El Machico Hostel — Hotel in Bella Vista

El Machico Hostel is a new hostel business in Panama City, owned by three young and dynamic Italian mans, Daminano, Giuseppe y Simone who have a lot of expertise in hotel business and backpackers experience around the globe. We chose the Panama City for many reasons, we choose this house in the dense skyline of mostly high-rise buildings, where we found this nice house in the middle of city Marbella to convert it to a hostel to be enjoyed by travelers and backpackers around the globe, also it’s a nest of hostels, attractions, business, transportations and entertainment is the place to be in Panama City, here in Calle 47 este Casa 2 (47 Street house # 2) Marbella, Panama City. We are very well located in the main business area, tourist attractions and a modern city development. Marbella is the best neighborhood, where you will be very close to the famous Cinta Costera, mayor attractions like the old city of Casco Viejo; nations central bus station and brand new Metro and Metro bus; Natural Metropolitan Park; museum, commercial center, stores, supermarket, pharmacy, ATM, shopping center, fast food, restaurant and many more places of general interest all whit in walking distance and the night club district called Calle Uruguay. The city is surrounded by a large belt of tropical rainforest. Close to Casco Antiguo and 22 Kms from the Tocumen International Airport. The capital and largest city of the Republic of Panama is located at the Pacific entrance of the Panama Canal, It is considered a world city, one of three Central American cities listed in this category. Our amenities in the hostel include: TV, free Wi-Fi in all the zones of the Villa, shared computer, air conditioning private rooms and dorms, 5 bathrooms available to all guests, laundry, full equipped large kitchen, swimming pool, spacious social areas, living room, and big dinner table, and a terrace. Besides the dormitory, we also have available a marvelous private room with a private bathroom, with direct exit to the terrace and access to the swimming pool. El Machico Hostel offers free breakfast to all guests. Our well informed staff is always at your complete disposition for any required information, about the city and various excursions.

As for our tours and adventures booking activities:

Boat trip to San Blas. San Blas islands trips. Sail boat to Colombia. Sailing Adventures to Bocas del Toro. Tour with scooter in Panama...

I have traveled all over the world and have extensive experience with all different types of hostels and this one does not meet expectations on multiple levels. First, they fail to address the some very important areas; including charging $2 dollars to rent a towel. This is a ridiculous cost as you can purchase a towel for that much in Latin America. Most high rated hostels throughout the world provide this complimentary. Next they do not have soap in the bathroom to wash hands. This is highly unsanitary. Also, the bed that I was assigned in a mixed dorm was right under the air conditioner. It was cold and uncomfortable and there was not an outlet anywhere near to charge a phone or laptop. Furthermore the breakfast is not good. They provide some black coffee without milk or creamery and falsely advertise that maple syrup is offered with pancakes but instead provide some cheap Hershey's syrup. Finally, the service and knowledge of the staff is sub par. They just blurt out directions without clearly showing on a map along with key points of interest to help get familiar with a new area. They are too lazy to have a decent map of the area with the hostel and provide the necessary attention to detail. It is a clear gap of service that makes this hostel a no go. I cannot...

Super nice staff, they let me sleep in the sofa when I arrived middle of the night and at 8am I got a bed I could sleep in until Check out time, the staff let me use their phone and they even called phonecalls for me, can't be more happy with them, super fun and professional. The staff also can book a lot of tours for you example Panama Canal or San blas. The hostel was also cool, they have a nice pool, common areas and pool table, the breakfast is only pancakes that you have to do by your self but they where ok, the only bad thing is that they don't have enough toilets. The hostel is located in the new city just in the middle of all the high buildings but you have everything you need really close, supermarket, shopping center,...