Colon Panama Hotels

The Davis Suites in Colon, Panama is a great deal. In a quiet part of town, the streets around Davis Suites are safe and the hotel is clean and well run. Rooms feature hot water, microwave ovens, small refrigerators and high speed WIFI access.

The Davis suites are close to both the Panama Canal and to the Colon Free Zone. If you are into heavy duty, duty free shopping, the Colon Free Zone is for you. This is the world’s second largest duty free zone next to Hong Kong. On roughly a square mile of land you will find duty free merchandise from all over the world. All you need for entry is a non-Panamanian passport!

This part of the world boasts of Columbus’ fifth voyage when he called a harbor to the east a “beautiful port.” Portobelo went on to become the site of a huge trade fair in the days of the Spanish Main, when Spanish galleons brought goods and returned with gold. In more recent history steamships brought passengers to Colon to board the Panama railway to cross the isthmus on their way to the California gold rush.

Today Colon is the Caribbean outlet from the Panama Canal and sees 5 percent of all world trade pass through it. From your room at the Davis Suites, you can visit the fortifications at Portobelo one day and go kayaking in the Panama Canal the next. You will want to make sure you save enough time and money to check out the deals at the Colon Free Zone or you will never forgive yourself.

To book your reservation at Davis Suites click here

Davis Suites has 45 luxuriously furnished and decorated rooms and suites. All of the rooms come with air conditioning, satellite TV, mini bar, fridge, radio, direct dial telephone and room service 24 hours a day.

There are 2 presidential suites, furnished in style, with a large sitting room and bedroom. It also has a Jacuzzi and kitchen with microwave. It is just like being at home. Other rooms are available to suit your needs. There are the Royal Suites, which consist of a luxurious bedroom and a fully furnished sitting room and the Ambassadorial Suites, which have a kitchen, two bedrooms, one sitting room and a dining room. Also available are the Super Executive Deluxe Suites, the Double Rooms and the Single Rooms.

Among the services offered, there is a fully-equipped gym and a nature shop, where you will be able to get energizers and other supplements. Professional trainers are there to provide you with premium assistance. The Bush bar is the place you might want to go if what you are looking for is relaxation and a cozy environment with live music. The restaurants offer buffet, and la carte service is also available. A swimming pool outside has its own bar.

A massage salon might be the perfect therapy you require. If massages are not enough for you, the hotel offers a sauna, where you can relax and enjoy the steam baths. Modern washing machines are available in the laundries, which are also available for outside guests, from Mondays to Saturdays.

To book your reservation at Davis Suites click here

Built in the wilder days of Colon’s early 20th Century. the New Washington Hotel has seen a lot of history. The property has recently undergone an extensive renovation. and Visitors are once again flocking to this historic treasure.

The historic New Washington Hotel was originally constructed in 1913, following an order by William H. Taft. Taft felt that the fury of activity surrounding the canal justified an upscale hotel. The plan must have worked, the hotel’s first guest was Vincent Astor, a scion of one of the world’s wealthiest families.

The hotel is located in one of Colon’s more desirable areas on the corner at the point where the Panama Canal meets Manzanillo Bay. The property features classic Spanish Colonial architecture blended with design additions spanning nearly a hundred years of service.

The New Washington is one of the area’s more affordable hotels. You’ll find a wide array of excellent restaurants, as well as a casino and disco for fun after dark. The property has been updated with all the modern comforts you have come to expect.

Immerse yourself in Panama’s colorful history with a stay at Colon’s New Washington Hotel.

To book your reservation at the New Washington click here

The Colon Province of Panama is now the fourth most populated province, with a population of just over two hundred thousand souls. Located on the Atlantic Ocean end of the Panama Canal, on the Northern shore of Panama, the seaport city of Colon was located on a spot which history records as Manzanillo Island.

When gold was discovered in California in 1848, it provided the impetus for building a method of fast transportation across the narrow Isthmus of Panama. With plans in progress for the Panama Railroad, Manzanillo Island was linked with the mainland by American entrepreneurs; including William H. Aspinwall. The engineers innovated a drainage plan to allow them to construct the railhead by first drawing off enough water from the swamps on and around the island to be able to build on it and connect it by bridge to the mainland.

The Panama Railroad asked for bids to construct the track from the Atlantic shore to the Pacific shore. The construction contract was awarded to a company headed by George M. Totten and John G. Trautwine, who sent an order to New Orleans to have a small pine board shack built and shipped to him. This was the first permanent structure in what became the town of Aspinwall which was later called Colon.

Due to the tropical diseases malaria and yellow fever; it is estimated that more than 12,000 people died during the construction of the Panama Railroad. The true numbers will never be available, because many of the people keeping records died too, some of them from cholera contaminated food or water.
The Panama Railroad is the most expensive railroad built in the world. Building the forty seven miles of track that inaugurated the first inter-ocean railroad cost – in addition to the lives of twelve thousand people – eight million dollars and five painstakingly muddy and mosquito tortured years of work. The workers who cleared the land and laid the track were from all over the world, but as they died by the thousands; those who survived stood apart.

