When I first arrived to Panama in the 80’s, San Felipe was not a place to go! Only “ locos” like me with a combat experience would walk there and get away with it. Thanks to Panama’s cultural ambassador el gran maestro de Salsa Ruben Blades and his artists friends, this colonial bario was renovated and become the crown jewel of Panama and Latin America - Casco Viejo!
Beautiful colonial buildings with great bars, shops, restaurants and clubs.
I frequently travel to Panama and always go there but stay in the downtown hotels. This time I booked Villa Palma in the Casco and it was the best choice I’ve made! Beautiful hotel with great comfortable rooms super equipped with a porch, located in the heart of the quarter and viewing the bay and the Skyline of Panama City! Thanks to my membership in Hotels.com with a Gold VIP status I was upgraded to an amazing duplex that made this trip even better! Welcoming and efficient young team who also were very kind to grant me a late checkout, public parking next door , valet parking very close. I will defiantly stay here again on my next trip to Panama!