Grand Decameron Panama: April 2024 review

GOOD - close to the airport, buffet servers were nice, great weather, friendly staff, attentive if we had an issue, BAD - Cowboy restaurant burnt food unfriendly server, way too many stairs, some pools closed due to less customers, restaurants not marked as closed on a given day so we walked a long way only to find out they were closed, wi-fi inconsistent from same location, buffet food selection poor (compared to other all inclusive holidays i.e. Punta Cana) rice, beans and chicken mainly [... read more], OTHER - finger printed and photographed at airport,

Riu Playa Blanca: Would go again

Immaculate property. Hard working staff. Food was excellent, bar staff could make anything. Plenty of lounge chairs at the pools, lots of pools.****************************************************************************************

Riu Playa Blanca: Good family resort

Nice kids pool. Decent food. Language can be a challenge at times. We had an issue with the lock on our room for 3 days which we feel wasn't handled properly, should have been upgraded to better room as resort was not full and we had to go to front desk at least 10 times trying to resolve lock issue. Gets very busy on weekend with locals.

Riu Playa Blanca: Good for the Price !

The hotel was clean and maintained well - cleanliness of the rooms and other common areas as well as the grounds/gardens. Food: The buffet was good and had many options and well replenished. Staff worked very hard to ensure that the tables were cleaned and guests were served in time. In comparison, the a la carte restaurants were not that great. Staff were good at their job but did not understand very much English and catered more to Spanish speaking. The but food was not that good i [... read more]n taste and presentation - presentation was outdated, the menu choices need to be changed. The food at the Steakhouse was decent. The Asian and Italian restaurants were a disaster. Entertainment: Was not up to standard. The announcer was very difficult to understand and most of the announcements were made in Spanish and even the little English announcement were made in a hurry and difficult to understand. The wait time between dinner and the shows was very long and most evenings we were bored and went to the room. The entertainment staff during the day also conducted all activities in Spanish as a result we who did not understand Spanish could not participate. It was very frustrating that we could not enjoy the activities due to the language barrier. Pools - very well maintained, the bartenders worked very hard and there was never a very long wait to be served. In all, it was a pleasant stay but not a place I would likely visit again and there was nothing spectacular that would make me want to go back.

Riu Playa Blanca: Amazing resort

The report is very big but it’s lay out is awesome everything is very close The restaurants are amazing great food and great service The walk’s on the beach beautiful clean and smooth the ocean is alittle rough but it’s still swim able Lots of activities at the pools for the kids and adults

Grand Decameron Panama: Will not return

The video posted by Trip Central needs to be updated. VERY misleading. This resort is a 2-3 Star at best. Stayed for 12 days. Upon arrival, we were assigned 2 Double beds, requested a King - none avail. requested again a few days later - was told no. Room was old, outdated, no screen on doors, gap under main door, mold in shower, behind sink, behind toilet was disgusting. Closets were dusty. the safe was about to fall off the wall. No coffee maker, no facecloth, no snacks in our fridge as [... read more] was indicated, 2 bottles of water per day, and fridge stocked when requested - sometimes more than one request. We booked and paid extra for plus package!! Since our wonderful room was positioned near the stairwell, Hallways were EXTREMEY noisy, and doors slamming all night long. echoing in the hallway. A posted SILENCE sign could go a long way. Food was 50/50. Birds were actually eating from the buffet tables, since there were no nets to protect the food. Staff were very nice, worked very hard. I ended up in the hospital after 4 days. Intravenous, medicine. Doctor said Virus - which my hubby didn't catch. I say Food Poisoning, Fever, Vomiting, Chills, Diarrhea, in bed for 4 days. Couldn't eat or drink alcohol, and I am still feeling ill today. The doctor and Nurse however, were very nice. They took good care of me. I was ready to come home on April 11th and cut the trip short - but Trip Central wanted 1200$!!!!! I am beyond disappointed in the resort and Trip Central. We have booked MANY trips through you - and I was the sickest I have ever been in my life! Air Transat stated they would have rearranged this for us at no cost. Grounds were beautiful, beach was vey nice. BUT - I will never return to this resort. I have pictures of the mold in the room and the disgusting mess behind the toilet. Don't normally look there, but its the bathroom is where I spent most of my vacation. What a waste of money.

