Where to Stay in Panama City

Casco Viejo is the 17th-century walled district at the western tip of the bay, and it is where most first-timers should land. Calle 8a Este and Avenida Central are lined with restored Spanish colonial buildings, rooftop bars like Tantalo and Casa Casco, and the Panama Canal Museum on Plaza de la Independencia. You can walk to the seafront promenade Cinta Costera in 15 minutes. Stay near Plaza Herrera for restaurants, or near Plaza Bolivar for quieter mornings. Avoid the western edge past Calle 13 after dark, the boundary with El Chorrillo is sharp.

Best for

First-time visitorscouplesanyone who wants to walk to dinner

Walk times

Plaza de la Independencia 5 min
Cinta Costera seafront 15 min
Mercado de Mariscos fish market 10 min

Skip if: You need a pool with a view or you're in town for business meetings in Punta Pacifica

Local tip: Book a room facing inward on a side street like Calle 4a, the rooftop bars on Avenida Central pump music until 2am on weekends.

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$146per night

Punta Pacifica

Skyline luxury on a peninsula

Mid-range $160-$450/night

Punta Pacifica is the small peninsula south of Punta Paitilla, dominated by the Trump-branded Ocean Club tower and Hospital Punta Pacifica. This is where you stay if you want floor-to-ceiling glass, infinity pools, and a 270-degree bay view. Multiplaza Pacific mall sits at the base of the peninsula, with a Riba Smith supermarket and decent restaurants. The downside, you cannot really walk anywhere outside the peninsula, sidewalks disappear past Avenida Balboa. Uber rides into Casco Viejo run $5 to $8 and take 12 to 20 minutes depending on Corredor Sur traffic.

Best for

Skyline viewshospital-adjacent stayspolished modern luxury

Walk times

Multiplaza Pacific mall 10 min
Cinta Costera (eastern end) 8 min
Nearest metro (Iglesia del Carmen) 25 min

Skip if: You hate taking Uber for every meal or you want street-level energy

Local tip: Rooms on the 30th floor and above on the south side get the unobstructed bay view, ask for a room ending in 02 or 03 in most towers.

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$179per night

El Cangrejo

The cheapest beds and the best late-night food

Budget $70-$180/night

El Cangrejo sits inland between Via Espana and Via Argentina, and it is the best value district in the city. Calle Uruguay and Via Veneto have small hotels and hostels from $40 a night, plus Lebanese, Colombian, and Venezuelan restaurants open past midnight. The Iglesia del Carmen metro station on Line 1 puts you at Albrook bus terminal in 15 minutes. Manuel Espinosa Batista metro is 8 minutes walk north. Stay near Via Argentina for cafes, near Calle 50 for nightlife. Skip the blocks immediately west of Avenida Federico Boyd after 10pm, they get quiet fast.

Best for

Backpackerssolo travelersnightlifecheap food

Walk times

Iglesia del Carmen metro 10 min
Via Espana shopping 5 min
Parque Urraca 12 min

Skip if: You want a pool, ocean views, or quiet residential streets

Local tip: Restaurante Beirut on Calle Ricardo Arias serves the best shawarma in the city until 2am, locals queue out the door on Fridays.

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$78per night

Costa del Este

Suburban calm 15 minutes east of the action

Mid-range $110-$260/night

Costa del Este is a planned residential and corporate district built on reclaimed land east of the airport corridor. Wide sidewalks, a manicured waterfront park, and the Town Center mall make it feel more like Miami suburbs than Latin America. Most major banks and consulting firms have offices on Boulevard Costa del Este, so business travelers stay here. Families like the safe streets and the Sunday cycling along the Cinta Costera 3 extension. The catch, you are 20 minutes by Uber from Casco Viejo and there is no metro line, plan on $7 to $10 each way.

Best for

Business travelersfamilies with kidslong stays

Walk times

Town Center Costa del Este 5 min
Costa del Este waterfront park 8 min
Tocumen airport 15 min

Skip if: You want to walk to nightlife or sightseeing

Local tip: Saturday morning farmers market at Parque Omar runs from 7am to noon, take an Uber over for organic produce and Panamanian coffee.

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Prices shown for 1 room, 2 adults. Click to see current availability.

$123per night