We like to think of Coconut Lodge as a mini-resort without the crowds. With only four rooms, Coconut Lodge is an intimate and private Lodge designed to please and satisfy your every vacation need and want. Forget about work, stress, and an accelerated lifestyle. Enjoy the warm tropical breeze, laze in our pool while sipping a Pina Colada, challenge yourself to a game of tennis and enjoy life the way it is truly meant to be lived.
Staying at Coconut Lodge in Panama was like renting a private European villa in the tropics, complete with a chef, since we had the colorful, slightly worn bed-and-breakfast in the Las Cumbres area entirely to ourselves for a week.
Our simple, spacious suite included a comfortable queen bed, A/C, cable TV, mini-fridge, safe, Wi-Fi and walk-in shower with a refreshing rainforest head.
We arose daily at dawn to birdsong and the crowing of distant roosters. A 15-minute uphill walk afforded sweeping views of the countryside, which remains remarkably green and unspoiled, despite its proximity to bustling Panama City.
Our personable Polish host, Conrad, prepared breakfasts and served us on the covered veranda overlooking the rectangular pool, stone patio and gardens. These began with coffee, orange or pineapple juice, a small yogurt-cereal parfait and fresh fruit: sliced apples, bananas, pears, oranges. His creation of the day alternated among crepes with preserves; “Polish-style” scrambled eggs; nest eggs with bacon; and an impressive smorgasbord of quartered eggs, wieners and open-faced sandwiches of ham, cheese, tomato, onion and cucumber. All were delicious, filling and artfully presented.
Thus fortified – and armed with SPF 30 lotion – we retired to lounge chairs poolside, where occasional breezes and fair-weather clouds afforded fleeting respite from the searing sunshine.
After sampling some disappointingly bland empanadas and papas rellenos (stuffed potatoes) from Casa del Pan bakery and Come Come food truck, we wisely opted to have Conrad make our evening meals, as well. His commitment to fresh, healthy ingredients showed in the generous tossed salads; pasta with grilled chicken and cream sauce; shrimp and tilapia with rice pilaf; mixed seafood pasta; and a “typical Polish” dinner of herbed drumsticks and potatoes with a side of garlicky cucumber-yogurt slaw.
Desserts consisted of variations on cake and ice cream – satisfying endings to each day’s adventure.
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Date of stay: January 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
What I like most about the Coconut Lodge is that it kept my daughter and I safe in a foreign country. I've always wanted to see Panama and felt the country would be safe for us to travel there but I can see where our holiday would have been unpleasant--or worse--without the Coconut Lodge and the people there. The Lodge is situated in an upscale neighborhood just outside of Panama City. We met one of the neighbors. He was a doctor. His wife was a dentist. The Lodge is surrounded by a high, impenetrable fence. And at night, an electric fence for security. We always felt safe and slept well. The neighborhood is quiet and peaceful. For some reason, stinging bugs and mosquitoes were either not present--or were not a problem.
I think in many ways, the Lodge offers 5 to 6-star services, particularly in concierge services. Co-owner Nancy not only schedules tours and simple trips to town with efficiency and her expert business skills (she holds and MBA), she deftly anticipates your needs and saves you time, money and hassle.
If I go there again I will wait until we arrive and then schedule all trips and tours with Nancy. Her ability to find the best, knowledgeable vendors for site-seeing, or hire someone she knows to escort you on a private tour are World-Class. Coconut Lodge concierge services exceeded those I recently received at the Waldorf Astoria in Orlando. She takes the services seriously and finds the highest quality guided tours for her clients. She knows in so doing--the Lodge puts its own reputation under scrutiny.
Our tours to the Embera Indian Village and the Rainforest Discovery Center were beyond FANTASTIC!! Once-in--lifetime experiences. For a third tour we scheduled on our own, Nancy typed out expert directions and called the corporate office to ensure the driver would find the location for our 5:00 a.m. pick-up time. That is high, high quality--Ritz-Carlton level.
Food safety is a major concern for those who love to travel to foreign countries. Without mentioning all of the issues associated with food safety, I can tell you we enjoyed nearly all our meals at Coconut Lodge and I am now finding myself craving Mike's gourmet cooking. We were unconcerned about unsafe water or foods--such a relief in a foreign country. We enjoyed fresh guava juice daily, escargot, fresh, high quality fruit each morning, home-smoked bacon, fresh eggs, crepes, and yogurt parfaits; homemade high quality hungarian stew for lunch (once gratis [because they are simply nice and generous and have good manners]). Dinners were three course meals. I could continue for many paragraphs about the meals. Point is--the food was 5-star-level food.
