Which Are the Best Cheap Hotels to Book in Panama?

The Radisson Hotel Panama Canal overlooks the internationally famous body of water, so you can see all the maritime comings and goings. The pool and sun loungers are surrounded by palm trees, and there’s free tea and coffee on tap to recharge you throughout the day. For a bit of retail therapy, or simply to wistfully browse, jump on the hotel’s free shuttle to the colossal Albrook Mall.

Set in the hype of the financial district in Panama City, Victoria Hotel & Suites offers 84 spacious rooms and 43 deluxe suites looking out onto the flashy skyline (without flashy prices to match). Head out for a stroll, jog or even rollerblade down the Cinta Costera, a sublime seafront recreational area downtown, before returning to the hotel and cooling off with a refreshing dip in the rooftop pool.

Cosmic Crab Resort is located on the shimmering, road-free Isla Carenero, within the Bocas del Toro Archipelago in northern Panama. The vivid azure cabins are as bright as the crystalline water they sit on, and each one can accommodate up to seven people. The sunbathing deck, with its cushioned loungers and delicately mosaicked tables, is a pristine spot for listening to the lapping waves and basking in the relaxed Caribbean breeze.

Las Clementinas Boutique Hotel has just six apartments and three studios, so intimacy and attention to detail from the staff are guaranteed. The hotel is in a beautifully renovated ancient house in the heart of Panama City’s historic center. Head up to the expansive rooftop to take in the capital from above, and revel in the feeling of design-forward luxury at one of the best cheap hotels in Panama.

Selina Playa Venao on the Azuero Peninsula is one of the finest and most sociable surf spots in Panama. Nothing needs to be done with haste at this beachfront, palm-tree-adorned haven. Take up kayaking or windsurfing with an expert guide, stretch out on the shorefront yoga deck, or simply wind down in the garden that is adorned with twinkling fairy lights, after catching some stellar waves.

A few hours’ drive from Panama City lies the unassuming, eco-conscious world of Selina Kalu Yala. Sip on some freshly fermented rum from the on-site distillery, and while away the day swimming in the river and soaking up the sounds of surrounding toucans and howler monkeys. Stay in teepees or wooden cabins, and, if you need to get in touch with the outside world, there’s solar-powered, high-speed wifi – not something found at all cheap hotels in Panama.

Just a short walk from the laid-back, backpacker town of Bocas del Toro lies the dreamy, serene Koko Acqua Lodge. Colorful bungalows on stilts sit over the gleaming water, with each one guaranteeing a far-spanning view of the Caribbean Sea. Head to neighboring Istmito Beach for some bathing and bronzing, or set out on a canoeing jaunt around Saigon Bay.

In Veraguas Province, Hotel Santa Catalina looks out onto the wave-blessed Pacific coast. Surfing will likely be at the top of your agenda here, but you can also go diving to see turtles and sharks at the Unesco-protected Coiba Island or horseback riding along the beach. The high-ceilinged rooms all have memory foam mattresses and cotton sheets – ideal for dozing off after a long day exploring the water.

Exclusive, mint-hued cabins stilted above the aquamarine Caribbean Sea await at Punta Caracol in the Bocas del Toro Archipelago. Designed to sit subtly in their surroundings, the cabins were built using native woods, clays and palm leaves, with solar panels providing all the energy for the hotel. Snorkel along the mile-long coral reef next to the hotel, and, at the end of the day, check out the sunset from your cabin’s deck as dolphins play in the water around you.

Hacienda Los Molinos Boutique Hotel sits atop the majestic canyon of the Río Cochea in Chiriquí Province. The rustic rooms and villas will have you feeling right at home on this historic ranch with its very own stone-rimmed pool. Take a seat at the Canyon Bar, where you can sip on a slushy daiquiri and look out over the misty cloud forest and Volcán Barú, the highest peak in Panama.

Azul Paradise’s two locations in Bocas del Toro both offer luxurious over-the-water bungalows but without the hefty price tag you might expect; one is in Bocas town itself, and the other is on a more secluded side of the island (a boat runs between the two). Chalky white sand and azure waters abound in this slice of bliss. Swim and snorkel at Starfish Beach, or head to Dolphin Bay to watch the bottlenose beauties frolicking in the water.