La Coralina Island House

This hotel is beautiful and the staff try very hard but this place falls flat. They are trying to make it something it just isn't with the ridiculously set menus the jazz playing throughout the hotel all day and night and how quiet it is even at the pool even the staff keep to themselves. They really need a market on site or a better gift shop (there is nothing near by) there is NO swim beach, difficulty communicating with staff, no room service and no TV. We enjoyed the breakfast daily but the dinner menu was tough and since there is nowhere else to eat we were stuck there or the Beach Club every night. We were not fans of Bocas Del Toro, the town is a mess and everything is under construction including the roads so everything is muddy and dirty and honestly there is no better hotel to stay at in that area then La Coralina but it is so beyond boring and nothing at all to do at the hotel or in the area of the hotel, you must take a taxi to town to get anything or do anything!! The worst part of all though was the way the hotel is run and the attitude of the management, they have no idea what people want or how to treat people on vacation. What a waste of time and money, such a disappoin**ent. My husband is a surfer from California and we knew it wasn't the time of year to have good surf and all but we thought we could at least swim out front of the hotel or in the cove but you can not.

I stayed four nights with some friends. The hotel has all the potential to give you an amazing experience, but they’re not yet there. Pros: amazing facilities, the hotel is completely Bali-inspired, and you feel like if you’re right in Bali. Cons: service in general is below average. Some of the front-desk staff are quite rude. Really bad internet connection, you can’t have a conference call. Mattresses are old and in bad shape, towels are very old.

Know before you go : the owner/manger offer private retreats several times a year, as a guest of the hotel you will be treated as if you are In their way. They shut down the restaurant, and have private parties there, all of the wellness activists (that you’ve paid for) are cancelled, the breakfast situation is dismal. 30-45 minute wait for coffee etc, the thumping music from their parties does not end until after 2am. If you are going there for peace and wellness, not happening. The spa becomes an after “retreat” playground for them. Sadly, they were very loud, my therapist kept turning up the music during trea**ent bc the spa pool area was now a party area. Also, NO regard for gender in the changing rooms. Three times I had to cover myself from men walking into the woman’s room. Super shocking how arrogant and disrespectful these owners were. As soon as The Weeknd long party was over, Monday proved to be an entire different vibe. Coffee was served in the morning, the pools were calm and overall the property relaxed a lot. The hotel is beautiful, the grounds are sublime, the food is really good, but AVOID AT ALL COSTS being there for the party/retreat weekends. Also, side note, there is no lotion in the spa or in the rooms. The beach is very drying on skin, and it’s fairly to common in any class of hotel to have lotion in the rooms, certainly the spa.

The most amazing hotel ever. It is so beautful, peaceful, relaxing and the staff made me feel so at home. I would definitely go back. It is Balinese style and the spaces are so beautifully decorated. The views on the ocean are wonderful. You walk to your room through amazing gardens, ponds, statues, wooden doors, stone gates. The rooms are so elegant and simple. The beds so comfortable and no nose from other rooms. A the yoga studio is amazing, open sides for amazing views of trees and flowers where you hear fascinating bird calls and sounds of monkeys. The beach club was great if you want to be right at the water. The food was delicious. Everything I tried from The eggs Benedict to the friend fish, skirt steak, opera cake, lemon cake was so good and beautifully presented. Never ate so consistently excellent food at any hotel. The staff was kind and polite and so helpful with bags, taxis, arranging activities outside the hotel. Is really a unique place and I would definitely go back.

Avoid this hotel My grandson and I spent four nights at this hotel. As other reviewers wrote, it is a lovely property. But that’s the only good thing I can say about it. It is remote, and the road from town is treacherous and unpleasant. The food is pretty, too, but pretentious, over salted, and the menu is the same every day. No real food, such as a fish filet, salad, rice, potato. And did. Mention over-priced. Service is amateurish and subpar. The manager promised to have a surfboard delivered to the hotel for my grandson to use. She contended that he needed to go to another island to surf. Really? And by the way, she never mentioned it. The coup de grace. Upon settling our bill, I saw they charged me $96 for towels. I had been sick, soiled towels, and I was charged for it. This has never, ever happened in my years of travel. And of course, I was not asked how I was feeling. If you want to do nothing, eat overpriced food, and take a long, tortuous ride to the property, this is the place for you. Not for me.

This hotel is a unique gem. Gorgeously appointed with attention to every detail. Excellent service and staff. Always friendly, super accommodating and professional. The cuisine and food at various meals was just delicious, fresh, and full of unique flavors. The infinity pool is the right temperature day or night. Bluff Playa is a few minutes by bike and such a dreamy beach. Taxi to places is generally $5/person. Have hotel help you book a boat tour to various islands. Best way to see Bocas. Recommend most highly.

Really beautiful property with great food and fantastic service. This place is shockingly beautiful compared to the rest of BDT. Very well thought out, very well built, very comfortable and inviting. Best food we had in all of Panama. BDT seems to be pretty much all about the surf. This hotel is a luxury spa resort in a town full of surfer crash pads. It’s amazing to see some of the other resorts in this area ranked higher, they are not even close to this beautiful place. The town is full of 1-2 star level properties and this is 4-5 level. there is a great surf break right out front and bluff beach is a unspoiled footprint free beach with deep soft sand just up the road. Very attentive service, great drinks, really good food, much nicer than the pictures make it seem. Unless you are coming to surf, I can say I would recommend BDT, but if you are coming to surf you won’t find a nicer place to stay.

Decor and pool beautiful. Ester spa manger got mad because we ate in the gym after a class. The way she spoke to us was poor customer service. I’m a world traveler and never had such horrible experience with the way I was treated. We didn’t even make one spill. Would not return. Better places away from main island.

Amazing boutique hotel with sea view. The place is super relaxing. Beautiful view. Has gym, spa with beautiful pool and sauna. I had massage there with Laura it was amazing experience. Would do it next time when i come. The food in the restaurant is very good , we ate at the Bistro by the pool and all the food was amazing! The hotel has little beach its good for surfers and relax at the beach restaurant La Coralina. The food is good.. At the reception are very helpfull and they can organize tour or taxi for you. The service is excelent! Have a drink at the bar. Yummie. The ambiente of the hotel is just amazing! I love it ! The hotel is near Bluff beach(30 min or rent the bicycle ), the beach is long with yellow sand..