Where to stay in Panama City
Panama City, the right part of town.
A restored colonial quarter, a skyline of business hotels and a causeway into the bay. The old town is where visitors want to be.
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Where visitors stay in Panama City
Panama City's hotels split between the old and the new. Casco Viejo is the restored colonial peninsula with the boutique hotels, the rooftop bars and the plazas; the downtown banking district along Avenida Balboa and in Obarrio and Marbella holds the high-rise chains; Punta Pacifica and Costa del Este are the newer towers and malls; and the Amador Causeway, out in the bay, has a few resorts with the canal mouth in view.
01
Casco Viejo
Boutique hotels in restored colonial buildings, with the restaurants, the rooftops and the canal museum on foot. The reason to come.
Suits: Couples, first visits, food
02
Downtown: Avenida Balboa, Obarrio and Marbella
The international chains in the towers along the bay and in the banking district, with the malls and the business lunch spots. Ten minutes to the old town.
Suits: Business, families, points stays
03
Punta Pacifica and Costa del Este
The newest high-rises, the hospital, the big malls and quieter streets, 15 to 25 minutes from Casco. Car or ride app needed.
Suits: Longer stays, shopping, quiet
04
Amador Causeway
Resorts on the islands at the Pacific entrance to the canal, with the ships passing and the skyline across the water. Isolated by design.
Suits: Resort stays, canal views, Taboga ferry
Hotel links open Expedia in a new tab. All Travel Fun earns a commission on bookings made through them; it does not change what you pay. Distances and times above are approximate.
Good to know
- Casco Viejo books out at weekends
- It is small and popular. Weekdays are easier and cheaper; weekends need a lead time.
- Ride apps are the way around
- Taxis do not use meters; ride apps show the fare. Distances are short but traffic is heavy from 4 to 7pm.
Once the room is booked
- Things to do in Panama City: the day trips and tours worth booking before you land.
Questions before you book
Casco Viejo or downtown?
Casco Viejo for character and the evenings; downtown for larger rooms, pools and lower prices. They are ten minutes apart.
Where should I stay for the canal?
Anywhere in the city: Miraflores Locks are 20 minutes from Casco and the transit boats leave from the Amador Causeway.
How do I book a hotel from this page?
Each "See hotels" button opens Expedia's hotel search for that part of Panama City, with live rates, photos, reviews and the cancellation terms. You book and pay there. All Travel Fun earns a commission on bookings made through those links; it does not change what you pay.
Can your agents book the hotel over the phone?
Our agents book flights. Call to price the flight to Panama City; book the room on Expedia once your dates are fixed.
Where to stay elsewhere in Central and South America
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