Site Inspection at American Trade Hotel in Panama City, Panama

Located in the Casco Viejo district, the American Trade Hotel was built in 1917 and is full of so much history and modern luxury. It started as Luxury Apartments, turned into a crack house and then was taken back and restored. Now it is a beautiful landmark and historic monument hotel in the middle of the Plaza Herrera Square.

Accommodations: The Hotel has 8 different options of thoughtfully designed rooms and suites. They feature high ceilings, beautiful repurposed furnishings using wood from the trees cut down when the Panama Canal was built and views of the historic surroundings. There are a total of 50 rooms in the hotel. The largest option being the Jardin (2 total), which has views of the City or Plaza, balconies and even a private patio area. The second largest option is a Suite (4 total) that has both Plaza and Ocean views. All rooms have complimentary wifi, rain showers, robes, fully stocked mini bars, coffee makers and in room safes.

Dining: The hotel has great dining options and wonderful service, where we enjoyed complimentary breakfast every morning. The dining area has a tropical garden oasis decor feel and they have a nightly Jazz Club for music lovers. Also onsite is a fantastic little coffee shop that features their Geisha Coffee, which is a must try for coffee lovers.

Other Hotel Spaces: The hotel has lots of options for both personal and even professional use. There is the American Trade Hall (an old bank) that can hold up to 400 people. Other spaces include a conference room that can hold up to 250 people, a rooftop for up to 300 people, a boardroom for up to 10 people and a library for up to 15 people. For anyone looking to have a large event such as a wedding or even a small get together, this would be a great place and location to consider hosting your event.

Amenities: On the upper floors, there is a beautiful open courtyard full of plants and also where a small pool with amazing views of the city. The rooftop lounge is a great place to hang out in the evenings. You can order drinks and food to be delivered as you soak in the wonderful weather.

Local Exploration: This hotel is in the perfect location for exploring Casco Viejo's cobblestone streets, historic churches, and little markets. Our favorite places to grab food and drinks were:

Madre Pizza

La Pulperia

Mahalo

My family and I loved staying at The American Trade Hotel. The location was perfect and safe. We had great service throughout our stay. We felt comfortable and welcomed. I would recommend anyone visiting Panama to stay here, to get a taste of the history and culture that the city has to offer. It's a small Luxury Hotel, but also very much affordable. This hotel is really great for anyone - families, couples or even business travelers, and I would absolutely stay here again.

This trip report is part of our ongoing series on travel to Panama. In need of further inspiration? Check out Mikayla McDonald’s guide, Adventurer's Guide to Panama - Best Things to Do and See.