Skully's House

I had a lovely stay, even with the mixed reviews. The place looks out over the ocean and sits a little away from the bustle, so it's a nice spot to relax after exploring town. Around the pool it does feel more like a family place, but as a solo woman I felt very welcome thanks to the staff. I had a double bed in a dorm room, and the kitchen was great for cooking if you don't want to buy food from the tasty restaurants downstairs. They also had nice activities, including live music while I was there. Thanks especially to Pierre and Ni’chelle at reception for making me feel at home.

Bocas is a beautiful island, and the resort looked beautiful too, but our stay there was a letdown. The workers' dogs roam around the property, which was fine with me, but they were also allowed to swim in the pool. That should be mentioned on the website, since some people are afraid of or allergic to dogs, and I found swimming alongside them disgusting. During the day, the workers' kids also took over the pool in a big group, playing there all day. With both kids and dogs in the water, we couldn't enjoy swimming, so we never used the lovely pool. I was also upset to overhear the owner and a coworker speaking badly about my two-year-old niece, who cried some during the trip. That was unprofessional and disappointing. I went to Panama on vacation and visited Bocas with friends as a bonus, but I'll choose somewhere cleaner next time. The island and trip were great; the resort stay was horrible.

Fun bar with daily activities, funky pirate-style decor, and a great bartender who's half Panameño and half Italiano. I'm a mixologist, and the cocktails weren't to my taste, but it's still a good place to have a little fun.

There's a nice range of rooms for different budgets, and the pool and amenities are really fun. The location is great too. Our only minor issue was the evening noise: a St. Patrick's Day party went on until 1 a.m. on a Tuesday, which wasn't ideal with a child. Otherwise, I recommend it.