Posted by Lee on July 16, 2010
I arrived in Boquete Panama in July 2006. The first night I spent in Boquete was in the Boquete Garden Inn, a beautiful facility along the river. Tuesday I had the opportunity to visit the hotel again. A friend was staying there and we met with intention of going to another location for breakfast. I had no plans to write about our breakfast so I did not take a camera.
My first stay at the Boquete Garden Inn in 2006 lasted one night, the physical plant was beautiful even four years ago but the atmosphere was cold and dispassionate. In 2006 I moved to Villa Marita. In 2010 things changed and we stayed for breakfast. The warmth, the atmosphere and the new owners made the difference.
Suzie and Jay, the current owners are warm friendly people and their energy makes the Boquete Garden Inn a place to consider if you are visiting Boquete. All the photos in this post are from Jay, if you do visit, don’t be surprised to see him out with his camera, snapping at the birds.
The Physical plant is a tropical garden along the river, the rooms in multistory units following a path toward the river. They have a daily happy hour for their guests and include a continental breakfast. After seeing the breakfasts like Huevos Rancheros, Panamanian, I think they might have some of best breakfasts in Boquete.
Posted by Lee on February 20, 2010
School in Panama begins on March 9th, My friend Myra is a Professora, a teacher and her vacation is coming to its end. We decided to do a fast trip from Boquete Panama to Bocas del Toro, to Isla Colon, the most populated of the islands commonly called Bocas del Toro. We were joined by some other friends, Dan and Deborah, escapees from Valle Escondido.
We drove and briefly said they are continuing to repair the road between Gulaca and Chiriqui Grande, several new bridges are going into span the washed out road bed. When done it will be a vast improvement, for now the construction coupled with the dense fog that we encountered makes the ride slow and perilous. With flights having resumed from David direct to Isla Colon I would really recommend flying. 
After parking the car we headed for the BMT, Bocas Marine Transport and took a water taxi to the island. I noticed a rather dramatic change, radios in the boats, new tops and enforced mandatory use of life jackets.
Myra and I stayed at the Hotelito del Mar, dead center in town. I have been there before and nothing has changed. If is perfectly located if you want to be in the center of what has become tourist town Bocas del Toro.The Hotelito was full so Dan and Deborah ended up about 10 minute walk out of town at the Angela Hotel. If I were to rate the Hotelito del Mar a 6/10 the Hotel Angela might make it to 4/10. Their room included three beds with a shower in the same room, non functional AC. Despite to offer of a free breakfast posted in the room, they discovered the hard way there was no such thing as a free breakfast in the Hotel Angela.
After settling in, we started a Bocas pub crawl in pursuit in eventual pursuit of dinner. We started at the Buena Vista for some happy hours Pina Coladas, they were very nice at $2.50 except they appeared to be missing the rum. After a round and some fried calamari we moved down to the Reef at the other end of the street. Rum was $1.50, six chicken wings for $6. The wings were really six, half wings. I requested the check and noticed the rum was billed at $2 each. this brought back a memory, they did this last time I was there also, that time for food. I need urge caution if you value your wallet t the Reef.
My reason for this line of commentary is the sum up that Isla Colon has become a tourist trap; unless you know where to go.
Deborah suggested heading off the beaten path and with a phone call to my friend Helena from Garden of Eden we were directed past the Reef, around the bend to the Ultimo Refugio. We actually missed the entrance until a man on the street asked if we were looking for the restaurant.
The wait was long but discovering the new drinks being offered at bar folded time and eventually a table cleared. The inside was charming, busy and fun. There were no tables but we were offered bar, drinks and the next opening. The white board menu was short and the theme fresh and fish.
Dinner was served well and in a reasonable time. Dinner was very good, the venue and service excellent and in all the experience great.
On Isla Colon head of the tourist path. More of that tomorrow in a day of walking, exploring and searching for another dinner worth eating.
Posted by Lee on December 19, 2009
In November 2008 storms cut the road to Bocas del Toro from Chiriqui Panama. The government did some hasty repairs and I believed that one more good storm might destroy the road permanently. I have a photo of the road last year, compare it to the one at the end of the post.
With that in mind I decided to fly from David to Bocas del Toro, I was surprised to learn all such flights have been terminated so they can work on the airport on Isla Colon. You can now only fly into the tourist haven of Bocas del Toro from either Panama City or San Jose Costa Rica. The hotels in Bocas are hurting and there are deals to be found.
