Probably considered the two most infamous bachelor friendly hotels in Panama City, the W and the Sortis both boast stunning downtown accommodations that cater to higher end bachelor groups. There are plenty of hotels in Panama that might consider themselves bachelor friendly, but after having been in the industry for 5 years I can say that these two have emerged as the predominant frontrunners. Each one has its specific perks or specialties, so I decided to give you an insider breakdown comparing these top two.
Room Offerings and Quality
The W is the newer option of the two, opening its doors in 2018. The design appeal is centered around Panamanian folk art and the artistic use of containers to represent the trade aspect of the Panama Canal. This makes for nice clean, spacious rooms. What is lacking at the W is the option for multiple bedroom suites. Their largest penthouse option, the Wow was designed with a large open floorplan and a graffiti wall décor with a party vibe in mind. There is only one bedroom and it cannot be locked off from the main living room, so privacy can be complicated if this is the main party suite. If staying at the W and renting the penthouse as the group hang out, I would recommend that no one stay in there.
When it comes to the penthouse options, this is where the Sortis wins, boasting a variety of penthouse level options from the two bedroom apartment or the two bedroom suite. The only real difference is that the two bedroom suite lacks the private massage room and the living room is half the size. The Sortis has been around for about 5 years, opening in 2015 so the W is the newer of the two options. It maintains a more Vegas like feel with wall décor of sensual figures in poses. When it comes to the standard rooms, the pricing is fairly similar between the two hotels, but when discussing the penthouses, the Sortis pricing can’t be beat (hundreds cheaper per night) when working with a concierge for bookings.
Pool Vibe
Each hotel has a “rooftop” pool with the W pool on the 13th floor, which is actually the same level as the lobby and the Sortis pool on approximately the 4th floor. The views from the W pool definitely beat out those of the Sortis, but the cabanas don’t have sunshade so make sure you bring plenty of sunscreen and sunglasses. There is little to no coverage at the W pool. On the otherhand, the Sortis has lots of pool side cabanas for lounging. When it comes to pool parties, the W definitely wins, hosting a number of public events throughout the year. The pool parties are not consistent or scheduled by the hotels, so these are not a regular occurrence. If you have the budget, you can always throw your own private pool party or like we did for a group, throw a semi-private open pool party at the W bringing in our own DJ, bar, whole nine yards.
Casino
If you want to gamble and not necessarily leave the hotel premises, then don’t stay at the W since they don’t have a casino. The Sortis casino is probably one of the top 3 in the city, with a large sportsbook, poker room, craps table amongst other table games, and lots of slots. I’ll be discussing the casino options of Panama in another post, so for now the main take away is that Sortis is the winner when it comes to gambling.
Restaurant Offerings
Panama is truly a gastronomic paradise with world class chefs from all over. What I’m trying to say is that get out of the hotel and go try one of the top level restaurants in the city, but if you want to stay close let me break down your options. Inside the Sortis you have about 7 restaurants ranging from Lebanese at Fenicia, Italian at Aglio Rosso, fried chicken at Chick n Pop, quality steak at Prime, sushi, or a café. Your options at the W include the hotel restaurant or Paul, a French bistro. Though the options at the W are less, the city has some of the best cuisine, but if you just want to gamble and eat close then Sortis is the way to go.
Inviting Guests Back to the Room
So you and the guys hit the town, met some lovely ladies, and it’s about that time of night or day that you want take the party back to the room. If you didn’t know, nearly every hotel in Panama has a guest policy that basically breaks down their fee structure for inviting companions (aka call girls) back to the room. Some are outrageous like that of the Hard Rock which charges $150 per guest just to go upstairs. The fee at the Sortis is $60 per guest unless you book your rooms through a concierge agency like YC in Panama which has the contracts with the hotels specifically waiving these fees. Over at the W, they used to apply these companion fees, but more recently have begun waiving them on a case by case basis. I’ve found that if you’re inviting one or two then there is no charge, but if you’re trying to have a party you’ll get hit with the fees. As sneaky as you may think you are, the cameras see you and when you go to check out you’ll get slapped with the fee there.
So that’s my Panama bachelor breakdown between the two top bachelor friendly hotels in Panama. If I missed a category you want compared, just reach out and if it’s worth it I’ll make the amendment. For any other questions about making your time in Panama the best feel free to reach out at info@ycinpanama.com