Hotel Plaza Paitilla

Plaza Paitilla Inn

If you're used to staying in hostels or other South American hotels...you'll have no problem with Plaza Paitilla. But if you're used to nice Marriotts and Crowne Plazas in the states, this place is kind of crap.

Pros: Very cheap minibar prices ($1 for a soda); excellent location (right across from a huge mall, cinema, the Sky Bar, and Hard Rock Cafe...15 minute walk from a big supermarket); spectacular view of the city

Cons: Ridiculously expensive internet ($16 for 24 hours...and I had a lot of problems with it working properly); horrible food (ordered room service about 5 times...really low-quality food); they were remodeling when I was there so that meant loud hammering in the morning and slow elevators; maidservice continually cleaned my room even with the Do Not Disturb sign clearly displayed and my telling them every day that I didn't need it cleaned; No voicemail system on the room phones (bad if you're with a large group and nobody has cell phones); window-box air conditioning units that can get really loud (needed to turn it off while I was sleeping due to the noise, but couldn't because I need AC in Panama!); the bed and pillows were very hard

Unique Quality: Business Center and nice swimming pool.

The area around the hotel is very nice. As a girl, I felt safe walking around by myself...even after dark (8 or 8:30 was the latest I went out if I was going far from the hotel though).