What I want to emphasize is the cheerful accomodation for dietary restrictions and food allergies. My daughter's multiple food allergies were always considered when her meals were served. Always--and with graciousness and with pleasure to help us. Coconut Lodge reaches 6-star-level service with these highly specialized services, i.e., Ritz-Carlton, Four Seasons service. And breakfast was included in the price of the lovely rooms. Dinners were available for only $18 per person and lunches--for $10. I call that high quality VALUE.
Honesty is priceless. In haste, I left a large amount of cash on the desk one morning and hadn't realized it until we returned to the room later that day. The room had been cleaned. the bed made, and waste removed. All of my personal items were respectfully untouched. $75 cash left in full view on the edge of the desk remained in the position where it had been left that morning--untouched.
We stayed in Cafe con leche. The room was clean, attractive and we always had enough fluffy towels. All appliances were in full operation. The aircon was efficient. The mini-bar, well stocked. Fine wines were available. One bottle was gratis with the room.
Lovely, well maintained landscaping frames the location. Those beautiful bushes with gorgeous white flowers will stay on my mind. Fountains, four gorgeous white doves and orchids were a delight. The saltwater pool was refreshing, clean and soothing following long days touring this beautiful, globally important country.
Should I return to Panama, Coconut Lodge is the only accomodation I will consider.
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Date of stay: May 2013
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Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We stayed at Coconut lodge for 5 nights at the beginning of our holiday. Conrad met us at the airport and gave a wonderful introduction to Panama and the area. He kindly offered to arrange some tours, of which he took us on one tour to the Rainforest himself. We really enjoyed his hospitality and excellent balance between offering activities and suggestions to what we could do, but also to let us explore on our own when we were ready for that. We could not have had a better host, and came back to the lodge for our last two nights in Panama. Thank you for a superb holiday and a really lovely place!
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Date of stay: February 2018Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
I truly wish my review could be as positive as all the others seem to be, and perhaps my experience was exceptional. It was in fact after reading the many great reviews and visiting the attractive website that I was very much interested in staying here. I was sad that there was originally no availability for the nights we were looking for but finally stumbled upon a two-night opening, and although our need was for three nights, I jumped at the opportunity as I thought it would be a relaxing place to end our trip in Panama.
I want to start by pointing out some of what I felt was positive about Coconut Lodge (owned by Nancy and Mike) and our stay:
Transportation was arranged for us from the airport to the B&B, and from the B&B to our next destination, which was appreciated. Our first impression of the grounds was that they were lovely. There was a nice pool, trees, birds, tennis court, etc. and the breakfast/dining area overlooking the grounds was also very nice. Our room, Cafe con Leche, was clean and nicely decorated and included air conditioning, a safe, TV, small fridge (drinks are available for a price), little desk, etc. We particularly enjoyed the yogurt starter at breakfast - it was fresh and tasty. Nancy provided a cell phone to guests if needed. She was helpful in communicating in Spanish with an employee concerning my boyfriend's lost luggage, and at one point tried to help organize a tour for us. We were told we could make use of all the facilities and Mike was welcoming upon our arrival and kind as we left.
A few points to consider when booking: -Location: I knew it was not in the heart of the city, but I thought it would be worth it as a place to relax after enjoying the sites. Due to traffic, time and cost of traveling alone (expect to pay $25 one way), I personally would select a different location in the future. Also, as it is still fairly new, it is not the easiest to find for a driver unfamiliar with the place. -Bathroom: There were no toiletries available other than a bar of Ivory soap therefore it is a good idea to bring your essentials. The water temperature fluctuated for both of us when showering but we never ran out of hot water. -They fumigate the outdoor areas regularly so as to help keep pests away, which is a kind consideration for guests, however this was done while we were sitting in the dining area and the fumes carry through quite a bit. This practice may not be ideal for some. -Although our room was clean and nicely decorated, it was quite dark (you could open the blinds however the room is located right by the main areas) and strangely, we both agreed that it was somehow not overly cozy. -I don't recall there being an alarm clock so you may want to bring one (unless you have a cell phone) if needed for practical reasons.
