JW Marriott Panama — Hotel in San Francisco

As a loyal Bonvoy Marriott member, I was expecting great things from the JW Marriott Panama knowing that this is their most luxurious hotel in the chain; boy, was I disappointed. My wife and I had been traveling for over a month through the Dominican Republic and Guatemala before ending our journey with a final week in Panama to visit family. I booked us at the JW Marriott Panama due to its reputation for uncompromising luxury and to celebrate my 54th birthday with family and friends at the hotel. The hotel's exterior was elegant and check in was pleasant enough but no one offered to help us with our luggage which were considerable given that we had been traveling for over a month. My wife's son who lives in Panama and who drove us to the JW offered to help us take our bags to our room. As we reached our room on the 33rd floor, there were 2 shifty employees sort of hiding in the dark corners of our floor. They watched us suspiciously as we entered our hotel room and then quickly disappeared into an unmarked door. Thinking it was strange but nothing more, we entered our room. No more than 5 minutes past, when we received a call from the front desk. I assumed it would be a courtesy call asking if everything was to my satisfaction but instead the front desk reminded me that my reservation was for 2 people and asked in an accusatory fashion how many people were in my room. I explain to the young lady that my wife's son had helped us with our luggage and was not staying with us but would be hanging around to help celebrate my birthday down by the pool. She told me that if he was to hang around in the hotel we would have to pay a $50 usage fee. I told her that was absurd and that he was not staying the night but only spending the afternoon with us to celebrate my birthday. The woman said nothing and did not even apologize for insinuating that I was trying have my wife's son stay with us. I hung up but I was infuriated and the entire conversation left such a bad taste in my mouth as if we were criminals doing something wrong. As I looked around the room, I noticed that the bathroom was without walks and there was only one bath towel , one robe and one miniature espresso pod to make coffee. Even the most basic Marriott provides you with 2 towels and ample coffee because the reservation is for 2 people. We decided to go down to the swimming pool which was beautiful but when we told them that some friends were coming over to celebrate my birthday and we would like to open up a bottle of wine or champagne we were told there would be a corking fee. I immediately complained to the manager and she was nice enough to allow us to celebrate my birthday away from the pool next to the breakfast restaurant without the corking fee. Geez thanks! The following day we met up with my wife's son and did some sightseeing around Casco Viejo. After a long day of walking, we came back to the hotel and said our goodbyes to my wife son and told him that we would see him in the morning to have breakfast together. The following morning my wife son knocked on our room door to go to breakfast with us. The front desk called us again to ask how many people were in the room. I have never stayed in a hotel where I felt as if I was being spied on and treated as if I was some common criminal. I had finally had enough and even though I had booked a week at the hotel I told my wife that we should leave that very night and go to the beach where we could enjoy some time with family without being harassed. When we returned Thursday evening, we once again got a call from the front desk but this time asking if everything is OK. I knew the real reason for the call was because my wife son again helped us to our room with our things and to say goodbye to his mom before heading back to his house. This hotel should not call itself a JW Marriott; a more appropriate name would be a Red Roof Inn or Motel 6 but that would be insulting to those hotel chains where even there you're treated with more respect and you get free coffee in...

