Tripadvisor gives a Travellers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Tripadvisor gives a Travellers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Star ratings are intended to indicate the general level of features, amenities, and services to expect. This property is classified according to Giata.
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Le Méridien Panama offers a mix of experiences, with guests praising its prime location near attractions and the high-quality furnishings in rooms. However, the hotel's charm is somewhat overshadowed by its outdated atmosphere, including 1970s-style decor that leaves some travelers desiring a refresh. While many visitors commend the cleanliness and comfort of the rooms, others have faced maintenance issues and noise disturbances.
The service and amenities receive varied feedback, with compliments for friendly staff but also reports of disorganization and inconsistency in housekeeping. Overall, opinions on value are divided, balancing affordable pricing against the less modern aspects of the hotel.
Location
Convenient
Atmosphere
Outdated
Rooms
Dated
Value
Affordable
Cleanliness
Mixed
Service
Inconsistent
Amenities
Underwhelming
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We would have two stays at this property one week apart and found the location excellent and the ocean views of old city from the Platinum Suite a bonus.
The hotel is somewhat dated and has been refurbished, although unfortunately bed side plugs and USB charging ports were not part of the last refurb!
Staffs here are mostly awesome and of particular note is Monica at the front desk who always greeted us and went above and beyond to help us with presenting issues!
Although rooms are still being advertised and sold as Club floor rooms, the club floor lounge is still not open and no one knows when it will open again. However as Bonvoy Platinum members we were offered buffet breakfast in the Saril restaurant as well as happy hour drinks and snacks in the same restaurant!
Housekeeping was always a hit and miss – some days the room sparkled and other days we had to call as the coffee, soap and toilet paper were not replaced along with dirty cups and coffee machine!
The most annoying aspect was the conferences on the sixth floor that at break and lunch spilled out onto the very small pool area. Conference attendees would mill about completely oblivious to guests lying in the sun and begin conversations standing on either side of us.
One attendee tossed a heavy bag unto my legs when I was lying in the lounger in her pursuit to get into a selfie with her fellow attendees – Hotel staffs made no effort to apologize or even control conference guests interfering with hotel guests!
Overall the property offers decent value for the price and being a smaller property it provides a more intimate personalized style of service that the larger assembly line properties cannot maintain!
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Date of stay: February 2024
Value
Location
Service
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Le Meridien Marriott Hotel made an offer too good to refuse.
We needed to spend the weekend in Panama City. Unfortunately, our usual choices of hotels were all very expensive for the time of our visit.
The surprise was the unbelievably low rate at the Le Meridien Hotel.
We had a high floor, ocean view room. Very large and spacious. The bathroom had two sinks, a huge shower, and a Jacuzzi bathtub.
The two-room suite allowed me to be on the computer working while my wife could relax and sleep peacefully in the adjoining room. We appreciate having the separate living room, from the bedroom, as it offers a more "homelike" feel to the hotel room.
The staff was friendly and efficient. Housekeeping was a new "in training" person, who did an excellent job of cleaning our room.
The hotel is conveniently located on Balboa Ave. Cintas Costera is easily accessible for those who would enjoy a healthy walk along the Bay of Panama.
Plenty of great restaurants are within easy walking distance from the hotel as are most of the major banks.
The Iglesia del Carmen subway station is less than a fifteen-minute walk from the hotel.
There is free on-site parking available.
The hotel has a Spa but we did not use this service this trip.
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Date of stay: February 2023
Value
Service
Room Tip:Rooms with ocean views will also give you street noise from Balboa Ave. The view are worth the...
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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My wife and I are frequent travelers to Panama City and whenever we feel Le Méridien is our second home . All of the employees are warm and friendly and heads up to the Gerente General Pilar and Desk manager Monica who will bend over backwards to make your style better. If you are lucky enough to get an ocean view you will encounter the best view in Panama over looking Casco Viejo and Punta pacifica. The rooms are outfitted with high quality furnishings, comfy beds , marble bathrooms and beautiful art. I highly recommend this establishment as you get more value first your money and guests are catered to on an individual basis
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Date of stay: September 2024Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip:Uber is the best way to get around Panama City. Make sure you have it downloaded and functioning...
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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The resort has an excellent location and the cost is very generous. We booked a golden suite ocean view and at arrival they told me that the platform did not specify it, I showed them my reservation and if there was availability and I was assigned it. If it hadn't been available then it would have stayed in whatever there was and it didn't help to book with plenty of time. The reception staff did not specify very warm , expect one more personalized attention by resort type. There are no amenities in the room and the included lounge area was closed so they give access to the buffet breakfast we only visited once. Overall the cost is very good, the building somewhat postdated and the service very basic.
