Playa Blanca Hotel & Resort

The beach was a lovely place to collect shells, and catching the sunrise there is worth getting up early for at least once. There are two pools and water slides, though finding a chair at either the pool or beach means staking one out early, around 6:30 AM. About six sweet dogs hang around the property, along with lovebirds and Paco, a beautiful 10-year-old parrot. I think Paco may have been rescued because he’s blind in one eye and missing a claw, but I’m only guessing. Spend enough time with him and he’ll say hola! We went for a week in March 2026 and booked through AirTransat for $1700 CAD each, including the resort and flights. The weather was perfect, with no rain, and our room was roomier and nicer than I expected for the price, with a king bed and full kitchen. There are lots of activities listed online, but we couldn’t always find where they were meant to happen, and a couple of times they weren’t going on. The Air transat excursions were good value and had plenty of choices, including a $99USD Panama City and canal trip and a $65USD outing to a waterfall, rescue zoo and markets. The drinks menu was good, though the same drink could come out very differently at different bars. The food was pretty average for a resort, although we enjoyed some of the à la carte restaurants. Some restaurants and menu items cost extra, and the arcade isn’t included either. There’s no room service. We were in a building about a 10-minute walk from the main area. That didn’t bother me, but people with mobility issues should know about it before booking. Some staff weren’t very comfortable speaking English, which I expected, and learning a little basic Spanish for asking for things should be enough. The beach sellers were low-key, mostly people offering horse rides, and they didn’t bother us much. That could be a plus if you want to ride. It’s clearly a family-friendly resort, with lots for kids and plenty of families, but as a couple without kids we didn’t feel surrounded by them. The guests seemed roughly half Canadian and half local. My main irritation was that some local guests brought huge speakers and played music loudly, so the resort’s English pop and their Spanish music could both be heard at once.

We only came for the day, using a pass from 8:30 to 5, and paid somewhere between $49 and $65 depending on the date and how busy it was. I thought it was well worth the cost. The food was really good, and the swim-up bar pool was just right. Juan, the bartender, looked after us, and we made sure to take care of him too. We had a great time and would return.

The staff were always smiling and welcoming, and the views were breathtaking. Playa Blanca Hotel also had great facilities. It was one of the best vacations I’ve ever had, a real five-star stay.

The grounds are gorgeous, and the pools and food were all amazing. The staff are what really made the place stand out, though. Everyone was genuinely welcoming. A special thank you to Ana Celina at reception, and to Juan and Bryan in food services.