The average front page review of Central American’s renown El Panama Hotel reads like this:

“It is hard to believe that this deluxe Caribbean-style hotel, set amidst acres of palm-laden gardens, is located in the heart of Panama City. For delicious dining, guests relish the elegant surroundings of the renowned Portobello Restaurant or a barbecue alfresco by the fabulous pool.”

However, floating along on the breezes aren’t just the sweet scents of success, while this Summit property is a four star hotel, the real world traveler reviews are mixed.

One guest stated, “The pool is wonderful, has a huge, swim up bar and I love the layout of this property. It has so much potential if the right owners came along. The food was bad, the furniture in the rooms is old, and the disco stays open until 2 every night and it’s not just loud, it’s blaring all over the place”. 

Another reviewer noted that “the swim up bar is very beautiful, but the pool bar has odd hours, as it isn’t open in the afternoons, when the pool is open”.  Now that seems like a really unusual choice for hoteliers to make…but maybe it wasn’t cost effective to keep the pool bar staffed in the afternoons?

If hotels are considered as ladies, then this one may be a grand old dame, but with so many remarkable new properties being built in Panama City, her name and her history may not hold her in her current four star position.