HOTEL REVIEW: Riu Panama Plaza — Panama City, Panama

The Riu Panama Plaza is the hotel chain's first foray into the urban hospitality concept, set in the heart of Panama City.

THE ARRIVAL: With 645 rooms, the Riu Panama Plaza is largest hotel in Panama City, Panama (for now, that is; this fast-growing metropolis has larger properties in the pipeline). It also marks the debut of the new, urban-oriented Riu Plaza concept; up until now, the Spain-based Riu Hotels & Resorts has been known as a specialist in beach-themed vacation resorts.

The entrance to the Riu Panama Plaza is an accurate and impressive representation of the scale of the property, with super-high ceilings, a spacious lobby and bold décor elements including strong colors and oversized decorations.

The lobby at the Riu Panama Plaza is a glossy, large-scale introduction of Panama City's largest hotel.

THE STYLE: The Riu Panama Plaza represents the company’s effort to combine business- and leisure-oriented amenities in an urban setting, and the result is a pleasant venue with modern touches and large public areas designed for socializing. Guest rooms are equally colorful and mod; my one-bedroom suite had purple accents, with large photo murals of purple-hued tulips and swirled graphic designs. Large windows (in my case, on the 30th floor) provided for stunning views of Panama City’s ever-growing forest of skyscrapers, as well as the Pacific Ocean just beyond.

My guest room at the Riu Panama Plaza hotel had colorful purple accents, and a great view.

THE AMENITIES: The hotel’s main lobby level is a veritable main street of social options, with upscale restaurants, a bar so purple that Prince would feel right at home, a business center, a convenience store/café, an executive lounge with complimentary beverages and snacks, and a large pool with outdoor pool bar that serves as a stylish urban oasis.  My 30th-floor suite, which had contemporary décor items in just about every space possible, was equipped with a guest lavatory, dining area and a comfy living room, as well as a nicely sized bedroom and a rather large bathroom, divided from the bedroom by a whimsical frosted glass wall with curly cues. Complimentary Internet access is especially welcome (compare that to other five-star properties that charge by the hour or day).

The Riu Panama Plaza has enough on-site options for dining and drinking that you could spend several days inside the hotel without growing tired of the offerings. I enjoyed a wonderful dinner at Taste, an upscale international fusion restaurant where I savored crema de calabaza (cream of pumpkin) soup, which was artfully accented with passion fruit, and an exceedingly tender steak, one of the best I’ve had in a long time (I also found the lamb chops quite succulent; I sampled those off the plate of my dining companion). Low lighting, loungey music and and extremely attentive and pleasant wait staff added to the ambiance.

I didn't take this photo of Tastes restaurant at the Riu Panama Plaza hotel, but I actually sat at the table in the foreground and had an amazingly delicious steak!

BEST FOR: The Riu Panama Plaza is good for both business and leisure travelers, since it has reasonable rates for a five-star property and also has plenty of on-site amenities (including lots of meeting and event space). It’s also within walking distance of businesses, shopping and dining.

RATES: $180 and up.

www.riuplaza.com

HOTEL REVIEW: The Bristol, Panama City

The elegant lobby at the Bristol hotel in Panama City.

THE ARRIVAL: You might feel like you’ve driven up to a bygone era of attentive service and conservative elegance when you pull up to the Bristol, one of most legendary luxury hotels in Panama City, Panama. Guests take a seat at one of the twin wood check-in desks, and are escorted by the receptionist to their rooms — setting the stage for a level of service not matched by many hotels.

My room at the Bristol Hotel in Panama City was elegantly decorated.

THE STYLE: Traditionally elegant furnishings and décor would make for a comfortable and stately ambiance; strikingly interesting paintings and lovely black-and-white photographs of Panama City’s historic district create nice accents.

AMENITIES: My guest room was amply sized and handsomely furnished with traditional desk, nightstand and two full-size beds with two tall posts at the head. Flat-screen TV, multiple telephones and WiFi (for a fee) are among the high-tech in-room amenities, while butler service and a complimentary ironing service (for one piece of clothing per day) are among the personalized amenities that set this hotel apart.