Riu Playa Blanca: Not a 5 star hotel

The resort was OK definitely not a 5 star resort though. The food was OK, not much variety. Beach was nice. Overall customer service was not the best. Weird rule with botted water for a place as warm/hot as Panama- you get only 6 bottles of water per day ONLY. (Reminder this is an ALL INCLUSIVE resort). Far from the city - limited activities, unless you want to pay for excursions.

Grand Decameron Panama: Fantastic time!

The Royal Decameron Beach Resort is a great place to stay! Our room was immaculate and up to date, we had a lovely room in building 11 with an ocean view. The staff (bartenders, servers, ground maintenance, lobby) were ALL amazing and so appreciated us trying to speak a little Spanish with them. Drinks were great! Food was good. All in all we had a great time! If you mobility is challenged this isn't the place for you. We were very happy to get 8-10 thousand steps in a day and that's with [... read more] 6 hours of laying on the beach.

Riu Playa Blanca: Good but not great

The Hotel is 10 years old and needs some cosmetic work to bring it back to the RIU standard that I was expecting. The staff do keep the rooms and grounds immaculately clean. The food was good and there was something for everyone but nothing to write home about. I would not say it is 5 stars but certainly 3.5 to 4. The beach is a bit of a letdown, but you have to go with an open mind and remember you are on the Pacific coast. Many people were stung by jellyfish during our stay and the flag w [... read more]as red all week. Horses are on the beach and there is dung and horse urine smell everywhere in front of the resort which made going down to the water's edge a rather unpleasant walk. Wild dogs roam around the beach and onto the resort and they can be aggressive. Some cowboys offer rides and sell certain unnamed substances - strongly recommend everyone stay away from them. There was a strong police presence on the beach and at the hotel during our week, so we did feel safe but would not recommend being on the beach after dark or before dawn. The weather was fantastic, hot and no rain whatsoever. Probably won't go back due to the beach situation (I prefer the Caribbean). It was a once in a lifetime bucket list place to visit. The Service provided by Trip Central was fantastic.

Riu Playa Blanca: Enjoyed our stay.

Lovely grounds and pools. Rooms were large and comfortable and very good cleaning service Food was fantastic so much selection and very tasty. Beach was nice just had to watch under tow. Overall a very good experience and would return again.

Westin Playa Bonita: Westin Playa Bonita: Lovely hotel near Panama City, Panama

We had great ocean view rooms which looked out over the entry to the Panama canal which we could see in the distance. Rooms were large and cleaned daily with refreshed towel and bathroom soaps, shampoo etc. Our package included 3 a la carte restaurants and we loved the steak house which we visited twice it was so good! The Asian food a la carte was only so-so. Otherwise we ate in the buffet which had good breakfast, lunch and dinner options. Drinks were typical of any all-inclusive and plen [... read more]tiful as required!! The beach was lovely when the tide was in, however, it goes out a long way and uncovers rocks and mangrove swamp which did make interesting rock pools. There are a variety of pools from quiet to busy with daily activities. We made good use of all of them! We visited with relatives from the UK and they loved the place! All-inclusive resorts are very uncommon or expensive in Europe and it was cheaper for them to fly to Canada and then to Panama than to book directly from London. There are lots of local tours to enjoy, but be prepared to get up early since most require a trip over the Bridge of the Americas which is VERY busy later in the day.

Grand Decameron Panama: Great for a Group! Looking for Luxury not your place

We arrived on March 15th to surprise some of our friends who arrived the day prior. We had a great time I will rate my review on Pros and Cons! Pros Food was great buffets and le cartre Check in and out were super quick Staff very friendly on the most part Very Clean around the resort and room (we did have a cockroach in our room once ) Room air conditioner worked well as it is HOT in Panama Cons Very large resort lots of stairs and ramps. If you have a mobility issue not a place  [... read more]for you Al le carts hard to book. Not always avail and open Air conditioning in room is the ONLY relief from HOT weather Rooms are very dated but in the “80’s” still in the “80’s”. If you want luxury this is not the place for you Not enough umbrellas around pools for shade AIRPORT Very close if you fly Sunwing or Air Transat no food or drink avail but security will allow you to take in. Too bad the resort would not forgive the 3 hr before as it really isn’t needed! A good resort for a fun group trip! F your looking for luxury not for you!

