Crowne Plaza Panama Aeropuerto

The breakfast staff were nice, and they deserve a shout-out. That's about the only bright spot. There's nothing around the hotel, so I'd only stay here if I needed to be near the airport, and even then, not for more than a day. We were there three days and the rooms weren't cleaned once. Trash stayed, coffee wasn't replenished, and neither sheets nor towels were changed. The elevators kept breaking down, and the rooms are sparse. The WiFi was too slow to stream movies. They removed the free breakfast after we'd booked, so we had to contact Expedia to check it was still included. My friend couldn't bring his bicycle box on the shuttle, which meant arranging separate transport. Front desk staff looked like they'd rather be anywhere else. It's overpriced for what you get.

The pool area was spacious and nice, once we got someone to open it, though the request earned a huge eye roll. The only pleasant staff member we encountered was the woman bartender. The room had a good size and pillows, but no fridge, a musty smell, and an AC that was loud and didn't cool it properly. For a one-night stay, this was the most unwelcoming place I've ever been. The airport shuttle runs just once an hour for a five-minute ride. If you miss it as you leave the airport, it's a 55-minute wait, while taxi drivers hassle you and use Google Translate to say the shuttle won't come. We tried calling the hotel too, but the first call went to voicemail and they dropped the second. Paying $5-7 for an Uber seems a much better choice, including on the way back to the airport. At the front desk, every question seemed to bring an eye roll. We felt like a nuisance the whole stay. When I asked for pool towels, the man who brought them waited at the pool door for me to come take them from him. The service made this an embarrassment to the Crowne plaza name. It should barely be 2 stars.

The free transfer to and from the airport was a real plus. The room was clean and functional, with a large, comfortable bed, a hot, powerful shower, and a hair drier. It did what I needed it to do. Still, for $125, I expected more in the room. There was no fridge or mini bar, just disposable cups, and no complimentary biscuits, toiletries, slippers, or robe. Breakfast also wasn't included at that price.

The airport shuttle arrived on time, and the driver was ready to help however he could. The staff were professional and quick to assist throughout our stay. Our room was very clean and well maintained, and we were very pleased with the Crowne Plaza.