Fun trip but not a 4 star

Booked through Air Transat and stayed a week. Arrival at the small airport was a welcome convenience compared with Panama City. The hotel is built on a hill — expect to climb 66 steps between the lobby and the beach/food areas. The room was basic with nothing spectacular; the bathroom had a small window to the outside that let bugs in. Food was best at the a‑la‑carte restaurants (seafood and Mediterranean stood out). Drinks were mostly local; Smirnoff was treated as top‑shelf. There’s no late‑ni [... read more]ght food, and after 11pm drinks are only available in the nightclub, which is always a zoo. The beach is coarse with broken shells. Staff were friendly and professional with no issues. Property was well maintained but big, location overall quiet expect when there was in influx of people on the weekend. Overall the hotel was not worth what I paid$$$$.

Great Staff, Clean Rooms, Beautiful Beach, and a Good Workout

The staff were amazing very friendly and helpful throughout our stay. My room was kept clean every day, which I really appreciated. The resort is quite large, so be prepared for a lot of walking, including hills and stairs but it’s a great way to stay active! The food was excellent with plenty of options, and as a vegetarian, I was really happy with the variety available. I loved the location and was very happy being on the beachside then Panama city Overall, a great experience. Would I go back [... read more]? Yes, I would definitely return.

Amazing time

Me and my family had an amazing time at the Grand Decameron resort. There was lots of options with the à la cartes, the buffets has a good variety. Everyone was very nice and everything was very clean. I would recommend bringing your own cups because the ones provided are very small. I would also definitely recommend upgrading to plus. People who didn’t I overheard had trouble booking à la cartes restaurants. Being on the plus side was nice and quiet and we had a great room location. Couldn’t h [... read more]ave asked for a better vacation!

It was great!

The property is large, lush, and beautifully designed, with multiple pools, restaurants, and entertainment areas. However, if you have mobility issues, be aware that the resort has many steps and hills, which can make getting around challenging. The beach was one of the highlights—clean, wide, and perfect for long walks or relaxing under the sun. We visited during March Break, but the ocean was red‑flagged for most of the week, so we spent our days by the pool instead, relaxing and having fun [... read more] with our son. We expected to see lots of Canadian kids, but only came across a few; most of the children were Spanish. The restaurants were good overall, and there was always something for everyone, though after a week I was ready to return home to familiar food. The à la carte options were mixed: the Asian restaurant was the best, the Italian was solid, and the Mexican was a bit of a letdown. My biggest frustration was the reservation system—you need to wake up early, get a number, and wait to be called to book. The resort really needs to modernize this process with technology, as many other resorts have done. I also wish the buffets had self‑serve coffee machines instead of having to wait for staff. The rooms are dated, but clean and comfortable, with essentials like air conditioning, satellite TV, private balconies, and daily housekeeping. The staff provided great service and worked very hard, especially considering how busy the buffet restaurants can get. The airport is small with a small store, there's no meals that you could purchase, just snacks and drinks, so be prepared for the flight home. Overall, the resort was great!

Tired, dated feel overall

The resort has a tired, dated feel overall, and it would really benefit from some updates and repairs. The food was good—not exceptional, but enjoyable enough. The pool area itself was quite nice, though it was far busier than I prefer, with more kids than expected. The pool bars were consistently understaffed, and it wasn’t unusual to wait 15 minutes or more just to get a drink. My biggest concern, though, was the customer service. Much of the wait staff came across as indifferent, and the leve [... read more]l of attentiveness just wasn’t where it should be.

Love Panama

I fell in love with Panama the second we landed. The resort was ok. I dont really like to stay in the resort. I like to explore. Car rental is right outside the resort so that was easy. Food was ok. Hard to get coffee for early risers. Not much English spoken but didnt bother me.

Great resort

Wish we stayed longer, only 4 days 3 nights. Resort was expansive itself. We paid extra for the plus and were grateful we did. Amenities were great, food was plentiful with options. Beach loungers were still scarce even in the plus section at the pool and beach which was disappointing. Had to walk around quite of bit time before we could find one not in the plus side of things. We stayed in a garden view room which was at the top of the hill. Going up and down to access most of the amenities wo [... read more]uld def be an issue with anyone with mobility issues. Beach was clean and beautiful, 2 of 3 days red flag so we couldn't go in the water for swimming or other sports which was disappointing but understandable. Very hot and humid so be preparedg. Disco could be promoted more so people knew there was something to do after the animation show which was mainly in Spanish, sucked if you weren't or didn't understand. No mosquitoes and bugs. Checkin was okay, but didn't get our room until after 1.5 hour later after the advertised checkin time so take clothes to change into while you wait. Can't book a la carte restaurant the date of arrival, too late need to be done first thing preferrably in the morning so if you arrive late no chances but plenty of buffet and other options though. A bit of time at the bars to get drinks but once you did they were great and not watered down and great options especially in the plus side.

