W Panama review: delectable dining and bars made from Panama Canal containers
1) The backstory
W Panama was Central America’s first W hotel. This Panama City outpost is achingly modern with five-star service from start to finish. Offering sweeping bay and Panama Canal views, W Hotels Worldwide, part of Marriott International, opened this fashionable oasis in 2018 to much fanfare.
2) The rooms
There are 200-plus rooms and suites ranging from 37 to 152 square meters. Beds are immaculately dressed in Egyptian cotton and have floor-to-ceiling windows for taking in the famed skyline.
Each room is equipped with a flat-screen TV, high-speed WiFi, seats, robes, a Nespresso machine, and complimentary tea and water bottles. The E-wow (Extreme Wow) suite is the most lavish with a foosball table, a lit vanity, and an expansive rainfall shower.
The typical stuffy mini bar is replaced with a classy display W Mixbar, where one can shake up their own cocktail or have a hot brew in W-branded cups. As a tea-loving Brit, the Mixbar was my first port of call. Sipping my (complimentary) English breakfast on the cozy queen bed, I realized that I could hear nothing beyond my own contentedness. Despite the location on busy Calle 50 in the financial district, noise levels are low.
Photo credit: Booking.com
3) Food & drink
On-site gourmet restaurant Moró is a treat for the senses. As quality food cannot be cooked from sub-par products, ingredients are sourced fresh from local farmers and from Panama’s two expanses of water.
Photo credit: Booking.com
For this staycation at W Panama, I preferred the luxury of not having to choose what to eat, so I requested surprises all around during dinner. To kick things off, I had a melt-in-the-mouth Kobe beef carpaccio followed by a saffron and coconut guacho with octopus ushered in from the Caribbean. My dining companion was treated to a bespoke off-the-menu item that didn’t disappoint.
The crescendo was a trio of decorative mini desserts of the chocolate, fruit, and pudding variety. With each course, we were visited by the chef who explained the history, produce provenance, and attention to detail poured into each dish.
In the mornings there’s a hearty continental breakfast buffet with all the expected bells and whistles: fresh juices, made-to-order eggs, tropical fruits, and fresh bread. La Cajita, Living Room, and the Wet Deck Bar round out the food and beverage options.
Photo credit: Booking.com
4) Services & amenities
Panama’s capital is blessed with year-round warm weather, making poolside lounging practically obligatory. Good thing there’s the Wet Deck on the 15th floor. It offers incredible city views and private cabanas and quickly became one of the most elegant rooftop pools in a city of elegant rooftop pools.
Among the hotel’s amenities are the AWAY spa, sunlit meeting rooms, multiple bars, and the sky-high FIT fitness center. Let’s face it, hitting the gym while on holiday is that much sweeter when an epic view is on the cards.
Photo credit: Booking.com
5) Style, decor & character
The hotel draws on the Isthmus of Panama for design inspiration. The integration of local aspects is intricate and calculated. Most of the furniture is sourced from Panamanian craftspeople, and the chandeliers are stylish bamboo fishing baskets. At the ground floor entrance, a wall of 70 Panama hats greets guests. Ascending to the 15th floor, where the welcome area and signature W Living Room are situated, reveals expressive murals and an industrial look.
Lounge areas are agog with Panama Canal paraphernalia, including shipping containers reimagined as bars. There’s one on the 6,835-square-foot pool deck and another in the lobby. The containers are bedecked with graffiti in the style of Panama’s diablos rojos school buses, which sped perilously through Panama City’s streets, growling and blasting reggaeton music for all to hear.
Photo credit: Booking.com
Rooms have white-washed walls with colorful accents like effervescent yellow doors and cushions made of bright Mola fabrics that are native to the indigenous Kuna community residing in Guna Yala (the San Blas Islands). Indigenous patterns and art are showcased throughout, including on the large iconic “W” sign in front of the building.
W Hotel’s internal design team collaborated with Studio Gaia to create the sleek décor. The international interior design firm was also responsible for W Bogota, for which it received many design awards.
6) Location & nearby sights
W Panama is located in the 50-storey Evolution Tower in Panamá’s business district, surrounded by one skyscraper after another. It’s on Calle 50 near Plaza Nueva York, the stores of Via España, and an eight-minute drive from Cinta Costera, Panama’s prized waterside walkway and park. Depending on traffic, the UNESCO World Heritage site of Casco Viejo is 15 minutes away by taxi. Casco is the second most visited landmark in Panama after the canal.
7) Who it’s right for & what to pack
W Panama is suitable for travelers who are comfortable with a party atmosphere, DJ sets, and mingling with fellow guests. This is the place for anyone looking for an energetic and lively experience during their cosmopolitan city getaway.
Bring some trendy swimwear for lounging by the pool and smart casual attire for dinner and hobnobbing with the other fashionable guests. You’ll stick out like a sore thumb if you go for the less-is-more look.
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Sofitel Legend Casco Viejo review: Waterfront views and walking in James Bond’s footsteps