Playa Blanca Resort: Family oriented family

Overall am very satisfied with the sevice food , rooms, grounds, staff and entertainment. No complaints will recommend to family and friends. May return at a future date with family, for winter as spring is too hot for me. Would appreciate a gift voucher for future use.

Grand Decameron Panama: Beautiful Resort

This is a slightly dated but very well maintained Resort. If you like walking, this is for you. The water was a bit rough but other than that, no complaints. Felix at the bar makes super drinks. The shows could use a bit of improvements though. We were in Block 16 with the most beautiful view.

Grand Decameron Panama: Met Expectations

It’s not the most luxurious resort I’ve been to, but I didn’t expect it to be. it was advertised as a 4 star and it is a 4 star (maybe 3.9). The buffet food was OK. Restaurants were good. Resort is large and lots of stairs. Room was a bit tired but clean and functional and the AC worked. It was what I expected it to be and therefore I wasn’t surprised or disappointed.

Riu Playa Blanca: 3 ?? Resort

Hotel was old, Rooms were outdated and room we were in broken doors and handles, upgraded to sea view was worth it, rooms and pacha-night club smelt bad probably due to a sewage blockage, Food was OK pretty much the same variety daily, Italian restaurant was good, Pools were not very clean, lots of glasses found in pools. Could not be in the sea shore for long due to the high tides and deep waters lots of stones need water shoes. Overall would give it a 3 ??.

Grand Decameron Panama: Disappointed!

Would not recommend this resort. There was never a good selection/variety of food and the rooms were very basic. Could not adjust the thermostat in room, no face cloths, and 1 bottle of water in your fridge was all they provided. Unless you have some knowledge of Spanish or can communicate in Spanish, this is not the place to vacation. Evening shows and most poolside activities were all in Spanish. Had a better experience in Cuba for a lot less $$$. The sun was the best part of this vac [... read more]ation.... but you can find that in many other resorts that have nicer amentities and value for your dollar.

Riu Playa Blanca: Riu Playa Blanca Panama

Very nice hotel, 4.0 to 4.5* in my opinion. Cleaning is ongoing all day, this resort is very well kept inside and out. Beautiful manicured grounds. Rooms two twin beds however Queens were available. Double sinks in bathroom and large shower. Again very clean. Food selection at the buffet is excellent. À la cart restaurants were very good, both Italian and steakhouse. Did not try Asian. Bar service at pool and indoor bars very good. Selection of beverages was good. Canadian, Bourbon and scotch [... read more] whiskeys all name brands were available. Brandy and Gin quality was also good. Shout out to Justin, Hector and Jose at the bar. The hotel manager was on site and available. We travelled with Sunwing and their reps were on site daily to answer any questions. Resort features 4 pools, 1 swim up bar adults only, 1 quiet pool, 1 activity pool and a water park pool for children. Something for everyone. Entertainment was average most nights. Sports bar was 24 hrs, with espresso machine and pool tables. What prevents this hotel from being a 5 * is the beach, it is Panama on the pacific coast. It is not Caribbean white sand but dark sand. The beach is a public beach so you will get the annoying hucksters, but just wave and walk past them. Overall a very nice resort, however if your a beach lover this will not be for you. Price is better than most resorts.

Riu Playa Blanca: Beautiful Resort

Resort was immaculately taken care of with friendly staff. Plenty of things to do at the resort was good because there was not a lot of off resort options available. Grounds were very well maintained and green considering the area was desert like off resort.

Riu Playa Blanca: Awesome Resort

We travel extensively. Over 25 all inclusive resorts and this was one of the best. The weather was amazing and the food was very good in buffet and a la Carts. It was hot and good variety. The negative was the beach. It's a large beach but sand gets too hot and not great for swimming. The drug dealers that want to take you for horse back rides are a pain too. The adult pool is incredible because they strictly enforce no children allowed. The bar staff was incredible except the one woman at swim  [... read more]up bar very slow and did not seem happy to be there. The pool does turn your white spots green and your Hair.