The Beach House

The slips are wide and the staff were helpful. There are several restaurants and a market a short walk away. We had some surge that moved our boat around, though the sport-fishing boats were considerate about their wakes. We spent one night at the marina after transiting the Panama Canal. It worked well as a place to drop off the line-handlers we hired for the transit.

The staff were respectful and helped us find other breakfast options, which was the best part of our stay. The breakfast room was too small for the number of guests, though. We had booked a King sized bed but were offered only a room with 2 doubles. Since last-minute accommodations are hard to find, we accepted. The room was okay but bare in some spots, and the soap holder, shower pressure, and curtains with holes were all issues. Some planks were also missing from the outside bench. I liked the idea of staying near the pier to Contadora and Tobago and these islands, but the reality was less impressive. This was one of the low points of our trip.

The breakfast was one of the better parts, with a decent range of choices, but getting extra eggs took ages because the staff didn't seem to communicate clearly with each other. We also asked to change our booking from two nights to one and couldn't get it sorted. The room and bathroom were both very dark, with plates and bowls awkwardly placed under the light. There were no chairs at the table unless you requested them. Late at night we found a scorpion near the bed, so we packed up and moved rooms. The headboards in the replacement room were busted.

We've stayed here two years in a row and keep coming back. The rooms are clean, the staff are always pleasant, and the breakfast is great, if a bit overpriced. It's close to the fun along the causeway.