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Date of stay: January 2025Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip:Quizás al reservar llamar al hotel para asegurar que la reserva corresponde a lo solicitado . No...
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
This hotel is not representative of even a 3-star property and I'm baffled at the Le Meridien branding. Physically, the hotel does not appear as if it's been updated since the early 90s at latest. The furniture in the room is a dinged, scratched, dated 'black lacquer' style. The carpeting on the room floor was heavily stained and dirty. The closet door, a rather heavy thing, fell off the rails during normal usage. The views from the rooms are not great; the hotel only goes up to the 6th floor of this tall building; the rest are apartments. Beds are fine and mattresses comfortable. The cheapest possible pod-style coffee maker is available. An amenity for status members was not provided, unless it was the small bottle of water that was on the nightstand. The showerhead was floppy and not aimable; you had to stand directly underneath it, against the wall. The conditioner looked and smelled disgusting, as though it hadn't been changed in years. Water pressure and temperature was fine. The bathroom scale didn't work due to a depleted battery.
The dim, worn "fitness center" has one weight machine that's partially broken, four sets of small dumbbells (max 16kg/ 35lb), and some cardio equipment. The pool area on the 6th floor is decent, but only has a small handful of loungers and no real service. Elevators are stiflingly hot and humid. Common areas on guest room floors are dirty, dark, and dingy.
Checkin was bizarre, with two lines open and up to 7 staff members milling around at a time, but had incredibly long waits to get a key in what is really a very small property. One agent would type into a computer for 10 minutes and then just disappear, prompting the person who had just been abandoned at the checkin counter to summon someone else to help. I watched this happen a handful of times.
Lobby furniture is disgustingly stained, dirty, and worn. The bar, where breakfast is served, is marginal. Breakfast was adequate but not great: mostly egg product; a selection of breads, cured meat, and cheeses; two choices of cereal; and an omelet station. There were theoretically two juices on offer, but usually one was empty. Tables were not cleaned quickly and a number of tables (particularly outside) didn't have place settings.
Overall, kind of a dingy vibe; I'm truly wondering how anybody could rate this property above a 2.
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Date of stay: February 2025
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Pilar Castro, General Manager at Le Méridien Panama
Responded Feb 3, 2025
Dear brop: Thank you for your detailed feedback. We apologize for the shortcomings you experienced during your stay. We are actively addressing the issues you’ve highlighted, including updating our facilities and enhancing staff training. Your comments are invaluable as we strive to improve. We hope to have the opportunity to provide you with a better experience in the future. Best regards,
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
I normally do not take the time to write a review of a lackluster or poor experience, however given my check in experience for a pre-cruise stay at Le Meridien I am making time today. In short, we arrived just before the check in time and were told that rooms were not ready yet, but we were being upgraded so we figured that would be a benefit. However after waiting an hour, having a couple of drinks, and watching others, who arrived after us, receiving their rooms, I became quite frustrated. The young lady at the front desk said she tried to talk to housekeeping but they would not give a ready time so there was nothing else she could do. I emphasized that we were now waiting for an upgraded room, that we didn't even ask for, while others are being checked right in. She offered free breakfast in the morning however only for one person. My response "My husband has been waiting with me, however only 1 person can eat for free?". Her response "Yes." to which I asked to speak to a manager.
The manager later came out and also apologized for our wait. She at least offered breakfast for 2 instead of just 1 of us and immediately looked for an available room on her laptop. At this point we had watched maybe 3 other couples arrive after us but be checked in. After asking the manager for any room at this point (at least the level of which we booked) she "found" one which, once we walked into it, appeared to be an upgraded room. Which had no soap and only one washcloth. Upon entering the space and putting my things down I immediately cancelled my post cruise stay and booked at the Waldorf around the corner (which had outstanding service, despite them also being fully booked).
I debate the motivation of the staff in having us wait so long vs exercising common sense in the moment. Most likely they gave our room to someone else and used an upgrade as a way to placate us to wait. Unfortunately it failed, especially given our long travel day, and watching others check in before us. I normally don't need to throw my hotel reward status and frequent Marriott usage around but I felt we were mistreated by the front desk staff and I'm still not sure if it were on purpose. I ensured to provide a similar review to Marriot as well because I expect more from such properties, and have experienced better service. Even the free breakfast buffet for 2 was lackluster and not worth the compensation.
