Gamboa Rainforest Resort - Gamboa

The guides did not know anything about animals, they are not prepared. The cars used to tranport tourists are very old, they smell oil. The pool área is not well preseved. The best is the landscape.

Genuine Expedia guest review

After our wedding in Nicaragua, we decided to head to Panama for our Honeymoon. Gamboa Rainforest Resort had been recommended to us by some friends. Sure, it's not the most luxurious option available, but after our wedding at Mukul in Nicaragua, it would be hard to top - we wanted something fun near nature. Gamboa fit the bill! The resort is large […] and has an interesting blend between wanting to be a high-end resort and a theme park, but don't let that turn you off from it. Set along the Chagres River, we loved the variety of birds passing by the hotel and the view over the river below. Since it was the kickoff to our Honeymoon, I contacted Jetzel at guest services who was more than happy to help, arranging for an upgraded room to a suite with a nice sized jacuzzi and hammock on our balcony. She even waited to meet us at check in that evening, and went out of her way the next morning to say hello to us in the lobby to see if everything was going ok. Jetzel really stood out as being spectacular among the otherwise great staff. I surprised my bride with a unique massage; we headed down to the docks where a barge was set up for a couple's massage ON THE RIVER! The masseuses decorated the barge with flowers and fern leaves, and had champagne and fruit chilled and waiting for us. And the massages? We agreed, probably the most relaxing/ best in our lives, and we're no strangers to massages. Also, check out "Pipeline Road" for great jungle walk! Arrange at tour desk. Read more

Genuine Expedia guest review

Stayed here for two nights after four nites in Casco Viejo. Very impressed by the reception staff and concierge and tour people. Rooms were fabulous! View of the hotel grounds from the balcony. Especially like our room 626. High floor, large room with excellent view. We even had a hammock on the balcony. Bathrooms are spacious . Monkey Bar had great […] views and drinks! Close proximity to Rainforest Discovery Center (a must). We did the free Night Safari tour at the hotel- had low expectations but saw wildlife and enjoyed it very much. Also did hotel run tour called Gatun Experience (?) going up the canal to Gatun Lake to what used to be called Monkey Island. If you go do the latest tour at 4 pm so you will see the most wildlife. We totally enjoyed it and saw howler monkeys, alligators, turtles, many birds etc...oh by the way the hotel pool is fabulous-make time to enjoy it ! Read more

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

Beautiful grounds, love the area. Rooms were very nice. Communication with front desk was a little hard if you didn't know spainish. But not that bad. I don't give high ratings unless I am super impressed. But all and all we had a wonderful experiece here. Our day out fishing was the best day of the trip. Loved our guide however he spoke no English […] but we seemed to make due fine with our limited spainish. Loved the trip to Gamboa Read more

Genuine Expedia guest review

Very nice, location is unbeatable and when time permit, I would like to go back again

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

principally this hotel is in a beautiful setting and can be enjoyed for little else.

Genuine Expedia guest review

Not that much to do a little over priced for every activity, 17 dollars for wi fi ? Not to crazy about. but a very tranquil and relaxing place.

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

The hotel need maintenance, and the room need be more cleaning, specially the bathroom.

Genuine Expedia guest review

Very nice hotel. Well kept considering it's in the middle of the jungle. My only negative comment is having to pay extra to have "Wi Fi" given the fact that the hotel is not cheap.

Genuine Expedia guest review

On arrival the hotel is breathtaking - the views of the river and pool area from the main lobby is beautiful. The staff is helpful and polite both in the tour section and the restaurants. The pool bar/snack area is very convenient for lunch. We went on 2 complimentary tours- walking tour and night tour- they were both interesting and gave you a good […] lay of the land. Hit or miss on seeing any wildlife. We saw monkeys above our heads in the walking tour, which was very exciting. The rooms are spacious and the bathrooms are very nice. The hotel on closer inspection over 2 days is in need of some sprucing up in areas. I'm sure the rainforest takes it toll. Our AC wasn't the greatest to us, but they thought it was working fine! The biggest disappointment was the food selection at the restaurant. Only 1 restaurant was open Monday-Wednesday and the menu never changed. The buffets were pricey and not impressive to us. We ate the salad bar many times. They have a captive audience for dinner. The spa is very modern and well equipped. The gym has some dated equipment-but they try to keep it nice and clean. We went on the monkey island tour- our tour guide and captain had great eyes and spotted a lot of animals- cool to be out in the canal! well worth the money. Read more

