|
Explore PANAMA |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
| Gamboa Rainforest Resort |
Gamboa Rainforest Resort: Hotel Reviews |
|
|
By Trip Type... |
By Traveller Type... |
| Based on 19 reviews |
| Excellent |
 |
1 |
| Very good |
 |
8 |
| Average |
 |
9 |
| Poor |
|
1 |
| Terrible |
 |
0 |
|
|
| Family |
2 |
| With Group |
2 |
| With Spouse/Partner |
13 |
|
|
|
|
| Four days just didn’t seem enough. |
| Hotel Gamboa Rainforest Resort |
User Rating:
|
|
Dan&Liane >
1 contribution(s) Canada |
| Dec, 2009 | Leisure | With Spouse/Partner
|
|
|
We recently traveled to Panama, January 3 – January 17th. With the help of the reviews on this website, we were able to make an informed decision on which resort we wanted to spend our vacation at. Thanks for the website, Debbie!
We chose the two centre holiday, 10 days at the Royal Decameron & 4 days at Gamboa. I have reviewed the Decameron separately. |
|
| Transfer |
| At the suggestion of Rey, the World of Vacations rep at Decameron, we combined our Panama Express Train trip with our transfer to Gamboa. The trip itself was incredible, and I highly recommend it. Most of the trip is by bus, however the opportunity to see the country between the Pacific Coast and the Caribbean Sea was well worth it. The train ride ended in the Canal District, just a half hour drive from the Gamboa Resort. Those going back to the Decameron had a 90 minute ride ahead of them. By combining the trip with our transfer, we gained an extra day at Gamboa. |
|
| Check-in |
| As there were only two other couples who did the tour & transfer with us, check-in was quick and easy. As soon as we were checked in, we had a brief welcome drink with Louis, The World Of Vacations rep at the Gamboa. Within an hour of getting off the bus, we were in our room getting ready for dinner. |
|
| Rooms |
| We stayed in the villas, as opposed to the hotel. The building number was 0253, and the room number was 2622. We must have had a renovated room, because if we didn’t, it was in great shape. As these buildings were made in the 1930’s, there were cracks in between the floorboards. This left room for little ants to get in, although I have to say that the only place I really found ants was on the kitchen & bathroom counters. I personally loved the villas, and if I were to return, I would prefer to stay here than in the hotel rooms. The furniture is all wicker, and there are windows in every room. |
|
| Resort |
| The resort is absolutely spectacular. We were very impressed. Although we had looked it up on the internet before going, it far surpassed our expectations. The resort is modern, and beautifully kept. They have a very large pool, and it was never overly busy. We had no problems getting chairs. There was no swimming in the river, but then who wants to swim with cayman & crocodiles! |
|
| Food |
| The food was excellent. There is a buffet that is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. No reservations required. It’s right in the hotel, and the food here is as good as any a la carte restaurant. The Los Lagartos restaurant, a ten minute walk to the marina, was open for lunch only. They had a buffet option, as well as a la carte. As well as a great place to eat, it is a beautiful place to just sit and have a drink beside the river where you can watch the birds, turtles, cayman and crocodiles. You can also glimpse the canal, and the ships as they go by. The third option, The Chagres Riverview, is an a la carte restaurant, open for dinner only. As reservations were required for this restaurant, we only ate there once. The food here was superb. |
|
| Golf |
| We golfed at the Summit Golf Course, about a 15 minute drive from the resort. For $30, the taxi took us to the golf course, and picked us up again, at our requested time. The course itself is beautifully maintained. We enjoyed having a GPS system on the golf cart. The back nine was a little slower than the front nine, but at no time did we find ourselves sitting on a tee box with another group. The group in front of us, were always at least a stroke ahead of us. |
|
| Bugs |
| We saw more bugs here than at Decameron, but then we WERE in the middle of the rainforest. Even though I took bug repellent, I only had to use it once when we went on a nocturnal boat ride. I think I got two mosquito bites, and that was it. On the resort, during the day, we didn’t see any mosquito’s. |
|
| What To Wear |
| As it is very, hot and humid, shorts and light tops are all you need… aside from your bathing suit. At dinner, men are requested to wear long pants. Light dresses, and skirts were the clothes of choice for the women. Personally, I needed a sweater in the restaurant, as I found the a/c was very cold. |
|
| Tours |
We did all of our tours from the Decameron. Since we only had four days at Gamboa, we wanted to spend as much time at the resort, discovering everything they had to offer. We went on the Monkey Island Tour, as well as the Aerial Tram. Both excellent tours, and not to be missed. They’re only a couple of hours each, so we did them in the morning, leaving us the afternoon at Los Lagartos or in the pool. We also went on the nocturnal boat ride, and an evening Chiva ride, where we were able to see lots of different wildlife.
There were no tours offered for going into Panama City, but as it’s only a 40 minute drive, I would imagine that the resort could arrange for a taxi to take you in and drop you off. If four people were to split the cost of a taxi, it would probably be equivalent, or cheaper, than a tour.
In summary, this is an incredible resort. It’s beautiful and peaceful. There’s nothing in the way of a nightlife during the week; however, The Monkey Bar is open until 11. You have the choice of sitting with your drink in the air conditioned resort, or taking it out on the balcony. As we like to be up early, this was just perfect for us. Four days just didn’t seem enough. If I were ever to return to Panama, I would like to spend my whole vacation here. |
|
|
|
|
| Yes, this resort has it all! |
| Hotel Gamboa Rainforest Resort |
| User Rating:
|
|
Derek&Lisa_Canada >
1 contribution(s) Canada |
| Dec, 2009 | Leisure | With Spouse/Partner
|
|
|
| Yes, this resort has it all, however, you should consider the Hotel rooms as you only option if you are not on the strickest budget. We did, I am sorry to say, pay over $700, for an upgrade through WOV, No fault to the resort, they did not have a record of the upgrade. Call, or email ahead. The staff at GRR are top-notch and the food is excellent. The tours that are offered are for the family, no Indiana Jones, everyone is safe. Fishing is the absolute best for groups or family. You can expect to catch at least 30 fish /boat without saying anything to the guide. The fish where so abundant the I had both my thumbs worn raw. We are also returning this Jan./05.
