Waterfront historic hotel with French-colonial architecture, spa, pool
C. 1a Oeste, Panamá, Provincia de Panamá, Panama Get directions
"Opened in 2023 after a five-year, locally guided restoration, this 159-room, 35-suite property revived an iconic French colonial building that once served as the city's premier social club and hosted notable figures like Albert Einstein and Queen Elizabeth II. The renovation restored period-appropriate 1917 design elements while integrating Panamanian artwork and furnishings, and the hotel is praised for exceptional, over-the-top service. Suite guests receive dedicated butler service for everything from unpacking and laundry to indulgent touches like flower-flecked bubble baths, and the concierge routinely arranges elevated experiences such as helicopter tours and private sails, all from a highly convenient historic-district location." - Sarah Bruning Sarah Bruning Sarah Bruning is the special projects and surveys editor at Travel + Leisure, where she has been on staff since 2018. She assigns stories across the magazine, primarily for the Experiences section and feature well. Travel + Leisure Editorial Guidelines
"A neoclassical hotel with sea-facing views, expansive spa and pool, wellness center, and a restaurant patio perfect for cocktails at sunset."
"A beautiful hotel in the historic colonial downtown of Panama City, featuring the rich culture and history of the region."
"Casco Viejo is the historic and walkable heart of Panama City ’s nightlife scene for visitors and tourists alike, so for those in-the-know it may come as no surprise that Sofitel’s sixth Legend property in the world came to town in early 2022. The brand has garnered a loyal following by preserving famed addresses and transforming them into luxe cultural getaways true to the history of a place. This one, a former social club, fuses the country’s Spanish- and French-colonial pasts (France tried and failed to build the Panama Canal here before its U.S. completion) to a truly show-stopping and high-design renovation that stays true to the building’s original French-colonial architecture. Rooms range from 375-square-foot superior level options to spacious suites with large sitting balconies—and 87 percent of rooms have an ocean view. All floors except the bottom level have balconies, which make for in-room breakfasts with an incredible view of the cityscape and adjacent historic district. Rooms from $369. —Shannon McMahon" - CNT Editors
"Anchored in Panama City’s UNESCO-designated historic center, this property restores a 1917 French colonial–style social club into a 159-room hotel that highlights Panamanian culture—four-poster beds and wrought-iron balconies overlook the city and ocean, staff uniforms feature embroidery by a celebrated local designer, lobby lanterns evoke maritime roots, and a nearby farm supplies the house coffee—all while emphasizing sustainability practices like eliminating single‑use plastics." - Jennifer Flowers