We choose to drive rather than miss the chance to relax after a hectic week. The caribbean side of Panama is so removed from reality that it makes Boquete seem hectic. I have a friend in Panama City who said that if the world ended tomorrow it would take a week for anyone in Boquete to notice. If that is so it would take another week for anyone in Bocas del Toro to care.
My favorite place to stay in Bocas del Toro is the Garden of Eden, a small private island with three rental cabins and great food. Even more removed from what ever hustle is happening on Isla Colon.
The island is 10 minutes from Bocas Town on Isla Colon and it is easy to go back and forth if you wish, I don’t. We choose to stay in one place enjoy the great company of our hosts Bob and Helena and their great staff Callie and Magali.
The road trip to Almirante required some time to relax. Driving to Almirante was a chore, bad roads and thick fog for a significant part of the trip through the mountains. More minor delays caused by construction; lot’s of road construction. It was only when we returned with clear skies that we could see that massive, real improvements are being made to the road. A real effort to increase the probability that the only road from the Pacific to the Caribbean this side of Panama City will remain open.
Posted by Lee on December 11, 2009
Recently I have been doing many trips from Boquete to Panama City. I have intentionally tried to stay at many hotels so I can compare them. I have enjoyed the Decapolis, loathed the Marbella and pondered the rates at the Executiive. I tried a hostel in Casco Viejo and Sevilla Suites in El Cangrejo.
I have come full circle back to the first hotel I ever stayed at in Panama, the Milan. Well located on a quiet street in the center of the El Cangrejo tourist district, the Milan is still an excellent, affordable place to stay.
The rates are up from the $25 of 2006 but the value is still there. With rates starting at $60 and no argument on the jubliado discount a night at the Milan and cost $30 plus tax.
For your money you get a spacious clean room, good security a decent on site restaurant and a gracious helpful staff. If you drive into the city you also have secure off street parking in the building. They have added Wifi to the building and are adding a second tower.
In summary I am glad I rediscovered my roots of three years past. The Milan is once again my hotel of choice when I visit Panama City.
You can contact the Milan at hotelmilan @ cwpanama.net (remove the spaces)
Posted by Lee on December 10, 2009
A very dear friend of mine, psychologist and author, Dr Elizabeth Qulia will be doing a presentation in David about her book, La Mirada Ciega. The presentation will be 14 December a Restaurante Mana en David at seven pm. You can enjoy dinner , drinks and meet Elizabeth.
The presentation will be in Spanish. Please join us.
Presenta libro de autora Ecuatoriana
En La mirada ciega (cuento/narrativa breve), a lo largo de 11 historias, desfilan una serie de personajes que acometen sus existencias “a caballo” entre la realidad convencional y sus realidades íntimas, develando a cada línea una digresión entre los funcionamientos convencionales y la necesidad imperiosa de Ser, sin mayores ambages que la aceptación -por parte de los lectores, de sí mismos, y de sus pares en estos mundos de ficción – de sus divergentes (así lo determinaríamos nosotros, los “cuerdos”) psiques.
Elizabeth Quila posee un PH. D. en psicoterapia conductual por la Universidad Complutense de Madrid, y dirige el taller de inteligencia emocional en la AFG.
Lunes 14 de diciembre del 2009.
7:00p.m.
Restaurante y Cafe Mana Grill
Bajada del Felix Olivares Contreras
Por la Estacion Accel y Java Juice
Entrada Libre
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Posted by Lee on November 19, 2009
I am not a hotel reviewer, no white gloves above the door, but when I need to travel from Boquete to Panama City I need to stay in a hotel, so I have tried many. This trip is starting in the Executive Hotel it was recommended by a friend. The Executive is well located walking distance from the restaurants of Calle Uruguay and the tourist district of El Congrejo. It is clean, well attended and seems to cater to business people from around the world.
The rooms are nice but not elegant. They include a complete but mediocre breakfast, something not included in many hotels. They have wired internet in the rooms, be sure to ask for the login and password at the desk. The Executive also has a nice restaurant, bar and outside seating area.
I booked from their website, the rate was $85 a night and I thought when I arrived I would receive the pensionado discount making it a very reasonable $42.50, I was wrong. They did not refuse the discount, they pointed to their lobby sign which showed a rack rate of $165 and offered me the discount from that rate. This is becoming a common ruse with hotels in Panama City. An inflated rack rate and a higher than value real rate. The executive is worth $85 a night, apparently $80 if you book through Expedia.com, but I have been spoiled by real discounts on tariffs so next time another hotel for me.