|
|
|
|
|
| See flora and fauna in their natural state. |
| Hotel Gamboa Rainforest Resort |
| User Rating:
|
|
Wendy&Roberto >
1 contribution(s) Canada |
| Dec, 2009
|
|
|
The Resort
Gamboa Rainforest Resort Gamboa transit around 1pm, on Monday was uneventful, with a great travelogue by a History Professor, who told us this was her ³summer job², as it is the beginning of a 3 month ²vacation² for them all. Most Panamanians have 2 jobs. She made about $256.00 per month as a professor. University is free. Upon arrival, a few of us were upgraded, to hotel rooms, with a huge dreamy hammock on the balcony, overlooking the river and rainforest. It had a huge tiled bathroom, and as all Canadians seem to need on vacation, WASHCLOTHES. The safety deposit box is free in your room, and there is also free internet near the lobby. Gamboa offers FREE viewing of wildlife as I have never seen before in my 17 years of travel to the tropics toucans, parrots, turtles, crocodiles, multitudes of water fowI by the river, that I have yet to name, anteaters, sloths, white faced monkeys, howler monkeys, tiny frogs, capiberas (these need to be seen to be believed, as they look like a cartoon animal and are a relative of the hippo), squirrel like groundhogs, and coutimondis. We took video of all, so we could have a closer look and possibly put a name to some of these wonderful critters. This hotel is truly a 5 star in my opinion, but remember it is also open to the general traveler who pays as he goes. Sometimes we were ignored for the ³paying customers², but they are trying to correct this. Breakfast and lunch and supper is offered at the same buffet restaurant, with 2 dinners allowed at the speciality restaurant. Yes, they do keep track. Be careful if you charge wine, drinks or trips, to your room! You need to carefully track this and go the night before departure to double check your charges, as it can take a long time for each visit to the front desk. The fridge in the room is filled with goodies, very expensive goodies, most of which you get for free. But if you eat it you PAY for it. The snacks, so nicely arranged are also NOT included. The coffee supplied is included, with actual glass cups, not plastic. We did not go to Panama, as we had spent way too much time, for us, on busses. |
|
| More... |
| Lunch is offered daily, at Los Logartos from 12 noon until 5pm, on the river, and there is a fabulous view from here of the Panama Canal. We saw a huge cruise ship go by as well as various container ships. You can eat from the buffet or from the menu, while watching aquatic birds, crocodiles and turtles vie for breadcrumbs. New Year¹s Eve was quite a disappointment, hotel wise, as they did nothing for us ³all inclusives² at all! And the Monkey bar still closed at 10:30! as it usually did every night. We had a great time in the afternoon by the pool on New Years Eve, meeting a nice couple who offered to share their magnum of Champagne with us at midnight. We sat outside the Gala Party ($90.00/person) and watched the activity from the ³cheap seats². The fireworks at midnight over the jungle were spectacular! There are huge balconies around the restaurant and bar, overlooking the river, where you can sit and drink the wonderful tropical drinks they serve to you in real glass, complete with fruit garnish and umbrellas! The other bar is by the Pool and opens around 10:30, where you can get a bottle of beer, water, Perrier, almost any kind of mixed drink, and white or red very good wine, Chiliean I think. Not included, were some imported liqueurs or liquors, so it was best to always ask before ordering or they will charge you. There is no other place, that we knew of, to buy wine or liquor, nearby. So if you want some for your room, bring it with you. You can get the fridge key by giving your credit card number, and keep cold drinks in it, but if you use any beverages, remember they will charge you at checkout. As an example I think pop was $3.50. All inclusive is new here, and some staff are not quite sure what is or is not included. Also, they will serve the Spanish guests first, without even giving a second thought to who is next in line. The Spanish come up and just expect to get served first. I could not write this report with mentioning the fabulous WOV rep, Jean Francoise or JF, as we so affectionately called him. He was always cheerful, calm, helpful and honest to a fault. One couple liked him so much they took him on a helicopter ride with them! I left him with a thermal cup for his morning coffee and a Hawaiian lai I had bought with me. These cups had been really great at the Decameron but we did not use them at Gamboa at all. They serve YOU at the Gamboa. It is also a smaller resort, making it easier to make friends. Being the rainforest and all, the rain did come down quite often. Mornings were usually the sunny time, but weather was very unpredictable. An umbrella here, might be a very good idea, especially as WOV guests stay in the historic villas (there is one flight of stairs). They are huge but some are quite a ways from the resort. The rep lived here and said he enjoyed the peace and quiet. Most of the Canadians were here, but as I mentioned, except for a lucky few, us included, who had booked early and were upgraded to the hotel rooms. |
|
| Excursions |
| The toucans like to be here in the mornings as well as in front of the hotel by the lobby. There is an extreme drop off to the jungle behind the villas, so it is very easy to see white face monkeys or all kinds of birds in the treetops. We got up at 6ish every morning and walked the property looking for the wonderful toucans! Take binoculars! and keep your eyes open. All it takes is patience and vigilance to see that rare bird or that sloth, (who tends to look like a termite nest) until you take out your binocs. The gift shop is VERY EXPENSIVE. There are Indians who actually live across the river and come to work in dugout canoes. We saw them one morning. A real jungle walk, for free, is just down the river trail past the butterfly house. Right here on most days, the Indians sell their hand carved and hand painted figurines of toucans, etc, carved out of NUTS! I bought a beautiful miniature of a toucan, what else? for $15.00. In the gift shop it was $70.00!! A lot of tours from other resorts, from Panama, and the cruise ships, visit this resort to see the wildlife, but if you stay here, it is all around you for free, so you decide if you want to take them or not. There is NO guarantee you will see what you want to see on these rather expensive trips. Birdwatching with a guide on Pipeline Road was $38.00 each I think, for a 3 hour trip. We walked this one morning, leaving at 5:45am, in the dark, (take a flashlight and get written directions from the tour guides), and it took about an hour or so just to get there. Although we did see toucans, coutimondis, various birds and frogs and got some good footage, with the heat and humidity, we were totally exhausted and very happy that the Gamboa tour bus happened to go by. They are very good at stopping to pick up tourists, even when they are not part of any tour! This is for those in really good shape, and take lots of water. The humidity is very high here, and some mornings it seemed to be raining but it was dew! There were mosquitoes, but they did not bother us that much, compared to the stingray, they were nothing at all! The one hour Monkey Island trip is not to be missed. We paid $21.00 each and zoomed down the Panama Canal in a speed boat, beside huge ships, to view white face monkeys and a male iguana in full mating colours. We had asked if only the two of us, could go, with the driver of course, and they accommodated us, no problem. There is also a catamaran and other boats for larger groups. We took the excursion to Colon, to see the 3 tiered Gatun lock leading into the Caribbean, and to see an old fort, the Black Christ, and then to finally take the train that follows the canal back to Gamboa. It was something to see the huge container ship, a few inches from each side of the lock, moving only a few feet from us!! We bought a few things in duty free Colon, but what a town, filled with gigantic name brand stores for shopping, along with some horrible slums. This is a long trip, 9:30 to 7:00, so be prepared. A full delicious lunch is provided at a Melia hotel with a neat little gift shop. |
|
| The Villas or the Hotel? |
