Best Western Plus Panama Zen Hotel

Good hotel ususal standard for such places. Room clean and comfortable. Tea/coffee in room BUT why only for 1 person when we had booked a double for two persons? We arrived at night after two long flights and needed a cup of tea! Rooftop terrace with pool and restaurant, good views over city, especially at night. Food on offer was ususal salads, burgers etc, we arrived late evening and it shut at 9.30pm so didn't eat here. Breakfasts buffet style with choice of cereals, yoghurt, bread and sausage, bacon, scrambled eggs....they did do fried eggs BUT the notice said there was a charge for this which isn't very good for a hotel of this standard!! Staff friendly and helpful. Yes would revisit if in Panama again.

Nice area, nice rooms and tasty buffet breakfast. Rooftop restaurant slow and food cold but great view. Breakfast fruit selection excellent …… but they did have one exotic fruit in plastic only (I.e. not edible): an apple ! To be recommended.

On our recent trip to Panama we stayed at the Best Western Plus Panama Zen Hotel. We really enjoyed our stay at the hotel. Breakfast was included and was a very good breakfast with a wide variety and selection of food. The room was very spacious and clean. The bed was comfortable and the maid service was good. We really enjoyed the rooftop restaurant and pool. The food and service at the restaurant was good and the pool was very refreshing which was great after a hot day in the sun. I would recommend this hotel when staying in Panama City as the the price value is excellent.

Good location in a little neighborhood set off of the main city. Lots of good restaurants within walking distance. Internet was hit-n-miss at best. Room was spacious and clean. Downtown area can be walked to (20-25 mins) but be forewarned, the city is NOT pedestrian friendly!

Excellent value for money. I stayed in BW ZEN Plus twice from 1-3 AUG (three nights) and 11-12 AUG (two nights). Location is perfect, small restaurants for dinner around, $5 taxi ride to Casco Viejo. Staff is very friendly and very helpful. Strongly recommend this hotel

After going through numerous hotels I settled on this and it turned out to be one of the "Best" decisions in life...Great service overall with no complaints...when in Panama stay at Best Western Plus Panama Zen Hotel

hotel was top notch. beautiful, good price and service. breakfast was ok pretty basic restaurant a little pricey. room was nice HOWEVER, house keeping comes to clean too early , they talk loud and their radio volume loud, you can hear all the noises in the hallway doors slamming ect. location excellent to all the malls like Albrook, El Dorado and Muti Plaza. Ubber and taxis no problems .lots of restaurants, stores and Casinos .

Average hotel. The location is decent and with a lot of restaurants, cafes, grocery stores. There's a supermarket and metro station about 10-12 min away on foot. The staff is really helpful. The rooms are spacious but house keeping could improve. The pool is very small. 3 stars at most

Our room was a good size, clean and with good facilities. Staff were friendly and helpful. There is quite a nice rooftop lounge area, but the swimming pool isn't very big. Breakfast is a buffet, with limited choice but decent quality. The hotel isn't really well located for visitng the Canal, the old city or the central areas, but there is good transport available, so everything is accessible.

Average hotel but after reading the reviews before booking this place I was disappointed. The rooms are ok but the rooftop infinity pool was a let down, very small and so cold that only a few people ventured in and soon got out also not enough loungers. Breakfast was very basic but I suppose it was adequate to start your day. The hotel is on a very dirty side street but it seemed safe and there are shops and restaurants close by. Personally I would pay the extra and stay somewhere more central.

What a hugh disappointment. The breakfast says included but no its 10.70 each person each day. There are no face clothes or hand towels and you get two towels for two people. I went to the pool almost every day and there were never any pool towels and the pool is definitely not HEATED as stated. The breakfast food was good and there was a variety. There is not a microwave in the room. The staff was friendly and smiling and that was a plus. Be for warned that when you are eating breakfast the staff is constantly coming to your table trying to remove your dishes while you are trying to eat. My son stayed here for a month in 2019 and said it was great but things have definitely gone down hill. I would never stay here again.

This is a nice hotel in a great location. The room was really nice and had a walk-in shower. Breakfast was of a good standard and they kindly provided a boxed breakfast on the day I had an early start. Reception were always friendly and helpful. There are plenty of good restaurants within a few minutes walk and there is a great coffee shop and an ice-cream parlour directly across the road from the hotel. It is also a 5 minute walk from the Metro station

Stayed for 15 days. Clean Rooms, Staff is very Helpful. Lots of restaurants near by to walk to and little markets if you just need small items like water and snacks. The Gym is Awesome and very Clean. The only reason I gave it a 4 stars is because the Gym should have towels so you don't walk around dripping sweat everywhere. They also run out of water a lot on their Water machine at the gym. Love the Small pool on the roof top. During my stay, they had a freak flash flood and my rental car was stranded and submerged in water in front of the hotel. An employee help me get a hold of the Rental Car Company since I don't speak much Spanish. She was awesome and a big help. Breakfast was ok with many options to choose but if you really want good breakfast, a lot of places to go within walking distance.

Very nice and elegant Hotel in Panama City. We loved the incredibly friendly and helpful staff, the delicious breakfast and the rooftop pool on the 15th floor with a fantastic view over the city. We felt very comfortable and can highly recommend the hotel

Very nice staff and helpful. Good location for restaurants. Walkable to get coffee. Room very nice, comfortable and quite. Decent breakfast. Sky bar great addition. Good for a short stay. Use an Uber if you are going to the airport half the price.

The hotel is beautiful, the view from the room is spectacular, the pool and bar on the terrace are the best to enjoy the sunset. The staff is very friendly, I could not have breakfast because my transfer picked me up at 7 and offered me alternatives to eat

My only complaint is the room i was staying in was a bit to dark and when the cleaners took our towels to wash in the morning. There was no cleans towels available until in the night, so when we got back to the room we had to wait a couple hours to shower.

Decent Hotel in strategic location with helpful staff.. Pros: Clean rooms, save area, near metro, several restaurants and bars in the vicinity - Cons: tiny pool - Overall: Very good hotel for a couple of days of city exploring.

The bedding was dirty we were moved to another room again blood on the sheets, my son and daughter also had no towels and dirty bedding. I will not recommend this Hotel. There are better options at the same price range

I stayed here for 4 nights on a work trip. The hotel is clean and nice. The staff is very friendly and helpful. Rooftop views are nice. Decent number of good restaurants within walking distance. If you're visiting for a purely tourist stop, there may be better options.

A very good 3* choice. Efficient check in. Room comfortable with tea and coffee facilities, safe, fridge with mini bar with a poor view. For one night I wasn't bothered.. Arranging to leave most our luggage for 4 nights for a San Blas trip was met with a positive response and a breakfast box was offered for the early start. On return breakfast was not up to normal standards 3* Buffett. A choice of cereals, chips (?), sausage in some sauce and long left fried or scrambled eggs. Quickly disappearing cheese and hams and a minor fruit selection with breasted or coffee. It just didn't feel a great choice, OK, but no better. The hotel is situated in a district where you feel comfortable walking around with a good choice of nearby restaurants. The rooftop has a small pool, few sunbeds, but offers a decent view of the city at night.

After spending 3 nights at the Aloft, the BW Zen was just so much better. The staff at the BW Zen were helpful and courteous, the rooms were well designed and clean, and the pool was very nice! I would not hesitate it return here.

Pro: Hotel is located in the expat area, lots of good bars and restaurants close by. Good and attentive staff. For example I was offered an umbrella when it rained. Room spacious and clean. Good view and relaxing atmosphere at rooftop pool. Area's of improvement: Little choice of fresh products at breakfast Bed is way too soft - was bad for my back, had to turn around the matrass Pool area could use a few more lounge chairs, but I do understand it's not a big area. I recommend this hotel :)

Very clean room , awesome rooftop pool, pretty good breakfast. Right in the middle of the action with plenty of restaurants and bars nearby. Friendly and helpful staff made a five day stay easy and enjoyable. What a view of the city from the roof!

The hotel is in a great location close to a lot of really good restaurants. The decor is trendy and tasteful. The roof terrace with the pool is great, especially at night. The view from the terrace is amazing. Rooms are nicely decorated and clean. There are two computers and a printer in the lobby so it's great fro printing documents. The staff is super friendly and helpful.

Fabulous service. Extremely clean and modern. Nice breakfast with a wide range of options. Great tourist hotel with helpful reception staff. I appreciated the reliable transfer arrangement from the airport and the reception desk contacting a reliable taxi to take us to our cruise ship the next day.

Stayed 7 nights here in December 2021. It is a very clean and nice hotel, centrally located. Staff is very professional and kind. There are plenty of restaurants and bars around. The metro station is also very close, and there is Uber of course. My BW status was recognized and I received the upgrade and early check-in / late check-out – but not the gift. Room was cleaned well, there is a coffee machine, a nice shower. Breakfast is OK, a bit boring – and no fresh juice and no yoghurt. The fitness room is great (incl. a view of the skyline) but the air-condition was not working and no towels are provided in the room. The pool on the roof is nice but small. Cleaning of clothes is expensive and not well ironed. Overall I was happy though with the package provided here. I liked especially the lobby. Recommended.

This is a great option for the price. The place is near of several options for food. Including Venezuelan cuisine. The hotel in general is pretty nice. Additionally is close for the house belonging to Mano e' Piedra Duran

We understand we are in difficult times with the pandemic, so some leeway should be given. However, we arrived late evening and the check in man was lovely. We went to our room and the card did not work to power the room, so no lights or ac. We called the receptionist who came to check and after agreeing that it was broken informed us the only room he had for the night was a twin room. We were fine with that given the situation. We moved rooms to find no coffee maker so he kindly brought us one. The following day we asked re the room and were informed it was fixed, so we moved rooms back. No coffee maker again! Both rooms ac were noisy and the twin room was next to the gym. Late into the night we could hear loud voices keeping us awake. We booked with breakfast included but were not informed it would be delivered in bags from outside. Therefore they did not know i was vegetarian. Had I known this I would have informed them in advance. In fact the food was not worth bothering with. It was cold, dry and tasteless. Our fridge in our room didnt work so our milk turned sour. The staff were all very friendly and helpful but the quality of service was not the best. We won't be staying here again.

I stayed two nights at this hotel. It is very clean, well located, has a beautiful pool on the rooftop, and above all the staff is really helpful, committed and caring (reception, pool, housekeeping). A special thank you to Sara and especially Armando with whom my stay would not have been the same. I definitely recommend the hotel and I will choose it again if I ever come back to Panama City.

Pretty much everything you could want- good location, clean, comfortable, and friendly! The breakfast had a nice selection and the pool and rooftop bar were very nice! The pool isn't giant, but if you're looking for lounging with a great view it is perfect! I would stay again and recommend it to friends and family because it's budget friendly and low stress.

I was very pleased with my room that I booked through TripAdvisor. I believe it was $50 no refund. Go to the rooftop for excellent views of the city. Excellent restaurants are within walking distance of the hotel

Good price and close to Argentina subway station. Very friendly and helpful staff. They let us have our room hours before the official check-in time. Good local Panamanian restaurant just around the corner.

We stayed here as a large group for one night and then as a smaller group for a few nights. Overall clean hotel, nice location. Beautiful rooftop pool and seating area. For the most part staff are helpful and attentive. However, be careful when you check out. A few in our group were incorrectly charged for consuming items from the minibar. Two situations were resolved after lengthy discussions with staff. A third member of our group was running late for the airport and just got frustrated and paid the fees even though they never touched the minibar. Checking in also had some hiccups on both occasions. But I was able to show email confirmations from the hotel manager to resolve it.

The hotel was well located in a convenient safe and central area. The room was spacious and clean, the bed was huge and comfy, the view from the room was OK. The rooftop pool and bar areas were nice, as was the restaurant area. The staff were helpful and overall the stay was excellent value for money. My only complaint was a saga with the food. Long story short my wife and I ordered two veggie burgers for dinner at the restaurant. At first only one came, they'd misunderstood that we wanted two, so they started preparing the second. Because we were hungry, we cut my wife's in half and both started eating it. Immediately we were both like "this is beef!" The burger was supposed to be a fake meat kind, so at first I thought maybe it was the most realistic fake meat burger I'd ever tasted! But no, we debated it and it was beef. I complained to the staff and they were ADAMANT it was veggie burger, in the end I had to ask them to bring me the packaging the burger came from, and when they did, sure enough it was a 100% beef burger. In their defense the packaging was in English for some reason, they'd become confused by the term "no animal by-products" on the packaging (in the context of "no hormones, no GMO" etc) but when I typed it into google translate for them the penny dropped. Less in their defense the ingredients clearly listed "100% beef". The manager did come and apologise, but the upshot seems to be that they've been feeding vegetarians a beefburger for who knows how long!! I kind of see the funny side, but I've not eaten meat in years and even that one bite upset my stomach, so it was far from ideal. Disappointing for a large hotel chain like that. Doesn't give me much faith they could deal with allergens for example, so beware of that.

Definitely exceeded my expectations. I was here for one night and overly impressed by the room and the service. Quick check-in process. The lobby area is small but quite elegantly decorated. Otherwise, the room itself was fantastic and large and very modern. WiFi was quick. Ice service was asked at the front desk and was swift. The neighborhood seemed quite and safe. I was present on a weekday and went for a late night stroll and it felt pleasant. Otherwise, I had skipped the check-out process in the AM which seemed to have quite the line-up present. Otherwise, really great hotel and I'll be sure to be back! $15 Uber to the airport was nice too! About a 30-35min uber drive.

Excellent hotel, great location, excellent front desk staff. They responded very quickly to requests for towels, taxis, airport shuttle, anything at all! We were booked here from Jan 29-Feb 2,before traveling to the Decameron for a week, but when we returned to the city we returned here! Several restaurants in the area, metro station, pharmacy, etc. Rooms were very clean, beds comfortable and breakfast was a really nice selection and presentation. Decor is lovely! Definitely will stay here again on a return trip!

Would have been perfect if the aircondition would not blow just over bed and can NOT switched off; that's the reason I wilk take other hotel next times Room was good and clean, with a safe Breakfast always the same but ok Geographically excellent: shops and restaurant around Rooftop Bar wonderful, ate there well but to order more wine you must walk down to the bar; no-one looked whether you need more Overall excellent price for good quality

pretty disappointed with the hotel from check in. orbitz somehow didn't have my boyfriends name on the room and they said he wouldn't be able to stay in the room without paying 22 usd a night extra. doesnt make sense considering we've been traveling together for a month so idno how his name wasn't on there. the hotel is already expensive in my opinion for what you get. was pretty annoyed because we had no choice. didn't understand why 1 person had to pay 22 extra dollars for the room. not like we had 3-4 people in the room only 2. breakfast is a bust, everthing was cold. it's buffet style and stuff is in warmer so i thought but nope. all cold. so not worth the money at all. the room is spacious and we had to have two twin beds, they didn't try to accommodate for a king or queen for us. wifi sucks in the rooms. only works well at the pool and restaurant. pool is nice but small, the space gets filled up quick if you aren't one of the first ones out there. came out at 930 and all chairs were taken. the area it's located has restaurants and such but just seems too hectic. i loved casco viejo so this part of town sucks in comparison. also reviews said it was close to the airport, uhh it's not. it's like 30-40 min uber ride away. thought we were saving time by being here instead of casco viejo. but casco viejo to the airport was quicker. so overall pretty disappointed by the stay here. wouldn't stay here again, would 100% stay in the casco viejo district for the price we ended up paying

Outstanding hotel, fantastic value for money...rooms are large, views amazing, staff very profesional, roof top pool beautiful, modern design, spotlessly clean, great location..still can't believe the price because it feels and looks like 5 star hotel...

Best Western Zen hotel was really great. Everything was basically at the level of a five star hotel and the room rate was really not high. So in terms of value for money their offer is really incredible. The location is perfect. Right around the hotel you can find many good restaurants and we felt very safe to walk there even at night. The hotel also has a roof top bar with a small swimming pool. The view of the city from there is just amazing. I think you can find no better hotel in Panama City. If you like to visit the Miraflores locks ask at the recpetion before because there are certain times when the ships are there.

We've stayed at a few place in Panama City and this place by far was our favorite! The staff is very friendly and accommodating. The rooms are clean and comfortable and the pool area was outstanding. Best breakfast buffet we had on our journey in Panama City. Defiantly recommend!

I was very pleased with this hotel. Our reservation included breakfast, and this made it very good value. Rooms were clean and modern. Staff were friendly and helpful. There are lots of small, very reasonably priced restaurants within a few blocks. We felt very safe walking in the area. An Uber to the Old Town cost about $5 (Uber everywhere was incredibly cheap).

I only stayed for one night, but I slept very well. The only negative thing was, that you can hear the people outside your room. Breakfast was good! Would go again and recommend it. The room was clean and also the staff at the reception was very friendly and helpful.

I hesitated before booking this hotel because it seemed too good to be true. I was impressed by the room size (the window was the entire wall!), good pressure in the shower, instant hot water, nice roof top pool and very friendly staff. The cleaning staff shows up between 9am and 10am which is perfect if you want to come back at the hotel at noon for a nap. The location is also perfect. There are many restaurants and markets around. You can buy bottled water in the many small shops surrounding the hotel. Take an Uber to the airport; I paid $13.

The hotel is ok, in the financial district, but a little bit far from the old town. I wasn't really satisfied with the woman cleaning the rooms, she changed the towels, made our bad but she didn't clean the glasses, she didn't put a bottle of water. But maybe it was our unlucky day. The hotel is clean, in the restaurant the staff was friendly and helpful

Clean, easy, nice hotel for a “sleeping layover” - arrived late and left early. Be sure to request a breakfast “to-go” in advance if you'll be checking out before breakfast starts at 7 am. Otherwise there's a 24-hour diner around the corner. Bed was comfortable. Didn't get to use the pool.

The pool area is QUITE small but there are some nice outdoor spaces. The room was small, but breakfast was good and the staff was friendly if not helpful - they were somehow unable to book us a taxi and so we had to take a "private car (which was filthy) to the airport. They also sold us tickets for the Hop-on-Hop-off bus but when we returned and told them how terrible it was, they were not surprised. There are some interesting restaurants and a cool local brewery in the area.

Hotel checks almost all boxes. Neighborhood is not perfect however very good for downtown location. All the basic amenities. The price is exactly correct ... not too high, not too low, buy just right. Better English at front desk would be much appreciated for us "in poquito espanol " guests.

This is not a 4 star hotel by any means but for $70 usf per night it was a great value. Clean modern room. Nice rooftop pool and bar area. If you are on layover or just looking for a decent place to sleep while you sightsee, it serves that purpose. Economical.