Just a one night stay. Got a good rate due to Government affiliation pricing. Upon arriving we had to take the elevator up to the 12th or 13th floor. I was on the 33rd floor. The pool is on the 14th floor. There is a restaurant and bar also cabanas available along pool side. A bit breezy due to the 14th floor. Also there is a discreet smoking area to enjoy a Cuban cigar. I purchased a box of Cohiba Robustos at the “W” hotel where there is a legit cigar store in the lobby. Unfortunately my favorite Cohibas, Behike 56 were $1,200.00 a box. Way more than I wanted to pay. I was here in 2019 and they were $800.00 then. Damn inflation! LOL! Back to the hotel review. I ordered Baja fish tacos and the pool side bar/restaurant. Not too bad. But that’s all you get. Just three tacos. No beans or rice. I believe it was $14.00 for that dish. The staff was friendly. But I couldn’t help to notice the heavy security presence. The security teams dressed in suits and all had ear pieces like the secret service. Seem a bit intimidating. As I look about, taking in the sights poolside, I would lock eyes on any given member of the security officers. Unintentionally of course and it would be a stare off. I think the suits should be more clandestine. There so many of them in the open. But I guess some would feel safe observing so many security members walking amongst the guests. My room was nice for the rate I was paying. Full stock bar and loaded mini fridge. Two bottles of waters is complementary and various items of toothpaste and toothbrush, sewing kit, and vanity items of sorts. Shower had a rain style shower head which was nice. Room also had a balcony with chair and table. The bed and pillows were great! So soft and fluffy. Later that evening I had a rum and coke with my cigar on the outside patio bar which was empty of people. I figured as long as there was no one around that wouldn’t be inconvenienced by cigar aroma I figured I would make myself comfortable on the outside deck of the patio. As luck would have it. No one from the staff or security confronted me about my cigar experience. In fact, Estella came by to see if I need another drink. She did say that normally the area where I was sitting is not a designated smoking area. But since I was the only one there. She was cool with it. Breakfast the next day was quite a spread. Oh my god!!! The pineapple!! Get some pineapple!! Like a filet minion of fruit. This pineapple was so juicy and would melt in your mouth. Coffee was legit! Also the plums were very good. The kind I like. Dark red plums on the inside and so sweet and lightly tartly at the same time. The croissants were flaky and buttery flavored. Eggs made to order. The assortment included a South American flair with some local Panamanian breakfast dishes and drinks. The staff were very helpful at the front desk upon checking out. Overall a very...

STAY AWAY! I experienced the worst discrimination by the night security simply because of the color of my skin. I advise any Black Indigenous Person of Color to be cautious of the JW Marriott Panama and their nightly security team if you arrive to the hotel after 10pm. I am an 🇺🇸 executive who travels globally and is very loyal to Marriott. I seldom experience any discrimination at hotels, but on Friday night 4/28/2023 after coming back from dinner three security guards stopped me in the lobby despite me showing them my room key and harassed me to verify if I was a guest.

When I got off the elevator at the SL Lobby floor another white couple had just walked ahead of me and the security did not stop them or ask any questions to inquire if they were guests of the hotel. Three security guards who were standing behind the bar immediately approached me after exiting the elevator to the lobby floor and surrounded me harassing me in Español with a list of all hotel guest attempting to block me from using my key to access the main elevator’s to get to my room 3420. I explained to them my name and room # in both Español & English, they replied they don’t speak English. After yelling for a manager who speaks English, they finally let me go when the manager appeared and confirmed I was a guest.

I have previously stayed at this hotel over 17 times since it’s inaugural opening in 2011 under the previous Trump brand. I have never felt any discrimination, bias, or prejudice by the hotel staff previously. However under the new JW Marriott banner, the current security team is clearly targeting and harassing people of color to verify if they are indeed guests of the hotel. When I explained what happened the next morning to management, they were not shocked and asked me if I remembered the names of the security. I told them to check the cameras from the night before because they know who they employ at their hotel.

After watching the camera footage the hotel tried to erase the discrimination I experienced by sending me a bottle of champagne and fruit the next day with a note apologizing for what happened (see attached photos).

I was so distraught and dismayed I couldn’t muster the energy to leave my room the next night out of fear of retaliation by the security team. I rejected the letter & offer because no gift can erase a poorly trained security team who subjectively targets people of color with unconscious bias, prejudice, and overt discrimination.

I am sharing what occurred to warn any future guests who happen to be people of color, and I also sent an e-mail to a business school classmate who happens to be an executive at Marriott International in Bethesda, Maryland 🇺🇸

I’m sorry to say I will not be returning to this...