on the descriptions.

Hotel Finca Lerida is a beautiful, outdoor-oriented, single-story, bungalow-style resort located in the lush mountains of Boquete, with sweeping views of the area. My husband and I stayed for three nights in the rooms with the hammocks outside (can't remember their name!), which were near the highest part of the resort (up the mountain). These rooms are spacious though modestly furnished, with just a desk and chair besides the bed for furniture. The bathroom is very nice with a huge, glassed-in shower. The king bed was comfortable and we enjoyed the beautiful views from the room. I absolutely loved lounging in the hammock after our activities each day listening to the birds! The temperatures up here are cooler than in town, which we enjoyed. The restaurant serves a complimentary breakfast with a limited but adequate menu. Everything is made at the time of ordering and is prepared and served by a wonderful staff. You can eat inside or outside on a deck that overlooks a beautiful view while watching a variety of birds fly around. They also have a very nice dinner menu and we enjoyed one night dining here. The resort is also a well-known coffee farm, so you can see how coffee is made and try their various varieties. They offer different tours on the property and also have some hiking trails. We walked the #1 trail that takes you through the coffee bean bushes and moutains, which was fun (about 1.5 miles). Our favorite part of this resort was the tranquil nature of its location, the gorgeous scenery and the friendly staff. That said, you pay a price for this serenity, as you are 20 minutes up a high, winding mountain road, which is trecherous at night to drive as there are local people and animals walking the road and hard to see. If you want to have drinks and dinner in town, I would highly recommend getting a taxi which the resort can arrange. You want to avoid our experience which was to be returning from town after dark and we came face to face with a large construction truck, with nowhere to go. It was touch and go there for awhile as the truck wanted us to back down the mountain in the dark! Fortunately, my husband has steady nerves and managed to inch around the truck. If you like to be away from the hustle and bustle of town, and enjoy nature, this would be a wonderful choice.

Highly recommend. The place itself is beautiful and serene- a real retreat. They have their own beach with the restaurant above so it felt like the tropical vacation I was looking for. Thank you Chris and Choco!