Great hotel with amazing pool in 15th floor, the room was huge with big bathroom and coffee machine. The design and cleaness were excellent. The breakfast was buffett with a lot of choice. I would choose it again.

Checked in on an afternoon after 3.00. Was put in a room opposite the cleaning and service staff room. Was very noisy and smelled from the various cleaning agents used to paint, clean, etc. Service staff was nice, but seemed to be on their phones a lot. They did greet you, but then returned to their phone access. We've stayed at this hotel several times in the last few years. Quality has gone down. Will look for other options.

We stayed here for two nights. Excellent value for money. The hotel sent a hotel taxi to pick us up from Albrook airport for $20. The hotel is a tall tower block and is smart and comfortable. We had a deluxe corner room which was lovely, large and with great views of the city. There is a minibar in the room and it also had a large bathroom. We did not eat in the hotel because it is situated just off Via Argentina which is packed with bars and restaurants. The area is safe and friendly. Next door to the hotel is a large public space for sports and other activities which was good to sit and watch the locals playing. Taxis can be flagged from Via Argentina. Despite the hotel staff saying don't use them, they were fine – just agree the price up front (and tips are not expected). The new metro (underground) is just five minutes walk away which is convenient for getting to the old city (Casco Viejo, well worth a day there). The hotel has a roof top pool and bar and has great views across the city. The pool water was freezing when we were there though! We booked a taxi to Tocumen airport via the hotel when we left for $30.

Extremely friendly and helpful staff throughout hotel. Very good breakfasts with many choices of fruits, veggies, juices and even meats and cheeses. Clean and comfortable rooms. Nice rooftop pool and lounge.

My husband and I chose to stay at Best Western because of the helpful reviews from TripAdvisor. So it is only fair that I give my feedback to help others. We had a wonderful stay at the BW Plus. We checked in the evening and were greeted by a hospitable gentleman by the name of Armando. He was the main person we interacted with on our stay there when we ran into problems. We chose BW as opposed to other hotel chains because it was our first time to Panama and wanted to ensure that we had a comfortable place to rest our heads after a long day of shopping or site seeing. Pros: Friendly, bi-lingual reception staff, clean room, complimentary water, coffee and tea was replaced daily and our beds were made up when we asked for it to be. Cons: From our first night, the soap dispenser was not working. At first, we thought there was no liquid soap in the dispenser so we called the front desk to inform them. They ended up bring face soap. we called the guy to show him we meant liquid soap. He returned with the liquid soap. The following morning around 2am I woke up to use the washroom and the soap had leaked all over the counter and floor. Thankfully I put a light on or I could have slipped and gotten a nasty fall. The following day we told the front desk about it and they sent someone to check the dispenser again. A gentleman came to check the dispenser and said it was fixed. Lo and behold, the following morning, we woke up to the same problem. We decided to use the face soap for the duration of our trip. We were originally going to take breakfast each day for our 5 nights stay and we are so happy we didn't. We had breakfast one day and boy were we disappointed. Not enough variety of items, the fruit tasted off, the plantain soup was more like a porridge and when we went for coffee and hot milk there was none. We informed the staff about it and they took both thermoses in, thinking they were going to bring a replacement back immediately (as it's breakfast period) so we thought there would be items especially hot beverages ready and waiting to be replaced. We stood there for a long time waiting. Eventually we stopped one of the staffers and explained that we were still waiting for the coffee and milk. She told us to go sit and she would bring it to us. Finally she brought the coffee but was black and the other was with milk, when I specifically asked her for hot milk for my tea. It was such a frustrating process. Was not a pleasant way to start the morning.

Great value for the money at ~$55/ night. Beds were comfy, rooms cleaned promptly, breakfast adequate. Loved the pool area except on the Sunday afternoon it was used for an outside party. Hotel guests did not have enough room to sit nor quiet with 8 girls scream during playing. But, location of this hotel was excellent with several restaurants and bars within a 5 minute walk. The new subway is also close by and very convenient. All in all a good place to stay.

I am giving this a top review as a hotel. The staff was great. They were helpful, knowledgeable and had excellent English skills. Our room was large and comfortable and the breakfast buffet had a variety of items to choose from. My only negative is that there is almost no where to walk to. El Trapiche is on the corner and worth a visit, but all other restaurants and sites were a cab ride.

Stayed at the Zen again for an overnight trip to the city. Was able to check in early which was quite helpful. The front desk staff is always very helpful. My room was very comfortable and quiet Easy check in and check out and parking is right on site.

The staff was professional and the hotel was modern and well kept. They have a large foyer, and a large restaurant with free breakfast. The breakfast provided is elaborate and there's lot of places to sit. The room is big and there's coffee in the honor bar as well. The hotel is situated in the central city where the bulk of the hotels are. There's casinos and restaurants and shopping nearby. The neighborhood is safe to walk around.

This hotel is located close to transportation, supermarkets, and stores. Breakfast is plenty of food, very good quality, and great taste. Small pool but enough to spend the mornings or nights and drinking cocktails.

This is the perfect location for its price, room offering, proximity to restaurant. Staff was really nice, and our included continental breakfast buffet was phenomenon good! Breakfast choice is always altering every day, scramble egg, omellette, boil, pan. There was also some panamenian food on the alternating. Cold cuts, toast, fresh fruit Good! We had 3 room booked, we all expericence these problems: 1 - Door key card stop working, every or every second day (need to reset at lobby) 2 - Shower temperature is lukewarm; the faucet at the sink was hotter!! I rather take a shower in the sink instead of the shower... Really....! 3 - Wifi is spotty and connection is not greatest in the rooms; (lobby and ground floor is fine). 4 - The Air conditioning is not a split unit, if you leave in auto, it turns on and off on its own every 10 minute to keep the room cool; very irritating in the middle of the night!!! Super Noisy. 5 - TV has no mirroring function; I wasn't able to mirror my android/ apple to enjoy my own movies. 6 - Drinking bottled water never provided at daily turndown; unless you ask for them at the cleaning lady (if you cross them). The neighborhood has a lot of restaurant, which is great, but not so clean, as there are lot of the rats and cats around. The rooftop unlimited pool has a great view of the city! PLUS PLUS, but it must be reached by a few steps of stairs on the 15th floor (beware if you are a disable person). There's a big park for both the local and kids, really nice to take them there! We stay 6 nights over there, there is a laundromat right across (5USD for wash and dry ! CHEAP!) If you had to buy 4G data, I suggest that you do not buy from Airport. Go to the Metro-Plus at "Via-Espana" there's an 6.5USD movistar 4G unlimited data LTE for the same thing. Make sure you have Band 28 on your phone to support for 4G. (very limited thethring data and 3G included).

First of all I have to say the hotel room was clean and nice. Also de hotel building with the rooftop was beautiful. But unfortunately the organization was bad. I had a terrible experience at the restaurant, I waited for my food over 2 hours and they brought me two times the wrong dish. At the end it was wrong again and the kitchen closed. In addition the stuff speaks barely English. Also when we want to order something through the reception, it took a long time or they just forgot it. Nice hotel and location but a unsatisfied organization.

Stayed here on a business trip for 2 nights. The hotel has a great location. The room was perfect: very comfortable and well-thought for business. Breakfast was also very good and they have a beautiful rooftop pool, also with lounge restaurant. I would definitely recommend this hotel and will come back for my next business trip to the city.

This hotel exceeded expectations. It is clean, modern and well-designed, with updated, comfortable rooms, a nice pool area and a really well-done complimentary breakfast buffet. The view from our room was exceptional. I would definitely recommend this hotel!

Great place to stay the view on the top floor was amazing with a pool ,bar and restaurant.going places from the hotel was easy and cheap. ou can use Uber and the hotel taxi was great.The hotel is close to the convention centre Atlapa.

We stayed in Best Western for 4 nights as our first stop after arriving in Panama. The hotel is in a good location, bit hidden, near the subway and buslines. Although we used Uber to get around in the city. The hotel it self is decent and nothing wrong with it. Good sizes rooms with comfortable bed and bathroom. There is the availability of a pool, although didn't match our expectations as it is quite small and crowded. In the room the airco is quite noisy, but you get used to it fast. Breakfast for 13 dollars per person is a basic buffet with all things for a American breakfast. Overal decent solid hotel, but nothing standing out.

We stayed 4nightes 26jun19-30jun19 We highly recommend on this hotel on all aspects, the staff was very helpful, specialy ANDREAS MENOTTI & ARIEL LORENZO Received full help you on each issue we ask Thank you

I really enjoyed my 4 days stay at the BW Plus Panama Zen Hotel (they should shorten that name though). On the plus column: - Very comfortable room, bright, clean, and modern. - Same for the bathroom - Very nice rooftop pool - Good gym - Lovely location. Near many restaurants, a short walk from Via Espana (lots of shopping, outlets, etc), and a short ride from other areas of the city. If want to walk to the Cinta Costera (pedestrian and bike lanes by the sea) it is a 2 km stretch. - Free parking The cons column is very small, and hopefully will not deter anyone from staying there. - Internet and less reliable than in should be in 2019 - Breakfast sounds expensive at 10 pp. I did not try it, so I cannot judge, but we had excellent options around the hotel for less. I would definitely recommend the hotel as a great value for Panama City.

I have stayed at many Hotesl in Pan. City in the last 12 years. This is the best for your money. THe best English speaking staff. Friendly and helpful Easy parking. Good Breakfast. Really nice clean room. Awesome little rooftop pool and bar. Nice cold water!

A lot of better then a typical best western hotel in the US. We are also surprised by the good food in sky bar at 15th floor. If you cannot handle Panamanian food, there is the place to get American style beef.

Stayed here for 3 days. Room was very clean, bed was very comfortable, plenty of pillows, loved the rain shower in the bathroom, great views from the rooftop bar/pool. Eredinn at the front desk was very nice to us on our second day when we asked for hand towels which we did not have when we checked into the room and she also gave us extra water bottles. The guy who checked us in was very inattentive to the point of almost being rude. Not a good first impression of the Best Westen Plus hotel. Thank god everything else was great. I would stay here again in a heartbeat. Don't know the price we paid as we used miles to pay for the room.

We spent 2 nights a the end of our 12 day travel through Panama. The room was clean and simple. We had a corner room with a great view. Do not miss out on the rooftop bar and pool! Pre-sunset and sunset had great lighting and background and photos. There is a 360 degree view. Amazing. Breakfast was plentiful and excellent. Eggs, toast pancakes, quesadillas, salad, cereal, oatmeal, fresh fruit. Different between the 2 mornings. Staff were very friendly and very accommodating. Walking distance to shopping and nice restaurants. I would definitely recommend!

We were more than happy with our two large rooms, with the beautiful rooftop pool and excellent bar. The breakfast was abundant and delicious, and the front desk staff went above and beyond to help us with plans and questions answered. Highly recommended.

My reservation was for 4 nights. The first two nights I had reserved with a Best Western Rewards voucher and the second two nights with Booking.com. I got there and my reservation that I had made months prior with the voucher had been cancelled. I nor anyone I know had cancelled it, so this was baffling to me. I was forced to pay for my first two nights, and they made no effort to reconcile the mysterious cancellation. I asked if they could at least match the price that I had paid with Booking.com, but they were unable to do even that. I also reserved a Superior King Room for all 4 nights, and instead got a room with two extra large double beds. They did not replace the complimentary water after the first night. They also made me change rooms in the middle of my stay. I had explicitly asked if they could assign me a room where I did not have to change, both when I arrived during check-in and in a request on my Booking.com reservation. They were unable to accommodate this either. The Breakfast was quite mediocre, and the service quite bad. The breakfast runs from 7-11, I arrived at 10 or just before 10 and they do not replace many buffet items without asking. There were very few pieces of fruit, the pancakes were gone and there was no syrup left. I asked them to refill the pancakes and it took them 20 minutes. On top of that the options are mediocre. Finally, they have yet to give me the bill for my stay. I indicated for them to send it via email and have never received it.

I had a great time. The hotel is very nice and in a great part of town. My guest room was very comfortable, clean and I had a lovely view of town. It has a great infinity pool on the top floor, I did a bit of relaxing there while having a drink prepared by Armando the star bartender. The staff will go out of there way to make your stay wonderful! I highly recommend this hotel and will come back to them when I am back in Panama City.

Room with King bed was comfy and well-appointed, staff was very professional, lobby was very urban/modern. The rooftop pool and bar were luxurious and resort like, with an amazing view of the city and sunset! Great cocktails!

We spent four nights here at the end of a long trip in Central America. We had a nice corner room on the eighth floor. The first four floors are a parking garage. The rooftop pool was very nice. It is small and while we were there some Americans were loudly trash talking, but that wasn't the hotels fault. Our room was very clean and modern. It could have used better lighting. The lights were modern LED lights and were very direct. Some lights that illuminated the entire room would have been nice. The shower was a wonderful rain shower, but I never got it to work properly for a hot shower. However, it's tropical Panama so there was never a need to warm up. The neighborhood is great with lots of shops, bars and restaurants. There is currently construction going on on Via Argentina half a block away. This wasn't a problem for us, but traffic in the area can be difficult. There is a metro station at Via Español about two and a half blocks away. On our first night at the hotel my wife became quite ill. Staff were quite helpful in helping us get to a hospital for urgent care. She was able to recuperate for the next few days mostly in our room. There was no follow up from hotel staff about her health. We would have appreciated a little more concern. Overall I can recommend this hotel even with the issues mentioned above.

I wish I could give a higher rating to this hotel because the location is convenient, the rate we got for our 3-nights stay was reasonable and we were pleased to be able to check in early and got a room on a higher floor as requested. However, the room unfortunately was really dirty and neglected - it felt as if it hadn't received a proper cleaning in several weeks, if not months. There was so much dust and grease on the furniture and the floor, fingerprints on mirrors and doors, a toe/fingernail from a previous guest next to the sink, a used hair-band near the bed etc. I do not know how the housekeeping department is run, but management should have a serious look into this since the corridors were also rather dirty (floors didn't seem to have been vacuumed during our stay). So basically you constantly feel that you do not want to touch more than absolutely necessary and therefore I do not recommend the place. I have attached some photos in order to portray the filthiness.

I chose this hotel because of location, amenities, and the reasonable price. The staff was super helpful and promptly corrected our reservation as we walked into a double room instead of a king. A person came up to the room and brought new keys and helped us with our bags immediately. The view from the rooftop bar and pool area is lovely and the beds are very comfortable. The area has many food options within walking distance and a quick walk to the metro. We very much enjoyed our stay!!

We arrived early (around 11a) and as is stated checking is not until 3p and our room wasn't ready. They were nice about it and said they couldn't get us in early because the hotel was full. They welcomed us to the pool and held our luggage. We chose to go to Mentiritas Blancas for a delicious lunch while we waited-just a 1/2 block away. Definitely a great choice. It's very close to a public park with basketball court and soccer field and terrific kids playground. The top floor is a great open air bar w a nice view of the city. With a 4:45a departure they nicely had a basic takeaway bagged breakfast/snack for us. Perfect hotel to spend 1-2 nights in.

Good quality, lovely spacious rooms. We were given a room with a balcony on the 5th floor but all the balconies were under repair so were unusable, which was a shame as we were looking forward to sitting out in the evening sunshine. We were given a corner room on the 10th floor which had amazing views with floor to ceiling windows. The gym is on the 14th floor, not very large but well-equipped with the standard equipment and in good condition. Towels and water provided. Great views to distract you from any pain! The rooftop pool is on the 15th floor, a lovely place to relax after exploring the city. The staff at the front desk are very professional. The buffet breakfast is fine, nothing special. The eggs are in a hot plate, i.e. not freshly cooked. The coffee was sometimes a bit stewed, and occasionally the staff took away a platter to refill it and it seemed to be an age before they returned it. There are a few shops round the corner, including a couple of small supermarkets. There are also a couple of bars and restaurants - El Trapiche is a minute's walk away, great food.

We spent r last night of our vacation at this hotel. It was the perfect place to relax and get a good nights sleep before a long trip home. The rooms are spacious and clean and the pool/bar area perfect for relaxing with a book or internet. The staff was very kind and attentive. In the past we have always stayed in Casco Viejo but chose this hotel for our last night based on another travelers recommendation. It offered us another view of the city and the lodging for price was far superior. I would highly recommend this hotel, especially if it is for a night or two at the beginning or end of your trip to Panama. The Uber the next day to the airport was only $12.

We checked in at Best Western Panama Zen Hotel in late January, early Feb for 5 days after 10 days trip in Bocas del Toro. They gave us a corner room on the 9th floor. It has an amazing view and it is nice and clean. The door, for some reason doesnt seem to close properly. Looks like it was broken and was fixed, but wasnt fixed the right way. The walls are not sound-proofed at all. You can hear the other guests (in the corridor, or even in their room) talking. We can even hear others as we walk pass through their door. The breakfast buffet is really bad. For the price, i think it was too much and the quality isn't that good. We experienced stomach issues on the first few days and it always happen after breakfast. We didnt complain because we thought it was just our sensitive stomach reacting to some food. They have a huge plate of "ham and sausage" but there was no huge selection. The taste wasn't pleasant. We didn't like the taste of it so we didnt even bother trying again. Some food are actually in a food warmer but in all honesty, they were not warm at all. We even had breakfast as early as 6am hoping it wont be like that, but we were disappointed. As far as I know, they have to keep the food at a certain level of temperature to avoid it from being spoiled. They also have ran out of some items a few times. Once we had breakfast around 9:20, they have ran out of pancakes and hard-boiled eggs, and nobody was refilling it. We thought that they would have but it seems likes they didnt make more because it was almost 10AM. They also served fajitas for two consecutive days- which made us think it was from the day before. Though we know that their breakfast isnt worth it, we still try to give their room service a try. When we called, I asked for Penne Arrabiata (she even asked me if I want Penne or Spaghetti, and I said Penne) and cheesecake with Raspberry. Then they said raspberry isnt available but they have lemon cheesecake (its not in their menu) so we just ordered what they have. When the food arrived, we got a Spaghetti with sauce (already mixed), and a cheesecake with a slice of lemon on the side. We didnt give it another try. We thought it was enough. The hotel is nice and new. We just wish they will improve their kitchen. They dont taste bad at all! Their staff, especially the front desk and housekeeping is nice and friendly. They are actually quick in resolving issues and that's one thing that we liked about Best Western Zen Panorama. We once experienced our keys not working both on the elevator and room. They immediately resolved it. They explained that there was something wrong with their system thats why it happend. It happened to couple other guests on that same time of the day. We didn't blame them, it is definitely not their fault but I am glad that they have taken proper procedure in order to fix the problem right away. The view on the rooftop and bar is breathtaking! Anyone can relax and swim there all day.

