Bluff Beach Retreat — Hotel in Bocas del Toro

I just got back from a fantastic Panama Vacation! The 4 day stay at Bluff Beach Resort could not have been any more enjoyable! My girlfriend and I stayed 2 nights in the secluded Las Palmas Casita and 2 nights in the main beach house Las Olas master bedroom. If you prefer to be a little isolated away from the main house, then Las Palmas is the way to go. There is no AC in any of the rooms but you really don’t need it with the nice ocean breezes and fans. The sounds of the jungle mixed with the waves crashing on the shore were just surreal. The property is gorgeous and fits so naturally in the surroundings. I especially love the how the paths were lit during the night. It gave such a magical walk through the tropical vegetation. A beautiful, quiet beach is just steps away from the front of the property. On the way back from the beach, I showered outside and took a dip it their fantastic pool then sipped cool drinks with fresh limes from their farm under the thatched umbrellas. We also took an afternoon ride on the horses that were available. The horses were beautiful and well behaved. The guide was very considerate of my girlfriend who had never ridden a horse. We stopped for a refreshing dip at a beautiful secluded spot on the far side of the island. On the way back our guide even pointed out a monkey in a tree that we would have never seen! The inn keepers, Steve and Karen, really made a huge impression on me. I have stayed at other B&B in the past but Steve and Karen stand out as the best! I felt more like family than a guest. They went above and beyond hospitality by picking us up at the airport, taking us shopping, arranging local tours and taxis, and offering rides when going into town. They were always willing to share their abundant knowledge of the area with stories that entertain as well as inform. Steve even got up in the middle of the night to help a stranded Taxi driver that was stuck in the sand on the only road on our side of the island. I was also very impressed with how respectful they spoke and interacted with the local workers, who did not speak English. You can tell how everyone loved their jobs by how clean and well maintained the property is. Needless to say, they are just wonderful people that will make sure you enjoy this...

This is a beautiful, well run resort. The on site managers, Augusto and Anita, are absolutely wonderful and provide outstanding service, care of guests, and management of the facility and staff. Ron, the owner, provided fantastic pre-stay information and organized airport pick ups. Breakfasts by Anita are delicious and she varies the special local dishes she makes along with custom egg offerings and plenty of fresh local fruit and juice. Augusto is wonderful in sharing his knowledge of the area and generally providing care and concierge services. All the staff we met were polite, well-trained, and courteous. The setting - across from the beach, yet in the rainforest is gorgeous with sloths and parrots and monkeys hanging out in the beautiful gardens. The lap pool is a great addition, as are the yoga platform and massage studio, both open air and surrounded by rainforest. The facilities are simple but elegant and the fans provide enough ventilation that AC is not needed and would imho spoil the jungle living. There were no mosquitoes or bugs of any kind. There is good food close by at a number of places but the View was particularly good. If you don’t want to cook there is food available there within a five minute walk for both lunch and dinner with more good food available within a 10-15 minute beach walk or a 5 minute bike ride. My only issue is that it is not an adult-only resort and therefore not what would generally be considered a retreat but we knew that before we went and are not complaining. This is really a comment for future visitors. There were some pretty noisy small children belonging to guests running around at breakfast and at the pool most of our stay. The host’s son is quiet and well behaved and was not one of them. We were thankfully away from the main house in the Playa Casita but could still hear children screaming at the pool at regular intervals and during breakfast. Even so I still consider this an outstanding five star resort and would not hesitate to go back. Thanks to everyone for making our stay there...

I just left this magical resort. If you ever fantasized about sleeping in a tropical jungle, this place is for you. From the moment we arrived, Augusto greeted us with a smile and gave us a wonderful overview of the property and then proceeded to escort us to our casitas. Chef Nicole rocked with her delicious meals that included fresh seafood and regional vegetables and tropical fruits. I looked forward to every lunch and dinner. Anita’s breakfasts included a variety of options even for vegans and gluten free diets. The grounds of this beautiful property. Augusto took us on an informative tour of the farm and introduced us to all the beautiful horses who were happy and well taken care of. I fell in love with one of the horses named Olive who was so wonderful to ride. They have free roam of the property! The farm grows two types of limes. |The beach is absolutely stunning but there are no loungers on the beach. If you love beach walks, you will love this shoreline. The accommodations are rustic but very comfortable. There is no air conditioning because this is an off grid property so the rooms are warm during the day. But I slept quite comfortably even though the outdoor temperatures were high. The sound of the roaring ocean waves were very soothing to me but if you are in the main home, it could be very loud if you are a light sleeper. |I cannot say enough about the massage therapist Maria! She is tiny but mighty! Massages are done in a gazebo with flowing white curtains…Heavenly. She has been a therapist for over 30 years. She is very strong! But she fixed my shoulder after two massages. The first was the strongest deep tissue massage I’ve ever had. The second was a lymphatic drainage massage. You will feel so relaxed after one. I fell asleep like a baby after each of them. |We had the privilege of seeing a mother sloth with her newborn which was the highlight of my week! Bravo to this wonderful team. It was one of the best...