The Best Boutique Hotels in Casco Viejo, Compared with Prices

Casco Viejo Hotels Compared: Rooms, Rates and Rooftops

The American Trade Hotel offers the most balanced mix of character, facilities and a published price. The other four each win on one thing: intimacy, scale, history or room size.

Rates per room per night as shown on booking sites, as of November 2026. Amarla's figures carry no date. Listings disagree on La Concordia's room count.

What a Night Costs, and the 10% Tax

Panama charges ITBMS, its sales tax, at 10% on hotel and lodging stays, compared with the 7% general rate.^[3] Orbitz and Travelocity show the American Trade Hotel from $239 and $236 with taxes and fees included, based on the lowest nightly price found in the previous 24 hours.^[1][4] On one European booking site the cheapest room, the Cuarto Chico, appears at €159 a night, without saying whether tax or breakfast is included.^[5]

Amarla is listed from $218 a night in one review and from $229 on Expedia, and neither figure is dated.^[2][6] Sofitel Legend, Central Hotel and La Concordia show prices only through their booking engines for specific dates, so compare live rates before deciding.

Rates usually run higher from December to April, especially over Christmas, New Year and Carnival, while September and October often bring lower prices.^[8] Each hotel also has its own direct-booking discounts:

• American Trade Hotel: 10% off when you book at least 7 days ahead. The rate is non-refundable and does not include breakfast.^[7]
• Central Hotel: a "book 3 nights, pay for 2" offer, better rates when you book 30 days ahead, and a prepaid non-refundable room-only rate.^[9]
• Sofitel Legend: its site advertises "Signature Escapes" at 25% off, with no dates or terms attached.^[10]

American Trade Hotel, Casco Viejo: Rooms, Rates and the Jazz Club

The American Trade Hotel is the pick for travelers who want a design hotel with a pool and nightlife downstairs. It fills the four-story 1917 neoclassical headquarters of the American Trade Developing Company on Plaza Herrera and has 50 rooms.^[11] The team behind the Ace hotels did the makeover in a Havana-inspired style, with palm-print sofas and tropical plants.^[11] The hotel opened in 2013.

It belongs to Small Luxury Hotels of the World and holds a 4.7 out of 5 rating there from 1,122 reviews.^[12]

Rooms and Sizes

The hotel publishes maximum sizes for its main categories.^[7]

Cuarto Chico

Up to 33 m² (358 sq ft). This is the entry room and the one booking sites usually price.

Cuarto

Up to about 38 m² (410 sq ft).

Super Cuarto

Up to about 45 m² (480 sq ft).

Suite de Un Cuarto

Up to 68 m² (739 sq ft).

Other names you will see

Panorama, Jardín and Esquina. The Panorama Suite has old-town views.^[12]

Condé Nast Traveler's write-up recommends the small rooms on the fourth floor for the views, which take in passing ships.^[11] Certain rooms can take a third adult on an extra bed for $35.^[7]

Pool, Jazz and Food

The rooftop pool is the quiet part of the building, and Danilo's Jazz Club downstairs is the lively part. The Dining Room serves creative cuisine, and coffee comes from Tiempos, which uses beans grown and roasted in Panama.^[12] The hotel is surrounded by nightclubs, restaurants and boutique shops.^[13]

Booking Rules and Trade-Offs

The hotel requires a credit card at booking. If you do not cancel before 3 PM the day before arrival, it charges one night plus taxes, and advance-purchase and prepaid bookings are non-refundable.^[7] Booking listings describe it as pet friendly and wheelchair accessible, with valet parking.^[14]

The location has a cost. The bells of La Merced church carry to the hotel.^[12] Rooms facing Plaza Herrera get early starts, late nights and street noise. Light sleepers should ask for a room away from the plaza.

Sofitel Legend Casco Viejo: The Big Waterfront Option

Sofitel Legend is the choice for travelers who want full-service luxury rather than mansion-hotel character. It has 159 rooms and suites with views over the Pacific, on Calle Primera Oeste in San Felipe.^[10] The original building was put up in 1917 by James C. Wright as the Club Union.^[15] The hotel's executive chef holds a Michelin star.^[10]

Pool

A waterfront pool over the Pacific with a pool bar.^[15]

Spa

Sofitel SO SPA, with single and double treatment rooms, a tea room, a tepidarium and areas overlooking the pool and ocean. It uses French products.^[15]

Dining and bars

Caleta serves Panamanian food with a seafood focus, and the Ammi skybar has indoor dining and a dance floor.^[15] The hotel also runs a weekend brunch.^[10] There is also a speakeasy, Arcano.

