The idea of checking into a Waldorf Astoria, indulging in a perfectly executed massage or diving into a juicy steak dinner at an elegant restaurant may seem out of range for many cost-conscious travelers. But in Panama City, Panama, a massive growth spurt has brought amazing travel deals for anyone who salivates at brand-name luxury at a fraction of the usual price. Panama, in fact, beats many other parts of Latin America when it comes to great prices for luxury travel.
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It all comes down to competition. Panama’s capital has enjoyed a surge in construction and investment in recent years, thanks in part to friendly financing as well as the strategic importance of the recently expanded Panama Canal. More than 5,000 new hotel rooms are being added within the course of a few short years. That means that hoteliers are hungry for guests — and travelers can score some big discounts.
I’ve been visiting Panama every year for more than a decade. The capital is a boomtown and there’s always something new to discover. I’ve stayed at and visited dozens of hotels in and around Panama City, and I also wrote the Panama City and central Panama chapters for the most recent Panama guidebook. And over the past few years, I couldn’t help but notice the appeal of “luxury for less” at its many upscale properties.
Consider the Waldorf Astoria Panama. The brand’s first hotel in all of Latin America, this sleek and stylish tower charges between $110 and $140 a night for its entry-level room. Compare that to the Four Seasons hotels in nearby Bogota, where a room will generally set you back more than $300, or the Real InterContinental and Costa Rica Marriott, both in San Jose, which typically run between $250 and $300 a night.
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If accommodations with musical flair is more your thing, you might reserve a room at the Hard Rock Hotel Panama Megapolis, which certainly lives up to its “Megapolis” moniker, with nearly 1,500 guest rooms, four restaurants, four bars and plenty of live entertainment. You can even engage your own muse with the “Sound of Your Stay” program, which provides a Fender guitar and headphones to “rock out” in your room. Room rates start at about $138, compared to the all-inclusive $505 rate at the Hard Rock Cancun (the Panama property isn’t all-inclusive, but even factoring in food costs, Panama can still be a more affordable option).
Several luxury hotel consortia are also present in Panama, and when you compare their prices in the Central American capital to other nearby destinations, you can see the appeal. Take the Leading Hotels of the World, for example. Its member hotels include the Hotel Charleston Santa Teresa in Cartagena, where you’ll pay between $236 and $295 a night for the cheapest room. Cartagena’s Hotel Casa San Agustin, meanwhile, runs between $384 and $400. Now compare those prices to the fabulous Hotel Bristol in Panama City (which is also a member of Leading Hotels of the World), where you can snag a luxurious room for $199.
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The consortium called Small Luxury Hotels of the World, another purveyor of elegant accommodations, represents hotels in multiple destinations around Latin America, and their room rates are equally telling. Movich Hotel Cartagena de Indias, their hotel member in Cartagena, Colombia, a room will set you back at least $276 a night. But at the American Trade Hotel, which is set in a historic building in Panama City’s increasingly hip Casco Antiguo district, you’ll fork over around $229 for a gorgeous room.
Hungry globetrotters can refuel for less in Panama City too; the Hilton Panama is home to Latin America’s first Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse, where for $52 you can savor a 16 oz. New York strip steak (steaks can set you back up to $96 at Ruth’s Chris in Aruba). The glistening Hilton, by the way, is also home to Latin America’s first Eforea Spa, which charges $94 for a one-hour massage, compared to $125 at the same spa at the Hilton Aruba, for just 50 minutes.
I’m not saying you should choose your next vacation destination based solely on price, or solely on the idea that you’ll spend all your time inside the hotel or eating too much. But if you’re attracted to the idea of pampering yourself in a hotel for a great price that beats nearby destinations, and maybe treating yourself to some good meals, too, then Panama City, Panama should certainly be on your short list.
https://departurelevel.com/panama/this-central-american-hotel-was-designed-by-the-guy-behind-radio-city-music-hall/