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

The pictures + amenities looked perfect for a jungle getaway we were hoping for. UNFORTUNATELY, promised hikes were short and NONE of the activities were included and VERY EXPENSIVE. Hotel restaurants fed frozen microwaved food. During our restful afternoon nap after getting drinks at the pool which we charged to the room, the front desk lost our credit […] card and called us TWICE demanding us to go to the front desk "immediately". What a disappointment... Read more

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

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Genuine Hotels.com guest review

as a pretty big tourism oriented hotel i did not expect to much as i usually do not like these places but the location, the staff and room impressed me. certainly will return a next time. the one tour monkey island i took can certainly be improved and i will not take it again in this set-up. the night outing/tour on the hotel properties was fun and […] plenty to be seen! Read more

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

The rooms are reasonably priced, however the food is way $25 a person for me and my kids to eat an average buffet. The tours are also way overpriced. A novice birder can see plenty without a guide.

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

This was the most beautiful resort I've stayed in EVER! When I saw the pictures on line I didn't think it would be as nice when we got there...but it was and it exceeded my expectations. I fell asleep to the sounds of nature on our balcony overlooking the property and river while swinging lazily in the hammock, something I'll cherish for a long time. […] This place isn't close to any 'night life', so you are forced to just slow down and take it easy. If I had anything negative to say it would be that the cost to dine there is a bit pricey, but I thought the food was delicious and service appropriate. We spoke no Spanish and got along just fine! If you are going to stay more than a few nights, be reminded that there is really nothing else to do in the area so be prepared to just sit by the gorgeous pool or walk around the beautiful property. Some tours are offered but you won't be finding any restaurants or entertainment anywhere else. Hope you enjoy your stay as much as we did!! Read more

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

We stayed at the Gamboa Rainforest Resort for two days in February 2012 and thought that the property was nice but overrated and the hotel as well as its restaurants were overpriced. The room price included a 'night safari' which turned out to be a ride around the property with its neatly mowed lawns and shrubbery (no rain forest). Apart from a turtle […] and a few capibaries we did not see any animals nor did we see them early in the morning. The Resort also has a monopoly when it comes to taxi rides to Panama City, other cities or the airport. They don't allow taxi drivers to pick you up but force you to take their car service which is far, far more expensive. Read more

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

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Genuine Hotels.com guest review

Read some of the poor reviews after we booked and was concerned. After staying there, I don't know what their problem was, the place was excellent, food was great, and you could not ask for better friendlier service. The place is in the tropics so it takes a lot of work to stay ahead of mold, mildew, etc. but they were cleaning and staying ahead of […] it. Our room was perfectly clean. If we ever go back to Panama, we would stay there again. Read more

Genuine Expedia guest review

We were two couples aged 60 to 70. The only negative that took place was a refusal by one of the front desk women to assign us rooms near to each other when we arrived. As we had booked separately we had been assigned rooms on different floors. She said that all the rooms had been "pre-assigned" the day before but that if we waited until later in the […] day she might be able to arrange it. Having arrived around 10 am we decided to go on a tour and then eat lunch. We checked back with her several times, to no avail. Then at 3 pm, check in time, a tour arrived and we decided we'd waited long enough. She still was unwilling to give us rooms on the same floor. So I asked to speak to the manager. She huffily told me to move aside so others could register while she phoned the manager. I said no we'd wait right there. A few minutes later, without our speaking to the manager, she assigned us adjoining rooms. It was too bad about this rough start because the rest of our experiences were wonderful. The tours to Monkey Island and the Embera Village were great and the food at the hotel was very nice. Apart from that one encounter the remainder of our experiences with staff were quite good. And the grounds and tours available make the hotel a good value. Read more

Genuine Expedia guest review

Exceptionally helpful staff, gorgeous surroundings of rainforest and river, very good food, very beautiful and well kept grounds, great tram ride and observation tower, a stunning and relaxing place to enjoy nature. Would recommend whole heartedly.