The Decapolis with the pensionado discount is only a little more expensive and includes $20 in prepaid bar billing making it a far better value on the high end.
Posted by Lee on October 15, 2009
I live in Boquete Panama but I just flew into Panama City from Guayaquil Ecuador. It has been at least two years since I flew out of and arrived at Tocumen, Panama’s largest International airport.
When I left I had only carry on luggage and printed my boarding pass online, it made the Tocumen experience painless, no lines, no time at all. The airport is a melange of duty free shops few if any bargains, but busy. Flying Copa was smooth, they left on time, they served a meal, they provided free drinks including wine, beer and rum and finally they arrived on time in Guayaquil.
I left Panama with some gifts, a bottle of Ron Abuelo and a pound of my own coffee. They did not make rum in Ecuador and although they do grow coffee, nothing is better than Boquete Panama coffee! I returned with a Panama Hat. The hat internationally known as the Panama hat is not made in Panama, they are from Ecuador.
Not having a portable printer I could not print my return boarding pass. The long slow line to check in have motivated the need to acquire a portable inkjet printer before my next flight. The Internet can make flying easier.
When I arrived back in Tocumen immigration and customs were a breeze. If you have a permanent residency in Panama you short cut the process and get in the short line for citizens. Then came the annoying issue of getting from Tocumen airport to El Cangrejo, the site of both the conference and my hotel. Panama City lacks even passable public transport.
The taxis want an outrageous $28 to drive into the city and I was feeling adventurous. I said no, es caro.( It’s too expensive) to the taxi fare. I was surprised when I was seamlessly transitioned to something new to me, a collectivo. A nice car with air conditioning and two other passengers going to the same area; the fare $11. The collectivo works well if you are traveling alone.
The conference is in Veneto Hotel and Casino and I was offered a deal on a room for $125 a night, $50 less than their $175 rack rate. A $28 cab ride was too rich for my blood, a $125 room in Panama City seemed obscene. I booked a room at another area hotel, the Marbella. I have never stayed at the Marbella before and it is low on my list for the future. Their rate is $80 a night plus taxes, $40 with the jubilado discount, not too bad compared to the Veneto. Then comes the fine print, if you have a roommate add $15, not discounted, if you eat breakfast it’s not included either. The room I was in 222 had view of a wall, an air conditioner that had no controls, just plug it in and freeze or unplug and bake. I lasted one night.
Later that evening I took a friend out for a belated birthday dinner. We wanted steak and I remembered the sign at the Veneto for a New York steak dinner, $19 including a bottle of wine. It seemed to be worth a try. The New York Steakhouse in the Veneto Hotel is a beautiful venue. After being seated we waited, we waited and waited some more, finally we waved, jumped and caught the attention of an inattentive staff.
Menus and a wine list arrived with prices rivaling Smith and Wollensky in New York City, $65 for an imported Porterhouse; we ordered the special. It started with a nice salad and fresh rolls with honey butter. A bottle of cheap Chilean red wine and finally a not so wonderful steak, served with overcooked vegetables and a small dab of decent mashed potatoes. We completed masticating the steak and drinking the wine, then headed across the street to the Wine Bar.
If you want a really good Filet and far better bottle of wine for about the same cost, allow me to recommend the filet at the Wine Bar or the shared El Pomodoro, which has the same items often for a lower menu price. The El Pomodoro in El Cangrejo Panama is far better and less expensive then its namesake in Boquete. Don’t let a poor experience in Boquete prevent trying the Panama City location.
Posted by Lee on September 26, 2009
Last time I went from Boquete Panama to the big city I stayed at the Decapolis, a nice four star hotel. This time I went to the other extreme, no stars, a hostel in the Casco Viejo district of Panama City.
Casco Viejo is an area of Panama City rising like a Phoenix from the ashes of old Panama. The area is an island of beautiful restored building in a UNESCO world heritage site. The restoration centers on the Republic’s governmental center and expands outward a few blocks, not too much. It is becoming a artistic, cultural and performance center for the city.
We stayed in Hospedaje Casco Viejo, my daughter selected based on a guide book recommendation, it then unselected it but failed to tell me. We arrived about 2 am after a very late Delta flight from Atlanta and found the staff accommodating, the rooms spartan and the venue on the fringe of safety.