Extras

Tennis courts, a 24-hour fitness center, a business center and boat excursions arranged by the hotel. Pets are allowed with some restrictions.^[15]

The hotel does not publish room prices on its homepage. One booking channel, Five Star Alliance, adds daily breakfast at Caleta and a $100 food and beverage credit once per stay to its "5 Star Signature Package", plus an upgrade subject to availability.^[15] The Biomuseo is among the nearby landmarks, so pairing a stay with our Amador Causeway and Biomuseo half-day guide is easy.^[15]

The trade-off is scale. With 159 rooms, Sofitel Legend offers a big pool and a full spa, but it feels like a large hotel rather than a restored house.

Central Hotel Panama, Casco Viejo: History, Spa and Family Rooms

The Central Hotel is the one to pick for history, a spa and rooms that fit a family. Its history is the main selling point. The hotel was founded in 1874 in a neoclassical building and bills itself as the first hotel in Panama.^[16] Travel writing repeats that "first hotel" line, and it also says the separation of Panama from Colombia was celebrated there.^[17]

Early guests included the French canal builders, Ferdinand de Lesseps and Theodore Roosevelt. The hotel reopened after a restoration reported at $10 million.^[18]

Facilities

Booking sites list it as a five-star hotel with a rooftop pool, a spa with a steam room and sauna, and the Central Palm Garden restaurant serving local dishes.^[19] The spa is Sentits-7, and the hotel sells a "Central Serenity Retreat" wellness package built around it.^[20] Breakfast is a buffet, and the hotel offers cots and a children's menu.^[19]

It is much larger than the mansion hotels. Its room categories run from standard guestrooms and family rooms with two queen beds up to a Presidential Suite.^[21] Parking is available, the airport shuttle costs extra, and pets are not allowed.^[19]

Packages Worth Knowing

• Romantic Getaway: a suite for two adults with early check-in and late check-out.^[9]
• Central Memories: a Junior Suite plus access to the hotel's most iconic spaces.^[9]
• Central Preferred: a direct rate that includes breakfast.^[9]

Amarla Boutique Hotel Casco Viejo: Eight Rooms, Adults Only

Amarla suits couples who want an eight-room, adults-only hotel with a serious restaurant on the ground floor. Its building dates to 1673, survived two fires in the 1700s and was rebuilt in 1921 to house staff working next door at Casa Góngora.^[2] Amarla took it over in 2022 as hotelier Robin Faulkner's second property, after one in Cartagena.^[2] The address is Casa 324, Manzana 13, Avenida Central España.^[22]

Rooms

Six classic rooms and two suites. Rooms have a minibar with Panamanian beer and a Chemex coffee maker.^[2]

Check-in and check-out

Check-in runs from 15:00 to 22:00, and check-out is by 12:00.^[23]

Breakfast

Listings differ. One review gives 7 to 10 a.m. for guests only, while a booking site lists an à la carte breakfast from 7 to 11 a.m. at extra cost.^[2][24]

Kaandela restaurant

An open-fire restaurant working with local tubers, wild herbs, artisanal salts and seasonal seafood.^[25] Guests get a discount on food and drink.^[2]

Rooftop

A hot tub over the old city and the new towers. Massages can be arranged on the roof, but there is no on-site spa.^[2]

Policies

Adults only, no pets and no smoking. The airport shuttle costs extra.^[23]

Guests on Hoteles.com rate it 9.6 out of 10.^[26] A group can book the whole building for up to 16 guests.^[2] The art photographs carry QR codes to buy prints, and 30% of the proceeds go to the communities pictured.^[2]

The same review warns that Casco Viejo can be loud and suggests earplugs for light sleepers.^[2] The restaurant fills up on weekends, so reserve dinner at Kaandela ahead of time.

La Concordia Boutique Hotel Casco Viejo: Suites with Balconies

La Concordia is a small, Panamanian-owned hotel in a restored building on Avenida Central, between Calle A and Calle B. Every room is a suite. Most listings count 10 suites, while one counts 11 rooms.^[27] Reviewers describe the rooms and bathrooms as large, and every room has a street-side balcony.^[28]

The suites are Santa Ana (deluxe), San Felipe Junior Suites with one double or two single beds, Corner King Suites with city views, and Casa Arango.^[28] The hotel has a rooftop bar with old-city views and a speakeasy in the basement.^[28] The rooftop bar, The Day Joe Died, is a popular spot for sunset drinks. Downstairs, the independently run Geisha Coffee Experience offers guided tastings. If that sparks an interest, our guide to tasting Geisha coffee in Boquete covers the farms where it grows.

Check-in and check-out

Listings conflict. One gives check-in from 15:00 to midnight and check-out from 07:00 to 12:00, while Trip.com gives check-in from 16:00 and check-out by 11:00.^[29][30] Confirm with the hotel if you land early or leave late.