Genuine Expedia guest review

Great location. Food was not good! Food service was poor.

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

Rooms spacious, nice appointments and the view from the balcony is wonderful. Actually, views outdoors from anywhere on the property are interesting. The food is a little boring after a day or two and the staff needs a little more (!) training, but everyone is friendly and smiles. Be sure to eat at Los Largartos, on the river with a view of the one-lane […] bridge and Canal. It is a little far to walk but the hotel van will run you over there. We enjoyed the pool and only saw one mosquito in four days (and it was on the balcony of the bar). Our highlight was the Smithsonian hike at Barro Colorado. Be sure to make resv. and do this. Read more

Genuine Expedia guest review

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Genuine Hotels.com guest review

This hotel does not even know what the word customer service means. In all my years of travel I have never encountered such poor customer service. From the minute you check in ( which took over 45 minutes) to the time you check out, you are barely acknowledged. Once you are finally acknowledged you are made to feel like you are imposing by asking for […] clean towels, a menu, cost of a tour, a drink, your room to be made, etc.etc. The only positive is that this hotel is located in a beacutiful location in the middle of the rainforest. I would never recommend this hotel to anyone. Stay in Panama City and drive the short drive to the rainforest. Read more

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

The property and parts of the hotel are gorgeous--breathtaking, even. The view was spectacular from our balcony. The rooms were nice and comfortable. The outings and tours offered by the hotel were great fun--especially the boat ride on Gatun Lake. The pool was beautiful and large, and we really enjoyed all of the outdoor dining spots. On the property […] or in the nearby area, we saw many wild animals and birds. Our only negative experiences at the hotel involved customer service. However, we learned from experience that this is not just an issue at this hotel, but also in restaurants and hotels throughout the Panama City area. When we first arrived, the hotel staff did not give us a suite as we had ordered from Expedia, but rather two non-adjoining rooms, so my husband, children, and I had to split up. They allowed us to move to adjoining rooms the next day, but we never got a suite. (Since we ended up with two bathrooms, however, it was fine.) Second, when ordering food or drinks, we would have to wait very long periods of time for service--including something as simple as a cup of coffee. Finally, we were more than a little surprised at how few people on the staff spoke English. All of this being said, our experience was very enjoyable and I would love to have stayed longer and would be happy to return in the future. Read more

Genuine Expedia guest review

THE RAINFOREST SURROUNDING THE HOTEL ARE WELL RESPECTED. THE SERVICES INCLUDE A LIBRARY, A LOVELY SPACE. THE POOL THE LARGEST AND MOST TASTEFULLY ARRANGED, LOVED THE POOL BAR. WE ENJOYED THE PRIVATE DECK OFF OUR ROOM AND THE HAMMOCK MOST COMFORTABLE. THE THREE RESTAURANTS GAVE SOME VARIETY. MY ONLY SUGGESTION - INCLUDE BREAKFAST, IT WAS RATHER EXPENSIVE. THANK […] YOU. Read more

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

The resort itself is GORGEOUS. The grounds are beautiful. Everything is well-maintained and clean. The staff are all great, very helpful, and very polite. The tour guides are knowledgable, fun, and accomodating We took the Radio Station tour, Aerial Tram, and a couple of the free walking and bus tours. We saw many varieties of birds, Capuchin and Howler […] monkeys, lizards, iguanas, and several other mammals. Overall, we had a great time, and would go back in a heartbeat. Our only complaint was the lack of dining options. The resort is very secluded - no restaurants anywhere close. So you have to eat at the resort itself or pay for a taxi to the city (45 minutes and $30 or so each way). We would have been fine with eating at the resort, BUT there were very few choices. They have Monkey Bar that serves bar food - great food, ok prices, but not much selection and only open for lunch and dinner. They have Corotu, which does only buffets, and they are ridiculously expensive for food that is average, at best. And they have Los Lagartos, which is a 10-15 minute walk down to the Marina. The food there is OUTSTANDING, the service is excellent, and the atmosphere is beautiful overlooking the river. It's worth the walk or waiting for a bus ride down there. BUT it's only open for lunch. We ended up skipping breakfast most days, having lunch at Los Lagartos, and dinner at the bar. Read more

