Hotel Acapulco — Hotel in Calidonia

I stayed here my first 2 nights in Panama City. My initial impression was that it looked like a place that charged by the hour, and I immediately wanted to turn around and leave. However, I was tired from an 8-hour bus ride from San Jose, Costa Rica so I decided to stay and deal with it in the morning. After a shower and good night's sleep, the hotel looked a little better than the night before.||||I had a double room with a balcony. The balcony is the smallest I have seen, only about 3 feet wide and 1 foot deep. Not big enough for a chair, only big enough to stand on. Nonetheless, it was nice to open the door and get some outside air. I also was able to hand wash a few things and hang them on the balcony door to dry overnight. ||||The room was medium/large (18 sq meter/195 sq ft) with a desk, desk chair, and bedside stand. No luggage rack, room safe, coffee maker, or fridge. The furniture was old, but the room was clean. The lighting was good, and the WiFi and air conditioner worked well. There was a flat-screen TV, but no English-language channels. They use keys for the door, not key cards, and you must manually lock the door with the key when you exit. There was no ice bucket, but I requested and was given a pitcher filled with ice.||||The bathroom was very small and was well-lit. No toiletries except 2 small bars of soap. The water was hot and the pressure was good, but Panama is so hot and humid that I only took cool showers. They provided 2 bath towels, but no hand towels, wash cloth, or bath mat. The shower dripped constantly. There was no fan or a/c in the bathroom, so it was very hot and humid.||||The receptionists and bellman were friendly, but only one person spoke a little English. This is common in Panama and not a problem since I speak conversational Spanish. The only common areas are two small seating areas in the lobby, neither of which have air conditioning. There is no food at the hotel, but there is a 24-hour restaurant attached to the hotel. It serves very good food and is popular with locals.||||Some reviewers describe the area as "authentic" or "working class." Respectfully, I think those are euphemisms. This is a poor neighborhood and it looks sketchy and unsafe. The area across the street from the hotel looks like a junkyard. The sidewalks around the hotel are raggedy, and cars park all over them so you have to walk in the street to maneuver around them. ||||In some ways, though, the location is better than it initially appears. There is a metro station, Estacion Loteria, down the hill about a block away. The Cinto Costero promenade is only 3 blocks down the hill from the hotel, and is a lovely place to stroll and people watch. Cinto Costero also has a nice view of the Panama City skyline. You can also walk to Casco Viejo or take an Uber for a couple dollars.||||If you go up the hill from the hotel and turn left at the first street, there is a casino on the corner. Continue walking, and across the street katy-korner to the casino is a large grocery store, Machetazo. This street, Peru, looks slightly better than the street on which the hotel is located. There is also a police station around the corner from the hotel, and police sometimes hang out in front of the hotel and at the restaurant. This adds a measure of security to the hotel, and probably keeps out most of the riff-raff that frequent other low-budget hotels in the area.||||If you're a male traveling alone or two men together, you might not mind the hotel or location. The area is loud and lively, and there is a popular beer garden next door to the hotel. If you're a couple, there is nothing romantic about the hotel. As a single female I kind of liked the vibrancy of the area, but I did not like its seediness.||||I only paid $38 night, and it was probably worth that. (Rooms without balconies are cheaper). If you're a solo female or a family on vacation, I suggest spending a few more dollars and choosing another area and a different hotel if you can afford it. However, if your budget is super tight, and you just need a clean place to sleep with few amenities, the Hotel Acapulco seems to be one of the better low-budget hotels...

Understand this is not a fancy place but you don't pay fancy prices, either. It is an older building but is neat and clean. The hot water is very hot so be cautious. The people are friendly if you are. Panamanians, indeed most Latin Americans, live life at high decibels. This is their custom. If noise bothers you, bring ear plugs. I bring noise-cancelling ear protectors for use when the parties go on late at night. My room overlooked the street & was noisy at times. Bus and taxi horns are freely used even during the night. Lots of traffic.||Few here speak much English. It is good to know some Spanish or use Google Translate. My Spanish improved a lot. ||Panama City is hot & muggy. Air conditioners are run day and night. I was here during the rainy season and saw some spectacular lightening shows. There were fabulous firework displays for some holidays. ||Next door is a restaurant that serves great food. My favorite dessert was their homemade flan. Delicious. I drank tap water and ate the salads and had no illness, ||On check-out, turn in your key and the AC and TV remotes. ||Here is where you meet the real people, not...

We were aware that this was not a 5 star by any means so our expectations were in check. We knew that we were paying a very budget price for a very budget hotel. ||The area directly where the hotel is located is old but it gives you a real Panama City experience. The room was very small and old but the bed was clean and did the job. A two night stay was plenty however as the bed was less than plush. There was very little sound insulation for the room so anyone in the hallway or adjacent rooms could be heard with ease. There were children running about at times making noise which was a bit of a nuisance. ||The shower was a bit like using a garden hose but the water was hot enough and the pressure was incredible. Bars of soap are provided but don’t expect any shampoo or lotions. ||The location is great for exploring the nearby Malecon and old town Panama City. There are also many great local restaurants to choose from to get some real local flavours. ||All in all it was a good budget hotel for a one or two night stay but you have to have very realistic and minimal luxury...