| I heard that some were not so happy with the Villas, as this is a 5 star hotel, with the WOVers in the ³cheap seats² and others in the upscale rooms in the hotel, close to everything. There are 2 flights of stairs to the rooms, and a shuttle golf cart is available if you call for it. I did not see these large rooms, so have no further information. We were in hotel room 429, so if it was raining, we never had to go outside, but to the elevator and up to supper. There is a ping pong table by the elevator outside the disco.There seemed to be stairs to get to all the rooms. You could upgrade to a more luxurious 2 storey room. They do have an extensive website for more information and photos. |
|
| Conclusion |
| All in all, I am very happy to have had the opportunity to see flora and fauna in their natural state, instead of in CAGES. Don¹t know if I would spend 2 weeks in this hotel, but one was great. I found it a very quiet resort after the Decameron, with limited restaurants and everything closing down at 10:30 and no entertainment by the pool or elsewhere. As I said, the wildlife here is in the forest, not in the rooms. Definitely NOT a party place. There was a disco Friday and Saturday at 8pm to about 1am, drinks included, but not many were there on the Friday we went. The Taylor of Panama was filmed here, so we will get it soon to relive our memories. |
|
|
|
|
| Beautiful resort, beautiful room, great food. |
| Hotel Gamboa Rainforest Resort |
| User Rating:
|
|
Matt_Toronto >
1 contribution(s) Canada |
| May, 2009 | Leisure | With Spouse/Partner
|
|
|
| We booked a 2-resort trip to Panama through Nolitours. The last 3 were spent at the Gamboa Rainforest Resort. |
|
| Arrival |
We had a 90 minute bus ride from the Decameron to Gamboa, and on arrival the place was a mob scene. Once again this was the result of Semana Santa. All kinds of locals had picked the resort as their destination for the weekend, resulting in the hotel being filled to capacity. First impressions were that Gamboa is a different kettle of fish than the Decameron. No surprise there, really, but the Gamboa Rainforest Resort is beautiful inside. I immediately got the impression that this hotel was an upgrade. We sat around for about 30 minutes waiting for our room to be ready, giving me enough time to see people lunching on some very appetizing looking food. Upgrade indeed!
We got the key to the room and found we were given the last room on southern end of the property (completely on the other end from the tennis courts). We paid for a “garden view” room from which I expected to look out onto a garden and nothing else, but in fact there was the river staring us straight in the face. I guess they categorize some of the lower floors as garden view because of the foliage that may partially block one’s view, but as far as I could see most rooms had a decent view of the river. The room itself was large and comfortable with a large bathroom that included a shower stall and a telephone next to the toilet. The room had a mini bar with the usual ridiculous prices; we only used it to cool off our own water. There was also a safe, the price of which was included, for which you selected your own code. The balcony came with a large glass-topped table, a couple of chairs, and best of all a hammock. I spent some enjoyable time in that thing. |
|
| Wrist bands |
| It appears that Nolitours guests are the only ones on some sort of all-inclusive program at Gamboa. The rest seem to pay as they go. Everything up to and including drinks made with domestic and non-brand name liquors are included. You end up having to sign a cheque for dinner and drinks but at the end of your stay there’s no charge. I believe the purpose of the cheque is to have an accounting of the 10% gratuity for the staff that’s built into it. I didn’t have to pay a dime at the end of our stay; Nolitours picked up the cost of the meal and the tip, although I often tipped on top.
|
|
| Pool |
| It was easy to tell that the hotel was booked to the gills – they had to go out and buy more beach towels. The first ones we got were straight out of the bag! The pool is beautifully shaped with a kids’ pool at one end and volleyball and basketball setups at the other. In the middle is the swim-up bar, which serves not only terrific drinks but terrific food as well. Here the Decameron should pay attention: at Gamboa all they use is frozen fries, frozen chicken fingers, frozen wings, etc and a deep fryer. It’s not rocket science, and on the surface it doesn’t even sound good, but the Gamboa pool bar puts out some great food. Seats with shade were a bit difficult to come by until Sunday afternoon when it was noticeable that most guests had reached the end of their stay and were checking out.
|
|
| Food |
| As I’ve mentioned the food is a step up from the Decameron. Our first dinner, even though a buffet, was sumptuous by comparison. It was a small spread but what was on offer was obviously of a different caliber. Pasta, fish, pork, beef, salads, fruits, it had a good selection. Nice desserts too; things like tiramisu in a shot glass. My only quibble was that getting a coffee took some effort, but it’s a small point. Judging by bottles I saw, I believe the red wine was a malbec/trempranillo blend from Argentina. Breakfast was great. Cereals for the kids, fresh fruit, a modest selection of fruit juices, yoghurt, really crispy bacon and eggs, pancakes, maybe waffles. It was all good. Twice we paid for lunch by the pool. The first time we shared a massive club sandwich and fries for $7. This thing came loaded with all the traditional components, but on a huge piece of bread that was under-toasted. The second day I opted for Buffalo wings and they were great too. Bottom line: big step up food-wise from the Decameron. |
|
| Entertainment |
| Not much that I’m aware of. The Capybara disco is in the basement of the hotel; I only saw it during daylight hours. |
|
| Tours |
| Did the Monkey Island tour, and because of the full booking at the resort we didn’t get to go until 2 pm, a time at which the Capuchins are in full siesta mode and disinterested in any grapes that you may have for them. I really do have to tip my hat to our guide, however, who persisted until we got some visitors - we were seconds away from being completely shut out. Although we signed up for the Pipeline road tour, we came to the conclusion that we really aren’t birders and that 3 hours in the jungle staring at 6:30 am really isn’t our cup of tea. So we bowed out. Fortunately for us payment is only made in the 15 minutes before a tour commences. |
|
| Conclusion |
| Beautiful resort, beautiful room, great food, but I wouldn’t recommend staying there for more than 2 or 3 days; that seems about enough time to do and see all that is on offer. |
|
|
|
|
| Confusing as what is included and what isn't. |
| Hotel Gamboa Rainforest Resort |
| User Rating:
|
|
Fred&Bev_Canada >
1 contribution(s) Canada |
| Apr, 2009 | Leisure | With Spouse/Partner
|
|
|
| We spent 2 wonderful weeks in Panama Jan 04 One week at the Decameron we were so very happy and felt it was exactly as advertised. The second week we spent at Gamboa Rainforest Resort advertised as 5* in World of Vacations book. First we upgraded from Villa to Hotel Room cost 20$US per night. We were not happy about this at all. Very confusing as what is included and what isn't hard to go on tours not enough people so they are cancelled, as are alot of activities like bingo dance lessons spanish lessons they need to work on their all inclusive package. Food okay staff friendly 3 days would have been long enough for us we would go back to the Decameron for 2 weeks. When we got home talked to our travel agent wrote a letter sent in pictures and just this week World of vacations sent us back 184$cdn so I encourage any one else who upgraded to do the same so they are alittle more judging of 5* accommodation any questions feel free to email us fjacques@sprint.ca PANAMA IS WONDERFUL |
|
|
|
|
| If you plan on staging an event there, think twice. |
| Hotel Gamboa Rainforest Resort |
| User Rating:
|
|
Sam_USA >
1 contribution(s) United States of America |
| Nov, 2007 | Leisure | With Group
|
|
|
I normally don't write reviews unless I'm very happy with a place, but Gamboa Rainforest Resort (in Gamboa, outside of Panama City, Panama) has frustrated me to no end, and at this point it's either write a review or punch a hole in a wall. I'm normally not a hot head. In fact, in negotiations it's usually my wife who plays "bad cop", after which time I come in as the nice voice of reason. Furthermore, I'm not just an uninitiated American in Central America. I've been doing research and business in Panama for over four years. I know that business there isn't what we expect in the U.S. I know that a lot of it is uneven. I've even been harassed by corrupt cops and talked my way out of it. GRR, however, really tested my patience.
