Best Luxury Resort Stays in Panama City

Golf courses, bay pools and colonial luxury

The Santa Maria, a Luxury Collection Hotel & Golf Resort, stands apart from the city's other luxury properties by building an entire golf course into the stay, paired with a steam room, sauna, hot tub and dedicated kids' pool that few resorts anywhere in the region match for breadth. The family-friendly restaurant's wide dietary range and the resort's position 9 km from Tocumen International Airport make it a workable base for both a golf trip and a family luxury holiday without compromising on either. Guests who've golfed elsewhere in Central America say the combination of a full course with this level of wellness and family amenity in one property is genuinely rare, worth the flight alone for dedicated golf travellers.

JW Marriott Panama takes a different luxury path, building its identity around Panama Bay with infinity pools, marble floors, granite countertops and deep soaking tubs in every room. The full floor of designer shops and three restaurants and bars crafted by the property's Executive Chef mean guests can spend an entire luxury stay without leaving the building, though the business-district address keeps meetings and the rest of Bella Vista within easy reach for those who want to venture out. Guests describe the retail floor as turning an otherwise ordinary rainy afternoon into an unplanned highlight, a detail that separates this property from resorts that treat shopping as an afterthought.

Casco Viejo's luxury tier centers on Sofitel Legend Casco Viejo and Hotel La Compañía Casco Antiguo, both bringing 5-star comfort into the historic quarter's colonial streets. Sofitel's infinity pool and lush garden pair with sea-view rooms and a romantic seafood restaurant, while Hotel La Compañía's swimming pool with a view and live music evenings sit just 400 metres from the Presidential Palace. Both properties prove luxury and Casco Viejo's cobblestone charm aren't mutually exclusive. Guests who've stayed at both properties say the choice often comes down to whether a romantic dinner or a lively evening with live music better fits the trip's mood.

Hotel San Felipe and Hotel Plaza Herrera bring 5-star finishes into family-friendly territory, with San Felipe's city-view balcony rooms and wide breakfast selection, and Plaza Herrera's 400-metre proximity to the Presidential Palace paired with balcony rooms looking over local landmarks. La Résidence Panamá and Marriott Executive Apartments Panama City, Finisterre round out the tier for travellers wanting luxury with a kitchenette, whether for a business relocation or an extended family stay. Business travellers extending a trip into a family visit find the kitchenette properties particularly useful, letting the stay shift from work mode to family mode without changing hotels.