We were woken early by the sounds of construction, both the hostel and building next door are being renovated.
The church across the way was doing early morning meals right along the coast.
We stayed two nights, my private room for two with a private bath, cold water only, was $36, theirs with a shared bath a little less. I stayed alone but need to pay for two.
There were two redeeming things about the Hostel, the fascinating people from around the world and age spectrum staying there and the location. We were two blocks from fine restaurants and beautiful historical buildings. Unfortunately one of the policemen guarding the Presidential compound suggested even those two blocks were unsafe to walk at night.
Caso Viejo is on the edge of happening, hopefully the island of beauty and security will grow in time.
Posted by Lee on September 25, 2009
Panama City is known for its night life, Boquete Panama is not. David Panama just 30 minutes away is a great place to party at night. Last week I was headed to Panama City to pick up my daughter Ashley. I decided to spend Saturday night in David and do some exploring.
I checked into the Puerto de Sol hotel near the Parque Cervantes, the central park in David.
It is a nice location and nice facility. Rooms are simple and the $34.50 rate is although not the lowest in David very reasonable. Dinner was not high on my agenda so I took a long power nap and prepared for an evening of dance decadence.
At about 9 pm I walked to Cervantes Park and noticed a group of people sitting above the Hotel Iris, I climbed the stairs and sat on the ever so narrow balcony and enjoyed a beer, still $.80. I met a local truck driver and we discussed politics and the changes happening in David, He bought a round, I bought a round and soon it was time to find someplace with more energy.
My first stop was the Opium Disco across from Super 99, the queue was long and it would have taken adding the ages of any three other people in the line to arrive at my age, so the Opium was soon forsaken. If you are in the 20 something age group, it does seem like the place to be in David.
My next and long stop of the evening was Pirates in the Fiesta Casino. Panamanian night life starts at 11 pm and Pirates was no exception. The boxing finally went off the televisions, the disco and the dancing started at about 11pm. Pirates was a blast, music, a floor show, yes really and at about 1 pm a live band. The disco was fun, the girls and men dancing on the bar was fun. The live music was not my favorite, so off I went back toward the hotel, walking the quiet streets.
As I approached the Hotel I spied a few people sitting quietly in front of a bar, that was enough to motivate a nightcap at Sandy Restaurant and Bar, where a Ron Abuelo was still $1.25. The owner of the bar came outside to talk, he lives in Los Molinos and arrived in Panama from India via Iraq. Sandy was fun and by the time I left I was hungry,
Fortunately positioned between Sandy and the Hotel there was a Pio Pio, the omnipresent fast food of champions in Panama. Fried Chicken at 2AM seemed so wrong that it was right.
I think chicken is the 7×24 food of Panama, forget the egg mcmuffin, try a fried breast after a long night of decedent partying. I think my age is declining with each year I have lived in Panama.
Posted by Lee on September 13, 2009
Part of the charm of living in Boquete Panama is the tranquility of our lifestyle and the abundance of opportunity for enjoying our quality of life. Today I seized the moment and took advantage of a great opportunity. Boquete Safari Tours has a of season deal on horse back riding, $25 for a couple of hours riding through Caldera.
After our ride we took the opportunity to visit Rancho Caldera and enjoy a fantastic brunch. A year ago the Panamonte was the only place in Boquete to have a Sunday Brunch. That has changed, there are now several places serving Sunday brunch. Rancho Caldera is special for several reasons.
The synchrony with riding helps set it apart as does the quality of the food and drink. Gina has made Rancho Caldera a spiritual haven. The food and the atmosphere are fresh and clean. Her new chef, Craig, has brought a higher than normal standard to local cuisine. I think the mantra could be stated as quality food, quality drink, quality service and great preparation makes Rancho Caldera worth the ride from Boquete.
Start with the unique smoked Salmon Eggs Benedict below, my breakfast was fantastic.
The eggs are from local chickens, dill literally clipped by the chef in front of me.
Other menu options were equally wonderful as were some temptingly toxic deserts. Consider a chocolate cake made with chocolate from Bocas del Toro.
After Brunch you can round out your Sunday with a cooling dip in the Rancho Caldera Swimming Pool. Look at the surreal view. I really urge you to try the whole enchilada, ride the horses, eat the brunch and get wet in the pool. Make your Sunday “muy especial”!
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