First of all, I should state that I had my wedding there. If you're just planning to go to Gamboa for a weekend, you may not need to read this review. However, if you plan on staging an event there, think twice. Or at least do so with your eyes wide open and expecting to get ripped off at least once.
The fortunate thing is that my wife and I started planning the whole thing 11 months in advance. Otherwise, it would have been a mess. It literally took Gamboa management staff months to return calls and emails. They took forever putting together a contract which in the end was incomplete and had to be revised two more times. They routinely made errors in their favor, and my fiancée and I found ourselves having to constantly refer Gamboa back to previous emails and holding their feet to the fire to keep promises made.
This went on, like I said for ELEVEN MONTHS. I could go on and on with myriad stories, but the bottom line is that while everyone at GRR carries the *veneer* of professionalism and efficiency, the actual lack of these characteristics is truly bewildering and disturbing. Management was completely unpredictable, routinely failing to return our calls or emails until we left messages threatening to cancel the event. Arriving in Panama a week before the ceremony, we set up meetings with people who simply would not show up. I don't know if GRR doesn't pay its staff well, but people were always quitting or getting fired and leaving us uninformed as to who our new liaison would be. |
|
| Continued... |
This was combined with a totally encompassing culture of passing the buck among the remaining staff. The strangest thing about this is that an individual might commit some sort of mistake, and then refer us to someone else to fix it, completely unembarrassed to let their colleagues know of their incompetence. Nobody takes responsibility for anything, and everyone is more than happy to give you yet someone else's email or phone number and tell you "Oh, you have to talk to her about that." Over the period of 11 months, we ended up arranging and negotiating things with about half a dozen people at Gamboa alone (this is NOT including our liquor distributors, photographer, videographer, florist, and bands, all of whom we had to contract on our own), a truly harrowing experience when one is trying to do all this from New York City. Even four days before the wedding, our main GRR liaison tried to bring in yet another person, at which point I had to tell her that I had no intention of letting her introduce me to one more new person to address something she screwed up in the first place. Although a middle manager, she was completely clueless even when I tried to explain to her that it really was in her best interest that she not let everyone else know how much she had screwed up.
Also, if you make any contracts with GRR, get it all in iron-clad writing, because they will try to rip you off. The only time in my adult life that I've called somebody a liar to their face was when I had to confront a GRR manager who had ripped off 20 members of my family on a stupid Monkey Boat Tour. It's a funny story too long to tell, but believe me, the guy was lying through his teeth. Right now, my wife and I are realizing that GRR ran off with about $400 in liquor which they were supposed to return to the distributor so I can get a credit on my card. GRR told us that as a matter of procedure they always arrange with the distributor to have the liquor returned. This was the only thing we didn't have in writing, and of course, no one's returning our emails. |
|
|
|
|
| Great for a nice quiet relaxing holyday or eco-tourism. |
| Hotel Gamboa Rainforest Resort |
| User Rating:
|
|
Marc_ThePonder >
1 contribution(s) Canada |
| Mar, 2007 | Leisure | With Group
|
|
|
From February 5th to the 19th, 2007, we stayed at the Gamboa Rainforest Resort, Panama. Second year in a row. Our 2006 trip review and photos to this resort, the SanBlass Islands and Valley de Anton can be found at www.worldisround.com/articles/283009/index.html The main reason for going, 2 years in a row, to the Gamboa, is that it is such a GREAT place. The resort, the people, the food, the pool and the excurions are what makes it so appealing for those of us who either want to have a nice quiet relaxing holyday or for the eco-tourism.
Bare in mind, that there is no beach here, as this resort is situated where the Chagres River and the Panam Canal intersect and right in the middle of the jungle (Soberania National Parc)Also the fact that it is so central. About half way up on the Panama Canal, between the Carrabean Sea and the Pacific and about half way between Costa Rica, to the west, and Columbia, to the east. So everything is easily enough accessible.
This trip, besides the Gamboa Rainforest, we also visited Portobello, Bocas del Toro, Colon, stayed 3 days / 2 nights at the "Al Natural", on Bastimentos Island, which is part of the Bastimentos Natural Marine Parc in Bocas.
We saw crocs, sloths, monkeys of all types, the magnificient Panamanian National bird the "Harpy Eagle", which is almost extinct. We saw several types of birds, and not being a birder, I can only say that we were amazed by all the beautiful colors and types of birds seen during this trip.
Once again, the Gamboa Resort exceeded our expectations. The staff recognised us from last year (is that a good thing or bad thing???) and we were treated, all around with smiles and GREAT service.
As mentioned before, this resort is NOT for everyone, and not really for young children. If you expect a beautiful beach or an anination team, you will be greatly disapointed. But if you want to relax by the pool, take nice long quiet walks while admiring mother nature at it's best or do several excursions, as fully detailed in our first review, with pics, you'll be spoiled....
We had the chance of seeing not ONE, but TWO Majestic Panamaen Harpy Eagles. This eagle, which is almost extinct, can grow up to 3 1/2 feet tall, with a 7 foot wingspan, and can, in mid flight, pick a sloth or monkey off a tree branch, in the jungle, and bring it back to its nest to feed. |
|
| An adult Harpy Eagle |
Just about every morning, at the Gamboa, we would wake around 5:30 AM and by 6, go for a walk towards the Areal Tram. This morning, I was walking alone.
Was a very quiet morning and Mother Nature seemed to still be asleep. All I saw were 2 toucans way up in a tree, at the tram. On my way back, I met Benoit and Linda, who made me green with envy as they mentioned that they had actually seen the Harpy the day before....... and had photos to prove it!!!! After 2 trips to Panama and in the middle of the second week of this trip I had yet to see it (We did see it in captivity the year prior, but not in the wild).
