Playa Bonita and Spa Panama Hotel Review
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(thepanamareport.com) My mom wanted to see the Canal but also wanted a resort vacation in the City, so we booked at InterContinental Playa Bonita Resort.It is not located in the downtown City,it's about 16 kilometers from the Panama City center and seems to be a good fit for anyone who wants to be close to the city, but looking for resort-type atmosphere.
With a silvery-brown beach (which is not terribly clean) it is lovely for an evening walk by the ocean and the resort is big enough that you can get a little exercise without leaving the premises. But we were seriously disappointed with the water on the beach which was somewhat polluted maybe because it is near to the entrance of the Canal.
We concentrated instead on the pool which is what everyone here should do. My mom love's the pool but me I found it too crowded. Filled with far too many kids. The bar by the pool has unsatisfying service and this was echoed by several other guests who stayed along with us. We had to wait for several minutes for our drinks to be served.The staff was quite unfriendly and not very helpful: at least not what you'd expect form a hotel resort like this, asking these prices. So I suggest you order two or three drinks once to avoid this inconvenience. It is really an understaffed poolside bar.
The resort is surrounded by forest on three sides and Pacific Ocean on the remaining side.This offers a spectacular view. One thing you should also be aware of is dealing with bugs. So don't forget to bring insect repellant for the entire family.
The room we occupied was quite well appointed, with tile floors and great ocean view.It also had two direct-dial phones with voice mail, in-room printer and fax, 36-inch TVs with pay-per-view movies, VCRs, minibars and coffeemakers.The bathroom was spacious with glass-enclosed tub-showers come with robes, slippers, hair dryers and plenty of toiletries. Again my mom loved it, but then again, she loves everything. One of the flaws is that we could hear the conversations of the people next to our room. This time it really annoyed both of us.The bed was comfortable though the architecture and materials used to build the place seem seriously outdated and meager.
The dining experience fell short for our expectations too. The food was average. We usually took taxi cabs to go downtown and have dinner because of this which is really a shame: especially because it's pretty expensive too.
The spa on the other hand, exceeded our expectations. We really took advantage of the free steam room and Jacuzzi. It was large and wonderful. The airconditioned gym had a great oceanview--sexy--in addition to featuring a wide selection of modern equipment which I used only for a few minutes. The resort needs to get a stronger service orientation. I think their ratings would greatly improve because they have a nice canvas to start with.
Overall, we enjoyed our stay at the resort moderately and probably would not go back at the same price.