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

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Genuine Hotels.com guest review

Excellent place, I been to Costa Rica and Panama at least 15 times and this was one of the most memorable places I have visited. It is quiet and isolated but if what you are looking for is a 3 or 4 day getaway from the bustling crowd, this is it! It is a 20 minute ride to busy Panama City but totally isolated. The food is good and the natural rainforest […] couldn't be better. I highly recommend it and will go back! Read more

Genuine Expedia guest review

The food at the resort was sub-par and expensive, and there are no alternatives unless you travel into Panama City. We did find the service was good, except at the buffet restaurant - where it was unacceptable. We only ate there twice because we could not get anyone to serve us.

Genuine Expedia guest review

My husband and I are not birders, but there are 973 kinds of birds in Panama and most are available for viewing on a daily basis. The Gamboa Rainforest Resort has trails in abundance for general nature enjoyment, but specifically for birders. It is spectacular. We were there during the dry season so the weather was perfect. I couldn't be more enthusiastic […] about this resort. Read more

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

It is expencive and the staff is slow.

Genuine Expedia guest review

My experience at the Gamboa Resort was one of the worst experiences I have had in a long time. In short the staff were extremely rude, management was unresponsive to our requests, food was barely edible. Truly one of the worst run establishments I have ever been to.

Genuine Expedia guest review

The view was outstanding. Location was great. The food was average, except for the pizza from room service was really good. If you are thinking you can't screw up pizza...you're wrong, you can. I highly recommend the Monkey Island Boat tour! Overall, I would recommend my friends to stay there, because we had a great time and the view are stellar!

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

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Genuine Hotels.com guest review

My daughter and I enjoyed tremendously our three-night stay at the Gamboa Rainforest Resort. The setting is outstanding, as are the facilities and service. The staff met our every need. We enjoyed the Monkey Island Tour and would have explored more, but unusually heavy rain kept us in. (Of course, we expected rain during rainy season in a rain forest!) […] Wish we could have stayed longer. Read more

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

This was our second stay at Gamboa; we are already planning our third. The hotel is a little tough to get to (well outside of Panama city) but it is very beautiful. It overlooks Lake Gatun and the Panamanian rain forest. The pool is great. Good food, clean rooms, knowledgeable staff speaking multiple languages. Go there for the fishing on Lake Gatun, […] which is extraordinary, or for the other tours that they arrange. Spend the afternoon relaxing at the pool We've been with and without kids, having a great experience both ways. Read more

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

Great nature, beautiful views, but really mediocre and expensive meals and drink. Service very bad....Just hope they can change the way they do business.

Genuine Expedia guest review

This beautiful resort is just far enough out the city to be extremely relaxing and peaceful. I used to live in Panama 25 yrs ago and was not expecting the level of hotel quality that we found in the middle of the rainforest. It looked like each balcony came with a hammock, which was wonderful to relax in during the evening while listening to peaceful […] sounds of the rainforest. Only a few of the hotel staff knew some english, so you might want to brush up on your spanish or buy a guide before you go, and the restaurants were a little pricey, but then we expected that since you don't really have any alternative options. We didn't eat at one of the restaurants there since it had a dress code and we only traveled with shorts. I HIGHLY recommend eating lunch at the restaurant down by the boat docks at least once. Best meal with the best view! Read more

Genuine Expedia guest review

This hotel was wonderful. The common spaces were beautiful, the rooms were comfortable with large bathrooms. The patios overlooked the Chagres river and hotel pool. The hotel offers many tours to explore the surrounding rainforest. The guides were informative and pleasant. The hotel was located near the Panama Canal which was visable from the Marina […] Resteraunt. The food was a little pricey but good. Do not leave without having the ceviche. Read more