Panama has developed the infrastructure to accommodate the nearly 300,000 annual cruise passengers who visit, including two ports in the Panama Canal: one on the Atlantic side of the Canal, Colon 2000; and near the Pacific entrance, Amador Cruise Ship Port.

These two brand new cruise passenger terminals represent an investment of $100 million dollars; and open more opportunities to offer dock services in Panama. It is estimated that during the cruise season 2007-2008, at least 192 cruise ships arrived at dockage in Panama with passengers, who will have graciously left at least 40 million dollars in their wake.

All these investments have resulted in the recognition of Panama as “Best Adventure Destination”. Panama is a wonderful place to visit. So there may be a new group of adventurers, who are cruise passengers landing in Colon or Panama City, doing cross country visits through the Panamanian highlands and beaches; then either join their ship on the other side of her canal transit, or fly home after extending their adventures overland. Read the rest of this entry »

Reconnect with your spirit of adventure at Meliá Panama Canal Hotel. Whether you are looking forward to spending your days venturing out in the tropical outdoors, visiting all of the attractions of Panama, or you are planning your next corporate business event, Meliá Panama Canal offers a lovely venue. Most all of the 258 rooms overlook the shores of Gatun Lake, just 10 minutes from the Free Trade Zone in Colon, and about 90 minutes from the Tocumen International Airport in Panama City.

The Meliá Hotel was originally built as a hospital for WWII service people in the 1940’s and then was used as the School of the Americas, a military training facility, until 1984. It then remained empty until the late nineties, when it was renovated into the Melia Hotel. So if you have allergy issues, be aware that this is an old building in the tropics, and consider other lodging. Read the rest of this entry »

This is an un-air conditioned birdwatchers jungle lodge with comfortable accommodations in a private reserve at Panamas tropical rain forest. The small restaurant offers Panamanian cuisine served family style. There are table games, darts, internet access, and a pool and Jacuzzi.

This eco-lodge offers eight rooms and one suite, which have a rating of two stars. Lodging is available for a year around average rate of $80 (not including tax). A great place for birders, but it’s also a peaceful place for everybody interested in jungle nature adventure or just relaxing in the tropics.

Bird watching historical and cultural tours are available with English speaking specialized guides, who have a passion for birds. Most of them are a real pleasure to be with on the Pipeline Road and Achiote Road birding tours. Read the rest of this entry »

With an investment of more than $12 million dollars in a location beside the Colón Free Trade Zone and the “Colon 2000” cruise ship port, the Radisson Hotel offers 102 stylish rooms. This hotel is part of the Radisson Hotels & Resorts group, which as part of Carlson Hotels Worldwide, is committed to ethical and responsible business practices and supports initiatives that build relationships with the communities they serve.

Guests will have access to four restaurant menu variations in the six floor hotel: a coffee shop, sushi bar, a full service restaurant with international cuisine, and a lounge. The lobby will also feature a grand casino. Radisson Hotel amenities include: a fitness center with a sauna and spa services, and outdoor pools, and 24 hour room service.

A business person’s preferences at the Radisson can include the use of: free high speed internet, sleep number beds, and a full service business center and the option of staying in a suite, rather than a room. In addition, the Radisson “Colon 2000” Hotel offers meeting halls with capacity for 300 people.

Receiving referrals for reliable tour guides and drivers, from the Radisson Guest Services is a good way to find trustworthy introductions to the Colon attractions. You can see the engineering in a set of the locks that make the Panama Canal one of the sixth wonders of the world. Celebrating the primitive lifestyles at the Embera Tribal Village is an day trip by canoe in which you’ll be in Panama’s rainforest. Birding near Colon, you can see some of the most unique birds in the world. Or Panama can amaze you with a heart racing ride on a zip line through the canopy of the rainforest in Gamboa.

Beach trips, scuba or snorkel opportunities are within an hour auto trip away. Or you could take long walks down the halls of history in Panama, by way of a visit to the ruins in Portobello and its huge national park. But be prepared, the road is rough going east along the Caribbean. It is on the list to be fixed; as part of the infrastructure updates that are happening all over Panama.

Panama Canal Railway, built in 1885, is located only a half mile away from the hotel, and travels to Panama City every day. And there are two airports nearby. The Paitilla (national) Airport is located 26 miles North, the Tocumen International Airport is located 55 miles South – near Panama City.

The Radisson project general contractor – ESC, used a labor force of 120 workers for this project drawn from the Colon area; where they were trained and gained experience and improved their qualifications, over an eighteen month period. The Radisson is known internationally for their high quality on-the-job training services

The general manager, Edwin Segura, said that the hotel will create 100 new jobs that will be occupied primarily by the Colonense labor market. Radisson Hotels & Resorts is one of the world’s leading hotel companies, and offers warm and engaging genuine hospitality to business and leisure travelers. There are nearly 400 Radisson locations in 66 countries.