We have stayed at several B&Bs and one aspect that was lacking for me was a certain professionalism and sense of accommodating us as guests. Service is very important to me, and there were certain things that left me uncomfortable. As much as I would like to focus only on the positive, I think it's important to be honest and share some examples to help clarify why I feel this way:
-Upon our arrival around 3:30 p.m. (check-in was at 2 p.m.), a young man (who appeared to be the groundskeeper) came out to the car to help with our luggage. When we arrived to the back of the home, I recall being welcomed by Mike but don't recall the same greeting from Nancy, as I believe her first comment was that our room was not ready. When she insisted that we let the young man help with our luggage as it was his job, she added that he was on a short leash that day. This is something I would have preferred not to hear as a guest as I believe any issues between employer and employee should not be dealt with in front of guests/customers. Although it was a bit disappointing that the room wasn't ready (reportedly due to an issue with the blind, although it was also stated they had been very busy with guests), it really was not a major factor and we were seated and offered a drink, which was nice. What did bother me however was that when we shared that we had dinner plans in the old city at 8 p.m. that evening and began discussing transportation arrangements, it appeared complicated and we were told we could have a ride but would have to leave in the next 15 minutes. We had just arrived from the city and had not seen or settled into our room yet (and reservation was at 8). She also spoke about transportation arrangements for the morning of check-out and while I appreciated that she was planning ahead, it was difficult to think about checking out when we had not even officially checked in yet. (It was about an hour and a half later when we finally did, which felt like a long wait.)
In terms of transportation, it is nice that they try to help and from my understanding they have certain drivers they rely on regularly for their clients. We understood that there was the location and traffic to consider, however in general, the process of obtaining a driver felt more complicated than it needed to be. Nancy finally found someone who was referred and made it clear that she had not dealt with him before. When she said he was on his way, I reiterated that we weren't ready to leave just yet and it was then clarified that he would only arrive at around 7 p.m. At one point earlier in the conversation when I expressed confusion, she said she could just cancel the driver and we could make our own arrangements. The way it was said surprised me, but what surprised and bothered me more was when she brought up that she had e-mailed me asking about transfers for the week. It was said in a way that implied blame for not having informed her of our plans and transportation needs, yet the only thing asked in the e-mail was in relation to where we were headed on the day of check-out. Needless to say, our sense of an oasis unfortunately turned to a feeling of stress.
- We did not have an umbrella and Nancy offered to lend us hers, but not without adding that we had to give it back. She then proceeded to tell us the value of the umbrella ($10) if we lost it. The umbrella she ended up giving us was actually $13,50, we were told. Whether these were personal or guest umbrellas, we would have returned them of course. I can understand putting a value on certain things guests might use, but this seemed unnecessary and petty. It made me appreciate the last place we had stayed at which left umbrellas outside our door, simply letting us know they were for our use during our stay.
-When the driver arrived to pick us up (his name was Mauricio and he provided an excellent service), we were waiting in the car while she spoke to him for some time. I appreciate that she may have wanted to get to know him but I wish there had been more consideration for our time and also for the reservation that we had. I grew concerned that we would be late, and in fact we barely made it.
-Coconut Lodge offers a dinner service (for a fee), which is a very nice idea and we had heard the food was very good. Since we had dinner plans on check-in night, we expressed an interest in having dinner the next evening. The next morning, however, we were given recommendations of things to see and do and told we might as well just enjoy a full day out. It sometimes felt that our plans were being made for us rather than suggestions being made based on what we wanted. I explained that we had thought of making it back in time for dinner (and to have time to enjoy the grounds), and Nancy said she had to check with her husband. Upon her return she said he was going out but could come back early if we wanted to have dinner. It somehow felt like an inconvenience and we agreed to make other arrangements. It was disappointing seeing as it was the only day we could have experienced the dinner and also that there is one day that they do not offer the dinner service and this wasn't the off day. I wished our expressed interest the day before had been taken into account and that they would have made themselves readily available to render the service that was offered without us feeling we would have otherwise had to pull them away from something else.