Disappointing vacation

I had contacted the hotel direct before arriving to insure everthing would be in English and a request for room locations as I had been here before When we arrived our rooms were exactly as requested but the air conditioner had to be repaired and the safe did not work There was no English orientation just French no English from activity staff no times for restaurants or days open no information on events or entertainment Snack bar only open spraticly and not at all for late night,sports bar  [... read more]is now a kids zone no Olympic or super bowl coverage no bar stools at any bar Long lines at bars limited staff poor operation of restaurant booking no information. About features at the buffets Lost power fir 8 hr one day lost internet for 3 days and constantly being disconnected Day trips didn't tell you that some features were not included on scheduled days There was good parts most ot the restaurants were good and drinks were done well by most of the bartenders This place should have been a 5 star hotel for the price but it would be a stretch to give it a good 3 star I tried to contact the hotel higher ups while there but with no avail

Great Resort

This hotel is a great spot for a beach vacation. The food is amazing, the staff is perfect and everything is very clean. The only complaint is that the rooms, especially the bathrooms could really use an upgrade, but it is kept very clean. Overall, I would return as it checks all the boxes for us for beach, food, drinks, pool and location.

It’s just okay

The grounds are nice but VERY big. And you can’t avoid huge staircases. I actually liked this because it helped me rack up about 13,000 steps per day without even trying. Never did we take the van anywhere on the property. And the grounds really are lovely—especially at night. There are many beautiful pools and a long, walkable beach. Unfortunately, to get a Palapa on the beach or around the pool, one needs to be up and mark their territory by 6:45 AM. Seriously. By 7 AM, almost all of the c [... read more]hairs are taken, some never to be revisited again until noon. This chair game is played at many resorts we have been to, but it seems to be really bad here. I’m not sure what the answer is, but for late risers it was very frustrating. The food is also, in my opinion, “meh”. We weren’t really even impressed with most of the à la cartes—IF you can get them! You need to come to the lobby EARLY to book (might as well scope out your lounge chair at the same time!). My husband went down to book once at 6:45 a.m. and was number 28 in line. By the time they called his number, the only spot available for dinner was 8:30 pm. And, to be honest, the only food that I thought was exceptional was the burger at Cowboy Restaurant. It really is all it’s cracked up to be! But nothing else really “wowed“ me. And I’m really the furthest thing from a foodie. But I was just often disappointed. I found the steak grizzly and almost inedible. I had salmon once and it was dry and overcooked. The starters in most of the à la cartes were buffet, which kind of negates the purpose of an à la carte. Also, cats and dogs roam through the restaurant. While this is something that I don’t really mind because I love animals, I really don’t think it’s appropriate. Now for the amenities. The rooms are very sparse. Toilet paper is single ply and scratchy.They do not provide body cream or shower gel or a shower cap. And we had to fight to get more than two towels (for both of us—only two are provided). And there are no face cloths. But these are all things you can just bring yourself so not a big deal but worth mentioning for those planning what to bring. The staff are very nice but many don’t speak English at all. I can speak a little Spanish and a little French so I got by, but if you are relying solely on English, you may have a bit of a problem. But when we did have an issue (for example, with the air-conditioning and our balcony door), it was fixed within the hour! Great service! It’s definitely not a bad place. It’s just you need to manage your expectations. I wouldn’t recommend it to any of my friends who like ‘upscale’ luxury trips. But on a budget, it’s definitely better than Cuba. But I think the standards are better in most resort destinations I have visited in Mexico. But, to be fair, Mexico has become much pricier since Covid. It’s also not the turquoise water of the Caribbean. But the water was calm and they have lifeguards on the beach which is definitely reassuring. The pools are wonderful for the kids though and, of course, the water slides are great fun. If we had to rate it out of 10, my husband and I both agree it’s about a 6.5.

Fell a little short for us

We were prepared for dated rooms, but found most of the resort "tired" and in need of a facelift, from the lobby/lobby bar to the buffet restaurants to the rooms and some pools. We have travelled to many places and don't stay anywhere fancy but this resort was by far the most in need of work. Room was smaller than many resorts we've been to and we found it dark and a bit dingy. We wouldn't care, it's somewhere to sleep but there was visible dirt on the floor, things left behind by previous gue [... read more]sts and a patio door that only my husband could open by lifting and shimmy-ing it over - I couldn't move it at all. We also had an "incident" with housekeeping, which was a first for us (and again, we travel a lot). Adjoining rooms can be loud (heard every word from our neighbors). Very poor service (absolutely none our first night, had to clean our own table to sit and weren't offered a drink at all and usually had to get up and go ask for tea and coffee in the mornings) at the buffets. Minimal selection of food. The beach is beautiful, no rocks or weeds in the water. However when we were there, if you weren't down to get a chair by about 7-7:30am, you might not find anything. Could use more palapas for shade and lots more chairs. Our room was closest to the middle pool and it was very crowded for the size of it, and could also use more shade. We felt that had we been able to book or upgrade to Plus, we would have had a vastly different experience, with a few more pools (and nicer looking pools) and restaurants to choose from. Bartenders were great, beach snack bar had good food and service, proximity to the airport is a big plus. We made the most of our time but I don't think this is a resort that we would return to.

