By Aet Elisa Tejera C. for La Critica - The shortage of hotel rooms compared to a significant increase in demand has become the Achilles Heel of Panamanian tourism. Starting in 2006 there is now no "low season" for hotels and the shortage of hotel rooms is now both a crisis and an open secret, according to Ana Royo, the President of the Panamanian Association of Tourism Operators (APOTUR.) In 2006, 1,358,000 tourists visited Panama and there has been a reported increase of 17% in these past two years with only two new hotels opening their doors, not enough to cover the demand, said Royo during her presentation in the Annual Conference of Business Executives (CADE 2008). This small crisis will be more evident when factors are added like: the beginning of operations in November of the Panama Home Port, the tourist promotion with a new advertising campaign of $39.5 million dollars, the new niches of markets with a focused 30% in Europe, the increase of airlines and flight frequencies, said Royo. Although during 2008 it is anticipated an additional 10 hotel projects will be completed in Panama City adding approximately 3.386 new hotel rooms to the market, for 2009 there are only four new hotels coming on line with an additional 1,088 rooms. In addition Royo thinks all ten of the new hotels will not actually be opening this year.

MIAMI, April 23 /PRNewswire/ -- For almost one hundred years, The Panama Canal has served to connect the East to the West; now, Buddha-Bar -- the unique concept that has become an international phenomenon, is set to accomplish the same goal. With their first Oriental inspired Luxury Hotel in the Americas set to open in fast growing Panama City, Buddha-Bar will expand on their vision, bringing a sumptuous hotel, restaurant and spa to this thriving metropolis. As seen with their monster success in Paris, Buddha-Bar creates an exotic journey that includes eclectic design, hypnotizing music, and magical food mixing the boldness of Asian flavors with the delicacies of France. The unique group will open their first hotel in Prague this summer. (more)

By Mónica Palm for La Prensa - A group of investors has been working to advance a project to build a new five-star, 139 room hotel on the site of the former Club Union in Casco Viejo, even though Panama's Attorney General issued an opinion more than a year ago saying the lands should revert to the nation because they are located on a beach. The land in question measures 5,512 square meters, and the group plans to build two buildings for a total constructed area of 15,848 square meters in five levels (including a basement and an attic), with a front that will rise a total of 80 meters. The hotel, which has not yet been named, will cost approximately $30 million dollars to build and supposedly it will be finished by the end of 2009. The land was the property of the Decameron Group, who also wanted to build a hotel on the site, but sold it in 2006 to Properties of the Bahia S.A. and American Paul Stallings who paid $7.5 million dollars. The company recently presented their environmental impact study to the ANAM for evaluation.

By Mireya Rodríguez for the Panama America - It's located close to the Colón 2000 cruise ship port. The Radisson Colón 2000 hotel is in its last phase of construction and is almost ready to begin operations. With an investment of more than $12 million dollars and located near the Colón Free Trade Zone and the cruise ship port, this hotel is part of the Radisson international chain of hotels which will help position the hotel in the market and will ensure high quality services, improved business services, and operational software. The hotel will have 102 rooms, and guests will have access to a restaurant with an international kitchen and cafeteria, the rooms will have wireless Internet connections, 24 hour room service, a lobby bar and a grand casino. In addition, the Radisson Colon 2000 offers meeting halls with capacity for 300 people and one terrace with swimming pool for adults and children. In this last stage 60 people are working to put the finishing touches on the hotel to prepare for their opening. During the construction more than 120 people worked for the past 18 months. Construction workers were drawn from the Colon area and they were trained and gained experience and improved their qualifications.