-That same morning, as Nancy tried to make transportation arrangements for our outing, I suggested that we could contact the driver from the night before to see if he was available. She mentioned that her older daughter had first dibs (from what we were told, she drives some of the guests as a way of earning her share) and went to check with her. Upon her return, she asked if we had the phone number of the driver from the night before. When I said we did, she responded by saying we could just call him ourselves then, I confirmed that this is what I had proposed earlier and she proceeded to say they went to bed late and woke up very early and were very busy. I understand it must not be easy to run such a business but to a guest, sometimes a simple apology means so much more than offering reasons or excuses for a lack of attention. Also this day, we asked if she had a map (on check-in day, we were told she had one she could give us), and she asked whether there was one in my guidebook. She finally did show us a map that was hers and mentioned we could borrow it but she needed to have it back afterwards. For fear of anything happening to it, we opted to try to get our own. (Perhaps copies of maps to give away and guest umbrellas for use during their stay could be helpful)
Above are some of the aspects that made our already short stay less enjoyable and sadly, we never felt truly relaxed here. We were informed that they had only been open for nine months and we understand there can be a learning curve and improvements made. Unfortunately first impressions are very important and perhaps it just happened to be an extra stressful time for Nancy. In the end, although my experience at Coconut Lodge was not what I had anticipated, many guests seem to have enjoyed their stay and benefited from what they are doing right. They have a very nice property, and I sense that Nancy does care about her guests and tries to be helpful. I simply felt that during our stay, in the midst of managing the responsibilities, there was at times a lack of attention and consideration for what would make us feel most comfortable as guests and little things could have made a big difference in making us feel truly at home.
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Date of stay: August 2012
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Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Coconut L, Owner at Coconut Lodge
Responded 2 Dec 2012
Thank you for your feedback. We have taken your comments into consideration, both the positive and the constructive criticism. We do appreciate the following comments: “They have a very nice property, and I sense that Nancy does care about her guests and tries to be helpful [...] She was helpful in communicating in Spanish with an employee concerning my boyfriend's lost luggage [...] Our room, Cafe con Leche, was clean and nicely decorated [...] Nancy provided a cell phone to guests if needed [...] Mike was welcoming upon our arrival and kind as we left”. As you noted in your review, it was indeed a stressful time for us, as your stay in August coincided with our youngest daughter's going away to College, an International Move back to Quebec, Canada. Although this is not an excuse, we always strive to give our best under any given set of circumstances. If you are ever in Panama again, we hope you will let us make it up to you.
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We just returned from our 3 night stay at Coconut Lodge. From the moment we began planning our 7 day trip to Panama, I had no doubt that Coconut Lodge would be great. Conrad was amazing with all his communication. If he couldn't respond right away he'd email me to let me know he would get back to me ASAP.
With small children in tow it was important for us to have some sort of a game plan of things to do that would keep them interested. Conrad helped set up a tour of the Old Town, Panama Canal, and Gamboa Rainforest resort (Monkey Island, canopy arial tour, and Sloth Sanctuary). He even secured a car seat for us so we didn't need to worry about bringing our own. We rented the casita and had the entire place and pool to ourselves for 3 glorious days. Breakfasts were delicious and well thought out. We opted for to pay for dinner each night to make things easier with the kiddos. We are so glad we did. Conrad was able to make us delicious meals and was super easy to work with as far as our dietary restrictions (3 vegetarians). Everyone was extremely happy with the food choices. Conrad was great with our kiddos too.
The casita had two queen sized bed and a fold out cot for our oldest. The bathroom had a nice double sink. The closet was plenty big enough for all our luggage. The pool was deep (maybe 5 feet??? in the shallow end and 9 ft.??? in the deep end). We planned ahead and brought puddle jumpers for our two youngest kiddos.
Overall, the casita and Conrad's level of service made this part of our trip really special. I would not hesitate to stay at Coconut Lodge again if we return to this area of Panama.
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Date of stay: February 2019
Value
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Trip type: Travelled with family
Room Tip:Bamboo House was a perfect spot for our family of 5
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We are urban people, but after a couple days of stays at other hotels, and full days of touring the many fabulous Panamanian sites, we were ready for a break from the “urban jungle”.
The Coconut Lodge proved to be the ultimate escape – a small, private retreat just a dozen kilometers from the city and yet worlds away in terms of relaxation and beauty. The lodge has a fab salt water pool in a gorgeous tropical setting with a flower garden and nice pool side seating. Breakfast was served on a beautiful outdoor covered patio, overlooking the garden and pool – a relaxing way to dine. While breakfast is included in the room price, we opted to also have dinner there (with advance notice and a reasonable charge). There is also a well provisioned “honor bar” on the patio with loads of options for cocktails and drinks.
Conrad, the owner, is obliging and enthusiastic, and, by the way, a lot of fun. Not only did we have lots of laughs together, but he went out of his way to make everything right.
We had a room which overlooked the front garden, a few extra steps from the center of the lodge where the pool and breakfast room is, but also private and quiet. Our room was clean, large, bright and air-conditioned, and came with cable TV and an excellent Wi-Fi connection. We felt very much at home the whole time, and would have stayed longer had we not already prepaid our subsequent hotel reservation.
