Nomada — Hotel in Bella Vista

We had already stayed in Casco Viejo and wanted to see a different part of the city before leaving. The Container hotel was fantastic. Great location: fifteen minute walk down to the waterfront and it's wide walkway and, in the other direction, fifteen minute walk to the air-conditioned Multi Mall; there's a mini supermarket just across the street and a Nacion Sushi (and an Italian) restaurant just across the (very busy) street (use the crossing point down to the left past the bus stop). If you go down that street rather than cross it then there's a cafe/bakery and other restaurants there, too.|Straightforward ride to the airport and the friendly staff even booked an Uber for us :) Staff helpful and available.|The containers themselves are surprisingly well appointed - clean and fresh inside, with comfortable, clean beds and bedding and towels. There's a large picture window with both a privacy screen and a secondary roller blind. The shower had hot water, good-sized soap and shampoo were supplied. We went with en-suite and it's added on to the rectangular container through another door so you don't lose any space inside. |Air-con worked quickly in the well-insulated space. We kept it at 25-26* which was cool enough. The insulation also dulls the noise of rain, and you really don't hear the major road artery just at the top of the street. It is quiet and restful. Netflix on a large-screen flat-screen TV; comfy armchair, good-sized breakfast bar and chairs for dining at; plenty of hangers and storage space, and also plenty of space for storing backpacks (in behind the armchair!). The kitchenette was compact and effective, there's a good fridge with separate freezer compartment, food shelves, pots and pans, colander, sharp knife, serving ladles and spatula. If you want more than the mini supermarket then there's a large Reys supermarket about 20 minutes walk away. ||There are a couple of things that could perhaps be looked at for improvements, but it wouldn't put us off staying there again and none were enough for us to raise with staff at the time - just ways to improve on an already great concept-in-action. |Kitchen: one bowl, one mug. Two of each for a 2-capacity container would be better (and we didn't ask for another as we managed with what was there), but there was plenty of cutlery and plenty of glasses and plates. Instructions for the induction hob would have been helpful! We Googled it and you just hold your finger on the power symbol for at least three seconds. Very effective. Microwave also provided but a little bit too high up to use safely if you're lifting hot things out as it's above the cooker's extraction hood. Bathroom: it would work much better if the door opened from the right (into the space between the sink and toilet) rather than the left (into the shower/smaller space in front of the sink). Also, hooks for the towels would be useful, and perhaps shelving...

I had a dentist appointment in downtown Panama. I booked this through hotel.com. What intrigued me was the use of containers. This looks like it’s a work that’s constantly improving, so some parts look like a construction site, but that doesn’t bother me. I’m in that business. What impressed me was their service here. Managers weren’t here, but they instilled into their guest services ability to make decisions. That’s what impressed me the most. I saw some reviews that stated the rooms were not up the standards, but my room is very nice. Some stated that the rooms are small but I find them adequate, I’m not going to be ballroom dancing in here. Originally, I gave this location five stars. Then this happened. The lock on my door did not function properly. The maintenance man showed me how to jiggle the lock while it was closing unfortunately, I wasn’t properly trained in jiggling a lock. And one time when I returned to my room, the door was wide open. This is a problem because I feel that the most important feature of a hotel is security. Without security nothing else...

Stay in an actual cargo shipping container ... but in COMFORT and right in the middle of Panama City. Watch the reactions of your friends on social media when you post photos of your stay in a shipping container. Nomada Container Hotel is so much more interesting than staying in some ordinary international chain hotel. The rooms are very comfortable, clean, cool and enjoyable. Very clean. Very comfortable. Air conditioning. WiFi. And even NetFlix. The neighborhood is safe. The courtyard is great and has a little cafe for coffee, soda or snacks. The staff is helpful. The location is in heart of Panama City, making is easy to get around. The price is very reasonable. AND YOU WILL HAVE THE BEST STORY TO TELL YOUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY ... because none of them have ever stayed in a shipping container. SO DO IT. You will be...