Cerrito Tropical Eco Lodge

I had a wonderful stay at Cerrito Tropical Ecolodge. From the moment I arrived Friday night, the experience was seamless-the friendly concierge picked me up and made check-in a breeze. I was shown the inviting common areas and the pool, setting the tone for a relaxing weekend.||That evening, I enjoyed a delicious fish fillet at Calaloo Beach, Fishbar & Grill, a fantastic restaurant affiliated with the ecolodge. My room was spotless, quiet, and very comfortable. Although I was offered fresh coffee in the morning, I left early to explore.||Saturday night was a highlight: sipping a glass of wine while watching a breathtaking sunset. On Sunday morning, I had a healthy, tasty breakfast with a beautiful view before checking out. The concierge even drove me to the dock for my ferry back to Panama City - excellent service from start to finish.||Cerrito Tropical Ecolodge is the perfect blend of comfort, hospitality, and island charm. Highly recommended!

I wanted to be able to give this place 5 stars after having been there to meet the owners before and choosing to go back and stay with my son on his 1st visit to Panama but it fell short of expectations for sure. It started with a message saying we could bring our bags and leave them if we arrived early or leave them at Calaloo Restaurant. We arrived early and went to Calaloo to get a ride as we were told we could and they acted confused and pointed to the bathroom when I asked where I could put our bags (and yes I was speaking Spanish so it wasn’t a language issue). When I said I didn’t want to that I wanted to go to the lodge I was told no??? Well my son and I decided we would take our chances and walk there anyway. We got there and the manager (?) said since we were there he would check us in and yes bags can come there (strange huh?). So there is a connection with Calaloo and bags can be left there in a locked area but they failed to tell us that. Next issue. Even though they say they can come into the room to shut off ac if you forget, they do so and don’t shut the door/resecure your space behind themselves if they go in! We forgot and when we came back our door was wide open with other guests having access to our belongings and space. Those 2 issues were security and I didn’t like at all. Other minor things, no trash cans other than tiny one in bathroom in room so on the balcony and public areas where you can eat and sit and swim there are no trash cans. We left a bag of trash with carry out containers from dinner on the table and in the morning an animal had tore it apart (fun to clean up😒). That would be simple to have for guests to keep the space tidy for all. Also, no lines to hang towels or clothes even though they have a pool and it’s an island where presumably you will swim. They hive beach towels but nowhere for you to dry them. Simple things they can do to make this such a wonderful place!! *Updating as it’s the only way to respond to owner- the message we received about bag storage mentioned the restaurant but nothing about there being locked space & the restaurant offered us the bathroom when we arrived, not the locked space downstairs. We looked for trash bins & didn’t find any & the clothes lines wouldn’t be noticeable to guests at the back of the property as that appears to be private & we were not made aware of anything back there. Our room was most certainly entered as the ac was turned off & the door was wide open when we returned. That doesn’t happen by chance & there is no wind or breeze that could have caused that where the room is located (at the end of an interior hallway). You have no way of guaranteeing nobody entered our room & regardless, the door shouldn’t have been left opened. Guests beware-your room may get entered & the door left open when you are not there.

We chose the Cerrito Tropical for our 1-night stay on Taboga. The location is good, a pleasant 5-minute walk from the port. There is a short, steepish hill to walk up but it’s really nothing much. They will also pick you up from the port if requested. We received a warm welcome from Vicki who gave us a rundown on the place as well as patiently answering all our questions about the area. ||There are decent views from the lodge, but unfortunately not from the rooms, unless you get the 2-bedroom apartment in the front. The view from the rooms was actually disappointing, with the rooms being rather dark due to a scarcity of windows. The room was basic but comfortable, good AC, TV, Wifi, hot water, etc. We also had a small kitchenette which we didn’t really use, but having a fridge was nice. Everything was reasonably clean and well-maintained. There is nothing really very “ecolodge-y” about it, just a basic guesthouse. ||There was a very inviting small plunge pool out front with lots of chairs, tables, and shade – a great spot to spend a hot afternoon. We ate a couple of pizzas for dinner prepared by Vicki and they were excellent – highly recommended. The breakfast was also very good. Drinks were overpriced, as they are in big hotels, so we just brought our own from down at the local super mini, a few minutes walk away. We were surprised that they were so expensive at the guesthouse, as most small places offer reasonably priced drinks and snacks.||Overall we had a very nice stay and would definitely recommend this guesthouse to other travelers.

We dropped in for the day for somewhere quieter having got off the express ferry. It was beautiful, Vicky and her lovely dog Karma were so welcoming. The food brought up from the restaurant down the hill was really nice and the views and pool were lovely. The trail at the back was also nice and we spotted quite a few birds and hummingbirds. Hope to come back soon! Joe & Heidi

Cerrito Tropical Eco Lodge provided a wonderful escape on Isla Taboga. The lodge itself is nestled on a quiet hillside, offering a serene atmosphere with the added bonus of gorgeous ocean views. The plunge pool was a great place to cool off after exploring the island, and the rooms were comfortable and clean.||What really made our stay memorable however, was the exceptional service provided by Vicky. Her attention to detail was unmatched. From making excellent pina coladas accompanied by the song, to arranging delicious meals delivered from their beachside restaurant, Calaloo, Vicky ensured our every need was met. She even helped us navigate some local activities, offering helpful suggestions and insider tips. She really knew the are and even that the refrigerator "sings" when closed. ||While we enjoyed our stay and our host Vicky it should be noted that there really isn't anything obvious that this place is "eco", seems a little misleading for folks that want that experience. Now if "eco" refers to economical then I would say the price was fair for the level of room provided. As such I would recommend this quiet getaway for most.

The main reason for my rating is that we made reservations a few weeks before arriving. The day we were heading to the hotel, I got a email saying that the pool was close for maintenance. Not a problem, but it closed days before arriving there. When we got there, of course, the pool was empty. They were very nice at helping us find another place with a pool and no hassle refund. That I commend them for.

My partner and I stayed here for a few nights while visiting Taboga island. The proprietors, Hiddo and Cynthia are lovely! Very accommodating, excellent knowledge of the island, and they run a delicious restaurant down by the beach as well that we went to dinner at every night. If we needed anything beyond the basics, they were always willing to work something out with enough heads up.||This is not a luxury resort experience, but it is a lovely and affordable place to take in Taboga. The rooms were totally fine, A/C was perfectly cold, shower was fine but no great shakes, but if you're staying at an eco lodge and expecting more, that's on you - this delivers as a fantastic eco lodge!||Breakfasts were SO tasty! The pool is teeny tiny and very chilly, which was perfect for the hot days. The hammocks are wonderful places to relax or nap.||Great place, great people, highly recommended!

We had a great time at this hotel. My husband and I are permanent residence of Panama. Our children were here for a visit from the United States.