Conrad provided transportation to and from the city when we requested it (at a reasonable fee), and offered to arrange local tours and transportation - however we chose to just stay put and enjoy the place. In fact, we never left from the time we arrived until the day we left. It was that relaxing!
The other guests were interesting and fun to talk with in this special setting. We highly recommend the Coconut lodge.
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Date of stay: December 2014
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Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip:The casita located by the pool looked like a wonderful place to stay but we liked our room away...
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Coconut L, Właściciel at Coconut Lodge
Responded 30 Jan 2015
Dear B. and D. What can I say? It was a really nice and fun time with you guys, I'm glad I had the opportunity to provide you pleasant time during your stay and of course, I invite you again with my open arms. Once again, thank you very much for staying at the Coconut Lodge. I wish you all the best and hope to see you soooooon again.
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My wife and I stayed here for 4 nights at the end of March during our week long vacation in Panama. We chose Coconut Lodge based on the wonderful 5 star reviews on Tripadvisor. We were not disappointed in any way. Nancy and Mike are wonderful hosts. They work there butts off 24/7 to ensure their guests have a wonderful stay. It truly does seem like you are staying with friends and not a bed and breakfast. The meals were all perfect and were a wonderful value. The pool is nice and we enjoyed mingling with all the other guests from around the world at the dinner table. We booked 3 tours through them and they were all great. Melissa is an excellent guide and again after the first few minutes it seemed like it was a friend showing us around her city. The price of the tours was very good for the service provided. We both have many wonderful lifetime memories from our stay at Coconut Lodge. I highly recommend this place to anyone staying in the area while on vacation. Thank you Mike, Nancy and family for making our stay such a fantastic experience !
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Date of stay: March 2013
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Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
A great place to stay a little outside the city. Mike and Nancy are amazing hosts and took care of every aspect of our stay. We enjoyed day trips with Melissa. Melissa went out of her way to help with renting a car and showing us how to get out of the city. The dinners were great and it was nice to meet people from all over the world!
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Date of stay: March 2013
Value
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Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We stayed with Nancy and Mike towards the end of April, and had a wonderful time. The grounds our gorgeous, the service is impeccable, and the food delicious. Nancy was incredibly helpful in helping us plan our stay in advance, even calling a church to ask for Mass times so that we could plan our trip to Contadora around when we could get back for church. You have to ask Mike to give you a fresh coconut with rum :)
Nancy and Mike are so generous that you don't ever feel nickel and dimed, like you do at many hotels. They were extremely helpful in planning our transportation, even when we were doing tours outside of those that they offer. They even held our stuff for us while we went to Contadora, and let us borrow a phone! Truly - the service was fantastic - as was the company of other guests.
Nancy and Mike do have 3 small dogs - but the dogs do not go in your room. Also, if you don't like dogs I think they would be pretty good about keeping them away.
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Date of stay: April 2013
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Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip:We had Cafe Con Leche and enjoyed it very much.
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
In May 2013, our family stayed at Coconut Lodge for one week. It was the perfect place for our children. They certainly enjoyed the pool, the 3 little dogs and the 2 parrots a lot. The natural surroundings were very nice and we enjoyed several peaceful evenings outside and amazingly (for being in the tropics), we had no issues with mosquitos whatsoever. Actually, we did not use any bug spray. This was a very nice experience compared to our native Atlanta.
The food was absolutely wonderful and Nancy and Mike provided excellent service. Cannot think of any complaints whatsoever. Certainly the best vacation experience we had in a long while. I would give it 6 stars if I could.
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Date of stay: May 2013
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Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Ridgewood, New Jersey104 contributions24 helpful votes
Hi there, that area is completely safe; it's a high end residential area. I don't think is the type of place you can bring a guess...you should ask the owner via trip advisor through his site. He's very friendly and flexible...and he responds quickly.
Dear Kannscr
Please send me all details and dates you are interesting in. That I will have a chance to check, please contact mw from our website coconutlodge . com or direct email office @ coconut lodge . com will be much easier to communicate. Regards Conrad
ps. Dear Judy - how are you ? everything is ok ?
There are more places to choose from in the Las Cumbres area.
LOCATION
PanamaPanama ProvincePanama CityLas Cumbres
NUMBER OF ROOMS
4
Prices are provided by our partners, and reflect average nightly room rates, including taxes and fees that are fixed, known to our partners, and due at time of booking. Please see our partners for more details.
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