Best Western Hotels in Panama City: Where to Stay and How to Plan Your Visit
Panama City mixes a modern skyline along the bay with the colonial streets of Casco Viejo and the Panama Canal just outside town. Choosing where to stay depends on whether your priority is business, canal sightseeing, or nightlife and shopping. This guide covers the areas to consider and how to plan a stay that works with your flights and itinerary.
About Panama City
Panama City is a layered destination: skyscrapers and financial towers sit a short distance from Casco Viejo, the UNESCO-listed old town with plazas, churches, and restored mansions now housing restaurants and boutique shops.
The Panama Canal is the city's signature attraction, with the Miraflores Locks visitor centre a popular half-day trip. Many travellers also pass through on the way to or from Canal transits, Darién excursions, or connections to Colombia and other parts of Central America.
Tocumen International Airport sits east of the city centre; most hotel areas are reachable by taxi or ride-hailing in well under an hour, depending on traffic, which can be heavy at peak times.
The climate is tropical, with a drier season roughly from December to April and a wetter season the rest of the year. Afternoon showers in the wet season are usually short and don't typically disrupt a day of sightseeing.
Planning Your Stay
Decide first whether you want to be near the business and shopping district (useful for conference travel, malls, and easy transit links) or closer to Casco Viejo (better for walking to historic sights, waterfront dining, and nightlife).
Two to three nights is enough to see the Canal locks, walk Casco Viejo, and fit in a city viewpoint or market visit. Add a day if you plan a Canal transit tour, a trip to the Amador Causeway, or an excursion into the rainforest or Gamboa area.
If your trip includes a Canal transit, flights to a nearby region, or a cruise connection, confirm hotel proximity to the relevant port, marina, or airport terminal before booking, since these points are spread across different parts of the metro area.
Traffic can affect how long transfers take, especially during weekday rush hours, so build in extra time between your hotel and any airport or pier transfer.
How to Book the Best Rate
Rates for Best Western properties change with demand, so check current pricing directly on bestwestern.online rather than relying on a number you may have seen elsewhere.
Booking direct on the official site means no third-party account is required and no added booking-platform fees, with the rate and room details shown exactly as the hotel has them listed.
Compare room types and included amenities (breakfast, Wi-Fi, parking) rather than price alone, since these can vary between properties and seasons.
If you have flexible dates, check a few days either side of your preferred travel window, particularly around holidays or major conference periods in the city, when rates and availability shift quickly.
Read the cancellation policy attached to your chosen rate before confirming, especially if your itinerary depends on a connecting flight or cruise schedule that could change.