Even though the Radisson is located only 150 meters of the main entrance of the Free Zone, you will want a dependable driver/guide to take you into the Zone. Visitors must show their passports to enter the walled compound, and the rules for purchase vary for many of the worldwide representatives of manufacturers and distributors. Unless you are multi-lingual, a bilingual driver can guide you much more easily through your journey.
Although it is interesting to see the 94 acre (38 hectare) shopping area, it’s mainly for wholesale shoppers.

Many stores do sell merchandise at retail prices, but they will often ask for a minimum purchase or insist on selling in quantity, perhaps a half-dozen items. Some stores will allow visitors to take small purchases with them, but most items must be delivered to the airport or cruise ship, for you to pick up, upon your departure. Be sure to ask the store’s policy and the Free Zone’s rules before buying anything, to avoid a possible problem when leaving the zone. Ah, there’s another good reason for finding a guide with your best interests at heart, some of the drivers have become familiar with the policies of the various companies and can help you with planning where to go.
The most important ingredient to enjoying your visit to the Free Trade Zone, is time. To keep from causing yourself frustration, plan to spend a day and if your driver doesn’t have a map for you, ask for one at the entrance gate.

Remember Panama is only about nine degrees from the equator, and the temperature will be around 90 degrees (30 degrees centigrade) and it will most likely rain before your shopping expedition is completed. There are outside food vendors with a narrow selection of food choices, but there will be no food courts. So if you will expect more, bring it with you. Your choice of light weight clothing, sun screen and comfortable shoes will make a difference, in how much you enjoy your foot travel around this 94 acre (38 hectare) outdoor pedestrian mall.

And remember, tourists can shop wholesale or retail, while complying with the Free Zone rules: Your purchases may be shipped to you by freight, if you bought them at wholesale, with the appropriate customs paperwork. If you bought those products retail, they will be sent to the cruise ship or airport by which you are leaving Panama.

And you must plan to arrive in plenty of time – for your pick-up at the airport or ship package desk – to allow the paperwork to be completed on your purchases. So don’t expect to carry most of your purchases with you when you leave the Free Zone, and do expect to carry them along with you from the ship or airport, on your route home.

Panama hopes to surpass the 1.3 million tourists who chose to visit the country
in 2007 and to reach the number of 1.4 million visitors in 2008. This information came from the Panamanian Institute of Turismo (IPAT). The assistant director of the IPAT, Carl-Fredrik Nordström, claims that “the increase is the direct result of the promotions in North America, Canada, Latin America, the Caribbean and Europe”. The IPAT spent $1.9 million in 2007, on an advertising campaign with the catchphrase “It Remains in You”.

Meanwhile, a recent fire in Colon Free Trade Zone cost more than $20 million in damages and lasted for seven hours because the fire department didn’t have enough water pressure to control it. Warehouse owners have criticized the fire department for having no large fire management strategy and for not arriving fast enough to even have a chance to control the fire.

The canal is probably the most well known feature of Panama. In 1904, the US began constructing the Panama Canal. It took 10yrs and 380 million dollars to build the canal. It is considered to be the 6th Wonder of the World. It is a 50 mile-long transit route joining the Atlantic and Pacific oceans through the narrow Isthmus of Panama. A ship coming from the Caribbean must enter the Gatun Locks, a series of stair-like concrete chambers. Electric locomotives called mules (because there once were mules doing this work), located on either side of the locks, guide the ship during this portion of the canal transit. Most people experience the diverse and beautiful isthmus from the deck of a ship or their balconies. Yet, travelers who venture on land will discover a country rich in wildlife and culture.
Some cruise ships that focus on the Caribbean, simply dock at the Colón 2000 port on the Atlantic side, with passengers who visited the Canal locks, took a day tour on the Panama Railway, visiting Portobelo or an Emberá Indian village, and carrying on to their next port of call — without ever entering the Panama Canal.

The best hope of jobs for Colon’s unskilled locals may lie in jobs in tourism. There are plans to spruce up local heritage sites and expand the airport. For now tourists ride through the old downtown of Colon in air conditioned cars, with the doors locked; to spend their money someplace else.

If fear of crime persists in keeping tourists from visiting in the city of Colon, then most of the cruise passengers will continue to be routed to the Free Trade Zone and never leave the secured area.

Strategies of hope have been begun by the good hearted, but they haven’t had the financial backing to publicize their plans to the people who need to hear it. Nor do Colon’s social activists have the marketing skills to excite the city residents about the remarkable changes in their lives that can start, by stepping through the schoolroom doors.

The government plan appears to be that economic development and better security will have to go hand-in-hand. However security is not equivalent with safety. Well planned free education with its exciting rewards can be offered to prepare locals for their new opportunities and new self images. And then it will be ‘the people of Colon’ will stop their violent neighbors from threatening the security of their community, and the sun will rise on a new future for Colon.

Otherwise Colon may end up being like the city’s gated communities are now, bristling with weapons; and still not truly safe. The citizens of Colon must be re-enfranchised, and education is an inexpensive price to pay. Hopefully soon Colon will be part of a free zone of dreams coming true (zona libra el sueno hecho realidad) for all people of all income levels; and the only things that die will be fear and anger.