Hostal Victoria Volcan Chiriqui

The volcano Barú view and quiet neighborhood make this a nice family spot, with a small playground too. It was clean and well kept for the price, and the bed was somewhat soft. We did have ants coming in through the door and heading toward the bathroom, probably because someone had left food. You also have to pay $10 for TV.

The room was clean, the bed comfy, and there was Wi-Fi and hot water. But there were lots of huge, scary spiders, plus ants, and you could hear everything because the place isn't soundproof. There was no satellite TV, so bring an Apple TV or something similar. The kitchen is small and a bit far from the room. Nights get cold, while daytime isn't as chilly, so bring a fan. There's no AC.

I was gathering material for a book about hostels in Costa Rica and Panama, drawing on my experience living in Panama, and toured Hostel Victoria with a Canadian friend who was backpacking with his family. We have never stayed there, and I have no business interest in it. The attitude of the person showing us around was indifferent, and my friend felt so insulted by it that he left right away. I believe the son of the owner said they were better than hostels because hostels were dirty and promiscuous, and that only people looking for drugs liked them. This place didn't seem like a hostel to me, and I thought it offered backpackers very little. There wasn't really a kitchen for making things, and other services were available within 1 to 3 km. I'd tell people looking for a good hostel in Panama to avoid this one. Volcan has friendlier places. For a great experience, try The Lost and Found Hostel, one of the best in Central and South America, on the way to Bocas Del Toro. David, a few miles from Volcan, also has some top notch hostels. I was collecting information for fellow Canadians and Americans visiting Panama.

The place was very clean and quiet, and the old lady was really nice. The internet wasn't great, and there's no restaurant or bar.