Access to the small but sufficient gym is complimentary and available 24 hours a day, as is the business center, which offers free computer and Internet use and even complimentary printing.

Barandas, the restaurant at the Bristol Hotel in Panama City, is a decadent splurge with stunning cuisine.

The restaurant, Barandas, is especially worth a visit; small and elegant, it is overseen by Chef Cuquita, well-respected Panamanian chef. I loved her Portobello mushrooms (and I don’t even usually like mushrooms), served with carpaccio, arugula, olive oil, vinegar, parmigiano reggiano and topped with a bit of hibiscus sorbet. I nearly passed out from happiness during dessert, when I savored Cuatro Leches, an indulgent variation on tres leches that combines sponge cake, dulce de leche, meringue and white chocolate.

You might also want to consider combining a stay here with a jaunt out to the Bristol Buenaventura, the company’s luxury resort sister property about 80 minutes from the city.

STAY TUNED: Currently, the Bristol has only 56 guest rooms. But in October 2011, the property is to debut a brand-new, 25-story residence tower, which will add 63 new rooms, plus a lap pool, a restaurant/bar and a new, larger gym facility (and if you long to experience the Bristol lifestyle on a longer-term basis, you can always buy one of the residential units).

BEST FOR: Upscale business and leisure travelers with strong wallets who prefer traditional elegance, extremely attentive and personalized service, and extensive upscale amenities. The property is especially good for business travelers who want to be in the city’s financial district, but it’s also within convenient walking distance from a variety of restaurants and shopping.

$355 and up.

www.thebristol.com

HOTEL REVIEW: Esplendor Panama, Panama City

THE ARRIVAL: Set in a soaring, 42-story skyscraper in the financial-oriented Obarrio district, the 100-unit Esplendor — which debuted just recently — makes for an impressive entrance; its small lobby is marked by lots of glass and three thick columns covered with gold-colored mirrored tiles. The property — which is owned by the Argentina-based Fën Hoteles — is a sister to the Esplendor and Dazzler hotels in Argentina and Uruguay.

Bright ideas: Large chandeliers and gold-toned mirrored tiles create fun accents in the lobby at Esplendor Panama.

THE STYLE: Clean and contemporary, the Esplendor is created to be a comfortable place for both short and long stays. My “room” was actually a two-bedroom, two-bath apartment, with an open kitchen/living room area, three flat-screen televisions and two balconies (one off of each bedroom). The free WiFi is also a big selling point in my book, considering that many luxury properties in the neighborhood charge a daily rate of $15 and up.

The living room in my unit at the Esplendor hotel in Panama City.

AMENITIES: The hotel was still adding finishing touches when I was there, but its rooftop pool area, which has Bali day beds and an adjacent café/lounge (not yet open during my visit) has the potential to become a rather cool place to hang out. The lower level restaurant, also not yet open when I was there, will be open to the public, while the space next to the pool will serve complimentary breakfast for guests (in the mean time, guests could choose to have complimentary breakfast served in their rooms). The hotel offers a free shuttle to Sake, a sushi restaurant located near the large Multiplaza mall.

Note: This hotel is so new that many locals — including taxi drivers — won’t know where it is, and naming the street won’t necessarily help much. Tell them it’s on the street directly behind the Rey supermarket on Vía España, and they’ll know immediately what you’re talking about.

The kitchen area in my unit at the Esplendor Panama.

Part of the complimentary breakfast brought to my unit at Esplendor Panama. 

The bathroom in the master bedroom. 

BEST FOR: Both long- and short-term stays, especially for people who appreciate hotel-style services and amenities combined with the comfort and convenience of an apartment. It’s also good for people looking to be within walking distance of the financial businesses in Obarrio, as well as the shopping, casinos and nightlife in the adjacent Cangrejo district.

RATES: $188 and up.

www.esplendorpanama.com