Genuine Expedia guest review

Gamboa is definitely a cool hotel in terms of the scenery, however it is very inconvenient for anything else having to do with Panama City. Once you are at the hotel you are stuck...yellow cabs do not make their way out meaning that you will be paying $30-50 a ride for what should amount to approximately $5-8 It is a unique experience to wake up in […] the middle of the rain forest and to hear the wild life around you...my suggestion however is to stay in Panama City and just take a day trip to the rain forest. You really do NOT need more then a day here. My other suggestion is to take another day trip to El Valle. Read more

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

DId not quite come up to my expectation as a luxury resort. On arrival there were four items that needed fixing in the room (207), they were fixed and the quality of the food was average in both dining rooms. The first night the wine I ordered was not available and Sea Bass was off the menu in the Fine Dining restaurant. The Guides were excellent and […] knowledgeable although the Night Safari was a bit of a joke. The A/C in the room was very noisy but as the weather was cool this did not bother us. The staff were generally very friendly and we did have a nice visit. Read more

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

Internet was very expensive if you wanted it in the room, otherwise it was a good experience.

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

Our stay at the Gamboa Rainforest Resort was wonderful. The only complaint I had was the service in the Monkey Bar. It was very slow and people were becoming upset when having to wait 45 minutes for their food and drinks. Our room was amazing as we were put in the Tavoli Suite. The front desk staff were very helpful as well as the guides we had on our […] tours. Beautiful area with nature all around you. We would certainly go back. Read more

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

My husband and I have stayed their several times (mostly for weddings) in the past years and find it to be one of our favorite hotels. People are great and the view is incredible. Unfortunately, this last trip we were on the second floor and the floor above us's toilet never stopped running. We never complained or called about it so it serves us right. […] I'm sure the hotel would have been on it if we had said something. Highly recommend! Read more

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

Nice hotel about 1 hour from PTY airport. It will cost you $48 from the airport in a taxi. Great location on a river that flows into the canal. Lovely views and a great place to relax. The real good thing is the tours you can do, which aren't cheap, but definietly worth doing, you can go to Monkey island on the canal and watch all the ships go by, or […] go bird watching (saw a toucan and also a Tarantula - yikes!) Definitely worth doing if you have a few days free or are stopping over on a Copa flight or something. Read more

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

We thoroughly enjoyed our stay at the Gamboa Resort. We saw quite a lot of wildlife within the grounds. The hotel is lovely, it has a large pool. We hired a car while there so we could do some sight seeing in Panama City. It was so peaceful and tranquil to get back to the resort after sightseeing.

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

très cher pour le panama , il s'agit en fait d'une "grosse usine" travaillant essentiellement pour une clientèle "all inclusive" le service y est déplorable , la nourriture relativement chère et médiocre( type cantine). Les chambres sont bien et l'emplacement sympa.Des trois semaines passées au panama , c'est la seule déception .

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

La amabilidad de todo el personal que atiende el hotel es sobresaliente.En cuanto a las habitaciones al final en la corta estadía, conocimos 3 habitaciones. La primera que estaba situada en el nivel más bajo, tenía muy mal olor a humedad. Nos cambiaron a una más pequeña, pero sin ese problema, pero el aire acondicionado era muy ruidoso. La última noche […] cuando supieron que cumplíamos 30 años de matrimonio, nos cambiaron a una suite maravillosa con gran living y comedor, kitchenette y una gran y confortable hamaca en la terraza. El baño con jacuzzi, excelente este tipo de habitación. Ademas nos enviaron una botella de champagne francesa exquisita. Hay varios tours y lugares para ir a caminar aparte de disfrutar la piscina y SPA del hotel.Recomiendo este hotel pero fijarse en que piso estarán. Mientras más arriba mejor y en los extremos, están las mejores habitaciones. Read more

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

El lugar donde está el hotel es muy lindo, pero al hotel le falta muuucho mantenimiento y los restaurantes son horribles, la comida espantosa. Tienen que remodelar.

Genuine Hotels.com guest review