Marbella

The hot showers were good, and there are plenty of restaurants around, plus a laundry service half a block away. But there were no good views, and the hotel is extremely old. The AC units were very noisy and old, and once we turned them off, the bad smell came back. The room smelled strongly of musk or maybe mold. The maid blamed the outside air, but I didn’t believe that. My Spanish is good, yet nobody could understand me, and there was no English-speaking person at the front desk. I don’t understand how this place gets good reviews.

The room was clean and as expected, with an attached bathroom, plenty of hot water, and a strong, pleasant shower. I mentioned the loud AC to the staff, who couldn’t have been more helpful. They offered me two other rooms, and I thought the unit sounded a little quieter, but it turned out to be just as noisy. It’s also very inefficient. I’m writing this at 1 a.m. because I can’t sleep. AC is definitely needed in Panama, but the noise is why I’m leaving a negative review. Unfortunately, I wouldn’t choose to stay here again.

The location was decent, though a little way from the town center. Getting around was easy with Uber. The room was clean and comfortable.

The AC gets too cold, so the rooms need thicker blankets. Hair dryers in the bathrooms would be useful too.