Our waterfront paradise, the Careening Cay Resort and Cosmic Crab Café, is located on Isla Carenero in Bocas del Toro. Christopher Columbus repaired his ships here in our bay in 1503 before his last voyage home and named the island based on the Spanish verb "carenar" (to careen) - cause a vessel to lie on its side, as on a beach, in order to repair, clean, or otherwise work on its bottom. The resort is located in over six acres of lush tropical landscaping and over 600 feet of waterfront. Our backyard is verdant rainforest. Because of this location the resort captures the refreshing Caribbean breeze and offers fabulous sunsets. (more)

#1 - Expose yourself to the elements: Skin cancer and creepy tropical diseases carried by sand flies and mosquitoes (such as Dengue and Leishmaniasis) are not nice souvenirs to take home and show friends. Omitting sun block and bug spray because you like to pack light on vacations is fine. But failing to pick them up at a local Panama drugstore can be brutal.

Solution: Buy yourself some good bug spray (we prefer the industrial strength type) as well as some high SPF suntan lotion (at certain spots, Panama is only a few degrees from the equator). Try the Arrocha Farmacies for the best selection. (more)

HotelChatter.com - Our first clue that The Bristol in Panama City, Panama is the hot place to stay was the brand new Masarati parked out front. Our second clue was sitting down to check in and finding ourselves chatting with Judy Dench, who was checking out. The famed actress was in town for a week shooting her Q role for the new James Bond movie, Quantum of Solace. (Funny enough, that portion of the film is actually supposed to take place in Haiti, so the Panamanians are not too thrilled.) Being the Oscar-winning lady she is, Ms. Dench won raves from the staff for her graciousness and lack of midnight diva demands. Tomorrow we'll feature a video tour of one of the Bristol's rooms, but this is the clear winner in town in terms of service, fine dining, and plush rooms. Note that there is no swimming pool though, an oddity in a city that is steaming hot all year. Plus the two front desk people have to go into a back room to print out anything, meaning the small lobby is often devoid of employees. There were a few marks of distinction that went beyond the norm though. A concierge pulled off a big flight change that avoided a change fee and a couple hours after check-in Bristol business cards arrived, printed with our name on them. Everyone can feel like a celeb--or at least an international banking kingpin.

Panama City – The consortium Wyndham Hotels and Resorts has entered the Panamanian market, where it opened its first five-star hotel. The 300-room facility is part of the company's strategy to be present in major cities of the world. The hotel, which is located in Panama City's financial and business sector, will be run by Silver Entertainment. The hotel offers four restaurants, a full-service spa and fitness center, rooftop pool, business center, 15,000 square feet of meeting space and a Las Vegas-style casino with more than 40,000 square feet of gaming area, making it one of the largest casinos in Latin America.

From inRich.com - Panama project - Richmonder Wayne Bryan is building a resort in Panama. His Lago Mar LLC development company is partnering with Hard Rock International to build the 550-room Hard Rock Hotel Panama. The luxury resort will be on 27 acres along the popular Playa Blanca beach on Panama's western shore, about 70 miles southwest of Panama City. The project will mark Hard Rock's entrée into Latin America's hotel market. It's slated to open in early 2010. Construction should start in the spring. Bryan, the chief executive of the Chesterfield County firm, said Lago Mar wants to capitalize on a rapidly increasing demand for hotel accommodations in that part of Panama. "We're excited about this project," said Bryan, part of a group of investors who developed Los Suenos Resort in Costa Rica in 1998.

Panama America - The Gamboa Rainforest Resort has recently completed an expansion program, and there are now an additional 60 new rooms available at their hotel. For it, the group Bern Hotels & Resorts Panama invested more than $3.5 million dollars according to a spokesman. The rooms are deluxe, king suites, and thematic suites, among others. The Marriott in Panama is also going to build an expansion of their hotel, adding 77 new rooms, at a projected construction cost of between $8 to $10 million dollars. They expect the new rooms to be available for occupancy by 2009.