After picking my lower jaw off the ground, I started back to the resort and almost there, as I was putting my camera gear away, I caught movement on my right!!!! Yes..... an adult Harpy Eagle, up on a branch, holding in it's talons a large iguana.
I was so nervous by the whole idea, I had trouble getting my gear back out and ready. It stayed on that branch about 15 minutes (which seemed MUCH longer), as I took shot after shot of it... I even took the chance of changing lens. I must have taken about 100 photos of it as it stood on the branch trying to keep it's balance, still clutching that iguana. Then all of a sudden it flew in the jungle.....
With a very large smile on my face, I went back to the resort telling everyone about it...... just couldn't believe my luck!!!!
Saw the smaller one (about 2 1/2 foot tall) during another walk later on that same day....
As mentioned, we also spent 2 nights / 3 days, in Bocas del toro, at The "Al Natural" resort, on Bastimento Island. Almost Gilligan's Island.... what a place!!!! Thinking of 1 or 2 straight weeks next year (don't want to tell you how good this place is..... or else it will not be available for me...). You're looking at 6 sleeping huts, they're thinking of adding 3 more. Here is their site (only look at it when your done reading this review and looking at all the pics...)
http://www.bocas.com/alnatura.htm
We had a great time, met with the owners Vincent and Michel from Belgium and also met 2 friends of there's..... Charlie who was our gracious host and Gérard. All these people contributed at making our stay as special as it was.
Vincent was our Chef and let me tell you that he can easily put a lot restaurants to shame..... all this in the middle of nowhere. Look at our photos, they speak for themselves..... can't wait to go back.
For making our second trip as memorable, if not more, then the first........ Thanks to all!!! |
|
|
|
|
| The setting for this resort is probably the best I have ever stayed at. |
| Hotel Gamboa Rainforest Resort |
| User Rating:
|
|
Brian_Canada >
1 contribution(s) Canada |
| Mar, 2007 | Leisure | With Spouse/Partner
|
|
|
| This is a good and bad review of our 2 weeks at Gamboa.Mostly good!
The setting for this resort is probably the best I have ever stayed at. In the rainforest mountains of Panama is something I enjoyed looking at everyday.It is very hot and humid here ( last week of Feb. first week of March). If you like birds or not you will be surprised at the no. and different species. I am not a bird watcher but had my binoculars in hand at all times to see all the different shapes sizes and colour.I saw about 30 different kinds of birds but there are 900 and some different birds in this area. |
|
| Food |
| The food at Gamboa was very good and service was excellent. The staff in the restaurants are professional and very friendly and do not expect a tip, but we did tip well.The only problem we had with the food, and it's not the hotels fault, is that it is repetitive but we were there for 14 days so that can't be helped. For that reason I wouldn't go to any resort for that length of time.We payed for all inclusive but at this resort that is very limited. Most places you can have snacks at one of there bars with no charge, but not here! For a hamburg and fries it is $12.00 US. You can eat in the restaurants at meal time with all inclusive.Even at the pool bar you pay for snacks which I thought was wrong but it probably saved me a few pounds around the belly. |
|
| Rooms |
| The rooms were very nice and clean and big. The air conditioning was good but could use a little cleaning more often. The shower and washroom were perfect with lots of room. There was always hot water in the shower and sink. The cleaning staff washed the floors everyday in the whole room and bathroom. Our balcony was huge with a view to die for. Looking up the Chagres River and into the mountains and also a partial view of the pool. |
|
| Bars and Restaurants |
There was 3 bars, and the staff working these bars were excellent at their jobs. Great service and amazing rum and Panama Beer is as good as any in Canada.The pool here is nice and cool and there is lots of room to swim and play volleyball if you like.
One little bit of a problem was that if you wanted a drink or a meal you have to sign for almost each and every drink. Sometimes if they thought you might be staying for a while they would let it go, but most of the time even if you wanted 1 bottle of water they had to run the receipt through their computerized register. This is supposed to be an ecological resort and they are wasting paper on every transaction.A few times we had drinks and walked away and had a server chase us halfway through the resort to get your room no. and signature.None of this is the fault of staff, but not so great management.Another thing that did bother me was that groups of people for meetings were priority no.1 and you became no.2. This was one thing that made me quite angry because at meal times they would have 1/3 of the restaurant reserved for these people while the rest of the people staying at the resort for a week or 2 weeks would have to wait in line.This happened every day during our stay. For that reason only I won't return to this resort.If you pay to stay at a resort everyone should be treated the same. I treat people with respect and I expect it back when I am paying them for their service, again this is not the fault of the employee but the management! |
|
| People |
The best thing about Panama is the people. They are very friendly and just go about their day in a cool calm collected manner. There is so much to do here you will never be bored. All though the resort is isolated the Panama canal is a 10 minute walk away. They have many tours set up everyday of the week. Monkey Island is a must see. This was our second visit to Panama and our favorite place is Anton Valley.A small village built in the remains of a volcano. The temperature here is comfortable all year round and the Sunday Market is a great place to buy lots of good things made by the Embera and Kuna Indians.
If you do go here, which I do recommend for a week or less catch up with Rudy one of the bartenders. Tell him hello from the Dude, a nick name he used instead of calling you sir, by our request.Also Julio, Suzanna and Whan. All great people and people you will miss after leaving. |
|
|
|
|
| The hotel has definitely dropped to a 3 star as far as food service. |
| Hotel Gamboa Rainforest Resort |
| User Rating:
|
|
LauraandNathan >
1 contribution(s) Canada |
| Dec, 2006 | Leisure | With Spouse/Partner
|
|
|
It is with great sadness that I have to write this review.
I posted a review about this resort in 2004 and what I posted was completely true at the time. After reading the other reviews I felt obligated to update mine. We returned to the Gamboa for the 3rd time in January for 2 weeks.
Everyone remembered us and we were anticipating a wonderful vacation as usual. Unknown to us Nolitours had taken over the hotel and cut everything. There were no menus, we were expected to eat at the buffet breakfast, lunch and supper. Even down at the Marina it was a buffet. 1st we were allowed 2 visits to the a la carte but eventually got 3 but it was a fight.
The staff tried to get the rules changed and eventually we came to a compromise. But the stress it caused was unbelievable. Then the 2nd week they decided to cut the quality of the alcohol, we were only allowed Gamboa Beer and "cheap" spirits.
The hotel has definitely dropped to a 3 star as far as food service.