Traveling on air miles, we were returning home to Calgary from the Dominican Republic via Panama City so we decided to stay over for a couple of days in a destination that we likely would not have traveled to independently. We chose this hotel because we are frequent Best Western customers, we liked the price offered and because it seemed to be in a central, convenient location. We were glad we did! The room was compact but certainly more than spacious enough for two. All the usual amenities were offered typical for a Best Western. The staff greeted us warmly in all our encounters and were happily smiling which is always nice these days. We liked its location near Via Argentina despite that street being dug up as part of a beautification project. There are many dining options in the vicinity and we particularly enjoyed the British style pub, La Rana Dorada, a couple of blocks away. Even to walk downtown isn't that far, a little over 1 kilometer and considering the traffic in this metropolis, probably a better option than taxi during the workday. The Metro station isn't that far away either for travels further afield. Others have noted that the breakfast offered isn't particularly good value. We tend to agree. We partook one day rather late during the time period it is open and we found the pickings slim and "warm" options that weren't. Perhaps things are better when the restaurant opens first thing in the morning but if breakfast is important to you and it's after 9:00, I'd consider other options. The small pool on the roof is a nice touch. There's not a lot of room up there so if it's busy, you might not have a lounge chair to relax in. There is a small bar there as well with limited beverage options. It's not a place that I would hang out at but it does serve its purpose to service those availing themselves at the pool or for a quick drink upon arrival or before retiring. The views of the city are outstanding especially at night. You almost have 360 degree sight lines! Everything considered, I think you get great bang for your buck at this hotel and recommend it wholeheartedly.

The rooms are very nice, they have a very relaxing environment, the reception staff is friendly and nice the air conditioning works more than good. The only little point, the breakfast is not that great everyday as the fruit taste like old or raw sometimes. I will definitely go back there in the future

Unless breakfast everything was perfect. Rooms are clean, new and wide. Pool is also clean and offers you free towels. The location is perfect. The staff are very friendly and helpful. Do not hesitate to stay here.

Incredible value in a great area of Panama City. Lots of restaurants in walking distance. Cool rooftop infinity pool and cocktail lounge. Great breakfast and very helpful and friendly staff. Excellent and reasonable in room massages arranged through the hotel. Nice health club.

Friendly welcome on arrival. Allocated room 602 which was spacious and clean. View of the park which looked beautiful with Christmas decorations. Large comfortable bed. Decent rain shower with good water pressure. Toiletries provided included shampoo, conditioner (Yes!) Body lotion, shower cap, soap. A coffee machine and 2 individual coffee sachets left daily. The room did lack good lighting especially hard to see in the area of the safe and coffee maker. Breakfast was a bit of let down... the coffee was watery.. the juices highly concentrated and the food selection wasn't massive. The roof top pool was nice there are only 8 sun beds. The view is great both by night and day. Location wise it's good. Many options to eat in the evening with many restaurants on the doorstep. Metro only a short walk away. Panama city traffic is bad so where you can use the metro do. Easy to use and cheap. Ancon hill and Metropolitan park are recommended. We took the metro to May 5th stop and walked to Ancon hill. Taxi to metropolitan park (negotiated $10) from the hotel. Good restaurant if in the old town casco Vehico is Nazca 21.

Make sure your valuable items (even not so valuable items) are locked away. My watch and other things went missing. Except for this incident my stay was comfortable and the staff at reception were always helpful. Breakfast sometimes starts later than scheduled but the food is good. The corridors can be a bit smelly and this permeates into the rooms. Attention to detail is lacking when it comes to housekeeping as some items simply weren't replaced on a daily basis. A few steps in the right direction and this hotel will be a whole lot nicer to patronise.

Starting from the reception when we arrived, Armando was great and super kind with us. =) We wanted to book a day tour and he assisted us to find one that would meet our needs. We were on 10th floor, so had a amazing view from the city. Room was great, good space, with nice toiletries. We found a towel a bit dirty and it was changed right away and after we still received a call to reconfirm if it has been changed. On the top floor there is a roof bar with an awesome view from the city, along with a nice pool. There is a gym however i didn't have time to use it. Breakfast is great, with different kind of hot dishes everyday, not to mention the awesome design of the restaurant, very cosy. Hotel staff was always very very kind!! Around the hotel there are a couple of nice restaurants, shops within walking distance, supermarket and metro as well. Apparently city is being refurbished, so you see loads of constructions around, but nothing that would bother us. Taxi from airport to hotel is around usd30. I chose uber and paid around usd13. There is free wifi at the airport, so its easy to request from there.

The room was super nice and we got an awesome deal. Love the rooftop pool and awesome view- the rooftop bar was usually deserted though, a few nights we went up and there wasn't even staff there behind the bar. My friend ordered room service one morning, traditional breakfast, but we had to call back because they forgot the fruit and orange juice. Was not worth $14USD! But the staff were friendly and the location was great.

We had great room breakfast included, the breakfast was very good for the prize. The staff were very accomodating. A big shout out to the guy at the reception who was very helpful. The swimming pool on the 15th floor was the best part, as you can watch the skyline especially in the evening. Beautiful. My only con is they provide you with the fridge in the room but it is stocked up complete with the things they want you to buy. No place to put your stuff.

I loved my stay at the Zen Hotel. the rooms are spacious (more like suites) with business centers, balconies, beautiful views and AC. The amenities are also fabulous including a roof top pool (SO refreshing), rooftop lounge (on two levels) and even a work out area. My room even included a delicious buffet breakfast each morning! The service was impeccable. It felt to me like a 5 star hotel (but I only paid a fraction of that price). I will never stay anywhere else when passing through Panama City!

This hotel was really good, service was excellent, rooms were very clean and a good size, roof top pool a bit small but no over crowding while we were there. The Roof lounge was active with a great night view of the city. Hotel is very close to a lot of restaurants, corner stores, and the light rail station. The staff was very accommodating. For all of this the price was exceptional. Has an exercise room on 14th floor with floor to ceiling, wall to wall windows.

I don't want to say that for the price of this hotel it was good because that would be under selling it. As someone who travels often I can say without a doubt this is the best quality for money hotel I've ever stayed in. The room was clean, most importantly the bed was super comfy and the cleaners replace all the toiletry items everyday. The staff spoke perfect English and were extremely helpful with anything we needed. I have read some reviews saying the breakfast was pretty average but in comparison to many other similar hotels I was very pleased with the breakfast. There are plenty of options and I cant imagine anyone not finding something they like.

Found his hotel to be good value for money. Located on a side street in El Cangrejo, walking distance to many restaurants on Via Argentina and beyond. We found the area to be very safe although road construction on Via Argentina is a little bit disruptive. No complaints about the hotel itself. The rooftop infinity pool and bar were a great feature for a mid-range hotel - great place to relax at the end of our weeklong trip. The breakfast was decent (not great but good enough, they varied the meat dish every morning). Hotel staff were nice and attentive, spoke English. 100% would stay again.

A standarized $30 taxi ride from the airport took me to this downtown hotel located near Via Argentina. I stayed here for 2 weeks and found the location to be quite convenient, providing 5 minute walking access to 2 laundries, a Banco General ATM, and several small grocery stores and dining options. A 10 minute walk provides access to the Espana Street's metro station, various businesses, and the large Rey supermarket. Taxis routinely cruise this area and I found drivers accepting $5 for 5-7km rides to the waterfront or Casco Viego and $10-15 to and from the Miraflores Canal Docks. Despite locals paying $3 for a local ride, the unmetered taxis here were much better to me as a foreignor than many other places I visit. The 15 story building is adequately served by 2 elevators and has a nice, large lobby, staff desk, and cafe/snack area. The 14th floor has a clean, modern gym, while the 15th floor holds a small but nice outdoor deck pool and an upper, open, shaded lounge area offering wonderful city views. The front desk staff were very friendly, helpful, and accommodating with my early check-in and room preference. I also found the new, english speaking doorman/bellboy to be a helpful assistant with the lobby computers and other matters. My 11th floor, west facing room was very clean, bug free, and large, with hard floors, abundant space, and a full wall of windows that let in abundant ambient light. It had an open city view - as most upper half floors should have on all sides. Its modern furniture included a comfortable bed and bedding, office desk, sitting chair, clothes closet, fridge, iron, safe, and other conveniences. The bath had a separate glass rain shower, large vanity, hair dryer, nice towels, generous tolietries, good fan, and premium toilet paper. The room included a cordless phone, lots of bedside electrical (110) outlets, good working AC, excellent and reliable wifi, and decent TV cable with 3 english news channels and 4 english movie channels. Maid service was excellent (even with the language barrier), with bottled water being provided daily and the do not disturb sign also being respected. A few flaws also need to be noted. First, the room's night lighting was abysmal. Second, the shower pressure was very poor and also produced just marginally hot water - adding up to a completely disappointing showering experience each morning. Third, the iron didn't include a board, forcing me to use the floor. Fourth, the stairway doors were locked, making my use of them to and from the gym impractical - an unnecessary inconvenience. And finally, the surrounding area was a construction mess of torn up streets and sidewalks and loud pounding noises that woke me up every morning by 7am. This of course isn't the hotel's fault, and its only a temporary situation. I would however suggest that any near term guests here avoid the west or south sides which face the active construction activity. In summary, I found this hotel to be a well located, prime choice for a downtown mid-priced hotel. I'd return again if visiting the city.

Friendly help, great room with good view. Rooftop bar with two levels. Buffet breakfast was fresh with a variety of fruits. Had to ask for washcloths at front desk, none in room. Were brought to us fast. Construction on roads close to hotel an harder to get to.

Stayed here for 3 nights and actually quite enjoyed our stay. The rooms are big and modern, most of staff members spoke some English and the breakfast was great. The only downsight (reason why I could not rate it with 5 stars is that on our first night we were woken up by extremely lound noise outside around 5am. We called the reception, they sent someone to our room. The person came in, looked at our phone, took it out and started going out of outlr room. We had to tell him again that we called about the noise outside, not the phone. The guy said he will speak to maintainane and that it should stop within 30 minutes. We could no longer go to sleep, so luckily breakfast was open from 6am. We came back around 8 am and the noise was still ongoing, so we asked to change rooms. We assume it was AC for the whole building that was located next to our room. We did not get an apology or anything else for the disrubted sleep. That was dissapointing. Be careful if they give you room on 5th floor with a balcony!

I loved : - my room : the large windows with a great view - the swimming pool on the roof with a fabulous view over 300° of the town I really dislike the very strong smell in the lobby and less strong but still disagreable in all corridors

The twin beds are small but comfy. The room is spacious but only for max 3 people. Pros: very good wifi and very centrally located. The lobby and entrance is very nice and clean. The pool is not big but clean with a nice view. 2 fast elevators. Cons: our room 908 was dusty. We stayed 10 nights and the bed sheets were not replaced. When we arrived there were 2 towels, we are a couple with a nine year old. The whole time we stayed there we were given two towels. The towels were torn. I went to the front desk to ask if there was something wrong with providing towels and the clerk miss Iridiann reacted very careless about my concern. The male clerks instead were very friendly and attentive. We were out for the most of our stay during the day and I noticed that the floor was dirty and hadn't been cleaned a couple of times.

The hotel has one of the best views from the rooftop, a pleasant indoor bar with a tiny swimming pool outside and a longe area on the roof. Till then I am happy. The cons is that the music is so loud that you can barely talk or relax. I had to ask them to lower it down ... as it was giving me a headache. Breakfast buffet is very poor compared to other hotels in the same category. We are in Panama with a huge variety of tropical fruits and they are not even having fresh juice in the morning but a concentrated sweet packed juice instead. Ditto for bread. Tried their chicken fajitas and that was nice as well as their pailita with garlic prawns served with plantane. Staff is very friendly and the superior room is quite spacious as well as the bathroom with a very plain decoration though. Not a very good noise insulation between the rooms. Am here for just a few days and its mainly for business. So location wise is perfect. There is enough room for improvement service wise.

Rooms were large with nice views, breakfast was simple and the pool area a little small. However, besides from the construction going on around the building, this hotel was pretty good value for money. One negative was that we weren't allowed to check out before the hotel staff had confirmed that we didn't take anything from the minibar, even though we already told them that we didn't. This may be customary in Panama, but it was the first time we've experienced this.

After 3 nights in a hotel in a 100+ year old building in Casa Viejo, then 4 nights at an ecolodge on the beach (both were great but . . .), I was ready for solid walls and air conditioning. I know I sound like the classic "ugly American" but Zen was just what I needed before our flight home to the US: clean, modern, comfy. The room had 8 pillows! Breakfast was above average and had what is sorely missing from American breakfasts: hot milk for coffee!! The staff was very helpful - helped us find a post office and the price for the night was extremely reasonable. View from rooftop pool was fabulous! Highly recommended.

We stayed for 5 nights in this hotel, the location is perfect. We ordered room service twice all came on time and the quality of the food is good. The rooms have a coffee maker, minibar and HSK was there every day, we asked for extra towels which was not a problem. In the lobby there is a coffee corner where they have nice coffee, the staff is there to help you out with all questions, the kids loved the pool on the 15th floor, in the evening its nice to take pictures, during the day its nice to have a swim, towels are over by the pool and the bar is next to it, the bar tender is making his rounds to make sure you are ok. We had after we departed a rental car, there is a parking lot under the hotel which is easy to use !

The Panama Zen has got a lot of personality. The hall and the fantastic roof terrace with its pool and bar are the hallmarks. Located outside of the skyscrapers' district in a beautiful neighborhood (unfortunately at the time of our visit not tha quiet due to heavy road works) full of restaurants. Rooms are OK and the staff helpful. Probably one of the top choices in terms of value for money.

This was our third stay at the Hotel.Friendliest and most helpful staff you can find.Pool on top of the hotel is great for cooling down with a drink from the bar. Close to many great Restaurants.We are looking forward to our next stay in August.

Service was excellent.The rooftop bar and pool made the end of the day a really nice place to be. Close proximity to lots of great restaurants. The staff were extremely helpful in organising day trips. Will visit again.

If you want to overpay for a hotel by all means do so. But this hotel will allow you to have a spacious clean room with a view and a beautiful roof top bar view without feeling like you were overcharged. Breakfast variety is not great, but hey walk down the block to wonderful restaurants

The hotel is very beautiful in the lobby and the rooms are very spacious with large windows. It is location is surrounded by lots of restaurants and bars. The hotels roof top bar and pool is absolutely stunning at night. Our rate included a breakfast buffet which was rather disappointing. But overall it was a great Stay!

This hotel is situated near many bars and restaurants, it's also close to the metro. Rooms are spacious and clean. The rooftop pool is small but spectacular with great views from it and a bar beside it too! Staff were efficient and buffet breakfast was very good. I changed a reservation for a different hotel to stay here again on a subsequent visit, that says something.

Hotel is great..it breathes zen. It's a pity the breakfast bag you get when not being able to visit the regular breakfast (because of early leaving for a trip) is very modest even when asking for a little bit more or a little bit else...not possible.

Stayed 1 night upon arrival in Panama & 3 nights after returning to Panama City from Bocas del Toro. Appreciated being allowed to check-in early. In a safe and convenient location. Beautiful views from roof top pool & bar. Has cable TV with English channels/ refrigerator/ 2 FREE bottled waters daily. The reception was personel spoke English and were very helpful with directions & recommendations. Full breakfast was delicious, with a wide selection of foods. Close to lots of restaurants; El Trapiche (one of the best) is just 1 minute away on Via Argentina. Close to many grocery & convenience stores. 30 minute taxi ride from Tocumen (PTY) airport on a Sunday afternoon. - Paid $30. Used CAB Tours & Transfers (Camilo Bermudez) camilobermudez05@gmail.com WhatsApp +5073013333 15 minute taxi ride to Albrook (PAC) airport for flight to Bocas del Toro on a Monday morning. - Paid $5 by walking across the street to hail taxi. 15 minutes taxi ride from Albrook (PAC) airport to Best Western on a Monday at Noon. - Paid $10 at airport taxi rank. Located very close (5 minute walk) to Via Argentina Metro station. - Rode Metro (35 cents) to Albrook Mall/Casco Viejo/Iglesia del Carmen Church - - Casco Viejo/Fish Market/Cinta Costera can be reached/walked from Cinco (5) de Mayo Metro station. -- Albrook Mall has buses (25 cents) to Mira Flores Visitor Center/Panama Canal and also a bus to BioMuseo. Highly recommend a stay here for anyone visiting Panama City.

Yes, as the name says, it is a zen moment you will experience once you step inside from the hustle and bustle of Panama City. Which if you have driven around in (either on your own or with a driver) you will understand! This hotel is in a great area of PC, but right now there is lots of infrastructure and road work going on. But if you really need quiet time, this is the place. The rooms are clean, the coffee and tea service nice, a micro-frig helpful, a safe and really comfy beds! The water temperature in the shower was finicky and hard to get just right and keep it there. I was on the 7th floor overlooking the city. The pool deck and roof top lounge area were spectacular. Though I was very disappointed that for 3 of my 5 days they closed it for some kind of maintenance without letting the guests know ahead of time. Not sure if this was planned or a sudden need. But what little time I did spend up there was amazing, even during a couple of major torrential downpours that Panama is known for. The staff at the front desk all spoke English, which for this student of Spanish was very grateful for. And they were always super helpful. Staff in the dining room seemed attentive, though I only did one meal to-go. The Quinoa dinner was so yummy! Only complaint was the time it took to get my meal. There seemed to be cars available to whisk you away at a moment's notice. Did not have to wait for a taxi or Uber. I did not use the service, so can't vouch for the price or service.

Very efficient staff, rooms modern, cozy, comfortable. The shower head is a little disappointing. Large rectangular shaped shower with shower head just over door. If you were to forget something (as I did) and open the door to grab the water runs out on the top of door. Odd design and wasted space ?!?!?!

Another great stay, always a good experience, I have stayed here before and find the hotel is located perfectly for me, close to good food , metro and good shopping, Staff is professional and very helpful. I will be staying here whenever I visit Panama which is a few times a year! Well run, well managed.

Stayed for 4 nights in March. The room was very large, but totally devoid of any decor on walls . Despite the room size, the only furnishings were a small arm chair and a desk chair. No washcloths in the room; soap is dispensed from commercial style wall mount. As towels were used, they were just not replaced. On third day I caught a room attendant in the hall and asked for more towels. She brought a bath mat. By the 4th day, I was down to one well soiled bath towel. And yes, I was leaving tips. Breakfast was just fair. They had interesting hot items which were invariably all gone by 8:30 AM and not replenished. Happy waitress always dashed up to me to have me sign the ticket, but she spoke no English, and ordering eggs was a shot in the dark. Smiling, friendly front desk staff, but when I would ask for something; there was always some reason why they could not assist. For example, I asked for tip change from a 10, and the chap said they had none. Smiled and laughed. I stay frequently in BW properties and am a upper tier in their rewards program. I cannot see how this property merits a a BW "Plus": designation. Maybe the rooftop bar? After several weeks, still waiting for the property to post the points.