Payment

Payment by bank transfer before arrival, photo ID and a credit card at check-in, and a refundable $100 damage deposit taken on arrival.^[29]

Parking

Public parking nearby for $25 a day, which you need to reserve in advance.^[29]

Pets and children

Pets are allowed for a $50 fee.^[30] Children of any age are welcome.^[29]

Airport transfer

Listed as a paid service arranged by the concierge.^[27] One guest reported no shuttle and negotiated a cab at the airport instead.^[28]

Guests mention a few drawbacks. The lobby is very small, the entrance is a little confusing and sits off a busy street, and the hotel pumps a heavy scent through the air conditioning.^[28] The Canal Museum is about 400 meters away.^[27]

Hotel Bilbao and Hotel San Felipe: What Those Searches Find

Most "Hotel Bilbao Casco Viejo" results point to Spain, not Panama. Bilbao's old town is also called Casco Viejo, and hotels such as Tayko Bilbao, a 61-room hotel on Calle Ribera, rank for the same words.^[31] Check the country on any listing before you book.

"San Felipe" is the name of the district (corregimiento) that covers most of Casco Viejo. Sofitel Legend's address, for example, ends "San Felipe, Casco Viejo".^[10] A search for a San Felipe hotel therefore brings up many properties in the district. Tripadvisor does list a "Hotel San Felipe" in the heart of Casco Viejo, a few minutes' walk from the Cinta Costera, but it gives no room count or address details.^[32]

Small guesthouses in the district do close. In 2022 Panama's tourism authority cancelled the registration of one San Felipe guesthouse because it was no longer operating.^[33] Before paying for a little-known property, check that it has recent reviews.

Hotel La Compañía and Las Clementinas

Two more Casco Viejo hotels come up often and fill gaps the five above leave: a rooftop infinity pool in a historic building, and apartment-style suites for families.

For a longer stay with a kitchen, our guide to renting an apartment in Casco Viejo or Panama City covers building rules and what to check.

Getting in from Tocumen, Noise and Walking at Night

An official airport taxi is the simplest way to reach any of these hotels. The ride from Tocumen to the city center takes 25 to 40 minutes, and official taxis charge about $30 for one or two people going to the same address.^[34] Some sources quote $35 for the same trip.^[35]

Uber's airport page gives an average of about €19 for a 26-minute trip from Tocumen and notes the app shows no fixed fare.^[36] In the old town itself, walking is often faster than a car on the narrow streets.^[2] Many travelers walk five to ten minutes to the roundabout at the edge of the district to meet an Uber, because traffic moves more easily there.

Driving and Parking

If you arrive by car, the American Trade Hotel has valet parking, the Central Hotel has parking, and La Concordia points guests to a public lot.^[14][19][29] Since July 1, 2026, large tourist buses and vehicles over seven tonnes are barred from entering Casco Antiguo, and groups use the Puerta Sur parking area instead.^[37]

Noise

Expect church bells, plaza crowds and weekend music in all of these hotels. The rooftop and interior rooms are calmer than rooms facing a plaza.

Is Casco Viejo Safe at Night?

The old town is the most heavily policed part of the city for visitors. The Tourism Police has its main headquarters in Casco Antiguo and patrols it on foot, by bicycle and by vehicle.^[38] The police commander says most thefts and scams against tourists come from carelessness, such as leaving a phone on a restaurant or bar table.^[38] One recent guest's advice is to stay within the blocks that hotel staff and local taxi drivers identify as safe.^[28] Our honest guide to whether Panama is safe covers the neighborhoods next to the old town.

What Is Within Walking Distance

From any of these hotels, the cathedral, Plaza de Francia, the National Theatre, the Canal Museum and the Palacio de las Garzas are within about a ten-minute walk.^[2] Our Casco Viejo walking route links them in two to four hours.

For the canal itself, the Miraflores Visitor Center sells tickets daily from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.^[39] It posts each day's ship windows. On one late-October day these ran until 10:45 a.m. and from 2:10 p.m.^[40] Our Miraflores Locks visitor guide explains how to time a visit around them.

Which Casco Viejo, Panama Hotel to Pick

Choose by the one thing you care about most, since each hotel leads on something different.

• First visit, want a bit of everything: the American Trade Hotel. It has a rooftop pool, a jazz club, a central plaza location and the clearest published prices.
• Couple wanting quiet and good food: Amarla. It has eight rooms, no children, a rooftop hot tub and Kaandela downstairs.
• Want a spa, a big pool and room service: Sofitel Legend. It has 159 rooms with Pacific views and a Michelin-starred chef in the kitchen.
• Traveling with kids, or here for the history: the Central Hotel. It has family rooms, cots, a buffet breakfast and a story that goes back to 1874.
• Want space, a balcony or to bring a dog: La Concordia. Every room is a suite, and pets are allowed for a fee. Be ready to prepay by bank transfer.
• Family needing separate bedrooms: Las Clementinas, with its apartment-style suites.

Most travelers spend three or four nights in the old town. They often keep the hotel as a base to leave luggage while they travel elsewhere in Panama, then return for a final night before an early flight. To fill those days, our three-day Panama City itinerary starts and ends in Casco Viejo.

Before you go