hi all, I have an overnight layover in Panama City, arriving around 2 pm, leaving the next day at about 10:30 a.m.
I'm looking for recommendations for a good place to stay and a great restaurant. (I've been considering Luna's castle, and my budget can be up to $100.) Any other tips would be appreciated as well.
Do most folks take a taxi from the airport into town? I haven't been able to find any information about less expensive shuttle possibilities.
thank you!
Edited by: selkie
We were just in Panama City a few weeks ago. We took a shuttle (minivan) into the city from the airport for $11.00 US each. We hooked up with another couple for the ride and it dropped to $10 per person.
The first time in Panama City we stayed at Hotel Las Vegas - $100US. Nice clean hotel with a Italian restaurant. It was ok, can’t complain.
Our next time we stayed at Hotel Acapulco - $50.00 - La exposición, Panama. Great smallish room in a very busy area of town. The lady on the front desk was so friendly and helpful.Clean, nice little balcony overlooking a busy street. We enjoyed ourselves here, it was my choice out of the two hotels.
Try Hotel Milan, just across the street is restaurant Machu Picchu. You won't be disappointed.
If you really work at it you could probably get by on $5/day (eating lots of rice and beans) - I'd plan on spending $3-$4 on breakfast and $5-$10 on dinner - alcohol will add up quickly - but we found food relatively inexpensive.
Those shuttles(really just shared taxis) don´t make sense. A normal taxi for 4 people shouldn´t cost more than $25, and sometimes you can get them for less. It´s nearly the same for 2 people and certainly cheaper for 4 people to take a taxi rather than pay $10 each for a shuttle.
Take a taxi from the airport. There are no good cheaper options.
There are a number of nice B&B s in the city priced $60 to $80 - search online for Bed and Breakfast Inns Panama.
Although Lunas is popular and cheap it is located beside a bad neighborhood.
hi, thank you lots.
my flight just changed and I´m not arriving in Panama City until about 8pm!
Is it worth it to go into town, or should I just look for a place around the airport??
selkie.
There's nowhere decent near the airport - the city is only 20 minutes away on the toll highway so go into the city - get somewhere in the El Cangrejo neighborhood - Milan is a good choice if they have rooms...
Traffic is light heading out to the airport in the morning - give yourself 30 minutes from hotel in the city to the airport by taxi $12.00.
Cheers,
Andrew