When we arrived at the hotel, the hotel manager announced us that the room we booked was given to a group of tourists and there were no more free rooms in the hotel. We understood the situation and did a favor to the Best Western agreeing to move to another hotel. For that we got a small dark room in Ramada Centro Hotel with low ceilings and no windows, the corridor windows of the room looked out on the exhaust pipes of cars in the parking lot, the jambs in the bathroom were broken, the whole hotel was strewn with rolled mud clubs, breakfast was disgusting. We were asked for a payment at check-in, so we had no opportunity to move to another place and, ridiculously, we paid the same amount. Even the owner has removed Ramada from booking.com because of low scores (2.9-5.4) reflecting the reality. Bravo, Best Western! You are professional in solving your mistakes at the expense of clients.

I'm from Europe and used to sleep only in high ranked hotels. This hotel is extremely clean, staff super friendly, average breakfast, views from the pool at the top of the building is unforgettable. Free drinking bottled water also included. There is also nearby an excellent restaurant with local sea food. I recommend it. Food is save there. I recommend this Hotel to everyone with high expectations.

We stayed 2 nights in February. We were there on Valentine's Day and enjoyed a rooftop dinner beside the infinity pool. There were exceptional views of the Panama City skyline, very unique architecture. Our room was large, clean and the bed was comfortable. The shower was fabulous. We stayed on the 11th floor and enjoyed great views from the large window in our room. The staff was friendly, taxi's were easy to catch out front. We walked around the local area in the daytime and had lunch at a family diner. Five stars, would stay again!

We enjoyed three nights at the Best Western Plus Hotel after our arrival in Panama. The rooms are huge, very clean and equipped with body lotion shampoo and everything that you need. They even had toothbrushes for us since our luggage only arrived two days later. The staff is super friendly and helpful, unfortunately some don't speak english. The pool and the gym are super nice with a great view over the city. Would definitely recommend this hotel!

We stayed there two nights in total . The hotel is located on a side street off the main road, but central. From there you can reach every "Must-see" in Panama-City. Unfortunely, the service was very bad. The stuff and service crew did not speak Englisch very well and were rude, unfriendly and unknown when you asked them for sightseeing-stops etc. The restaurant and breakfast was just ok. The only thing which was quite nice is the roof terrace (how to see on this picture above). We will not come back to this place and I would not recommend this hotel! Sorry!

We stayed here for three nights. The hotel lobby is "zen-like." The bellboy spoke very good english and told us he went to Victoria BC (Canada) on a scholarship to learn English. The room and shower were very spacious with good air conditioning. You need to use your room key card to go up on the elevator and put in a slot by the door of your room to keep the lights on. We were not impressed with the complimentary breakfast, but it was enough to get us going. The roof top pool and bar are nice and have awesome views of the city. Our room was on the 6th floor. We asked for a view room and this is what we got (see photo). The location seemed good, but there is a lot of traffic and road construction close by which made walking hazardous.

Stayed here at the end of our vacation for 4 days. Hotel was clean, rooms were spacious. Found the air conditioner a little loud but I sleep with ear plugs so it wasn't too bad. Breakfast was good. Wished it was included in the room rate, The rooftop pool was very nice which we took advantage of at the end of our busy day. Overall a decent hotel for the money

If not for an 11th hour sneaky theft of the micro-memory/photo card from my husband's camera, this hotel would rank at least 4 out of 5. The property is well maintained, it's in a good location, the room was comfortable and clean, and we felt the front desk was terrific. Unfortunately all of those good feelings evaporated when we discovered, while awaiting at the airport for our flight out of Panama City, the theft of the photo card and with that, our vacation memories from a hike that very morning at the wonderful Metropolitan Park and from the previous two weeks of travel. This is what happened: After the two-hour hike (with camera) we returned to the hotel and arranged for a late morning private taxi to the airport, and during the trip there, we learned my husband had forgotten his travel bag in our room. Amazingly, the hotel called our driver to alert us to the discovery of the bag by the housekeeping staff. We quickly returned to the hotel and procured the bag from the hotel's security personnel - feeling thankful to the hotel for the return of the forgotten bag, which contained a point-and-shoot camera, in its zipper case, and an e-reader book. Both seemed intact until we wanted to review the photos and discovered that someone who knew what they were doing had stolen the micro-card, which is generally set inside a standard-sized photo card adapter, and had replaced everything to look as if nothing had been tampered with. So, this is a difficult review to write: When you travel, you do assume risks of theft, but in this case, we actually wish the thieves had taken the entire camera rather than simply plucking out the micro-photo card, likely for use in a cell phone, fooling us into thinking the camera had been left alone.

nice room and location , we had a great luck with a Taxi driver on the front to take us around . internet in the room very slow or hardly works, but it is very good in the lobby . breakfast really poor , i recommend to experience eating out in this AMAZING city . the roof top bar has an outstanding view of the city sky line .

We stayed in this hotel for 4 nights. You will need a GPS to find it as you have to go through many residential streets and make many turns. The 2nd to 4th floor of the hotel is a parking garage. That is very convenient as local people gobble up all street parking spots. The parking garage is very narrow. We had a Toyota Corolla rental car and had to constantly turn back and forth in order to turn around the corners. There are at least 10 restaurants within 300ft of the hotel and there are a supermarket and other stores, too. When you check in, you get room keys that you need to swipe in the elevator and that only allow access to the lobby, the parking garage, the bar & pool on the top floor, the particular floor that your room is on and, of course, your room. The hotel and our room were nicely decorated. Our room had 2 queen size beds, a quiet and efficient air condition (to heat you need to set the temperature and then to auto and cool), a wall mounted board for storage and a closet with an iron and ironing board inside. There were also a coffee machine, fridge and safe. The door had a deadbolt. The bathroom had a shower with a rain shower head, single sink and toilet. Breakfast was included and served buffet style with a good selection of warm dishes, fruits, cereal, bread and marmalade, pancakes, yogurt and unlimited coffee and tea. The top floor has a pool, pool chairs and a beautifully decorated bar area. The hotel is centrally located which allows for quick access to many of the sights of Panama City. The downside is that you will be stuck in Panama City's crazy rush hour traffic if you leave/arrive at the wrong time. The staff speaks some English and is friendly and helpful. Long story short: this is a very nice hotel that is centrally located and close to many restaurants. We would stay there again.

I live in via Argentina and used to love drinking at the Roof bar at weekends. They have great deals and the pool is tiny but great. But then after several happy months they decided the pool is now only for guests, even though it is always quiet, and said non-guests could still drink at the bar, but would need to pay $45 for use of the pool, which is just ridiculous. So now I never go, which is a shame because it used to be a great spot.

They over booked my room so I had to sleep on the streets of panama city. Was forced to book amother hotel at last minute at extent high rate . The compensation they offered was pathetic. After I checked in I bought 2 cocktails and was charged twice for the same transaction and never received a refund. The staff offered me a free taxi as compensation and didn't tell the taxi the correct drop off point or that they were going to pay. So the taxi took us to the wrong airport and then shouted at us for not paying. I genuinely feel sick and my whole panama stay was ruined. Do not stay here

Located around the corner from El Trapiche, this hotel is perfect. The rooms are very clean and spacious. The staff was attentive and the breakfast was the best out of the hotels we stayed at during our time in the city. The rooftop pool and bar was a little over the top--a two-tiered bar that reminded me of a nightclub. This will be my top choice when I return to Panama.

Used this hotel both at the start and end of our month touring Panama. Convenient location in town, close to a metro station giving easy access across the city. If you decide you need a taxi to go elsewhere, don't ask hotel to get a cab as they will come up with a car that costs twice the cab fare. Just walk down the street and flag down a yellow cab. Rooms fully equipped and spacious, quiet and comfortable. What you would expect from city hotel without being pretentious or too expensive.

Great staff and location, just 2 blocks from the metro (Argentina station), and close to many restaurants. We got a corner room (10th floor) and the views were amazing. Good AC, excellent Wi-Fi, very large, comfortable and quiet room. Fantastic rain shower. Overall, a very posh establishment, way better than any other BW that we've visited in North America. Roof top pool too small, and the roof top bar looks amazing. Breakfast selection could have been better. It lacked a variety of fruits.

We truly enjoyed our two nights at this hotel! We don't speak Spanish and not many of the staff speak English. But that wasn't an issue. Super friendly staff, very clean hotel, rooms, pool, coffee, and bar areas. Perhaps because this is a chain hotel, there were many tour groups, European and French, who over run the breakfast buffet! Be strong and smart around them! We would stay here again!

Good location with good restaurants nearby. But had to push to get the correct room. A/C was bad in both rooms. Loud and it never cooled off the room. They were unable to correct the problem so be warned.

Great hotel, you walk through the door and you feel happy, staff are very helpful very clean hotel, room had such a great view, gym is really good. The infinity pool is so cool, with a bar right next to it, really nice relaxing hotel in the centre of panama, thanks for great stay.

We stayed in the Best Western Zen for two days and would have stayed more days, if they had had them. But the place was sold out for the weekend. The hotel is clean, smells nice and fresh (unless you have perfume allergies); it is in a neighbourhood of businesses, restaurants, other chain hotels, apartments. No fascinating architecture. The Avenue was in the process of being reconstructed, but will be beautiful again once finished, with green and leafy median. Our room was large, 11th floor, great view, good bed, bath, TV, everything we needed. Coffeemaker, with which we just boiled water for tea. The pretty pool with nice furniture was two or three floors higher on the rooftop. Most of these hotel pools are small; expect just a refreshing dip, no lengths! We did not use the spa or gym offerings. Buffet Breakfast was included in our price, and excellent, lots of choice, sweet rolls, eggs any kind, cheeses, cold cuts, interesting home made jams. I suggest you always look if there are any bowls of jam, they are usually house made, while of course you can also get the little plastic packages. Breakfast area very nicely furnished, fresh looking, with bamboo and white chairs and tables. There is also a small shop in the lobby for snacks. The Reception desk personnel is friendly and pro-active. The only disadvantage is its distance from the Old City. The Metro is terrific and very cheap, and two blocks from the hotel ($0.35, after you have bought a plastic transportation card for $2.00, onto which you put some money, and from which every trip will automatically be deducted.), but for the Old City you still have to walk half an hour from the closest Metro station, and we got somewhat lost. We can highly recommend this hotel. You pay budget, but quality was definitely mid-range or better.

We stayed in this hotel a total of 10 nights recently on A two month trip to Panama. We asked for and got two nice rooms on high floors with great city views. Shower was great, room was spacious. WiFi worked well. There's a fantastic view from the rooftop bar. Bed would have been very comfortable had the bottom sheets been either fitted or wider for king bed. Since ones we always got never stayed tucked under mattress, they always rolled up below us. Desk staff was reasonably efficient and helpful. Some more than others. We had one so so breakfast and lunch in hotel, So didn't bother eating there again. Location is super convenient between two Metro stops and walking distance to several good restaurants. We will go back!

Very much enjoyed this hotel. For the price we paid. It's worth it. Rooms are clean and comfortable. Ours had a balcony which was great when the kids went to sleep. Breakfast had all you need and good quality. WiFi worked well. The pool on 15th floor. Whilst small. It's sunny and with awesome view of the city scape. Area is good. Short Uber's everywhere. We stayed 5 days in all. I would recommend.

We arrived pretty late at night after a flight to Panama City and picking up a rental car. Not only did check-in go very smoothly, but we were thrilled to have free secure indoor garage parking in the same building as the hotel. Where do you get that in a big city hotel these days? The room was very nice, quiet for sleeping, and we enjoyed the included breakfast the next morning before going on our way. Had we been there at dinner time there were a lot of restaurants within walking distance. Looked like nice rooftop amenities too, which we didn't get to use. The price was also very reasonable. My wife and I have stayed at a number of hotels in Panama City. If in Panama City again this would be my first choice.

we spend three nights at the Zen and liked the good quality/price. Large bed, beautiful city view, nice personal, near underground and many restaurants. The breakfast was a lot of stuff but for Europeans nothing special except for the fresh fruits.

Nice roof top bar. Problems: Got here there early and received total lack of consideration by the staff. After repeated phone calls by desk guy that seemed to go unanswered we did get a room at 2:30 pm. On our first visit we got our room OK but the sink had one of those inferred light operated faucets that you see in public rest rooms. It made it impossible to get hot water out of the sink. I had a TERRIBLE cold water shave. Our second room had a standard faucet so no problem with the shave. We were in our room and heard water running. I checked our toilet it was not running. I go to the room next door which just has a hole where the door lock should be and discover that the toilet is running. I shut off the feed valve and think I solved the problem. I go back to my room and still hear water running. I go back and find the shower valve is leaking so I can't shut it off. I tried to report it but no one at the front desk seemed to understand what I was saying. So We slept with the sound of a water feature next door. Not something you signed up for in a city hotel. Wash clothes: What is the reason for a hotel not to have wash clothes? We asked for them at the desk when we went out to dinner and got the deer in the headlights look but thought the clerk understood by his sign language and his promise to have them delivered to our room. When we got back from dinner NO WASH CLOTHES. I didn't even bother to call for them. NEXT TIME WE COME TO PANAMA CITY WE WILL BE STAYING ELSEWHERE.

The 3 stars do not reflect the work of the staff at this hotel - they're all 5 star performers. It's that everything is extra, including the breakfast. The roof top bar is nice, but they think it's a disco and blast the music. On the Plus side, it is clean, fair priced and well located.

Convenient to restaurants and the local flavor of the city. Stayed many times. This time brought a group for 25 rooms. Their booking procedure for individual bookings could be smoother, but all in all went very well. They are easy to deal with and gave us all a great price. Check in could have had more staff, but we descended on them all at their 3 pm check in time so that part took a bit longer than expected. Beautiful room with nice amenities.

We will be staying at BW Plus Zen for almost two weeks. It's a good hotel with a restaurant, pool and lounge on the top floor. Rooms are good, but could use an update on the plugs for travelers with digital charging needs. The staff speak adequate English to assist travelers and are very helpful and accommodating. We were surprised that although check-in was 3:00pm., we had to wait 45 minutes for a room to be ready when we arrived at 3:30 pm. We relaxed in the 24 hour snack bar in the lobby while we were waiting. The hotel is located in a neighborhood with many restaurants. Would recommend this hotel for a stay in Panama City.

We had a very good experience during our week stay. The room was nice size, very clean. The staff was very nice and helpful (a struggle at times conversing in English). The restaurant was nice and breakfast was good. It is not a 5 star hotel but for $80 per night it was a great value. Nice roof top, bar, pool area, too.

I have never stayed at a Best Western, probably because I had an out of date opinion of this chain. The lobby is very “zen” and while the rooms are average, the amenities are superb! The rooftop pool and lounge was impressive. Instead of taking the breakfast with the room option, I would order it on the roof at the pool which made for a lovely way to start the day. (It was also the same cost.) Terribly great value! The staff was ready to help and accommodate with every request I had. I will now consider best westerns more in the future.

Stayed this lovely hotel for 3 nights, My room was spacious, clean and very quiet with city view. All the staffs were friendly and helpful. This was the best hotel a long way out of 5 I've stayed in on my two-week South America trip. Highly recommended!

We really enjoyed the quality of this hotel, especially for the price, a very good value. They showed us a great service with a slight challenge when checking in. Anyway, that is when it shines through the most. We highly recommend! ??

Every expectation met! Wonderful breakfast buffet with many options. I need gluten free, and had plenty to choose from. Fitness center was in perfect condition. Plenty of mats if yoga or floor work is your thing, and open 24 hours. Pool is rooftop, not large but clean and adequate for cooling off. Rooftop sitting area perfect for watching the sunset. Lots of restaurants near by.

This hotel has a great view of the city and a very nice pool. For about $60/bucks a night you get a lot. The room was clean and so was the bathroom. Nothing too fancy but a clean and safe place to rest your head during a panama stay.

Only drawback was the air conditioning cut out on our 2nd day and apparently this is a problem in many rooms. They did move us right away to another available room with no hassles. Staff very helpful and courteous. Hotel very clean in general. Pool has outstanding view of the city although smallish. Excellent value for downtown location.

We stayed 5 nights and were happy with our stay. For the price, location and comfort, it's very good value. The location is good. It's two blocks from the metro station (Via Argentina) and has supermarkets and several good restaurants within walking distance. Parque Andres Bello is just round the corner which was great for our kids to run around and play in and it also has an outdoor work out area. There's a permanent police presence in the park so it's very safe. The rooms are a bit on the small side but are modern and comfortable. Breakfast, served downstairs, was satisfactory. The staff spoke excellent English and were very helpful (Mauricio in particular). The pool on the roof is tiny but perfectly adequate to cool down in while taking in the view. Were we to stay in the city again, we'd stay here.

Very nice and convenient hotel, specially for the price you pay! Service was very nice and attentive from all the staff (except the rooftop bar), the loby and restaurant are nicely decorated. The room was large, great comfy bed and nice ammenities (even wardrobes and sandals). However, the A/C is very loud and the room looks like it need a deeper cleaning and some general maintenance, it's already showing signs of age. The view from our 5th floor room was terrible and obstructed entirely by a neighboring ugly residencial building. The pool is tiny, and the drinks at the rooftop bar are very expensive and they take ages to serve them (but this is something we encountered almost everywhere in Panama). Overall we were satisfied because we only needed a place to sleep and it was very comfortable. Also the location is very convenient, you're close to everything here.

i stayed only for two night but enjoyed it. the room was big and clean with a very nice view. the pool on the roof is small and the bar was slow but no complains I travelled only by taxi the staff was very friendly

I would highly recommend this hotel. Rooms are lovely and spacious, they are clean with comfortable beds. There is good storage and the showers are really nice. The pool area is small but pleasant. Staff seem friendly, although for a hotel their standard of English is quite low. The bar is a bit funny, closes very early - even on New Year's Eve, which we found very odd. There was plenty of people looking for drinks but they would not serve after 9.45. Area around the hotel has plenty of restaurants and bars.

