Panama
Choose Where to Stay: Panama City Guides
The short answer
Open the Panama City guide for a choice between the historic quarter, a waterfront-facing base and El Cangrejo in the modern city.
Last updated October 2026
What's covered4
Choose a base in Panama City
The Panama City area guide starts with three distinct settings. Compare Casco Viejo for the old quarter. Look at Avenida Balboa for a waterfront-facing hotel. Choose El Cangrejo when your plans focus on that part of the modern city.
Match the room to the stay
A city label will not tell you what a room includes. The guide checks one hotel in each area and separates its features from our view of who it suits. A waterfront address does not give every category the same view. A familiar brand does not mean a pool is present.
Think about the trips you will repeat. If most of your time is in the historic quarter, weigh that setting against a modern-city address. If a pool and time in the hotel matter more, read the exact facilities and room terms before you choose.
Plan the arrival to the door
The guide links to Tocumen Airport and the Metro operator for current travel information. Save your hotel street as well as its name. Check the last leg and your return date, rather than relying on a fixed transfer time from a listing.
Our checks use the owners' pages and official visitor sources. We do not claim to have stayed at the hotels. To flag a detail for rechecking, send the page and source.
Browse the other city guides
Use the city and country finder for another destination. Each city guide compares its own areas, with a street address for each checked hotel and a drawback to consider before booking.