Central Hotel Panama Casco Viejo

“Well-Located Gem”

My wife and I stayed here for five nights in mid-March ‘26 at the beginning of a 10-day itinerary in Panama. It is a delightful hotel that we do not hesitate to recommend, and we would definitely stay here again. The hotel’s name is very apt. It is located along one side of Independence Square i… more

My wife and I stayed here for five nights in mid-March ‘26 at the beginning of a 10-day itinerary in Panama. It is a delightful hotel that we do not hesitate to recommend, and we would definitely stay here again. The hotel’s name is very apt. It is located along one side of Independence Square in the center of historic Casco Viejo. Across the Square is the old cathedral and on another side of the square is the fabulous Canal Museum,(highly recommended). Shops, restaurants, and historic sites are all within easy walking distamce . The area is very safe. Efforts at preserving and renovating the Spanish Colonial architecture have succeeded in creating a picturesque gem of an old city. In fact, the hotel itself is historic yet fully updated while preserving the character of its origins. For example, maximum use is made of the large central atrium, which features pleasant live music much of the time , and a comfortable sitting area for relaxation. Part of the atrium houses the bar, and adjoining it is the restaurant which serves lunch and dinner, and where the morning breakfast buffet (very good) is set up. Service there and throughout the hotel is excellent. Our room (225 was classified as a “family room,” though the facilities for extra family members weren’t obvious. It was very large and attractively decorated with two comfortable queen beds, a mini-bar, a large attractive bathroom with plenty of counter space, The room had many amenities, including plush bathrobes. The beds were comfortable, but like many hotels these days, had arctic-rated duvets that made regulating nighttime temperature difficult. The a.c, was quiet and effective and did not blow directly on the beds, a very positive feature for us. All in all, the Central Hotel is an excellent choice for a place to stay in Panama City.

less

“Disappointed. Could have been better.”

I was so looking forward to staying here. But it was somewhat disappointing & did not live up to being a 5 star hotel. Good size room with a comfortable large bed. There was a small outdoor balcony with views to the main square & the interesting street below. My room was pretty much soundproofed … more

I was so looking forward to staying here. But it was somewhat disappointing & did not live up to being a 5 star hotel. Good size room with a comfortable large bed. There was a small outdoor balcony with views to the main square & the interesting street below. My room was pretty much soundproofed with the balcony doors closed. The aircon is cold or cold!! Unfortunately there is no lounge chair to sit on. There is a desk chair & a bed bench & there is no furniture on the balcony. The shower leaked all over the bathroom floor. The wifi was so slow & unreliable for most of my stay which was very annoying (I went to restaurants in the old town that had faster wifi than the hotel) I found the front desk staff unfriendly & very unhelpful. I had issues with the TV & the remote & it took 4 visits to get it fixed & all it needed was new batteries. There is a pool on the fourth floor which is a bit small & the wood decking is a bit unstable but nice views from this level. And there is live music in the lobby all day & most of the evening which is very nice. Breakfast is included in the room rate. There is a good selection of hot & cold dishes & a omelette bar. Although a great location & the property has a lot of history but the overall experience was disappointing. There are better hotels in the area.

less

“Alarm havoc at a classic hotel”

This stay at a historic and classy hotel, became mostly about alarms, alarms and alarms... They have a lot to offer, but stumbles at the main part when visiting an hotel, a good nights sleep. Positives: - Location in the middle of the historic old town on Plaza De La Independencia. Close to every… more

This stay at a historic and classy hotel, became mostly about alarms, alarms and alarms... They have a lot to offer, but stumbles at the main part when visiting an hotel, a good nights sleep. Positives: - Location in the middle of the historic old town on Plaza De La Independencia. Close to everything you need. - Good breakfast where the selection varied slightly every day and service from staff was good. - Relaxing music in the lobby/restaurant area - Decent roof top pool (not too many loungers) - Clean room with comfortable beds Neutral: - Service and attentiveness at the roof top restaurant (used by the pool) was very on and off - Ok gym, but it was quite hot in there - Lightning at the room was advanced, but some settings kept flickering and didn't always make sense Negative: - Alarm clocks. They have some modern alamr clocks, but no one (not even the staff) seems to know how to use them. Our own clock was not reset before our stay, so it went off at 4.45 AM. Then at 06 AM, one of our neighbours clocks went off and stayed on for about 30 minutes. Then again at 08.30, the other neighbours clock went off and stayed on for about two hours until we contacted housekeeping in case someone had an emergency in the room (do not disturb sign was on). The last alarm, went off every morning and both the two later days we needed help from staff to talk to the guest. The main reason for a hotel stay is a good night sleep and that was an issue here. - Front desk clerks can't make simple decisions on easy stuff like late check out without asking a supervisor. - WiFi weak, slow and spotty, even when we asked for a room with good reception in advance due to work commitments. - We accidently took the wrong water bottle from the minibar (a small bottle of Evian). Our fault, but to be charged $12 for it is insane. Must be the most expensive item at whole hotel and way more expensive then at 5* hotels in major cities.

less