We stayed here for a week for our trip to Panama city - loved it! Location was excellent in El Cangrejo...steps to restaurants. The small rooftop bar and pool was really nice. Breakfast was good - nothing fancy but lots of choice. Could have used a bit more fruit selection. The breakfast area was nicely done and large. The rooms were nice and roomy. TVs had some english movie stations. Guys at the front desk were great. Some advice - don't book much in advance - just get the hotel cab drivers to take you on tours for much cheaper. For just getting places though - uber is cheaper than the hotel cabs. For a boat tour of Gatun Lake go to the Gamboa Rainforest resort website - they were great and much cheaper than lots of other tours (you will see monkeys for sure). For a jungle walk go to the Parque Natural Metropolitan (very close to this neighbourhood) ...saw 4 sloths snd a tarantula right on the trail).

Best Western was amazing from the moment i arrived to the moment a left the hotel. Front desk staff was always very attentive and willing to help you. Housekerping, bartender and all other staff were also very polite, attentive as well. the only problems i encounter during my stay was loosing wifi in the roof lounge. Location was perfect close to the train and restaurants. I will stay there again.

We stayed 3 nights. Ismael, the Hotel desk clerk who checked us in, was very gracious and professional. The front desk staff and the bellmen were also very friendly and helpful. Per our request, we were given a corner room on an upper floor away from elevator and vending. We were on the 14th floor. The room was a decent size. Windows on two walls with room-darkening curtains. Sinks are in a separate area from the small room where toilet and shower with rainfall shower- head are. Bed was comfortable. The room has a safe that can hold a laptop, coffee maker and small refrigerator with mini-bar. There was no light in the closet/safe/coffee maker area so it was hard to see there in the evenings. Breakfast was just ok. Some fresh fruit, scrambled eggs, breads, pancakes in a warming tray, etc. On Saturday they made omelets to order. There is a small roof-top pool and lounging area with great views of the bustling city. The food up there was not good. Don't order the Panama verde veggie sandiwich. For $11.50 you get a small, thin, white baguette with fried onions and peppers and a little tomato. Even though the menu says you get french fries, you don't. Service is very slow. Drinks were good and reasonably priced. We were able to easily walk to the Claro cell phone store to get local SIM cards and phone numbers. Also a short walk to Thrifty car rental. Excellent seafood restaurant called Siente Mares (Seven Seas) very nearby. Otherwise, it's a busy neighborhood with a mix of high-rises and older residential buildings with lots of traffic. No green spaces or parks nearby.

this hotel is only 3 years old. looks brand new. the rooms were very comfortable and the personnel very professional ,polite and helpful. our bellman,Ruben, was especially helpful. he explained the room,suggested restaurant s and was ready to pick up our bags th next day hen our cab came. Breakfast s included and very nice with a lot of variety of food.

We stayed on the 14th floor and absolutely loved it. The room views are amazing, the service is exceptional and the rooftop was a joy to work from (on the laptop). They have excellent wifi, exceptional staff and everything is perfection. Fantastic value as they offer discounts regularly, we got a great deal and were very happy. The area is good, not a far walk from anything. Easy for Uber and generally to get around.

Best Western offered a really accomodating start to our Panama vacation when we just arrived in Panama. Hotel offers delicious and wide spread breakfast. Location is quite central to start activities during the day. We got our first impression of Panama City and the country and started further from there.

Great location. Excellent professional service. Delicious breakfast. Nice cool water swimming pool. Beautiful views of the city. There is a 24 hour convenient store (snacks, sodas, beer, rum and souvenirs) around the corner called In&Out. Laundry across the street will wash, dry and fold a load for $5.10. Delicious Caribe restaurant nearby too. Fast Wi-fi. Wonderful bargain...They should charge a lot more to stay here, it's that nice.

Nice hotel - close to a metro stop. Restaurant choices nearby were a bit lacking, but the breakfast that was included in my room rate was pretty good and had a decent selection. Room was spacious and had a nice view.

We were pleasantly surprised by our stay at this hotel - it is not typical of a Best Western; it's better. The decor and furnishings were modern and the room was spacious. Water pressure was good in the bathroom and the room was kept clean. Wifi was reliable. We also had a safe and coffee maker. We did not try the pool or bar on the top floor (although the pool is very small) and the small fitness center is adequate, with a few pieces of cardio equipment and weights. Because the hotel is located near shopping, bars and restaurants, we did not try the hotel breakfast. There is also a business center area where you can print boarding passes and other documents for free. The only negative was the extremely slow and inefficient check-out. We were thrilled to see that check-out was 1300, but our experience was that many guests check out at exactly 1300, so the front desk is crowded and it took 10 minutes for each guest to be processed. They did agree to hold our luggage after check-out since our flight was much later in the day. Other than that, the stay was good and we would return.

The hotel is nice, bit the room had few issues, related to freezer not working, and bathroom noisy! The location is wuite closer to the metro station, and part of the best areas of the city! The Uber transport operate very well and safety.

Have stayed here before 3 months ago and notice a hugh difference. Front desk staff is wonderful and the view from the rooftop pool is still great. But with the TV blaring and latin music and ice being crushed, the Zen atmosphere doesn't really exist up top, except outside. The rooms are still large and relatively clean, but maid service is dismal, had to call twice to get room cleaned after we had the sign out for 5 hours, then no towels. Two more calls for towels. Oddly this hotel has no ice buckets or ice machines and says the water is not drinkable. Another call for ice. In room coffee and tea was terrible. Beds are OK when they get made, TV and wi-fi are good .Breakfast is ok but definitely not worth $US 10.50 if it isn't included in your booking AND the wait staff clears the tables and all the food away BEFORE 10:00 a.m. when breakfast supposedly ends. Definitely wouldn't stay here again, a hotel on the way down. Decent food can be found around the corner on via Argentina.

A quiet, clean and affordable stay in Panama City. Nice breakfast to start your day and the hotel is within walking distance to nearby restaurants. Friendly and welcoming bilingual staff with a relaxing rooftop pool to enjoy a panoramic view of the city.

Convenient location with plenty of restaurants in the area, all within walking distance. Our kids really enjoyed the rooftop pool as well as the surrounding views. After a very long day tour, friendly hotel staff and affordable room service certainly left our group smiling. The hotel also stored our extra bags at no extra charge for six days so we could make a short trip to Boquete.

Rooms are good... don't expect 4 or 5 stars but is very good for Panama standards. We checked in late and got the usual excuse of "sorry the room you booked has a broken air conditioner, but we have arranged you a room at another hotel tonight, after that you can come back". After i asked a few questions and eventually got the 'sorry, bad english' response, i realised they just overbooked and had nothing left for us. Not sure why, but we did come back after the first night.... the room was ok. The roof top pool and bar is great though. Bar service was friendly and helpful, and the food off the menu was just perfect for what we wanted. Hard to recommend after the booking issue but good place to stay.

I was in the hotel with a friend and we enjoyed our stay. The room was big and clean. The hotel is very close to the public transport and surrounded by nice restaurants, bars and supermarkets. Only a short ride to Casco and a few metro stops to Albrook. The pool was nice, with a view over the area. A special thanks to Armando for his help and service during our stay.

I couldn't honestly say this is the best hotel I've ever visited in Panama City. The staff was very polite, everyone was nice to me even the cleaning lady. The infrastructure and location is great! It's near to the mall and also has great restaurants to go. As per my request I was given a nice room with an beautiful view... the only thing I would have suggested is that the hotel included breakfast in every fee. Besides that I have no complaints.

This was my first stay at a Best Western which was for a group celebration. Overall I was pleasantly surprised. Pros: -The rooms were modern and spacious. -The front desk staff was very friendly and helpful. Cons: -To access the elevator you must use your key which is common, however, your key only grants you access to your floor. This made it difficult for members of our group to visit one another during our stay. -There's a great seating area near the pool but your not allowed to enjoy outside food or beverages here. The front desk staff and the pool staff were not communicating as we were told different rules -The pool closed at 8pm. -Breakfast did not taste good at all. I settled for toast.

The BW Zen is situated just off Via Argentina in downtown Panama City and is within a few metres of dozens of bars and restaurants. We had a hire car and so the on site parking is a bonus with direct access to the rooms from the parking, a definite plus. The staff were helpful, especially the junior staff- the bell boy with glasses (sorry didn't get your name) was exceptional. Breakfast was ok with a good mix of local and western food, the rooftop bar was awesome although we were a bit inconvenienced by the "private parties" and reserved tables. All in all, we would return- indeed we did at the end of our holiday

We have stayed in 6 hotels in Panama city in the past two months and this one is the best value. Rooms included (the unheard of in Panama) coffee maker with coffee! Free awesome breakfast- full spread not just some toast and jam packets. Real jam! Two words: room service. At this price point this was the only hotel we stayed at with room service. Nice pool with bar. Frig in room. Clean rooms, great view, excellent staff. What more do you need? Location? Walking distance with luggage from Metro. Laundry not available at the hotel but laundromat is a block away. Highly recommend!!!

This place is very good value for money. The rooms are incredibly spacious and have a balcony. It was a little disappointing that despite my online request for a high floor this was not honoured. The staff at check in wouldn't even look on the system for me. I was placed in the lowest floor. Apart from this, the staff were very nice. The guy serving in the bar was especially friendly. The rooftop has great views of the city!

I've stayed here 6 nights (coming and going) for business and rest. The front desk and restaurant staff are friendly and helpful. Pool on roof is small but views are great.Very good rates for the size and condition of the rooms. Ask for a higher floor; large doubles are nicest rooms (803) very nice; 1408 for single. Get your morning coffee and arepa with egg and cheese at El Venezuelano across Argentina! Affordable/good laundry map across street from hotel (to the right). Price shop on kayak for rates under $70.

This hotel has massive rooms. I thought it was quite luxurious and the rooms are clean. The rooftop bar was a big bonus and there was pool as well. I spent my late evenings at the rooftop bar and views are awesome. You can see Panama City's skyline from there and it was nice place to relax after a hectic day and battling the city's notorious traffic.

Totally enjoyed a week in this friendly and centrally located gem. Pool is a little small but the view from the pool is spectacular. Restaurant served a good breakfast every morning and there were a good selection of restaurants within 10 min walk. I would stay here again without hesitation.

My boyfriend and I stayed in this hotel for 2 nights in August 2017. The room was very spacious and clean, with good facilities including a large bathroom and shower room, a hairdryer, a safe deposit box and a huge window with views over the surrounding area. The shower was fine for us but I don't think it would have been suitable for friends or family travelling together because there is no door on the bathroom and the shower is straight in front of you when you walk in, with only a strip of frosted glass to cover the person in there. The view from the window also wasn't exactly picturesque, but it was interesting to see what was going on in the local area. The breakfast was quite good, and the staff were very nice. The hotel is about 35 minutes from the airport and costs 25 - 30 dollars in a taxi. If you are going sightseeing, I wouldn't recommend booking the hotel's taxis if you can avoid it, because they are far more expensive than local taxi drivers and we found the locals more friendly and chatty. We also used the rooftop pool and bar, which is really lovely. All in all, I would recommend staying in this hotel and it was good value for money.

The rooms were nice and clean. The small coffee shop made excellent coffee, but the big let down was the breakfast (which we paid extra for). It had a very small selection of hot dishes which were made from cheap products., some of which we could not eat. The breakfast needs to be revised and updated using better produce.

We were more than satisfied with this modern, clean hotel in Panama City. We could walk out our door and find a multitude of restaurants and bars. No need for a car. The roof top lounge has a great panoramic view of the city. Nice place for a beverage before going out. The guest room is sleek and modern, frig, coffee and tea making facilities, nice linens and comfortable bed. Very affordable rates. Very clean. Very friendly staff. Would definitely recommend this hotel. Wifi works great as well.

Just spent 4 nights with friends at the hotel, The hotel is nice and the service was good. The internet connection was very reliable. The breakfast was good but come early as they run out of food. One thing i didnt like is that we brought our beer to the roof pool and they would charge us to have our own drinks over 2 dollars for each? That is a total rip off, You need to buy their own beer and buy it there. I just never that happened to me. Showers dont have much privacy but i have found that is a tendency in many hotels now. Location was perfect for us

I stayed at this hotel for my one week stay in Panama, ( July 17-23) and I must say it was the best location. There are at least 4 restaurants practically outside your doorstep, two to the left and two to the right and plenty more down the strip.. It is minutes away from the Metro, the local transit system. The staff is amazing! They were always on hand to assist us with transportation arrangements, scheduling tours and any of our room needs. Their customer service is impeccable. Management staff also spoke English which was helpful since are Spanish was a bit rusty. The rooms were clean and the beds were comfortable.. The daily breakfast included quite a bit of Spanish fare which was to be expected and was heavy enough meats, chesses, muffins, coffee, juice, etc. to keep you fueled up throughout the day. The surrounding streets are under contraction but this is temporary. Once completed, I'm sure the pathways will be much wider and make this locale even better because it will be a more walkable location in the City. I would definitely stay here again and recommend this to hotel anyone who wants to find an inexpensive, clean hotel in Panama City close to everything.

What a great hotel. It's in the city centre close to several good restaurants and a few minutes walk from the Via Argentina metro station. The staff were Panamanian which made it good local experience - polite, pleasant and helpful. The rooms are very comfortable indeed and spacious. Good buffet breakfast. A double worked out at 65 dollars plus taxes.

I spent two nights in this hotel. Getting there from airport was a traffic pain at 5pm. Close to metro station, but only one line. A couple of restaurants are close. Nice view from room and rooftop. Pool is small. Very helpful staff at desk. Airport service to airport. Good breakfast.

The BW Zen is in the middle of the Via Argentina neighbourhood, so you are surrounded by residences/apartments and some of the best restaurants in Panama City. The metro station is a 5 minute walk away and convenience stores are even closer. I used a taxi service for my airport transfer and the driver had no issue locating the hotel. The hotel is unassuming exteriorly, but inside is airy and modern in green and muted tones. The room looks just like the pictures. It was clean but not spotless, with minor signs of wear and tear. The highlights were the large shower (water was hot) and the immaculate and oh-so-comfy bed. There are also black out drapes. Being eco-friendly, you have to leave a room key in the slot by the door to keep the lights/TV on. They provide the usual toiletries, with shaving kits and ironing board on request. There is no microwave, but with all the nearby food choices, it was never an awesome issue for me. Speaking of, others have commented on the hotel breakfast... Yes, the choices are a bit limited for hot items, but Juan and Leyda especially, made sure I had a fantastic omelet and great service. The great service went beyond the restaurant! The Front Desk staff was *awesome* and I won't mention any names simply because I can't remember all of them and it wouldn't be fair to omit anyone. They helped with everything from directions, to recommendations/tips to a last minute shaving kit (long story :) ). Most of them speak fairly good English and were very patient with my (much worse) Spanish. Overall, the staff were highlight of this hotel, and I would definitely stay here again next time I'm in Panama City!

Although there is nothing wrong with this hotel, there is nothing special to be said either. Rooms are alright, AC a bit hard to set at the right temperature. Staff are (trained to be) friendly. I skipped the breakfast since it was expensive and I hate hotel breakfasts anyway. Down the road there are plenty other breakfast options. Location of the hotel is good. I recommend to stay here, when their rooms are on offer. Otherwise it is worth to shop around. Plenty of comparable hotels are available in Panama City. These kind of hotels are not the right places to meet other travellers. The people staying here are tourists rather than travellers.

As soon as we got to the hotel and we didn't even tell anyone we were arriving. There was staff that were outside, and took our luggage right away and escorted us into the hotel. Honestly, not sure why there were any bad reviews of the staff at all, They were very helpful and attentive. The hotel itself is a few notches up from what you would find at Canadian Best Westerns. It is modern and spacious. Has a 24 hour gym/fitness room. Has a beautiful romantic roof top bar and a swimming pool. The rooms are very nice and spacious. And the hotel is located in one of the best areas, very safe and close to bars and restaurants as well as the subway station. We loved it and have already booked our hotel room again for when we return to panama city at the end of the week!

I loved almost everything about this hotel. The only sour note was one of the receptionists whom I kept on having to deal with (Christian was his name, I think). Initially he was rude and thereafter just plain unfriendly and not helpful at all. What a pity, as his colleagues were super-friendly and efficient. This did not spoil a great stay, though. My (superior) room was very spacious, modern and comfortable, as was the huge bathroom. The room was spotless and housekeeping did a great job in maintaining it. It had all the amenities you could wish for, including an iron and ironing board, coffee making machine with delicious coffee, bottles of drinking water and a well-stocked mini-bar. Hotel facilities include a restaurant, coffee shop and rooftop bar. Prices seemed fair, but I can't comment on the quality of the food. The breakfast buffet offered an extensive selection of dishes, although it does become a bit chaotic when the restaurant is full. There is a gym on one of the top floors; some of the equipment needed servicing when I was there. The infinitely pool on the rooftop was not really inviting at the time of my visit, as there was some minor construction going on. There are many shops, restaurants and bars around the hotel and it seemed like a safe area to be walking in at all times. There is a subway stop close by and it only takes 20 minutes to reach the hotel from the international airport when not traveling in peak hours. The Best Western offers a welcome reprieve from the heat and noise of Panama City, at a very reasonable price. I stayed there twice and will return, should I find myself in the city in future.

We stayed for 6 nights at the beginning of June 2017. Really happy to have chosen this place. Advantages: - Location: 5 mins to the via Argentina Metro Stop, close enough to major highways to get to the airport (<$25 USD by Uber) and out of the City, a lot of restaurants in the area (including some really highly rated on TripAdvisor) and the location feels very safe - Breakfast: included in our room rate, good to see that even after staying for 6 consecutive breakfasts there was always something different every day, and they served local Panamanian dishes. It's not the typical breakfasts you'd expect from a Best Western with different cooked meats every day, but that's not a bad thing. - Pool: Nice pool on the rooftop. The pool itself is actually quite small but it's not meant for exercising. It's a show piece and works perfectly well for that. - Rooms: Spacious, well equipped, comfortable, clean. TV with many international channels. - Quick Wifi everywhere. Computers with printer/scanner available in the lounge. - Front Desk staff very helpful Disadvantages: - It doesn't look mega ostentatious from the outside, so if that's important to you then this isn't it (this also means Taxi's and Ubers may not find it as easily as some of the more obvious locations) - Bottled water wasn't restocked after we used our first bottles. That's the only real complaint.

This BW has everything going for it. Very courteous and friendly front desk. Nice restaurant for (free) breakfast buffet and a la carte meals. The breakfast was varied and tasty; we had a late night dinner (salads) there one evening - very good and reasonably priced. Our room had a great view of the city, but you could block it all out with curtains if you so chose. GREAT beds. SO comfortable. Neighborhood had wide range of restaurants and was just a short cab ride away from major sites. I would definitely stay here again.