Despite all this, those working in the restaurant and bar were kind and attentive. Unfortunately this didn't translate to that front desk, at least not for my husband and I. I appreciate the manager finally making things right, however it should have not needed to make it to her in the first place.
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Date of stay: February 2023
Rooms
Cleanliness
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Pilar Castro, General Manager at Le Méridien Panama
Responded Mar 8, 2023
Good morning Mrs Yolanda D: Thank you for taking the time to detail your experiences during your stay at the hotel. Prior to your message, our FO Manager told us about your case so that it does not happen again. We understand that your priority was rest, not an upgrade. Thank you again and we hope you allow us to receive you again.
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We stayed at the hotel, for an event we had. The attention of the very bad reception, the only one who is saved who took care of us super well is a tall, white boy, who wears glasses. The rest with long faces, rudeness, there was one who even sent us to sit. The check in was at 3pm, we were delivered the room at almost 6pm, even though I insisted that I needed the room to do my makeup and hair for the event. There was a girl who, when I asked her if we could stay until later, told us what a shame, but that we could not stay until later (after 12pm check out) in any circumstances, because they were oversold. I mentioned that it was they (hotel) who had very bad organization and logistics of room delivery and just told me flatly that you could not. Our request to stay until later, was because we intended to arrive at 3pm rest, then get ready; but that did not happen and apart from the fatigue of the event we would not rest before. There's nobody in the pool, if you want to order food, they just have a phone with the menu stuck on the wall. The only thing we can save is the restaurant's attention at breakfast and the events and banquet department.
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Date of stay: January 2025Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
I am mad at myself for booking the Le Méridien again. The minute I entered my room, I remembered my complaint from 2018 about the exact same issue: the sewage smell coming out of the bathroom. Maintenance came for a quick treatment, but the problem is the smell had years to seep into all fabrics of the room. I can’t understand why noting has been done to remedy this issue!
Besides that, the location is great!
Great Bonvoy Elite recognition and room upgrade . The restaurant is outstanding!
Lounge never reopened, but Plat and above get complimentary breakfast buffet access and 2 hours ( 6 – 8 PM) of happy hour = free alcohol and a snack plate.
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Date of stay: February 2024
Value
Location
Service
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Pilar Castro, General Manager at Le Méridien Panama
Responded Feb 19, 2024
Dear bubbelbine, Thank you for choosing to stay with us and for sharing your feedback. We regret that your experience wasn't 100% satisfactory, but we're pleased to hear that the service received and your recognition as a Marriott Bonvoy member contributed to an improved experience. Your comments will be shared and appreciated. Thank you.
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Some people may think this hotel is a little dated, but the price, location, value, service and breakfast made it a very enjoyable stay. I saw some reviewers didn't like the gold suite while others loved the gold suite. The reason for that is there are a number of gold suites, not just one. Our room was great with a living room with a big screen TV, a large closet and a huge bathroom with a jacuzzi. The bed was comfortable and we slept well. The breakfast had an omelet station, a large selection of items like a beef with vegetables dish, poached eggs in tomato sauce, lots of different fruits, spicy pastrami and the usual scrambled eggs with bacon and excellent coffee, The service was very good at breakfast and desk staff were very helpful. The location was central and it was only two blocks from the Gaucho Restaurant where we enjoyed a steak dinner. Because the location is so central Uber rates were cheap to go places. We went to the Kava Restaurant for dinner and the Uber was about $5 to get there during rush hour and $2.78 to return to the hotel. The cleaning staff were thorough and pleasant. We have no complaints about the service. It was reasonably priced, much cheaper than the Hilton or other hotels in the same class, so we got good value. We would definitely stay here again.
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Date of stay: September 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Not Happy. We are Golf Bonvoy members and asking for a room we were given what they called an upgrade which was on the lower street side with very loud noise all night long. We were also told at check in we had free breakfast. After two days of what we thought was free we were approached saying we needed to pay for all breakfast that we had.
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Date of stay: December 2024Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
There are more places to choose from in the Panama City area.
PRICE RANGE
C$153 - C$248 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
ALSO KNOWN AS
le meridien panama hotel panama city
LOCATION
PanamaPanama ProvincePanama City
NUMBER OF ROOMS
111
Prices are the average nightly price provided by our partners and may not include all taxes and fees. Taxes and fees that are shown are estimates only. Please see our partners for more details.
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