The staff still remains amazing, but sadly we will never return under Nolitours rules they have ruined the hotel by being sooo cheap. Plus the price had gone up but the service you received was less. We are off to Huatulco this January, but my heart still longs for Panama. |
|
|
|
|
| "WOW" would pretty much sumarise our trip. |
| Hotel Gamboa Rainforest Resort |
| User Rating:
|
|
Marc_Theponder >
1 contribution(s) Canada |
| Mar, 2006 | Leisure | With Spouse/Partner
|
|
|
"WOW" would pretty much sumarise our trip, but I'll try to go into details. We took over 1200 pics on this trip, only about 300 are posted.
It was a hard choice and we had to reduce the size and resolution for this post.
Arrived at the resort around 2:30 pm, without any problems whatsoever.
The resort is situated on the Chagres River, almost at the Panama Canal.
An easy short 10 minutes walk will take you to the canal where you can watch the cargo and cruise ship go by. We had a drink in the lobby bar and took in the site of the lobby which is extremely nice & large. The lobby has a breathtaking view of the grounds and the Chagres River via several 4 story high windows which compose two complete walls.
We were then driven to our villa. Our villa was the first one on the right as you leave the main building, so all we had to do was walk back & forth about 500/600' to get to the Resort's lobby. Great, if you just had a big meal and, it gives you a chance to enjoy the scenery each time. The villas are large cottage style buildings. If my info is right, they were built around 1930, and this is where the people supervising the Canal workers were staying. A lot of history here... The buildings have 3 stories, the ground floor being carports and the second and third floors having 2 very large appartments each. Our appartment composed of a large room (dining area & living room), large enough bedroom, bathroom with large shower area (no bath) and a kitchenette. Clean and comfortable, very adequate.
Put on our swimsuits and went to the pool wich is situated behind the main building. The pool is 4' deep everywhere, except for the kiddy section. It's very large and impressive with it's communicating ponds and waterfalls which starts in the resorts lobby. From the pool area, with it's pool bar, you also have a beautiful view of the grounds and the Chagres River. Take note that there is no beach here (your talking crocodiles and caymans...). During our 14 days, we did several excursions, in fact we only spent 3 full days at the pool. I'll try to summarise our excursions as briefly as possible, as words can't describe everything and I'll let all the photos speak for themselves.
|
|
| Activities on and off the Resort/Hotel |
- the Panama City & Canal tour: very interesting, a lot of History.....
Maria and Juan were excellent.
- the Radio Station and Monkey Island tour: saw crocodiles sunning on the edges of Gatun Lake, a baby sloth and it's mother, several types of monkeys including whiteface monkeys, howlers, toucans, different types of birds, a iguana, about 7' long, sunning at the top of a tree, etc. Carlos our guide was excellent.... too bad they moved him to Playa Bonita.
- The Emberas people: a trip back in time.... The Emberas are a tribe living in the middle of the jungle. They live pretty much as they used to, except for a few exceptions. We were treated to a meal of planctain and fish. We were then treated to different dances, and offered a tatoo which lasts about 7 to 10 days. All in all a great adventure.... did I forget to mention that we were brought to their home via dug-out canoes and that we stopped along the way at a gorgeous waterfall in the middle of the jungle for a swim.
- The Tram tour: Ok but expensive at $35. per person.
- The Summit Zoo:situated not too far from the resort. you can see jaguars, monkeys of all types, etc You must stop at the Harpy eagle's cage. It's a huge pen with a male and a female Harpy eagle, Panama's National bird. The female is very large and measures up to 3', with a wing span of 7', while the male is a little smaller. (both male & female are a bit smaller in captivity)
Via a Panama travel agent we booked a 2 day trek to San Blas, including bush plane, lodging on an very small island with just the basic comodities, food (catch of the day: lobster, crab, fish) and two trips by dug-out canoe to 2 different islands for a swim and some snorkling. San Blas is an Archipelago of about 360 Islands owned by the Kunas, on the Atlantic side. We stayed at the ukuptupu Island, owned and operated by Juan Garcia and his family. We enjoyed this trip very much and made good friends.
We were fortunate to meet a couple from the Montreal area (Dominique et Olivier)who had rented a car and we were invited to join them on 2 of their day trips. Once we visited the new Playa Bonita resort and spent most of the day and then we visited the Valley the Anton..... what a beautiful place!!!
We did several walks by ourselves all over the property.... best time to go and see as much wildlife as possible is around 6AM. Anna and I can't say enough about the staff and the way we were treated by them. Let me tell you that a smile, respect, a "please" and a "thank you" can go a long way.... |
|
| Finally |
We had a GREAT TIME as I'm sure you can tell..... we even talked about going back before we left the resort, as there is so much to do from this resort, as it is very central in Panama.
We'd like to thank all of the following staff for making this stay so enjoyable: Edgardo, Fabiola, Abraham, Maritza, Carmen, Jorge, Marcela, Max, Simon (Nolitours), Oscar, Yara, Carlos, Sorry if I forget anyone as you all made this trip special.