Nice staff easy to find from airport. Breakfast was good but could do with more options. Gym is ok not much equipment but is well air conditioned. Rooms are the nicest parts big beds with great AC. Other than that I can't complain you get what you expect from a big chain.

We spent our anniversary week at this hotel. It's conveniently located near a lot of restaurants and bars, and it's walking distance from the Metro station. The rooms are spacious... very comfortable bed. The cable tv worked great as there was the option to translate the movies that were in Spanish to English. Shower is huge... toilet is in separate enclosure. Mini bar comes with two complimentary bottles of water, everything else is charged. The gym is on the 14th floor and is open 24 hours. It's not that big but it's comfortable and clean, and offers a great view while working out. The pool is on the 15th floor (top)... small, but nice and clean. The whole pool area/deck is wonderful though. Fantastic view of the city... plus there's an upper deck with a bar that's really cool. The lobby is gorgeous and zen. It smells like a spa upon entry (actually, the entire hotel smells amazingly spa-like)... and front desk is always super helpful. Hussy and I enjoyed our stay here tremendously, and shall return whenever we revisit Panama City. Totally worth the five stars!!!

Stayed here for 6 nights on floor 11 ,the room offered a splendid view of the sunrise/sunset. The bed is really comfortable and plenty of channels on the television. The aircondition was sometimes a little noisy , and items in the minibar could have a little more realistic price, 7 Usd for a Redbull is way to expensive. There is a taxi service on the hotel for a ride wherever you want , but they can also be a little expensive if you dont book thru the reception of the hotel . They often do not speak English and sometimes not following the fixed rates .A ride to the Metropolitan natural park did cost me 30 usd , wich is to much for a 15 minute ride . However the location of the hotel is fantastic , close to some good restaurants and shops.

Nice clean room, great view and good pool. A few things I don't like: - breakfast is very basic and not much variety. - when you enter the hotel there are like 6/7 people standing at the desk just looking at you. Very intimidating. - I sometimes had the feeling they were treating us less, because we're a young couple. - when we arrived at the airport there was supposed to be a taxi waiting for us. There was no taxi!! - at the beginning of our vacation we asked if we could get the same room the next week. We didn't get it. The staff also forgot we were staying there the week before, asking us where we were from etc. It's the little things that make guests feel at home. Now we just felt like a number. I would stay here again. Only for the room & pool.

I'm writing this on behalf of my friend who is not on TripAdvisor. We both stayed at the Best Western Panama Zen on business earlier this month. Overall, it's a great hotel that I have stayed at before and we enjoyed staying there on this trip as well as it is in a great location, very clean and with great amenities. We stayed in separate rooms and when my friend was in the process of checking out the front desk told him that he had somehow racked up a bar and minibar bill of over US$300. As anyone who has been to Panama City before knows this would be tough to do in the space of 3 days since beers are extremely cheap. It would have been akin to drinking the entire contents of the minibar every single night! The reality was that my friend and I only had drinks at the hotel on 2 occasions as we mostly went out on the town. It was obviously a scam to try and increase revenue. My friend was forced to pay the bill even though there were no receipts shown to back up the fraudulent charges. I'm not sure I would have done the same but my friend is an honest person and wanted to avoid any trouble. Very disappointing for a hotel that should do much better and not take advantage of its guests.

Great place to stay at. Our room was beautiful, the service excellent, the staff friendly and very helpful. Breakfast was great. For being in a busy area the rooms were quiet and the bed very comfy. They have a very nice pool/bar area on the roof top offering a great view.

This could not have been a better choise. The front desk was so helpfull and professional, the breakfast was excelent, the hotel well located near to the subway. The room was of a good size with all services and free WiFi. Definitely recommend this to future travelers

Brand new hotel located in what I think is the best part of central Panama City (except if you want to stay at the water front), close to bars, restaurants, the Metro and various commercial & shopping areas. Modern rooms with coffee/tea (bottled water only during the 1st night but in Panama City you can drink tab water), nice gym that's open 24 hours, small but pleasant roof top pool area. All of the staff member that I encountered were friendly and professional. The cleaning staff deserves a particular mentioning, because their cleaning schedules were reliable/predictable and it was done fast and properly. The only weak point is the breakfast, which is ok but doesn't match the expectations that result from the overall excellent impression of the place. I was missing vegetables, granola, and I'd also suggest that breakfast "staples2 such as porridge or bacon shouldn't be rotating items but should be offered every day. Having said that, since breakfast seems to be included in all/most rates (or at least the difference between with and without breakfast is small) - and the rates are really good - I won't let this affect my rating. Also I found the breakfast staff to be very friendly, even if they basically didn't know English at all. The WiFi was stable and had a good speed (in room 1210). If I visit Panama City again, I'd definitely stay here again.

The hotel is in a good location in a very bustling city. It was easily reached by taxi from the airport ($30). The hotel has a modern feel for a Best Western. My room was large, clean, comfortable and even had a decent view. It was on par with any full-service Marriott or Hilton property. The Roof lounge was a nice place to kick back, and the bartenders (Brian and Jayme) were two of the nicest people I met during my entire time in Panama. I prepaid this booking and there were no issues upon arrival with my payment record. It was all well executed by the hotel. The surrounding area was safe for night strolling and there are many neighborhood style restaurants within 5 minutes walk. Though not the fanciest upscale area of Panama City, it was affordable and a good choice for my first visit to this country.

We had a great stay at the Best Western Plus Panama Zen. It's in a really interesting neighbourhood of Panama City (via argentina), so if you want to be immersed in Panamanian culture, it's a great spot. It's not in a touristy area at all. The hotel is safe, clean, and modern. The rooftop infinity pool is excellent and a great spot to chill out. The rooftop bar and lounge was not open while we were there, which was disappointing. The room was clean and big and the shower was huge. We had great service from the front desk; no complaints. I would stay here again and recommend it to friends!

High rise hotel, modern lobby. Rooms clean with updated decor. Free breakfast, great price and location is perfect for downtown or a short ride to Casco Antiqua. There is a bar on the roof with an outdoor pool. Plenty of restaurants within walking distance.

Good things first: pool on the rooftop was nice. Bad things: wifi was hardly working, air condition in room was terribly loud. But worst of all was the service - very rude and not willing to help, the easiest questions seemed to totally go over any employees abilities. Variety at breakfast was also disapppointing. Also please dont go to the nice looking cafe in the lobby - burned muffins and after two attempts they still messed up the latte totally

We thoroughly enjoyed our stay at the Panama Zen Hotel. The hotel as a personal feel which is great as it is a brand name hotel and runs efficiently like one. The room was large and clean and one of the best layouts I have experienced. There was a TV, desk, safe and fridge. The pool/bar on the rooftop is very pleasant and the music didn't affect us at all in our room. The breakfast was included and is buffet style. The WIFI worked but seemed to be artificially limited on speed which was frustrating when trying to access basic social media. We had a late night problem with loud music coming from an adjoining room but once we phoned reception the problem was resolved very quickly which we appreciated. There are plenty of restaurants around the hotel. Would definitely stay at this hotel again..

Very helpful staff, free parking in the hotel garage, panoramic view from the room, great beds. Breakfest was good, not much too wide choice, but enough. Late check out and they gave us one hour more. I cannot remember anything wrong -just perfect.

If you're looking for an affordable and comfortable room this is probably one of the best options. I'm used to the basic plain facilities the Best Western usually offers, but I found these to be pleasant. Specially the restaurant offering a pretty decent breakfast buffet plus vegetarian options in their menu.

I stayed last year in this hotel for about 3 months due to work. That time, everyone was very kind and helpful, in fact I felt a little sad of not seeing them again. This year I had to return due to work again and all the staff that still worked there form last year, was very joyful, kind and welcoming me again, as if I was returning home. I felt very happy to be in the hotel too and was very comfortable again. I widely recommend this hotel for a long or short stay. It is located on a good spot, many restaurants, bars and accesible to public transport. Thank you!!

A clean, modern hotel with one English speaking person who is very helpful if you are not fluent in Spanish. Free breakfast is included and you can purchase lunch and dinner here as well, which we did a few times and they were excellent. The roof is the best with a pool, colored lights at night, bar and meal service with plenty of sofas and chairs! Free internet in the room is very intermittent, but there are two computers available downstairs that are very reliable.

I had a 36hr layover with my daughter on the way back to the states from Chile. We got to the hotel around 1130am and could not check into our room til 3p which really sucked and was the only reason why they didn't get an excellent rating. After being on that long flight we really needed rest. ultimately, not having early check in drained us from being able to explore with the little time we had. Anyway, the pool area was nice. Water was super cold but they had a DJ present. Not too sure why he only played instrumental music the entire time. Overall great stay. Sad to leave tomorrow.

This hotel was recently renovated and was very modern. It has everything you'd expect from a nice hotel and more - fitness room, rooftop pool and bar, as well as restaurant and free breakfast. It's located right off Via Argentina, where you can have your pick of cafes, bars, and restaurants, and 5 mins walking from the metro station. For the price (around $70 with tax per night) this place truly can't be beat - I would definitely stay here again should I return to Panama City.

This location has a Pool Bar. Non hotel guests pay to go to the pool and bar and it is party central. You are not allowed to take your own drinks to the pool you must buy drinks from the bar. Good side is Champagne was on sale while I was there. If you want to smoke it is OK just ignore the Non Smoking signs everyone else does even the staff. This is NOT a FAMILY Hotel. Very disappointed.

Happy new year! Very cool hotel. Comfortable and spacious rooms and very modern decor. Awesome "roof top" bar in top floor with great view and reasonable pric d drinks. Pool on 16th floor -infinite. Makes you feel floating on top of the city of Panama.very friendly staff starting with front desk. And very fresh and good variety for breakfast included. Highly recommend. Located near everything in very safe part of town.

Stayed here initially as a stop over between arriving in Panama City and travelling up North to Bocas Del Toro, however after getting my bag mislaid on the flight we ended up staying for 3 nights. The hotel staff were lovely. Especially the men on the front desk, they were so helpful with ringing the various numbers to help with finding my bag and kept me in the loop with any updates they received. They were extremely friendly and were able to extend my booking on a day to day basis when my bag was still yet to arrive. The facilities in the hotel are great. The rooms are spacious, beds are comfy and the showers are powerful and have a good supply of free shampoo/conditioner/soap etc. We spent a lot of time at the pool which was very nice, complete with sun loungers and comfy floor seats. Although my stay here was due to waiting for my mislaid bag, I had a very enjoyable stay and would highly recommend to anyone wanting to stay in Panama City. Would definitely visit if I stay in Panama City again.

A lot of positives for a small price (63 $ US/ night + 10% tax). Free internet, breakfast included (not much there but still), comfortable beds with AC. Clean room. Free parking if needed ( I wouldn't use a car in Panama traffic...). Small outdoor pool with nice view. The location is close to a lot of restaurants. If you like churros there is a restaurant 2 minutes walking distance that serves them with excellent coffee. Some things to improve: chaos in the pool with uncontrolled kids not supervised by parents, some smokers (supposed to be smoke free), so-so service bar and pool area. Overall a good stay.

I had an overnight layover in Panama and chose to stay at the Best Western due to the reviews here on Trip Advisor. I'm happy that I did. Quality service, good/varied breakfast and a clean room. I'd just flown in from SE Asia by way of San Francisco and was extremely tired. I visited a restaurant nearby for a late lunch after check in and turned in after. Sleep was comfortable without any excess noise. Definitely recommended.

Highly recommend! Great, big spacious room, with desk, high speed internet for working. Large closets, refrigerator. Super breakfast buffet with both Panamanian and Western delights, Omelet bar. Business center with printer & scanner in the lobby, helped greatly with urgent business. Very helpful and friendly staff. Has transport service for private driver to airport and long distance to Panama Pacifico. Making this hotel my new base when come to Panama. Great location, walk to Bus and Subway stations, and Via Argentina dining.

Not much to add to what others have said. This is a good modern clean hotel in a great location just off Via Argentina. It has its own coffeeshop in the lobby, breakfast is fine, rooftop pool is small but offers views and a place to chill. Rooms are clean, comfortable and quiet. And value overall is good. I returned after a trip elsewhere in the country because I knew what I was getting and was very satisfied with it.

Rooms were generous and clean. The staff always helpful and attentive. Recommend using the hotel taxi service - Osmer was my driver for 2 days and was very reliable. Most impressive was the food and service. Affordable and high quality food served by lovely people. Juliana was especially fantastic in the restaurant; a great host, very polite and attentive. Thankyou Zen!

This is a great place to stay, especially for the price. The breakfast was outstanding, great wi-fi, very clean rooms. I do wish there was a sign visible from Via Argentina as I drove from the airport to the hotel in a rent a car at about 9:30 PM, but I got lucky and found it.

Great! In city a few blocks away, on main st, from Argentina Train stop. Great corner restaurant, Manolo Churros. Room was clean and comfortable, great city view. Bed super comfortable, clean sheets. Pool small but roof top and always had to myself. Great wine bar and wine. Breakfast included till 10 was great and good options. Reception staff did not have excursion book or did not offer any alternatives for island trips. Would definitely stay here again.

We were very satisfied with our stay at Best Western! The staff were kind and extremely patient with our meager Spanish. The room was quite large and had a comfortable king-sized bed. Breakfast came included with our booking and each day had a different variety of items that were delicious. The gym was well-stocked with modern equipment and floor to ceiling windows boasting a skyline view. We loved having a drink each night at the rooftop bar, and spending the hottest days lounging in the pool. There are several restaurants in the surrounding area, and taxis to other tourist attractions were inexpensive. I'd definitely stay here again if I ever find myself back in Panama City.

Fine room and grand free breakfast. We walked the neighborhood several times and it was fine. A great value. We like to stay in places like this - not expensive, safe, and good location. Uber highly recommended. Drivers were friendly and helpful.

The quality was the same what I expected. The pictures of the hotel speak for itself, it is very decent. The location is also ideal, the neighborhood is calm and easy to find good restaurants nearby. The gym is small, but it was enough for us and also the pool is very small, but we didn't use it anyway. The view from the top is amazing. Rooms are clean and tidy.

I give this hotel a 10. Good sized room, good shower, comfortable bed, cable tv, fridge, quality toiletries, friendly helpful staff, good food and great breakfast. Their prices to and from the airport were the same as street taxis. They kindly stored my luggage before my arrival. The location is good near lots of good restaurants and the area was safe to walk around. The view from the roof top pool was stunning. The pool is small but refreshing.

The hotel has modern decor and all of the amenities you would expect from a new urban hotel. My favorite part of the hotel is the great rooftop pool/bar with views of the skyline in three directions. We also had a nice view of the city from our room - so if you want a view, I would ask for a higher floor. One thing to note is that the hotel is so new, many cab drivers don't know where it is - we learned this the hard way! Just tell them the hotel is near El Trapiche, a very well known restaurant that is just a few doors down from the hotel. We arranged for the hotel to pick us up at the airport for $35 which seems to be the standard rate.

This is a clean hotel in a more quiet location. The breakfast is excellent. The personal is friendly and helpful but most of them speak a little to none English. Always make sure and check several times that you get what you want when talking to the people at the reception, again it's the lack of English. Dinner at the hotel in the restaurant is not recommended. While the presentation of the food you order is 5 star, the food itself is more likely 2 star fast food. At the top of the hotel is a bar and a small swimming pool. From here you have a nice view over Panama City. Compared to the much more expensive well known hotel brands, this is an very good alternative to stay within your budget and still get high value in exchange.

Although a large hotel, it still processed a boutique feel. Offerings include a large breakfast, updated gym, small lobby cafe and the rooftop bar with pool. The cafe was perfect for an afternoon, apres sightseeing coffee and sweets. The offerings at the complimentary breakfast will satisfy most. The gym equipment is up to date and clean! Located in the Financial district, The location is ideal for getting out to most attractions and nightlife of Villa Argentina. For those with the stamina, a walk to Casco Antiguo is doable. Staff was friendly and accommodating. My web reservations were not in the computer, but the staff quickly and without stress rectified the situation. The rooms are light airy and immaculate. The cost, as with most Panamanian hotels, was ridiculously affordable for the quality of my accommodations.

Very impressed with this hotel. Lovely entrance & lobby area. The water running down the walls, the décor & the calming music all give it that ZEN feel. The room was a nice size & had everything we needed. Good breakfast & really enjoyed the pool. One negative was although we were given a room with a balcony, the patio door didn't have any kind of lock on it. A lovely modern & clean hotel in a good location.

My family's short vacation to Panama City turned out to be a blast, due partly to our pleasant stay at the Best Western Plus Panama Zen Hotel. The staff is very helpful before and during our stay. Since my wife and kids arrived before me, I requested a credit authorization for the two rooms so that my wife and kids could just check in. They were able to check in without any issues and were given solid advice on transportation and sightseeing options. The metro is only a few blocks from the hotel and we found it to be modern and very cheap, only $2 for the fare that loads the fare for the entire family's use. At $0.35 per trip, it was a steal. The beds were wonderful mostly because they use 500-count thread sheets and have plenty of pillows. They have a small fridge that you can find room to keep items cold if you don't partake in their mini-bar items. The safe was also useful. Wifi was fast enough with a strong signal. The bathroom and shower were great, never any issues with not having enough hot water, and having toiletries was a nice touch. The breakfast was plentiful and tasty with several hot and cold options. What was the best feature was the rooftop deck and pool! The views were awesome, especially at night. The infinity pool was small but a great way to stay cool and the kids enjoyed taking a dip. Another nice amenity was the exercise room. It is basic but not crowded and nice to get a workout in. Since we booked two rooms for 4 nights, we were able to get a really good deal.

The hotel is clean and comfortable with spacious rooms. The staff was friendly and the hotel has a good location near the via Argentina metro station and lots of great restaurants. The price I paid was comparatively reasonable. The downside was that I could hear everything from the next room and the corridor (I had a room that adjoined another room) and the breakfast wasn't great. I would have liked coffee from a machine, not lukewarm coffee from a flask, better quality bread and pastry options and more varieties of fruit and juices. On check out I was charged over 20 dollars for 4 small bottles of still water from the mini bar, which is really 5 star pricing in a hotel that doesn't feel luxurious. The pool is also tiny and is in the middle of the outside bar area.

Good room, good rate, nice swimming pool in the top with great view of the city, and the staff was gently. It has good location, in an area surrounded by many different restaurants and next to the Via España where is many commerce activity. It is an ideal option to go with the family. Regards from Costa Rica!

