Hotels in Panama

Hotels in Panama: your guide to where to stay

How much does a hotel in Panama cost?

The price depends on the standard, the city and the dates. The table shows indicative nightly rates for a double room. The cheapest month is usually September, while May is the priciest. Booking ahead usually brings better rates.

Indicative rates, updated periodically. For exact prices and availability, select your dates in the search above.

Where to stay in Panama: most popular cities

Travellers split their time between the capital, the Caribbean islands and the mountains. These are the destinations chosen most often:

• Panama City. A modern capital with skyscrapers, the Casco Viejo old town and the canal. The widest choice of hotels, from hostels to 5-star.
• Bocas del Toro. A Caribbean archipelago with beaches, snorkelling and over-water lodges. The most popular beach destination.
• Boquete. A mountain town in Chiriqui province, known for coffee and nature, popular with travellers.
• Playa Coronado. A seaside town near the capital, popular for weekend trips.
• David. The main city of western Panama, a base for the mountains and the Pacific coast.
• El Valle de Anton. A town in a volcanic crater, with a craft market and trails.

Nightly rates vary between cities. Here are indicative prices per night for a double room:

What to see in Panama

Panama combines beaches, rainforests and the history of the canal. A trip is easy to build around a few highlights.

• The San Blas Islands. An archipelago off the Caribbean coast, with snorkelling, sailing and the culture of the Guna people.
• Panama Viejo. The ruins of the old 17th-century city with a museum, a trace of the capital's history.
• Volcan Baru. The country's highest mountain, with challenging but scenic trails.
• Starfish Beach. A beach with calm water and starfish near Bocas del Toro.
• The Biomuseo. A biodiversity museum designed by Frank Gehry in Panama City.

How much does a trip to Panama cost

Beyond the room, daily costs are moderate. A meal at a standard restaurant is about PAB 3 to 10 (3 to 10 USD). The currency is the balboa, at parity with the US dollar, and dollars are also in circulation. Cards work in the large cities, while smaller towns often take cash only.

When is the best time to visit Panama

The climate is tropical. The dry season, from December to April, is the most comfortable for travel, and May tends to be the most expensive. The rainy season from May to November brings short downpours but also lower prices, with September the cheapest. The Caribbean coast is wetter than the Pacific.

Getting to and around Panama

Most travellers fly in, landing at Tocumen Airport near Panama City. You can also arrive by land from Costa Rica (the Paso Canoas crossing among others), though no roads connect Panama with Colombia. Buses run along the Pan-American Highway, with a city ticket in the capital around PAB 0.25. Car hire is popular, as the country is long and easy to drive. There are also domestic flights between the larger cities.

Example hotels in Panama

A few recognisable properties from different cities for reference:

• Riu Plaza Panama and Megapolis Hotel Panama in Panama City (central, upper tier, from approx. PAB 105).
• Nayara Bocas del Toro and Punta Caracol Acqua Lodge in the Caribbean (over-water lodges, from approx. PAB 160).
• Novotel Panama City and Grand International Hotel (cheaper city options, from approx. PAB 55).