Hotels near Landmarks | Panama | Cities E - H

Avalon Grand Panama
I went to Panama City for some business and some classes. The (obviously lousy) maps that I was able to find on the internet indicated that this hotel was 1.8km from the Panama Convention Center. IT WAS NOT. This hotel is not even IN Panama City -- it is in a neighboring community of Las Cumbres. That;s 10 miles up Ruta Transmismica -- the main artery between Panaman City and Colon. Traffic on Transismica is heavy, slow, and during the day will give you flashbacks to rush-hours traffic in some large US cities. To arrive at my 8:00am classes on time, the taxi driver recommended that we leave the Avalon at 5:30am. That did work, but it made for a very long day. And the drive was hardly pleasant -- it's not a scenic area, and not an area that is included on tour routes. The taxi fare, negotiated in advance for the whole week, was $20, one way. Add that cost to your lodging/travel costs as you plan for your lodging. In addition, in my stay at the Avalon, I noted (quick glances in the windows of some unoccupied rooms) that most rooms have some nice amenities -- microwave, toaster, small refrigerator, etc. In my room, these were all missing. There was a 'kitchenette" without any of the kitchen amenities. So, it was a good thing that the Avalon's restaurant was quite good -- a plus as there are no other restaurants within walking distance. The Avalon is a 'Resort' hotel, that is located to be a nice quick getaway for people that live in Panama City. It's definitely NOT a hotel for folks that need to spend time IN Panama City. The staff is pleasant and helpful. There is no wireless internet access. This 'Resort' also seems to be trying to save money on the little things: no kitchenette amenities, no table lamps by the bed. No clock, no wash clothes for bathing, no mattress liner beneath the sheets, no bathing soap (just little round hand soap that smells like low-end french perfume), showerhead with poor flow... Summary: This hotel was not close enough t...More

Country Inn Ste Panama City
Bad Internet signal.......More

Country Inn Ste Panama City
It was easy to get back and forth from the hotel. The area itself has a shopping mall that is walking distance. Breakfast was very good, even though they close the door at 9:30am. U...More