Clean, modern, beautiful hotel which I highly recommend. Only two misses, one of which was partially my fault. I was charged an exorbitant amount of money to do laundry but that was partially my fault for not asking more questions about the laundry service. The other Miss was that my shower did not have sufficient hot water. In fact it had no hot water. Just lukewarm for the two weeks that I stayed. It wasn't just my room because a fellow business companion that was staying in a different room had the same problem. Other than that,a thoroughly enjoyable stay

Hotel was good--about a 30 to 45 minute drive from the airport and 15 to 30 minutes from the Casco Viejo area depending on traffic (count on lots of traffic unless you are arriving very late or very early). Our booking included breakfast which was hot and plentiful--made to order omelettes if you're so inclined. Room was clean, beds were comfortable, but there was incessant, loud humming from the small refrigerator and the sound of water running/dripping (we searched our room and couldn't locate the sound--like a toilet running). All in all we were tired enough each night that the noises didn't keep us from sleeping. Hotel staff was nice and helped us arrange for taxis everywhere we wanted to go--one of their hotel taxi drivers even waited for us for 90 minutes while we explored the canal and then drove us back to the hotel again! If staying in Panama city area--location can be a tough call. We opted to stay here to get away from all the noise we kept reading about in Casco Veijo (which was true--beautiful area and a must to visit, but very noisy due to all the activity), but with traffic it was no fun getting there and back--like I said before plan on lots of traffic in the city!

Very clean and new rooms with very good food in the hotel's restaurant in the morning and at night. The price / quality of this hotel in its range is way better than other Panamanian hotels I stayed in. Very good service during check in / out and in the restaurant.

This hotel is great and an excellent value! It has a nice vibe, the rooms are modern and nicely decorated, the beds super comfy, there is a wonderful rooftop with an infinity pool and nice chairs to lounge on, a great breakfast (included in the price - they even will cook you an omelet), and free WiFi. It is close to the Via Argentina metro so easy to get to the Albrook bus station or mall. If you call they will arrange pick up for you at the airport for $35 (which is around what Uber charges) - staff is very nice and attentive.

The hotel is in good conditions and clean. Staff very helpful and an excellent breakfast. Great location close to the train stop. Road and surroundings not very well maintained. Great location, very accesible to mayor roads. Restaurant and bar at walking distance and very safe place.

I love the overall feel of the room. It was always kept clean. I leave the hotel in the morning and come back in the afternoon to see the room cleaned. The staff is very friendly and accommodating. The area around the hotel had several restaurants offering different cuisine. It is one of the best hotels I stayed in for my business travel. I would definitely choose this hotel if I get to go back to Panama.

Nice hotel located a little out of the center of the city. Rooftop pool and bar were excellent. The stay included breakfast which was great. Rooms were small but could accommodate an extra bed which is great for a family of four. Also, use Uber. Taxis wait outside the hotel but are older cars, and charge the visitors many times what an Uber costs.

In a good area of town this hotel is pretty good. The room are large, the shower good and the wi-fi good. The breakfast was pretty good. The made to order omelette was good but the quality of bread and juice could be improved. The desk staff were very helpful and friendly.

We booked a room for a week. Pictures can be deceiving, but not here! Staff was friendly, rooms clean, common areas clean and a roof top pool/bar that was just lovely to end a day lounging at. The included buffet breakfast was good, basic fare with fresh made eggs to order, and few items that changes daily. We always felt welcome and safe.

My family and I stayed at the Best Western PLUS Panama Zen Hotel for 2 nights in early June 2016. My daughter and I loved the rooftop pool and we spent a lot of time up there having fun. The property is very clean, modern and well appointed. It's also in a very good location either walking distance or a short cab ride to pretty much everything. We would highly recommend it and hope to be back soon.

Lovely rooms with a good view of the city; beautiful rooftop pool and bar. Staff were always friendly, helpful and willing to give information. In response to some other reviews, we didn't experience any problems with language barriers or poor service. The breakfast was very nice. Overall a pleasant experience.

This is a great little hotel right in the heart of Panama City. It's just a two blocks away from the Via Argentina Metro stop so it's easy to get around. The entrance is just off Via Argentina on Calle Gaspar O Hernandez. I was warmly welcomed by both the bell and front desk staff and everyone was very professional. Check-in was easy, although they couldn't except American Express at that time. (It's working now) I had a large king room on the 5th floor, facing Calle Gaspar. I thought there might be some street noise so I slept with earplugs and never heard anything. They included a free breakfast along with two welcome cocktails at their rooftop pool/lounge, which was very nice while I was there (around 6pm). They advertise a happy hour and karaoke but I missed both. The crowd (if 8 is a crowd) was 20-something Brits while I was there. They were just enjoying a few beers by the pool. There's a small fridge/minibar with just a few beers/spirits, sodas and snacks. You could walk to the corner of Via Argentina and Via España where you'll find a MetroRx convenience store and pick up a few drinks/snacks. Great bed, decent WiFi, elevator requires key card and there was always someone in the lobby if you had questions. I suggested to the staff that the housekeepers step up their shower cleaning as there was a little mildew smell and they said they would pass it on. I'm sure they would've sent someone up but it was 03:30 when I noticed it.

Hotel is having good location with good amenities. Here you will not have microwave facility in guest room like the Best westen USA having. Bathroom not having hot water, its only warm water. Breakfast quality and items were good.

More than we could ever have imagined - luxurious king suite with outdoor lounge, roof top pool and sexy bar, gymnasium, great finishes throughout, fabulous front and transportation desk - delicious and generous buffet breakfast too ! When next in Panama City ... we'll be back to this Hotel in the funkiest of areas !

For a place that's supposed to be a tripadvisor top hotel, it fell extremely below my expectations. There was only one, maybe two staff members who spoke English well if at all. So many things were lost in translation wig the solely Spanish speaking staff, which was annoying. Even with my ok Spanish, the staff still didn't comprehend the easiest of requests. The inside lounge on the top floor didn't accept those staying in the hotel as a form of payment (duh, put stuff to the room, there is already a card attached to the room). The lounge is in the hotel serving hotel customers and the like, so that doesn't make any sense. Completely stupid & absurd. Then, I WAS TOLD THAT the top restaurant/bar area above the lounge apparently accepts your room as payment. The server I had said that he didn't believe that I was staying at the hotel and wanted cash. For him to assume that was extremely rude and disrespectful. Also, he was not good at his job. I don't know how he still has a job seeing that he was too preoccupied being lazy & not paying attention to patrons who wanted to get drinks. I don't think I've never seen a bartender be so lazy & aloof. You have time to admire the damn sunset numerous times, yet you've walked by me MORE THAN TEN TIMES and not offered me a menu? YOU SHOULD BE FIRED. I have no drink at all, so you'd think he'd be like, 'hey, do you want a menu?' Im not begging you to take my money. I had to ask for a menu & what the specials were. ARE YOU SERIOUS?! Maybe I'm bratty. Maybe I'm spoiled. But the number one thing you do in serving people is giving them a damn menu & asking if they need anything. Great deal & amazing hotel room (hence the two stars). But I would NEVER stay here again. Service wise this hotel is at the bottom of the totem pole. Poor, poor, poor.

This hotel was fantastic. Getting there from the airport wasn't difficult using my phone's GPS, though traffic in Panama like much of Latin America can be horrendous, rush hour into downtown is a horror show. The parking structure was small and can't likely accommodate enough the amount of cars that COULD be there, though I found a spot so it was ok. The rate was very good when compared to USA hotels and while this is a Best Western, it's a BW Plus and is very stylish and refined. It makes a great impression even when coming off the elevator to the lobby. I had requested a high floor, got 10 of 16, which I was satisfied with. The view was fantastic, large windows really accentuated it. There wasn't THAT much to look at, as it's a city hotel, but it was great. The bed was a nice comfortable king, the TV was fine, wifi was very good which is nice since it can be hit or miss in Latin America. The bathroom facilities were nice and clean as was the entire room. My one complaint, which happens often with hotels, is that there wasn't enough lighting. For some reason there's no overhead light past the hallway, so even with all 4 lamps on, the room still could've been lit up better. Breakfast was fine, there's a pool/gym which I didn't get a chance to check out and evidently there is an airport shuttle but it would still be 30+ minutes so it can't possibly be free. I'm not sure about the location as far as a local Panamanian would say, but right nearby are multiple restaurants and bars within a 5 minute walk, so if you're on a longer stay there should be no reason to get bored with food choices.

A brand new hotel. So clean and well designed. Friendly staff, good restaurant, big choice of restaurants around and close to the center. Nobody needs more. The fooms are well equiped. Free WiFi in the rooms. 2 free bottles of water waited for us. Realy enjoyed our stay.

What a nice place, right smack in the center of this great city. Very friendly at the front desk, the restaurant and at the bars, and very clean. The cleaning lady´s were all whirlwinds in the rooms and surroundings. Rooftop pool and bar, how cool is that ? But the breakfast was lacking somewhat more variaty.

Great location, so many restaurants and stores near to the hotel , everything is new and clean. I stayed 4 Night and definitely when I'll return to panama I'm going to stay at the best western Zen again.

Huge rooms, nice view of the skyline, cool swimming pool, gym, nice breakfast, very comfortable and quiet. Lots of amenities in the room and very well located - near markets, restaurants and bars. This is really a good-value hotel to rest. A couple of blocks from the metro station Via Argentina.

We only spent one night here, but I wish we could have stayed longer. Awesome pool and rooftop bar. Very spacious rooms with huge beds. In a great part of panama city with bars and restaurants just a few steps away. We got a room with an included breakfast, which was delicious. They had an omelette bar, fruit, oatmeal, pastries, cold cuts, cereal and sandwiches. The rooms was very quiet and had a great view. I would recommend it!

I stayed at the Zen Hotel for one night because I had a layover at Tocumen Airport. The hotel is located on a side-street of Via Argentina, where many bars and restaurants are to be found. However, even the driver organized by the hotel took me there going in circles, narrowing in on the location. So I highly suggest bringing a printout from Google-Maps. The hotel seems to be not that well known among local taxi drivers. The hotel and the room were wonderful...spaceous, clean, modern and new. Staff are very friendly. Some speak English, others only Spanish. Good selection of international tv-channels. Breakfast is fully satisfying. Only downside: Wifi is so painfully slow...it will make you grind your teeth. The pool on the rooftop offers spectacular views. There is a nightclub right next to the pool-area which opens on weekends. I stayed at the hotel early in the week, when the club was closed. But noise may be an issue Thursday through Saturday. Better check in advance. So generally speaking, I had a wonderful time at Zen Hotel.

Lots of amenities for the price. As a single woman traveling alone I liked that one needed to use the key card to use the elevator. I loved having a coffee maker in the room. Many hotels here at this price point don't have one. Little things...Bathrobes available, The heavenly fragrance of the soap, shampoo, and body lotion etc., A vanity in the bathroom large enough to actually use, toilet area and fan separate from shower and vanity, no annoying fan noise while putting on makeup. The bed was very comfortable, the room was quiet, clean and bright with nice big windows and the room temperature was perfect. A small but very good breakfast buffet is included in the price of the room, omelets are made to order. For me, the ambiance in the lobby and dining area was a bit sterile, it is all white and contemporary. However the young man at the front desk, Jose, was very friendly and had a beautiful smile which added great personality to the room. The hotel is located within walking distance to several good restaurants and is very near a metro station. My only complaint - I wanted to extend my stay another night and they would not give me the night at my original booking price. The price was increased by $20.00. Overall, I would choose this hotel first over all of the others that I have stayed at in this price range ($60-$70)

Our room was clean and the bed extremely comfortable, the best sleep we have had in a long time at a hotel. Hotel staff were all friendly, professional and well informed on locations and information of what to see in the city and where we should not go.

It was a pleasant hotel, great view from the pool, breakfast included, connectivity to the internet was poor, but the overall experience was excellent for a fair price. I definitively recommend stay there.

The hotel was comfortable and clean. The employees were very helpful and spoke pretty good English. The pool on the roof was fun. Accommodations were spacious and modern. Plenty of water and pressure in the shower.

It's a nice place to stay your vacations so don't think twice, this might b your best option for a fair price. I must say that they need to enhance the WiFi service because it is very slow, but for the price and all the benefits the hotel gave us it was a great choice.

Very safe area and only a few (2-3) blocks to the Metro. The area had many very good restaurants within easy walking distance. The staff was friendly and helpful. Our room was very spacious and clean. We used the hotel as a base for two weeks while visiting Panama City on foot and via public transportation. The SoHo Mall and a Rey Supermarket are both within walking distance (5-6 blocks). We thoroughly enjoyed our stay at the Best Western and would definitely stay there again in the future. Our favorite restaurants near the hotel were the Avatar (Indian cuisine), Zule (Italian cuisine), and the Nacion Sushi in SoHo Mall (Thai cuisine). Panama City is a great place to soak up history, enjoy the skyline, and was definitely more modern than we ever expected!

the internet connection is a catastrophe. I planed to stay in and work on the computer. but it's almost impossible. how can they advertise free wifi everywhere when the wifi doesn't work? this is so annoying that it doesn't matter that everything else is okay.

Spent four nights here last week, what a wonderful hotel! Location is perfect, about 50 restaurants within a 10-15 minute walk. European décor, really beautiful Fantastic rooftop pool with spectacular views and bar service. Lovely staff. Nice breakfast buffet. Really loved this place. The only complaint was with the wifi - it really is unacceptable for a leisure hotel, much less anyone doing any business. Tried using the hardwired computers at the business center, and they seemed just as bad. Otherwise, perfect!

My friend and I stayed here for several nights on our last trip to Panama. We absolutely loved it! The pool and rooftop bar were awesome. Great breakfast buffet and friendly staff. We were able to check in early which was really nice considering we had taken the overnight bus from Bocas del Toro and were quite exhausted.

After staying in many bw hotels this must be the bw with the worst service. Unfriendly staff and after I asked for some more coffee pads to make coffee early in the morning before breakfast started that talled us that we had to share the one coffee pad that was in the room with 3 persons and they could not give 2 more coffee pads. So early risers or if you have to leave early do not go to this hotel

Friendly service and overall vibe. Loved the roof top pool and pool deck. Bar up there as well. Lots of nice chairs that can be moved around. Fun music playing up at the pool. Easy check in, very reasonably priced. Modern and very clean. Air con worked well and the toiletries are fantastic. Located in a great area. We took cabs most places for $2 or the metro which was safe and easy. Traveled with 2 kids ages 6 and 8 and is stay here again.

Everything was awesome! The staff, the room, the rooftop bar, the location, breakfast, everything. I have nothing but nice words to say about this hotel. If I ever return to Panama city I'll definitely stay there again. Quick tip: If you exit the hotel and walk a few feet to the right at night there's a variety of food vendors next to the park and the food is affordable and GOOD!

I stayed there on February for a convention. The hotel by itself is quite nice: clean and nice rooms- I stayed on the the 14th floor which means that I had an amazing view. They have an small gym which is nice for those who wants to exercise on vacation. I was with a large group, but the staff did a great job keeping us happy. The people at the front was amazing- super helpful and always willing to provide any kind of information. They have a small restaurant, many options and very tasty... I would highly recommend to have breakfast... They also have a pool at the top floor - perfect to enjoy the sunset! If I go back there, I would love to stay there again!

The is a new modern hotel, with great facilities and nice big rooms. In that way it is similar to many other hotels in the same price range, so what makes it different. In our view it's the service and inclusions. The hotel arranged a car to collect us at the airport - it was waitng for us and was a safe and comfortable ride. The front desk staff are great, very helpful and spoke sufficient English to help us out. WiFi was free and reliable. The rest of the service was not so good. The rooms are advertised as having tea and coffee. The tea in our room was only chamomile - no coffee until we asked for it - then we got enough for one cup. The next day we had to ask again - again only one cup. The third day no coffee. We had dinner in the restaurant the first night. The Beef fajitas had the toughest steak I have had for years. For dinner - try the collection of food vans across the road - cheap fabulous food. But the biggest disappointment was the included breakfast. For a hotel of this size and standard the breakfast was a very limited selection and the quality poor. Only two dishes changed each day. The jam (same type every day) was so runny, it must have been watered down to go further. There are lots of hotels competing for your business in this city, I'm sure you can get a better package elsewhere.

The hotel rooms are sizeable and clean. Located in an eclectic and "real" part of Panama City. I personally loved it, but it might be for "fearful of the locals" types (you know who you are). Hotel pool is small due to a weird design but the double-deck is sizable and the views/sunsets are incredible. The staff is courteous, helpful and mostly bilingual.

The Front Desk staff where very friendly and soak a little English. The Hotel is well maintained and clean. Our room was nice and cleaned daily. The comp breakfast was complete with scrambled eggs, sliced meat cooked starch (potatoes or yams) orange and an other juice that changed daily. Bread jelly etc. the gym equipment was new with treadmill and big screen tv. Pool area and bar on the roof were great but quiet which I liked. If you visit, as for Jean Hernandez the Bell Man. He speaks perfect English and can help at the front desk. In addition he is a great resource for in expensive diver/guides to the Canal or the old Santa Ana near the President of Panama residents.

This place was further away from the airport than we wanted to be, but our room was very comfortable and clean with all amenities. We were also pleasantly surprised by the restaurant. We stayed here on the 14th of February coming into Panama and then again on March 14, for our last night in Panama. The first time for dinner, we weren,t that hungry and shared an order of calamari with a delicious garlic tartar sauce. So cute. The calamari was served in a little shopping cart. Unique and eye catching. Loved it. We also shared a trio of sliders served with melted goat cheese and pesto. Yummy. Each table was also equipped with a little buzzer to call for service, drinks, food or bill. We had fun with that, too. Overall a very enjoyable stay for us.

Front desk staff was efficient, pleasant, provided recommendations and directions. The rooftop pool provided a view of the skyline and was an ideal place to watch the sunsets. Daily Breakfast was fresh included in the price of the room.

Very nice hotel. The room was large, clean and had a great shower. The bed was big and was perfect for lovemaking. It didn't move or make noise. We were able to leave our inhibitions aside as there was no concern of disturbing the neighbourhood. The arm chair was also sturdy, but would have been better with no arms.

First week of my stay, breakfast and restaurant (kitchen) were FIRST CLASS...at the end of the week, the cook left/resigned and the quality also left the food..Internet SUCKS and although the staff was so friendly to provide a cable nothing was done to improve the WiFi (as the promised). Choose another hotel if you need some decent internet.

Hotel conveniently located, although not well signposted on the exterior what can cause problems specially at night when coming back to the hotel .Employees at reception desk and restaurant extremely helpful and ready to adapt and fulfil our needs i.e. invoicing, early check-in and late check out. Quality of food at breakfast (abundant and varied) and lunch excellent . Room very confortable and clean as well as lobby and restaurant.WI-FI signal in the room not always strong or even unexistent but excellent at reception and restaurant .Air conditiones too noisy so at night need to switch it off for a quality sleep.Excellent expresso coffee in the smal but confortable coffee shop.