ORLANDO, Fla., Hard Rock International and Lagomar Resort, S.A. announced today plans to develop a Hard Rock Hotel in Farallon, Panama. Hard Rock Hotel Panama will be situated along Playa Blanca Beach in Farallon. The newest location will be reflective of the luxurious brand, as well as Hard Rock's ongoing strategy to accelerate expansion of their properties worldwide. With broad views of the Pacific Ocean, the resort will provide outstanding oceanfront views along 1,200 feet of Panama's coast. The tropical location, combined with Hard Rock's renowned, luxurious quality standard, offers another unique destination resort for one of the world's most globally recognized brands. This is Hard Rock's first hotel property in Latin America. (more)

By Mireya Rodríguez for the Panama America - Sofia Restrepo had to wait almost two weeks to be able to find an available hotel room, which forced a delay in business plans she had made. For the past few months most of the hotels in Panama City have been booked full. The cost for a room varies depending on the hotel chosen by the visitor. For example, a single room costs between $78 and $175 dollars per night, plus a 10% hotel tax. According to Jorge Loaiza, the President of the Panamanian Association of Hotels (APATEL), the hotel occupation rate in the country has improved due to the economic activities which are being developed, new businesses, and to the promotion of Panama as tourist destination, among others. (more)

By Doreen Hemlock | South Florida Sun-Sentinel - South Florida's Nikki Beach, known for its celebrity-studded, late-night parties at beach venues, is extending its hip brand to Central America. The company's new hotel division said it broke ground on an $80 million project at Panama's Pacific Coast beach known as Playa Blanca. The venture, which promoters call "the sexiest project in Panama," is due to open its first phase in December 2008, featuring a deluxe condo-resort with 144 rooms and suites, a spa, gym and other amenities. Panama-based RG Inmobiliaria will develop the Nikki Beach Resort & Residences Playa Blanca, which will eventually encompass 500 units. Nikki Beach said it also plans a second hotel later in Panama, in the capital of Panama City. The groundbreaking comes amid a real estate boom in Panama, with some analysts calling Panama City "the next Miami." Skyscrapers are rising fast across the capital's skyline, including one by Donald Trump. A nation of almost 3 million people, tropical Panama has boosted business incentives in recent years, partly to offset the loss of U.S. military revenues after the U.S. handover of the Panama Canal in 1999. (more)

Hotel Interactive - Silver Entertainment, LLC (SE), a new hospitality and gaming company established in March by New York-based developer, The Andalex Group, acquired Veneto Hotel & Casino in Panama this week. SE’s gaming license application in Panama was deemed complete earlier this year and the Veneto acquisition is SE’s first venture in Latin America. Meridian Capital Group was broker to the financing which was led by Deutsche Bank Securities Inc. The selling party was the partnership of Moisès Haskey, Alberto Daniel Btesh and Abraham Btesh. Full management of the property is expected to be transferred this month. The Veneto Hotel & Casino, built in 2005, is currently the most modern casino in Panama and Latin America and offers 301 guest rooms and 45,000 square feet of state of the art gaming space. The property which will be re-branded as ‘Veneto - A Wyndham Grand Hotel Veneto Casino’ is located on Via Veneto, 20 minutes away from Panama’s Tocumen International Airport (PTY) in the heart of the financial and banking center. Wyndham Grand Collection is the pinnacle brand in the Wyndham family. Each Wyndham Grand Hotel offers a unique, five-star experience while capturing the local flavor of the destination where it is located. (more)

MIAMI-(Business Wire)-February 1, 2007 - IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group) (LON:IHG) (NYSE:IHG) (ADRs), the world's largest hotel group by number of rooms, today announced the groundbreaking of the Holiday Inn Panama Canal, in the Republic of Panama. The 115 room hotel will be located next to the Panama Canal in the City of Knowledge, a renowned international complex for education and research. It will be the fourth IHG hotel in the Republic of Panama through its affiliation with Panama City-based Bern Hotels & Resorts, the tourism division of Empresas Bern, one of the most respected commercial developers in Latin America. Currently the developer has the InterContinental Miramar, InterContinental Playa Bonita Resort & Spa and the Crowne Plaza Panama. The unique component of the project is that it will be adjacent to the first educational institution for Bern Hotels & Resorts and IHG Latin America, which will be named Panama International Hotel School. The new hotel and the school are both scheduled to open towards the beginning of 2008, and will add a hospitality-oriented educational component while building on the City of Knowledge's tradition of innovation and inspiring personal excellence. (more)

InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) has signed a letter of understanding with Empresas Bern to open a hospitality training school in Panama called the Holiday Inn Hotel and School Panama Canal. The City of Knowledge, where the hotel and school will be located, is an international complex for education, research and innovation. The hotel and school, which in its initial phase will have 110 rooms, will be the first educational institution for IHG in Latin America. The Holiday Inn Hotel and School Panama Canal will feature learning spaces for the school’s hospitality programme, such as a lecture hall, several classrooms, group study/meeting rooms, a computer centre and an auditorium for large classroom lectures. The school will provide management-level instruction in a full range of hospitality disciplines. The existing homes located on the premises will be renovated for extended stay purposes and student housing. The hotel and school is slated for completion around mid 2008. Details: www.ihgplc.com

By: Chris Walker - Our family went and stayed for 3 days / nights in the Banana’s resort on Isla Grande. Overall we enjoyed our stay. The scenery was beautiful, the staff was very friendly, and the accommodations were excellent. The group was running a pricing “lodging special” for kids to stay free. What was not included was transportation from Panama City, meal costs on the island (except for breakfast), and the water taxi to get to the island. Thankfully, we brought cash with us to cover the water taxi, as that charge was not a piece of information until we were in the van on the way. Trying to secure a reservation was a cumbersome process that involved emails, international phone calls, and international faxes. It was challenging to get it done, and the lack of information that we are used to having (confirmations, confirmation numbers, etc) left us wondering if we really were going. We used their taxi service to get there, as our planned arrangements to get there ourselves fell apart. The driver was nice, prompt, and did his best to avoid the potholes on the road beyond Portobello. (more...)

The Panamá Rey Hotel, under the same ownership for the past twenty-six (26) years, is presently in the midst of an amazing million dollar-remodeling project. With a history of solid successful business management behind it, and because the hotel is in David’s center of commerce, it is in an ideal location, and now is the perfect time to prepare the Panamá Rey Hotel as the premier hospitality center for the western highlands of Chiriqui. This modern renovation and major design improvement will give the hotel a highly contemporary, 21st century appearance. The renovations will involve a total revamping of the exterior and interior of the hotel from Accommodations, Guest Services, Restaurants Services, making it a hub for eco-tourism and attractive all-inclusive travel packages.

MIAMI (AP) - InterContinental Hotels Group PLC, the world's largest hotel group by number of rooms, on Friday announced an agreement with real estate firm Empresas Bern to open a hotel and school in City of Knowledge, Panama. Financial terms were not disclosed. The Holiday Inn Hotel and School Panama Canal, which in its initial phase will have 110 rooms, will be the first educational institution for InterContinental Hotels Group Latin America. It will be located at the City of Knowledge, an international education and research complex. The Holiday Inn Hotel and School Panama Canal will provide management-level instruction in hospitality disciplines and is slated for completion in 2008. American depositary shares of Intercontinental Hotels, which is based in the United Kingdom, rose 32 cents, or 2 percent, to $16.34 in afternoon trading on the New York Stock Exchange.

From: Ronald Miller [mailto:akraft@(snip).net], Sent: Monday, May 29, 2006 5:52 AM, To: americans_in_panama@yahoogroups.com, Subject: [americans_in_panama] Re: Albrook Inn - We have been to Panama 5 times in the last 4 years and the scariest event so far was when we stayed at the Albrook Inn before flying to Isla Contadora last year. When we arrived at the Albrook Inn, we were greeted by a very nice bilingual women who checked us in. Seemed like a good place to stay, close to the airport and reasonably priced. I should mention that the doors for the rooms are house style doors with no night lock or safety latch or dead bolt. The only lock on our room was the lock in the door knob. Apparently when the night clerk came on duty at 5:00 pm, he didn't know we were already checked in our room and about midnight I was awakened by a key unlocking our door! He had rented our room to someone else. The room was small (the bed was right next to the door) and not knowing if we were being robbed or what, I lunged towards the door as it was opening, screaming "Get out of here!" and slamming the door shut. My wife woke up screaming and the young woman with the guy opening the door screamed and the couple immediatly left. I got up, put on my pants and went to the office to ask what the hell was going on. "Lo siento" was all I got. Needless to say we both were tired the next day as we got up early to catch our flight. Any other suggestions for a hotel close to Albrook? Ron

InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) (LSE:IHG) (NYSE:IHG) (ADRs), the world's largest hotel group by number of rooms, announces the grand opening of the InterContinental Playa Bonita Resort&Spa, the first luxury beach resort in Panama. The 300-room resort is the second InterContinental hotel and the third IHG property in Panama. Owned by Empresas Bern under a license agreement with InterContinental Hotels Group (Nachrichten), the resort is situated on 20 acres of lush rainforest and is located just 20 minutes outside Panama City near the western entrance of the Panama Canal. It is the third alliance between IHG and Empresas Bern, one of Panama's most prosperous developers. Bern has had long-standing agreements with IHG; and his Miramar InterContinental Panama and the Crowne Plaza Panama properties are both located in Panama City. "This magnificent property is a marvelous complement to IHG's resorts across the globe," says Alvaro Diago, Area President of InterContinental Hotels Group Latin America. "Herman Bern's vision, once again, surpasses everyone's expectations. This resort is IHG's first in Central America and is destined to be one of the region's premier properties."

Panama City, Panama, March 23, 2006 - La Cresta de Oro, Panama Cities newest Luxury Bed and Breakfast will open its doors on April 1st, 2006, not only to discriminating travelers but to their canine and feline companions as well. This will help fill the need for pet friendly accommodations brought on by the influx of foreigners and retirees moving to Panama with their pets. Located in a quiet neighborhood, La Cresta de Oro is in the heart of Panama City only 25 minuets from Tocumen International Airport and only blocks from Via Espana, Calle 50 and Ave. Balboa, the citys’ main thoroughfares. The Spanish colonial mansion was built in the 1960's and features a expansive covered patio, swimming pool and sun deck, fenced grounds with mature fruit trees and beautiful city views. “We have an oasis in the city” says Chef and Proprietor Jennifer King, “you would never guess this beautiful mansion is in the city, it is so quiet here, yet you can grab a taxi and be anywhere within minutes!”.

(By: Clyde Jenkins) I've been staying at Hospedaje Casco Viejo for over two months now and I thought it was time to let the rest of you fine folks know what a great place it is. If you're looking for a five star hotel or must have air conditioning, hot water and a TV in your room this is definitely NOT the place for you. But, if you are on a budget, like to meet people from all over the world and still have a sense of adventure, I can't think of a better place to stay. Hospedaje Casco Viejo is definitely worth checking out, if only to know a great place to recommend to your friends who visit. Located in historic Casco Viejo on Calle 8 at Avenida A next to the famous "church with the golden alter", a half a block from the bay, it is well located for exploring this unique part of Panama City and is only a $1.25 cab ride to downtown, the same fare from any other part of PC. The rates are $12 with private bath, $10 with shared bath, the beds are good, the rooms large with ceiling fans and the place is kept spotless.

Ese encantador aire de nostalgia, riqueza histórica y comodidad, hacen del Caesar Park Panamá uno de los hoteles de negocios de mayor preferencia en la ciudad. Su arquitectura, diseñada con el encanto colonial de Panamá, refleja el espíritu de la cultura latina. Aquí los huéspedes encontrarán un casino al estilo europeo, tres extraordinarios restaurantes, un bar en el lobby para disfrutar noches inolvidables y un exuberante ambiente tropical más parecido al de un resort, que al de un hotel de negocios. Sus lujosas habitaciones, su conveniente ubicación frente al Centro de Convenciones Atlapa y su proximidad al Aeropuerto y al Área Bancaria le convierten el Caesar Park Panamáel lugar ideal para el viajero de negocios.