P.S. The only concern we had during our stay is the fact that large vehicles (garbage trucks, etc) use the Villa entrance and not the service entrance and road to access the resort. As such, you could get waken up at the wee hour of the night and early in the morning by very loud diesel vehicles running in front of the villas and grinding their transmissions as they shift up and down to go over the speed bumps...... no reason at all for this. (This review is being sent to the resort as well as posted on "Debbie's Dominican Travel Forums"). Having met these people, I'm hopeful this will have been resolved by the time we go back. |
|
| Photos: http://www.worldisround.com/articles/283009/index.html |
|
|
|
|
| The 10/4 split at the Royal Decameron and the Gamboa |
| Hotel Gamboa Rainforest Resort |
| User Rating:
|
|
BettyJane_Canada >
1 contribution(s) Canada |
| Mar, 2006 | Leisure | With Spouse/Partner
|
|
|
| We did the 10/4 split at the Royal Decameron and the Gamboa, and I will mention the Gamboa. We booked through Nolitours and requested two beds as we were two women traveling together. Upon arrival at the Gamboa we were given keys to the “Villas,” not only are they some distance from the main unit and restaurants, they are also quite dirty, there was one double bed only, many bugs in the bathroom including an extremely large cockroach, the towels, if replaced, would come closer to dinner time and the single air conditioner could wake a bear from hibernation. After pleading for another bed and a dehumidifier it eventually showed up. The window in the main bedroom would not close. After sleeping there two nights I woke with bites all over my stomach, they continued to spread and saw my doctor after returning home, he feels it is a parasite of some sort, which I am now treating. The units in the main building were apparently cleaned daily, including fresh linens. Food was good but if going there I strongly advise upgrading from the so called “villas.’ We wanted to upgrade but were told nothing was available. Not a place I would return to. |
|
|
|
|
| This is a beautiful resort which needs help in learning how to cater to its clientele from abroad. |
| Hotel Gamboa Rainforest Resort |
| User Rating:
|
|
Canadian_Couple >
1 contribution(s) Canada |
| Apr, 2005 | Leisure | With Spouse/Partner
|
|
|
| We visited the Gamboa for four days as part of WOV's 10-day Decameron/4-day Gamboa vacation package. We were excited to be going to a 5 star resort, but as Tim has eloquently and accurately described below, this resort cannot possibly be categorized as such. It was disappointing on many fronts. Other tourists, with whom we travelled from the Decameron, also indicated their disappointment in the Gamboa and stated they would never return. I will be begin with the favourable things and then describe the negatives. |
|
| Resort |
| The best part of the Decameron is, of course, the setting. This beautiful resort is handsome and is very tastefully appointed. The location on the Chagres River is breathtaking! Sitting on the veranda outside the Monkey Bar is a pleasurable experience with the views of the river and the rainforest beyond. The massive windows in the lobby area must be four storeys high. |
|
| Rooms |
| My husband and I stayed in one of the historical villas. Ours was close to the main lodge so it was convenient. We thorougly enjoyed being in it. The ambiance was incredible--to think that officials who had worked on the building of the canal stayed there was thrilling. There was absolutely no mustiness because the air-conditoning was always on. The padded wicker furniture, painted wood floors, and many bright windows made for wonderful accomodations. There was a huge livingroom with even a separate kitchen~we had a suite! I loved it; not so other tourists. Some were disgusted by the "oldness" of the rooms. One couple found cockroaches in their villa, which was due to previous guests leaving food around. We encountered no such "critters" so that is one reason why I can so heartily endorse the villas. Worthy of note, I was invited to see a room in the main hotel by people we had met. Even though they were not on the ground floor, I found a definite musty odour in their room and I was so happy we had a villa room. Sure, the hotel room was lovely (especially the bathroom!), but the odour I could do without. |
|
| Tours |
| As Tim mentioned, the ride up on the tram to the canopy is a must, even though the price is high. We were astounded by the view of the Canal, resort, river, and rainforest below! It was worth it. We took the night ride on the resort grounds to see any wildlife that might appear. Omar, the wonderful driver/guide, was informative while he shone a huge spotlight around in the darkness. The "truck" leaves the lobby around 8 pm, I think, and is free but you must reserve a seat. It is a higlight of Gamboa. We saw five of those animals which are the largest rat in the world. I can't remember their name but they are so cute, especially since they have what looks like a beaver's head. If you take this evening trip, be sure to sit in the first row behind the driver so you can hear everything he says. |
|
| Pool |
| Fantastic! It is true that the sunbeds are not in the greatest shape. There aren't enough of them either. Service is very, very slow at the swimup bar but do try a "Green Frog". |
|
| Service |
| This is where the resort is definitely a 3 star rather than a 5 star. The Gamboa must get an effective training program in place for their employees. The service in the buffet dining room (which is far too small for this place) was consistently and shockingly sub-standard. There was often a line-up of people waiting to have a meal because there were too few tables. Not enough servers was a constant problem. Furthermore, the resort does much of its business with groups out of Panama City. This poses a significant problem for tourists as we are overlooked in favour of the "locals". For instance, on the day of departure for many tourists, the resort also had to say goodbye to a large group who had stayed overnight for a conference. That group had their buffet breakfast very early and when they went through the diningroom, they were like a horde of locusts. Very little food was left for the many of us who were leaving for the airport. If that wasn't bad enough, the tables were still littered with the previous guests' dirty plates. We had to help "bus" the tables! The general manager of the resort even came down to help clear tables and reset them! And this is a five star? NOT. Some of the staff at the reception desk also were not as helpful/friendly as they could have been. A main problem seems to be that this resort caters to groups from Panama, and tourists from abroad are a necessary nuisance to them. At least that is what many of the people who came from the Decameron felt. |
|
| Food |
| The food was quite good and in some cases, excellent. Those of us who were there for only four days could eat in the ala carte dining room only once. It was, indeed, an elegant meal when we were there and the service there was gracious. The meals were delicious in the buffet or at the marina restaurant. Nothing to complain about there. Be sure to eat at the marina at least once for lunch. It's unique! |
|
| Conclusion |
| This is a beautiful resort which very much needs help in learning how to cater to its clientele from abroad. It has great potential, and I certainly hope that it will eventually become a resort worthy of the unique and wondrous environment in which it is located! |
|
|
|
|
| Someone either needs to downgrade this hotel or provide some serious service training. |
| Hotel Gamboa Rainforest Resort |
| User Rating:
|
|
Tim_Ridgefield >
1 contribution(s) United States of America |
| Mar, 2005 | Leisure | Family
|
|
|
| We just returned from 2-1/2 weeks in Panama, including 5 days at Gamboa Resort. We travelled with our two small children--ages 3 and 5. |
|
| Bottom line |
Gamboa has a 5-star wonderful setting, and the rooms were spacious, but the quality of the property upkeep was 3-star at best and the service was most disappointing. Despite its setting, the poor service and below-average cleanliness makes this barely a 3-star resort in my opinion. And the place is not cheap either, so for us there was little value and little to recommend.
More specifics: |
|
| The Setting |
| Clearly the best part--a wonderful view of the Chagres River, and easy access to some interesting parts of the canal area--the locks, the river, the canal, the rainforest etc. |
|
| Rooms |
| Bigger than most (much bigger than DeCameron for example), with extra big bathroom. Small decks with uncomfortable hammocks. We had a "river view" room on the 2nd level, but we happened to look right at a grove of trees so our view was obstructed at best. There are better view rooms--the higher the better. |
|
| Tours |
| This is a "pay-as-you-go" place and all tours/sightseeing excursions are extra. The aerial tram ride was interesting, but at $35 each it was expensive. You have to do it--there's nothing else like it. We did have a good guide here. We went to Monkey Island--the best short boat ride tour and really did see some monkeys quite close--the kids loved this. We also did the Embera Model Village Tour--this was our favorite. It's a bit surreal--a small village community relocated here with the express purpose of putting on "native" displays 2x a day for visiting tourists. So while the commercialism was a bit off-putting at first, the Embera people were truly friendly, warm, and gracious hosts and the hour or so we spent with them on the island was nice. Yes, it's all a bit artificial--but still a nice cultural exchange. |
|
| The Exhibits |
| Gamboa's literature and web sites talk about their onsite exhibits--you can skip them. They're pathetic or depressing: the orchid farm was small, not well-tended and at least at this time of year (February 2005) there was little flowering; the reptile house and snake house were both dank, poorly maintained and not very interesting. The Butterfly House was never staffed and there weren't many butterflies to see. In all, this little complex seemed neglected. |
|
| Pool area |
The pool was large and the special kids pool section was nice for our family--the water was clean and water temperature not too warm and not too cool. But that's where the good news ends: there were never enough pool chairs at peak times--you literally had to walk away. The poolside chairs and tables were disgusting--I had read about how dirty they were in a Debbie's review from last year and it seems like things haven't changed--seriously, I felt like taking some cleaning solvent and scrubbing the dirt off them. It wasn't just one--but all of them. Many were frayed and in poor condition too. The pickup station for towels was inconveniently placed in comparison to the actual pool area.