Large well appointed room, clean, comfortable beds in modern hotel located 5 mins walk from metro station (Argentina) and bus/taxi pickup on via Espana. Excellent Wifi & ATM just around the corner. Good breakfast selection which varies daily. Roof top bar and pool. 4mx7.5mx1.1m but only 2/3 of that at that depth. Metro card available for purchase and recharge at any metro station - can be shared. Same card used on the buses. Metro (every 5 mins, 15 min journey) to Albrook shopping mall and bus terminal for city buses as well a long distance national buses. A nice touch considering that you shouldn't drink the tap water in Panama is that the hotel provides a complementary bottle of water per person per day. Tip: because it is so close to the metro it is tempting, having landed at the international airport, to catch a bus to Albrook and then the metro from there. The problem with that plan is that there is nowhere to buy a bus ticket and the bus stop is both a reasonably long walk away (especially with luggage) and very well hidden - in Panamá there are rarely any signs and this is no exception. My advice is simply to take a taxi. In Jan-16 we had innumerable offers of $20 or less. Obviously negotiate the taxi price before taking it.

My sister and I stayed here for 1 night last month. We thoroughly enjoyed the room and thought it was a good value for the money, and when we checked in we thought the staff was pleasant and helpful. If only we had the same experience the next morning! The next morning when I left I requested a cab from the front desk. I requested a taxi from the hotel to the Albrook bus station, and someone working the desk ran outside to get me one. Several minutes later a large van pulled up, and since this was not a cab I had the forethought to ask for the price. The man (who was an employee for the hotel in his uniform) quoted me a price of 10us which is roughly 3 times the normal price. I have taken cabs to this area from the bus station several times and it ranges from 3-4usd. I immediately said no and said that is not the correct price, and I was told 'this is the price for a tourist taxi'. Please note I had never asked for any kind of private car. When I went inside (I had to pay for a minibar water I had forgotten I drank) even the man working the front desk shook his said and said this was too expensive. It is a shame that I could not trust the front desk for honest pricing on something as simple as a taxi, and that this occurred. Guests should not be treated like walking ATM machines who pay more for things because they are tourists. Luckily I had an idea of the correct pricing, because I am sad to think of all the people who did not and have needlessly paid more. I might stay here again but I will always be arranging my own transport.

The staff was amazing! They helped me to arrange a surprise for my wife. My wife was very happy for that. So big thanks to everyone who was involved for arrangements. The hotel is not too big. Which was nice. It's located near metro stop so it's easy to get around with that. There's many good restaurants near by. The hotels restaurant was nothing special. The pool area is quite small. Hotel was clean and our room was spacious. The helpful staff makes your stay worthy.

At the reception, the staff was welcoming and taking time for us. The hotel has a very good location and everything was clean, closed from one of the most touristic street (especially if you like to be closed from restaurants and commodities). The bedroom was very clean, nice view and everything was working. No noise at all !!! whatever, in the next morning we had a very nice breakfast after a very good night. The cleaning staff respects the customers and are not shouting at 6:00am. carpets on the floor helps not to hear the cleaning kart. I'am not picky, but even if I was, I'am not sure I could write something wrong about this very nice place ! Enjoy it ! :)

We came in from Toronto after a long trip and were so happy to arrive at our hotel. The lobby was clean and modern and the staff at front desk were very friendly and kind. When we got to our room we were surprised at how spacious and modern it was. It was super clean and so comfortable. The pool area had amazing views of the city and had a nice bar again with wonderful staff. The buffet breakfast was fresh and delicious. We walked around during the day and felt safe and enjoyed the city. We have stayed in six previous hotels in Panama City but now would only stay here!

Stayed at this hotel twice during our visit to Panama. Both times the room was comfortable, especially the bed. It is walking distance to many restaurants and just a few blocks to the metro station. The neighborhood is lively and we felt quite safe walking around at night. A big plus - there is a good little laundry just across the street from the hotel. Perfect for washing up after spending a week traveling around Panama. Would definitely stay here again.

Location is good, it's just around the corner from the metro. There are several restaurants in easy walking distance. Breakfast is ok, nothing special not a vast choice but adequate. Roof terrace is a bonus and a good place to be with a beer in your hand when the sun goes down. The pool in the picture looks big, it isn't. l

We have found the hotel to be good value for money. The rooms are a good size and are adequately resourced. The staff are friendly and helpful. Loved the lounge at the top of the hotel, but the size of the infinity pool was disappointing. There are lots of restaurants close to the hotel. Also a clinic nearby if a doctor is required. Although taxis are widely available, the Metro is close by so that you can cheaply and easily travel within the city and can link to the msin bus station at Albrook.

My sister and I were very impressed by this hotel. It is brand new, it looks very modern, they have a great roof top terrace with a pool and beautiful view of la ciudad de Panama. The beds are super comfy and it is just a small 5 minutes walk from the metro station.Breakfast has alot of choices and it delicioso! But the best thing of our stay was the staff, Jean, Luis , Enrique and I am forgetting a couple of names but everyone without exception was great, friendly and very helpful! Muchas gracias a todos :)

This was by far the best hotel we stayed in Panama City. I don't think there would be anything to add in order to make your experience better. We arrived after our trip to San Blas Islands and we were immediately impressed by the helpful staff and the cleanliness of this hotel. It took us less than 5 minutes to check-in and we were helped to our spotless room, even if we arrived before their regular check-in time. We were happy to hear about the complimentary bottles of water they have left in our room; such a minute detail for them, but such a pleasure for the customer. The bathroom had plenty of toiletries for the two of us and a nice hot shower added to our experience. The gentlemen at the from desk were very useful in providing information about the city and how to go around, not hesitating in organizing our requested trips. Additionally, when unable to attend breakfast due to an early departure for our tours, the hotel organized a take-away breakfast. I was so happy to hear about that, that I believe I lost my words and forgot to say "thank-you." And, before I forget, if you decide to stay at this hotel, do yourself a favour and go to the roof-top pool! Amazing! It's not too big of a pool, but the view of the city while swimming under the stars has no price! We loved the lounge area on the roof-top as well, and we were definitely inspired to a "who can dance sillier" competition. No stress around here! Just smiles :-)

I am trying to cover all aspects of the stay, so you may judge and evaluate by yourself. In spite the weak points described below, I would definitely will return .Our overall experience was great. This is a very fine hotel, in a good city location with excellent rooms, excellent breakfast and complementing facilities. The front desk as well as the staff in charge of the breakfast are doing their best to satisfy the guest needs. Breakfast so many different items, mainly hot ones. I enjoyed in particular the fresh slices of baguette bread, the pepper jack cheese, the fresh pineapple cubes. What makes it unique is that once you request something from the staff, it is brought within a minute or less. If an item is finished, just don't be shy to point out, and they will fulfill it immediately. The King size room was spacious and so was the bathroom. (Coffee maker and frig in the room are common, as well as some snacks for a fee). An up to date small exercise facility on the 14th floor. On the 15th floor there is a well decorated small bar with an observing balcony, a compact open air swimming pool and a spacious isolated sitting area with sofa seats. Traveling between floors requires using your room card for safety reasons. The modern A/C was "too strong" for us, so we turned the A/C off at most times. Reservation DEAL - reserved three months in advance, got a better deal from booking.com, lower than the discounted rate offered at B.W. web site. Lots of restaurants in the nearby Via Argentina (100 yards/ meters away). Metro is 400 yards / meters away, not 20 meters as it appears in the hotel web site. We never used the metro, since taxi rides were cheap. The weak points: Room lighting was poor and there was no reading light near the bed. Bathroom and entrance lighting was ample. WiFi is free but slow at all hours. Hot water in the shower – at best it became lukewarm only (however it was bearable). Overbooking – although we checked in at 9:30 PM, the hotel reservation had over booking. They could not place us in the king size room type. We slept on narrower bed and we were offered a discount for the first night. The discrepancy was cleared on the following morning. Room TipS: Call the front desk a day in advance and verify that they hold for you the right type room; Don't take the taxi offer just outside the hotel (they asked 20 USD for a ride inside the city) but walk the 100 yards to Via Argentina and don't be shy to ask the driver in advance "cuanto cuesta" (how much). Compare between the rates offered by the hotel chain and the hotel agencies. Try to reserve a while in advance and then re check it a month before your stay.

We tried this hotel mid Jan/16 and were VERY dissapointed. I have been traveling to Panama several times a year since 1999 and know it well. Over the years I have stayed in a few different hotels in the city, all well rated and high level. All have their benefits and drawbacks, this hotel only has an interesting location as a benefit. Horrible customer service and attitude. Poor room servicing. After our first night the maid left no hand towels and only one glass as well as not refilling the coffee maker with fresh coffee. A complaint to the front desk went unheeded. We had to raid the maid's cart in the hallway for supplies. We couldn't charge bar service at the pool to our room. Many much better hotels to choose from at this price level.

This is a very fine hotel, in a good location with very good rooms, breakfast and complement facilities. We arrived at 9 PM and due to reservation over booking, the hotel could not place us in the right room type, nor upgraded us. We slept on narrow beds, however it was solved on the following morning. The hotel provides breakfast with huge variety. Most facilities are shining. We reserved the rooms three months in advance and got a better deal from booking.com, which was lower than the discounted rate offered at B.W. web site. WiFi and hot water in the shower are the weak points. Wifi is free but slow at all hours. Even if you let the water running in the show for 5-10 minutes, it barely will become lukewarm (however it is bearable). Lots of restaurants nearby. Metro is 400 meters away, not 20 meters as it appears in the hotel web site (never used the metro, taxi rides were cheap).

We had to find a hotel in Panama City on 2 separate occasions during our 2 week Panama vacation and The Best Western Plus Zen Hotel was perfect. They even let us keep our bags at the hotel, so we could take a smaller bag to San Blas and when we returned, they had our bags and greeted us with a smile. The front desk staff was super friendly and informative. The rooms were big and very comfortable- with all the amenities you need, including a great view. While we waited for our rooms to get ready, we had access to their pool and sky bar lounge. Every staff member we encountered had a smile on their face and was always helpful. And.... the price was great value. The only issue we had was with the wifi in the rooms. A bit spotty but then again it's spotty all over Panama. This hotel exceeded my expectations and I would highly recommend any one to stay there if you're looking for comfort and value in Panama City.

Hotel is very nice, rooms are nice and location is also great. Hotel has nice terrace pool with very nice view over the city. Food in the hotel restaurant is average but there are good dining places near. Take a room from upper floors with great view.

My girlfriend and I had an early flight to Panama and arrived around 10 at the hotel. We asked for early check in in advance which was granted, though declined upon arrival with out any given reason. We were offered to pay 80 dollars for an early check in into another room, we accepted and carried our 4 pieces of luggage up to our room (ourselves) and were looking forward to catch up on a little bit of sleep. Unfortunately the room was under construction (no joke) and there were two working men hammering and drilling right in front of the window of our room. Okay, we didn't have it in us to complain and argue with the hotel staff anymore and went up to the roof top swimming pool, only to find that it had no water in it and it was under construction as well. This is how our stay at the best western (not) zen in Panama started, and it ended like this: We were waiting for a completely overpaid taxi (called by our hotel) back to the airport in the lobby and witnessed a young couple like us about to check into the hotel. They asked if they could go up to the pool and were bluntly told: Yes, you have the best view from our swimming pool. Not even a word about the fact that the pool was closed and had no water in it. We told them the truth and helped them to a better stay than ours in Panama city. An absolute disgrace how the staff treats their guests. People come in on a regular basis arguing with cab drivers right out front the entrance and none of the personel ever bothers to come to their help. Special requests are not honored and the entire place can just be described as a total rip off. Worst hotel we have ever seen. Avoid at all costs.

On our late arrival we were greeted with an upgraded room by very polite and knowledgeable staff. Good internet connection and very comfortable bed. Breakfast was included and quite good. Staff were helpful in arranging transportation to our final destination.

The rooms are great. The staff was always helpful and smiling. Breakfast is different every morning with traditional panamanian food. The pool in floor 15 is great. The surroundings are full of restaurants with all cuisines from Latin America.

There's a rooftop bar that plays music that can be heard within a few blocks radius and well in your room as well! If you can fall asleep at a night club then try sleeping here otherwise I would go elsewhere. Room is nice and spacious but either keep the noise level down or noise proof these rooms! When called we were took that the party goes until 2 am.

The zen feeling is alive here. The rooms were decent sized, simply furnished with nice unworn furnishings and most importantly it was clean. The staff was friendly and accommodating and the price although not super cheap, was good for a moderate budget. The 15th floor rooftop pool and bar is nice. Don't plan on a big swim though. The pool is pretty small but good for cooling off and checking out the surrounding cityscape. The elevators were modern and efficient too. At first I was annoyed by the loud air conditioner but, it was on max and when turned to low it was very efficient and quiet. Wifi was good too. I was impressed with the breakfast which was varied and plentiful. Also, there is an abundance of restaurants within walking distance. There is a park nearby where locals play sports and while we were here a Christmas festival was staged...fun. I would stay here again.

We had booked this hotel via a major hotel booking system and received full confirmation; however, one month before our trip the hotel requested via e-mail that we make additional guarantees via our credit card. The e-mail stipulated that it was their busy season and should we fail to provide full credit card guarantee, the "system" will automatically cancel our reservation. Needless to say, the "system" canceled all our rooms even after providing said credit card reference.......

Great hotel and value! The location is great, and the rooms and amenities are spectacular. The pool was gorgeous with a spectacular view. The staff were friendly, and the room includes breakfast. Compared to the last hotel I stayed (Toscana Inn) this was nicer and better value. There is good wifi, and the neighbourhood is great.

You really get a great value at the Best Western Zen The front desk associates were amazing! The breakfast crew were personable and knew the guests The room was wonderful, the gym was really great. Pool area was amazing also Very safe

Hotel was tough to find with little or no signage. We drove here's from the airport in 20 minutes. It was also a $35 taxi ride for other guests. Rooms were clean as well as lobby and restaurants. Food was good but it took a while to relieve. Breakfast was ok. Pasties hard and fruit a little old. Coffee and toast for me was amazing. Roof top pool is a HIT. Very well looked after and amazing views. I would recommend this hotel of you can find it!

We spent Christmas 2014 at the Panama Zen. It was just after it opened and we found it to be a fabulous location for the things we did while in Panama. It was easy to walk around the city to restaurants, and we generally felt safe. The only time we didn't was when we wandered a bit far to the south of the hotel on Av Central Espana. The rooftop is nice - on Christmas day we picked up a couple Dominos pizzas just down the street and a bottle of wine and sat in the rooftop lounge and looked out over the city. The service was average and it is possibly because it was a newly opened hotel. There was not good follow up on our questions and issues, and concierge type service was non-existent. They didn't offer suggestions on anything to do or how to get places. Communication in English was at times impossible depending on who was working. Overall we managed as we don't get too uptight about things like that, plus our son speaks decent Spanish so it didn't cause any major issues, just be aware of it if it matters to you. Food in the hotel restaurant was also very average. For the price, I can deal with average -- we would stay there again as the value was definitely good.

I just stayed in this hotel for one night and I enjoyed my stay. The room was clean, quiet and big. I liked it. The reception was friendly and helpful. They recommended me a taxi driver to show me around the city and the canal. The breakfast was a little expensive but with good choices. It was also located in the center of the city and it was a safe neighborhood. The only thing I can complain is the swimming pool which was too small. It was a spa pool, not a real swimming pool. The picture in the website will make you believe it is a really large swimming pool. But you will have a good view of the city inside the pool and the water was clean. So I still had a good time there.

I checked in with my friend 3 nights ago to Panama zen hotel as a stopover before San blas Islands and then again to go onto Boco del Toros . I can thoroughly recommend this hotel and in particular the staff at the front desk were so helpful . I can't remember all their names but Daniel we dealt with many times and I can't thank them enough for answering all our questions and just being so helpful and accomodating . Panama City is great and this was an unexpected pleasure to find this reasonable hotel with beautiful roof top pool and bar . Cannot recommend enough .

We booked a to days stay some days in advance and it was no problem to get there with taxi from the airport. Taxi cost 30$ and took apx 40 min. When we arrived we were met by a very helpful front desk! One of our bags didnt arrive in Panama, so the front desk was helping me call the airport the next day to collect my bag. It was driven straight to the hotel the next day. We booked a 6 hours trip by the drivers of the hotel. We spent the day with a driver and we got to see the canal, the old town, the top view and he drived us to the bus station to help us book the bus to Bocas del Toro as well. It was a very nice experience! After the check-out we were aloud to stay in the skybar and use the pool before we was driven to the bus station. All in all the perfect stay!

Great well trained staff who are friendly and efficient, however pool is out of order which is disappointing as this is why we booked here. Plenty of restaurants close by and a short walk to the metro. Large spacious clean room.

I chose this hotel for my first trip to Panama and boy, it was a splendid choice! The place looks like new, everything is very well kept, the rooms are big, elevators fast, staff is kind and courteous (something hard to find in Panama, I learned), the pool is nice and you get an amazing view from the rooftop. The location is great, in walking distance from the Via Argentina metro station, it's a very secure area with very good restaurants (like Manolo's), bars (la Rana Dorada), supermarkets and everything you may need. The best part is that you get all this goodness at a very reasonable price. One downside was the food, they lack variety and (at breakfast) most things are fried, would be nice if they mix it up a little. The WiFi was good but spotty at times. Overall, we were very happy staying here and would definitely recommend it to anyone traveling to Panama.

I liked their kind service and breakfast and location but it's a shame that I was bitten by some bugs not sure if it's a mosquito or a flea... It looks clean but you still need to improve your hygiene. One more thing is, their parking lot is very narrow and tight just for beginner drivers.

Beautiful hotel with caring and efficient staff. Wonderful pool on the roof with very comfortable rooms. Dinner was a failure as I had to send my salmon back four times and decided just not to eat it and had the beef instead which was excellent. The service staff did their best to accommodate our wishes which was appreciated. Location is not ideal but the hotel arranges for private cars for transportation who are safe to travel with and very cost effective

We spent 2 nights at the Best Western on our way to San Andres. Great location. We rented a car at the airport and drove to it. Easy to find and free parking is included. The check in process was very easy and the front desk staff were very courteous. The rooms was spacious and modern. Big large windows brought in lots of sunlight. The free WIFI worked great. The location is great. It is surrounded by many restaurants that you can walk to. A good option at an affordable price.