NAYARA Bocas del Toro

Our overwater villa was beautiful, and the trip to zapatilla island with Esteban was the highlight. There’s construction going on, though, with very loud banging at the beach, and we hadn’t been told about it. Food was hit or miss, and the wine program needs a major overhaul for a hotel of this caliber. The hotel offers free transfers to the main island only twice a day. Outside those times, water taxis cost $60 each way.

Our birthday stay at Nayara Bocas del Toro was unforgettable, easily an 11 out of 10. The whole team made it feel personal and special from the moment we arrived. Mauri arranged our spa treatments before we got there and greeted us at the boat dock. Alexander handled check-in and showed us to our overwater villa, making us feel at home right away. Jonathan was our main support throughout, always going above and beyond to make sure we felt comfortable and cared for. The villa was stunning and peaceful, with a beautiful room, an exceptionally comfortable bed, and a gorgeous private pool over the water. The ocean below was clear and refreshing. We could see fish, starfish, and even stingrays right outside, which felt surreal and wonderfully close to nature. Every detail made it a magical setting for a birthday. We loved the food across the resort, especially at Coral Café. The dishes were delicious, well presented, and full of Panamanian influences. Jovanna got to know us and made recommendations we really enjoyed. Fiona, Michael, Manuel, Yamira, and Carlos all gave excellent service. Special thanks to Carlos for his coconut, mango, and banana specialty shakes, which were delicious with afternoon snacks and dinner drinks. Andrea was a warm, attentive, and welcoming server at dinner, and Gilberto gave us a lovely start to the food experience on our first night. Daniella coordinated room service beautifully. Every delivery was prompt and nicely presented, making it easy to relax in the villa. Ruby guided us on the sloth observation and cocoa tours. She was warm, knowledgeable, and personable, and made both outings more meaningful. We also had four spa treatments. The first was in the lovely, peaceful Treehouse Spa, and the other three were in our villa and on our private deck. The breeze and sound of the water made those sessions feel magical. Andres, Rosanna, and Hillary were excellent therapists who made us feel comfortable and cared for. We felt relaxed and refreshed after every treatment. One handy tip: the resort provides both natural bug spray and DEET, useful for the tiny no-see-ums around the mangroves, so you don’t need to bring your own. Thank you to everyone at Nayara Bocas del Toro for the birthday stay we’d hoped for.

Our honeymoon couldn’t have been more perfect. The staff treated us like family, and everything felt 5 star. We found ourselves looking forward to dinner at The Elephant House every night. Scott and the whole team were amazing, including all the bartenders, servers, housekeeping staff, and tour guides. It was the best experience we could have asked for.

Ruby made our couple of honeymoon days at Nayara extra special. She greeted us warmly and set up fun activities, including a cocktail class we really enjoyed. The beach bar bartenders were also so helpful and friendly, bringing us snorkels and towels. We had a wonderful time, especially on the trip to Polo Beach, which was stunning and had excellent snorkeling. The food and drinks were phenomenal, though meals can take a while, sometimes up to 45 minutes when things are busy. We also loved kayaking at sunset for the views, and the sunrise and night sky from our bungalow felt magical.