What's New in...
PANAMA CITY
by Mark Chesnut
It would be easy to write a "what's new in Panama City" feature on a quarterly basis. This Central American capital is in a constant state of expansion thanks to the city's increasingly prominent role as a hub for finance and business, Panama's growing reputation as a tourism destination, and the widening of the Panama Canal. As a result, the city has experienced an unprecedented boom in hotel construction, and many people think it is beginning to resemble Miami, in large part because of the growing number of soaring skyscrapers that line its waterfront boulevards.
Some 10,000 new hotel rooms are to be added to Panama City's inventory within the next two years. While most of the new properties are in the luxury category, visitors can find something at nearly every price point.
Bern Hotels & Resorts, a Panama City-based company that owns several well-established hotels, is one of the most active developers in the capital area. Its newest properties include the 111-room Le Meridien Panama (Calle Uruguay & Balboa Avenue. Tel: +507-297-3200. www.starwoodhotels.com), a stylish hotel that sits on the prestigious waterfront Balboa Avenue, and the Westin Playa Bonita, Panama (Playa Bonita Beach. www.starwoodhotels.com), a luxury resort just outside of the city that opens in October, next door to the company's existing InterContinental Playa Bonita (Kobbe Beach, Punta Bruja. Tel: +507-211-8600. www.ichotelsgroup.com).
Other recently opened properties include
the 100-room Esplendor Panamá (Avenida Samuel Lewis y Calle Gerardo Ortega.
Tel: +507-209-9696. www.esplendorpanama.com), which is owned by Argentina-based Fen Hoteles and features apartment-like guest quarters, and the 645-room Riu Panama Plaza (Calle 50 y 53 Este. Tel: +507-378-9000. www.riuplaza.com), which marks the sparkling debut of the Spanish chain's new urban brand with multiple dining options and a bright, cheery style. If you're looking for trendy accommodations in the heart of one of the city's mainstream nightlife districts, consider Manrey (Calle Uruguay. Tel: +507-203-0000. www.manreypanama.com), a 36-room property that opened in 2010. Those looking for a more peaceful setting, as well as a scenic view of the Panama Canal, can now opt for the Radisson Summit Hotel & Golf Hotel (Avenida Omar Torrijos H, Paraíso. Tel: +507-232-3700. www.radisson.com), which opened in 2010 a few minutes outside the city.
Existing hotels are actively upgrading their offerings to compete with the newer properties. The InterContinental Miramar (Miramar Plaza, Avenida Balboa. Tel: +507-206-8888. www.ichotelsgroup.com), a high-rise tower that commands the best views of the waterfront, is slated for a major renovation to be complete in 2012, while renovations were to be completed at the Crowne Plaza Panama (Avenida Manuel Espinosa Batista. Tel: +507-206-5500. www.ichotelsgroup.com) by April of this year. Meanwhile, the elegant Bristol Panama (Avenida Aquilino de la Guardia. Tel: +507-264-0000. www.thebristol.com), a 56-room luxury hotel that is a member of Leading Hotels of the World, is building a brand-new, 25-story residence tower that will add 63 new rooms to its inventory.
New hotel options are also planned for the Casco Antiguo, the city's historic district, where the landmark Hotel Central has been gutted and is being rebuilt, with an opening date sometime before the end of 2013.
You can also add to this expansive list an increasing number of international brands slated to debut, including Aloft, Hilton, Hyatt Place, Jumeirah, NH, Renaissance, and the Panamera, which will be the first Waldorf-Astoria south of Mexico.
Panama City has an array of well-established tourist attractions: Panama Viejo, the ruins of the spot where Spaniards first founded the city in 1519; the Casco Antiguo, a historic neighborhood graced with eclectic architecture and a growing number of interesting shops and galleries; and of course the Panama Canal, which is in the process of expansion and is a draw for nature lovers, thanks to the many parks, abundant wildlife, and outdoor activities found nearby.
There is also a new attraction in the works that is expected to draw quite a bit of attention: the Biomuseo Panama (Calzada de Amador. Tel: +507-314-0097. www.biomuseopanama.org), a Frank Gehry-designed museum scheduled to open in 2012 on the Amador Causeway, near the mouth of the Panama Canal. The museum's eight galleries will focus on the biological and climatic history of the region, but the architecture (the work of the man behind the Guggenheim museum in Bilbao, Spain and the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles) will surely grab many headlines.
One of the best ways to see the sights in Panama City and elsewhere in Panama is with an experienced tour operator. Among the best is EcoCircuitos (Tel: +507-314-0068. www.ecocircuitos.com), a lesbian-owned company that offers an array of programs focusing on nature, history, culture, birding, and adventures. The company offers several excellent day trips from Panama City, including to Soberanía National Park, a lush region along the Panama Canal. The owners can also be a good source of information about Panama as a gay destination. "There is a small [gay] community in Panama, but it is a very open country, and we are very friendly," said Annie J. Young, executive director of EcoCircuitos.
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