Costarenas Hotel & Spa

The live music from the hotel was the main reason I wouldn’t stay here again. It starts around 9 or 10 pm and goes until about midnight, loud enough to thump and shake the room, with guests singing and cheering. Sleep, TV, even hearing yourself think are out of the question. The beachfront street adds more noise all night, with cars and motorcycles rumbling by and drivers cruising slowly with music blaring. Room 111, the “Suite Matrimonial” or Honeymoon Suite, is on the first floor right beside that busy street. The river view is beautiful, but you’ll hear people talking outside too, and gaps around the windows let the sound in. They should tell guests that anyone wanting to sleep before 1-2 am should stay elsewhere. My husband and I paid about USD $100 a night for Friday and Saturday. We’d travelled 36 hours from Asia and were jet lagged, so a quiet place to rest mattered. The front desk had said this was the nicest room in the hotel. It was very clean and attractive, mostly in white, and better looking than other places I’d seen online in Colon, but by western standards it wasn’t especially remarkable. There’s a four-poster queen bed with a pretty mosquito net, a small bay-window alcove, a chaise daybed, three ottomans, two tiny bedside stands, and a hall table too small for working comfortably. The room is about 30% larger than a typical hotel room, with no balcony. The standard-sized bathroom has a tub/shower and bidet. The tub has jets but otherwise feels ordinary, not luxurious. There’s a small fridge, microwave, a few drinks, and two bags of chips or snacks below the TV. The staff were courteous and responsive, and the hospitality was nice, though not at the level of resorts or hotels in Hawaii or Asia where staff greet you at the door and help with luggage. When I asked about fuzzy, black-and-white ESPN reception for the US Open, a man from downstairs came up quickly to help. He couldn’t fix it, so we streamed the finals on my laptop. The hotel was very clean, but there were only two bath towels and two hand towels; they and the robes were a little worn and off-colour. The free breakfast on the fourth floor came with a spectacular water view. The food was fine for a continental breakfast, though there was no hot food or anything made to order. The location right on the water is wonderful for views, probably the best in Colon from that perspective, but the hotel sits right by the street, where traffic is constant and people stop to take photos. Also, guests with wheelchairs or other physical disabilities should know there are several stairs to enter the hotel, more to reach the elevator, and a few more from the elevator landing to the rooms.

The room was clean and comfortable, and the staff were friendly and helpful. The amenities are great and it felt like good value. I’d happily stay again, though the Wi-Fi could be stronger.

Amazing!

We really enjoyed our relaxed weekend here. The restaurant was a highlight: the food was excellent, the staff were always smiling, and the kitchen stays open all the time. Breakfast in the river-view area was fantastic. The hotel was very comfortable too. The outdoor pool felt a little cold, but the spa pools were spectacular. We’d love to come back.