Name: Residencial Mexico
Address: Av Ecuador una cuadra de la cinta costera, Calidonia, 00011 Panama City, Panama, Panama, Panama, Panama, 00011, Panama
Rating: 6

Air conditioning

24-hour reception

Elevator/lift

Currency exchange

Smoke-free property

General

Non-smoking rooms

Room service

Family room

Smoke Detector

Rooms

Free Wi-Fi

Internet access

Internet

Tour assistance

Tourist services

Parking

Parking nearby

Fax and copy machine

Business

Location

At the hotel

Panama Pacifico Airport

Tocumen International Airport

Marcos A. Gelabert International Airport

Enrique Adolfo Jimenez Airport

Residencial Mexico

Panama

When I arrived to the hotel I was surprised how bad it looks and totally different from the pictures. The rooms were nothing like advertised too, it was old, broken and smelling bad. Staff was really unfriendly, nobody spoke English and they seemed annoyed anytime you asked them about something. In the first day of my stay, I left the airconditioner on to cool the room and went outside for a while. The receprionist turned off my air conditioner and kept it off for two days! It would be longer if I didnt go to complain. Shw did not even say sorry for keeping me in the hot room for two days.
I was also charged extra money from the agreed price on booking. They said its normal and I have to pay.
Another thing is that they advertise fitness center but there is nothing like that! False ad.
Breakfast was terrible too, just a toast bread with butter and banana. No cheese, egg or vegetable.
The only good thing about this hotel is a quite good location and airport transfer for free. But still it doesn’t worth to stay here just for this.

Not a good experience

Firstly, I would like to mention that I travel a lot and have seen good and bad hotels. However, what I saw in this hotel was very poor and I feel that it is necessary to warn everyone who sees the pictures and thinks, oh well looks nice and cheap. Let me beginn, I traveled last week to Panama with my girlfriend and had seen the hotel in bookings.com and thought wow, perfect when you are on budget! So I booked an "economic room" at the hotel. When we entered the first thing we noticed was the unfriendly reception lady, no "hi" no smile, basically here is what you have to pay and pay in advance! Well as required I payed for the room and we got the keys. Once we entered the room, my girlfriend and I were shocked...the room smelled humid, the ceiling had a huge mold, the left window was broken so there was a cardboard stuck to cover that part, the blankets had stains and the wall had a huge hole for the cables connecting the tv...I was not willing to accept this, not even for that cheap price, blankets with stains is a no go...so I went down and talked to the receptionist and she got mad and told me she doesn't have anymore blankets to change, she however told me for 10 dollars more each night I could get a "king room"....Since I had paid in advance I was basically forced to take that room...there is no doubt in my mind that this is the tactic they use to force upgrades...the "king room" was fine and more like a hotel room...however, I very much encourage families to choose something different, since every night hookers were in front of the hotel trying to stop cars...If you are in Panama, i recommend to spend that extra dollar and look for something that not only gets you a clean room without being forced to upgrade but a friendly service as well

Please read and watch out...

Let's starts with the positives:

- Nice staff, don't speak English but are very welcoming with big smiles.
- free coffee
- free Wifi 

The Negatives:

- Every things seems not to be finished, kinda like when you do some DIY and not level the door properly or put back the plug screws
- you can hear other guests in the rooms
- Cold water showers only
- staff doing maintenance at 12:30am
- broken chairs in the room
- we booked using booking.com, some one emailed me back to inform me of a free airport transfer, when we arrived at 3am no booking and no collection for us. Luckily, the hotel diver Eric was sitting waiting for 3 other guests that hadn't arrived and kindly picked us up. Eric was a superstar and sorted out the booking when we arrived. Because of Eric they get an extra star.

Two stars sounds harsh but we've been staying lots hostels in Latin America for 4months, so coming to a hotel should be a treat, but most of the hostels we're better than this hotel. Even hot water would have got for stars maybe

If I did DIY on a hotel this is what is would look like

Great location - in a cheaper neighborhood, but smart and walking distance to Casco Viejo. The cheapest rooms do not have windows and our room had cockroaches!! I still rate this average for price, friendly and helpful staff, and location. Other than cockroaches, cleanliness was fine, hot water and controllable AC. Receptionist was accommodating and helped us book a tour to San Blas Islands for a great price. Oh yea, the WiFi was free and worked well.

Average

Generally, this is a very good budget option. 

It has "smart" location as it's just on the border of the cheap quarter and close to the nice and safe promenade. It's on walking distance to the old city Casco Viejo, but also close to metro and modern city. From the bus main terminal, taxi charged us 8$, but it's less for sure and today, we would take the metro as it's very safe and very comfortable.

Rooms are clean and simple, with good mattress. Have hot water, fast Wifi (each floor has it's router), cable TV and quite AC. Just check that it does not aim directly on the bed - you would freeze. There are rooms with small non-transparent windows to skylight or to street. It's a big difference. I recommend room 411 for 40$ (35$ if staying more nights).

The hotel does cleaning service daily and offers free coffee at the lobby. They also offer pickup from airport and transport to the airport for 25$. Taxi asks for 30$. We had flight at 9am and it took us 30min. But ask about the traffic in advance to calculate the time. 

The hotel staff is not friendly, not really willing to help, but OK. One of the weakness and potential to grow.

Comparing to several more expensive options like nearby Hotel Roma or some Casco Viejo options, this place gives you all the comfort feeling for much better price (Roma costs about 70$ and is full of prostitutes and taxi-drivers waiting...). Comparing to cheap hostels in Casco Viejo, here you have privacy and a good sleep and you stay a bit out of it all, but close enough. Comparing to cheap hotels in this area such as Villa del Mar for 25$ (just in front of Hotel Roma), this is much more better. Villa del Mar is ugly dirty prison. 

Residencial Mexico

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