Great stay

The resort facilities were clean and the rooms comfortable. There are many pools to enjoy. Some pools had activities and others were quiet ones which were great for lounging. The beach is large and sandy. Some parts of the sand are a bit rough, from new shells and the water gets deep (waist level) with only a few steps in. The selection at buffet varied and tasted good. A la carte restaurants were good,but reservations were not possible every night. The coffee bar was delicious and a wide select [... read more]ion of both alocholic and non-alcoholic drinks were available at all bars, including frappaccino. The resort is very close to the airport (less than 10 minutes drive) but doesn't have anything else around. This resort has quite a lot of stairs (to buffet, lobbies, pool and rooms) so not ideal for persons with mobility challenges.

Great stay

The resort facilities were clean and the rooms comfortable. There are many pools to enjoy. Some pools had activities and others were quiet ones which were great for lounging. The beach is large and sandy. Some parts of the sand are a bit rough, from new shells and the water gets deep (waist level) with only a few steps in. The selection at buffet varied and tasted good. A la carte restaurants were good,but reservations were not possible every night. The coffee bar was delicious and a wide select [... read more]ion of both alocholic and non-alcoholic drinks were available at all bars, including frappaccino. The resort is very close to the airport (less than 10 minutes drive) but doesn't have anything else around. This resort has quite a lot of stairs (to buffet, lobbies, pool and rooms) so not ideal for persons with mobility challenges.

Nice hotel with a few exceptions

The hotel is good. Has a lot of positive such as the pool and the beach are fantastic. The rooms are somewhat dated and lack items such as irons and coffee machines. The food is very good and the Asian, Italian and the Cowboy à la carte restaurant are excellent. The buffets are good and have plenty of selection. It’s was interesting that the staff were very friendly and attentive in the à la carte restaurants however not so much in the buffets. Staff did not seem informed about the resort. We [... read more] were incorrectly directed several times during our stay. It’s is important to know that the resort is quite large and requires a lot of walking. There are a lot of stairs and steep hills to get to a good part of the resort’s accommodations. This wasn’t a problem for us however important to note if guest have ambulatory issues. There are shuttle available to be arranged if needed. Overall I would rate the resort as a three star but pleasant.

Lots of stairs

The hotel is ok. Too many rules to mention. You can't smoke or vape any where only the beach area. Can't listen to music by the pool. Only beach area. Can't drink by the pool with a cup the provide only closed containers. Food was good.

Not amazing

Our first visit to Panama was disappointing. The hotel advertisement lied. Pool our over crowded with kids no separate pool for adults. And definitely no swim up bar unless your VIP. Garden view rooms have no view of a garden just dirt. Food has no variety. Same thing everyday. All excursions were booked up before we got there so didn’t get to go off resort to view. And the biggest thing is the stairs for people that can’t walk a lot there is 74 step to climb for anything. We’re no [... read more]t very picky just wanted a nice place and this wasn’t it very disappointing from the minute we got off the bus. Needs to improve a lot.

Very nice resort

Just recently returned from this resort. We had a good time, the resort is huge, lots of uphills, stairs, lots of walking for sure. The landscape was beautiful! Ocean was very warm, beach is nice and very long. Great for walking! Food was good, cocktails, coffee are perfect. Lots of Spanish speaking guests, even the staff don’t speak much English so brush up on your Spanish skills. Room ( garden view) was okay, a bit outdated. No issues with towels, or finding lawn chairs at the beach and poolsi [... read more]de. Overall it was a great vacation!

Amazing resort!

We loved our stay at the grand Decameron resort! Food was excellent great service amazing pools and beach! Free wifi in lobby and most restaurant's. the villas are cute and big with a couch which is more of a bed! Great place for family with kids! Also the night shows are fun and entertaining!

Great Resort!

Beautiful resort. Highly recommended the "plus" option. Restaurants were awesome. Staff was friendly. Host "Alex" was informative. Went on 2 excursions. A day in Panama city and a day in Anton. Totally enjoyed our 10 day stay ?

Panama paradise

The grounds to the Royal Decameron were well taken care of. The a la carte restaurants were fabulous. The buffet restaurants were bountiful and readily available. Our room would be a 3 star. It was clean and comfortable. It lacked in lighting..no lamps at all, not even bedside lamps. The patio door was very difficult to maneuver..it definitely needed repairs. The entertainment during the day at the activities pool needed to tone down their sound system..it was incredibly loud!!! We thorou [... read more]ghly enjoyed our stay there. The staff were great. The weather was perfect..and we would recommend.it is great value for the money! Close to the airport too!