Central Hotel is indeed in a central location, facing a pretty plaza and a short walk from anywhere in historic Casco Viejo, Panama City. The renovated historic building from the late 1800s has attractive public spaces, a grand staircase, and comfy beds with an array of pillows. This building went up before the French attempt to build the Panama Canal started, a good 30 years before the Americans finished it.
With a generic name like Central Hotel, you must be doing something right to be full on a regular basis like this 135-room hotel in the old section of Panama City is. You can find much cheaper places to stay in the business district among the high-rises, but they won’t have as much character or be so close to so many things to experience within walking distance. This hotel is situated in Casco Viejo, the revitalized Spanish Colonial area that is a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Casco Viejo has gone through a lot of changes since I first visited it in the late ’00s. Back then, there were a lot of empty, run-down buildings, a nice theater, the president’s office, and…not much else. Few people spent the night there. I heard a lot about big plans for the future, but they were kind of hard to imagine. Then, when I returned in 2018, the area was clearly on the rise, and we had far more dining and drinking choices, plus the American Trade Hotel had opened, bringing curious luxury travelers to the area.
Fast-forward to now, and the changes are dramatic and impressive. Thanks to government efforts to spur owners to either fix up the run-down buildings, sell them, or have them taken over, a wave of reconstruction has led to cool boutique hotels, rum rooms, rooftop bars, a microbrewery, and dozens of restaurants in between shops selling hats and other souvenirs.
Central Hotel is indicative of the changes, the steadily increasing rates over the years going into renovations and improvements that have made this property look elegant and pristine throughout, bringing it to its full potential.
Sure, the area is a bit gentrified and overpriced compared to the rest of Panama now, but Casco Viejo is clearly checking the right boxes for tourists. The area is hopping at all times of year now, in part because Copa Airlines is based in this country, and they have a stopover program for people traveling between North America and South America.
A Full-service Hotel in Casco Viejo
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Even now, there are only a handful of large hotels in the historic district, and until very recently, there were no chain ones. Central Hotel has more competition now, but they’ve seen it all before and have managed to keep filling up the place despite no longer being the only full-service hotel here.
Their rectangular swimming pool can’t compare to the larger one at the Sofitel Legend a few blocks away, but they do have one up on the roof and it’s a nice place to lounge on a sunny day, looking out over the historic buildings to the Panama City skyline beyond. There’s also a spa here if you want to get a massage or facial. Or grab a workout at the gym.
When weather permits, there’s also a bar area with tables in this roof area called El Atico, some of it covered and some outside. Or you can get a drink while sitting in the plaza under an umbrella across from the entrance, charging it to your room.
There are two main dining areas in the hotel. The breakfast buffet area is to the right of the bar in a separate space, with an array of hot and cold choices. Panamanian choices join international favorites and the full breakfast got my day started right. The Panamanian coffee was better than the usual hotel buffet pour. At night, this Bistro Central gets more formal, and the cuisine is a step above most of the other options in the neighborhood.
You can also order meals at the bar, an area that’s good for mingling and watching the hotel patrons come and go.
Rooms at Central Hotel
All rooms at this Panama City hotel are well-equipped and have a good range of amenities, though the closets have those awful “no theft” hangers that no true luxury hotel would ever be caught dead with. (People are paying hundreds of dollars per night, and you’re worried about them taking a hanger from the closet?)
If at all possible, you should pay a bit more to skip the lowest standard room category as those are only a shade more than 200 square feet, though they do all come with bathrobes, minibars, and nice bathrooms with quality toiletries. The complimentary Wi-Fi worked well during my stay.
I was in a Premium Room, which was quite spacious, with two chairs, a table, a luggage rack, and a desk. The dark hardwood floor added some gravitas, and the framed prints featured scenes from Panama. The only downside was that the windows let in plenty of noise. Normally, it wouldn’t be such an issue, but some very loud workmen were going up and down on a beeping crane just outside starting at 6:30 a.m.
Other room options include a family room, junior suites, regular suites, and a presidential suite. Valet parking is available for a fee.
Rates at Central Hotel Casco Viejo are higher than the average for Panama City, often starting at more than $300 per night and topping a grand for the presidential suite. For comparison, standards at luxury property The Bristol in the business district start at around $75 less. I’m guessing that the groups booked here before or after a tour (like I was) are getting a much better rate, and prices do seem lower on sites like Booking.com than they are on the official website.
Rates do include a buffet breakfast here, though, and there are no extra fees beyond taxes.
Check rates online at Expedia, Booking.com, or Hotels.com.
Tim Leffel’s stay at Central Hotel was hosted by Visit Panama in conjunction with the Adventure Travel Trade Association. As always, all opinions are his own.