The poolside foodservice was terrible--took over an hour for a hamburger to arrive ("we're very busy today" I was told on 2 separate days); the food just ok, and the service was indifferent at its best and rude at its worst. Their special "Gamboa" brand beer was more expensive than Atlas, Panama, or Soberana and not nearly as good. |
|
| Service |
| The service was sooooo bad--I really couldn't believe it. Especially for a place that bills itself as 5-stars (it's funny, they paid some fancy magazine to put Gamboa on the cover of it's thick glossy magazine of the world's best resorts--this is a real joke!!). Reception was not friendly, the tour desk was always chaotic and not very helpful (we speak Spanish so language was not the issue). For example, we booked the Monkey Island 1-hour boat tour for $40 each. They shuttle you to the lakefront (3 minute drive but all downhill) and we had our tour. When the boat returned, we were told the shuttle would be 20 minutes late because they were busy handling the cruise ship visitors that day. An hour later (a full hour later!!) the shuttle bus arrived, only after we complained several times! (we could have walked, but it's a half-mile straight up hill in the hot sun so with our small kids we decided to wait for the shuttle bus) This was outrageous. We realize that in travelling that misshaps occur and usually take this in stride. The issue here was the staff's indifference and rudeness--no apologies. If they had been friendly, communicative, and apologetic, then no problem--we can deal with it. But the fact that they took no action really made the situation worse. The marina staff and the poolside staff was just as bad. |
|
| In Conclusion |
We were not the only ones turned off by the less than 5-star cleanliness and the surly staff. We heard several comments from other guests. One day at small cruise ship anchored nearby and the cruise folks came to the resort grounds for the day--we heard from several service staff that day that they were too busy taking care of cruise people to handle our needs as the guests at the hotel.
Someone either needs to downgrade this hotel or provide some serious service training into this place. They're the only resort in the area, so apparently there's little incentive to provide better service.
The setting and some of the activities still make it a place to go for a day or two, but expect to pay 5-star rates for a 3-star place. For a whole week--ugh, we wouldn't recommend it. It's not a place we'll go back to. |
|
|
|
|
| The most relaxing trip I have ever taken. |
| Hotel Gamboa Rainforest Resort |
| User Rating:
|
|
Fraya_Canada >
1 contribution(s) Canada |
| Dec, 2004 | Leisure | With Spouse/Partner
|
|
|
This was the most relaxing trip I have ever taken. I have been to practially every island in the carribean and so I was looking for something different, not your usual beach resort. Instead we opted for a resort in the rainforest. Yes....it literally is in the rainforest.
We stayed in the Hotel. Amazing room. It was clean, large and the bathroom was gorgeous! We didn't have a hammock outside when we got there, but my b/f requested one as soon as we got into our room, and it was brought up immediately for us to enjoy for the rest of the week. The balcony provided a gorgeous view of the Charges river and the sunrises were spectacular.
After dinner there's not much going on, so we usually got into bed by 9:30pm, but it allowed for early morning wake ups at 7am to get our day started early, fully refreshed. The sun really takes a lot out of you, as does all the hiking, exploring, and adventures.
Food was amazing, presentation was top notch.They were very interested in making sure that you were pleased, and enjoyed your meal. All meals except for breakfast offer an a la carte option. We always chose to eat off the menu. you could always check the buffet first, but we were on vacation, and we wanted full service, to be waited on. Sunday brunch (from 12 - 5pm) was awesome, a large variety of food and desserts, with champagne.
Of course while you are there you must visit Monkey Island which includes an informed tour on the way to monkey island. You do not get out of the boat and actually visit the island, instead the monkeys (white faced monkeys) come to you!! Bring bread and bananas and go in the morning when they're hungry. This only costs $20 + tax, and it's about an hour long.
The canal. Ok, of course everyone wants to see the canal. The canal is fed by the Gatun Lake, and the Charges River. On the monkey island tour you will travel on both of these bodies of water, and ride along side very very large ships. So, in essence you can say you were on the canal. Canal tours are expensive. You can take the Gamboa Bus in from the resort for 65Cents and it will stop at the Miraflores Lockes which is the main one. There is a museum there, and it is free. Ask the main desk for bus times. OF course no one wants to tell you that you can just take the bus (which is an old school bus and you ride with the locals - but come on what an experience, and it's soooo cheap!!) Then to get back you'd have to take a taxi (cause other wise you'd be waiting a long time for the bus again - not until about 5pm to come back). So, the tour people and vacation reps will tell you that a taxi costs $20 - $30, but you can easily get a taxi for $15 or $10. Just be smart, and don't act so touristy. They think because you can afford to come on this vacation that you have loads of money to spend. |
|
| To Panama City by bus |
We went into Panama city on the bus, again 65 cents. We got on at 9:45am, and got off at the Cinco de Mayo bus station, down town Panama.(the ride was about 45 mins) So if you head west you will go into the French/Spanish side - Collonial section. Here, closer to the water you will see historical sites, and churches, and the Presidential Palace. Yes....we were right in front, after passing by a few security who wanted to check our bags first (probably for weapons). This part is starting to become more developed and a lot of apartments are being refurbished.
If you head into the other side to the east where the tall buildings are, the air feels polluted, and the emissions from the cars can be a bit much. We chose to turn around after I was starting to get a headache from all the fumes. There is a huge shopping mart in this area though, but we didn't get that far. We got a taxi back to Gamboa for $10
The Tram. We got on this tram for $35 USD each + tax. The purpose of the tram is to get you to the observation tower. After we realized that we could easily (well for us 28 year olds) walk to the top ourselves, and see interesting things on the way. This was far more rewarding then spending the $80. Damn...I wish I knew....but I did know, I just wanted to know what all the hype was about with the tram. You can even walk up to the observation tower at 5:30pm to get to the top in time for the sun set!! Make sure to get a flash light first at the front desk for your way down.
There are several nature exibits that are free. Make sure you see them all. The butterfly exhibit was cool. As you walk in, butterflies are flying around you, and some big ones at that!!
That is what is great about staying at this resort is that you get to enjoy most things for free!!
We took one of the trails just before the tram and it leads you into an area where you can see the toucans!! They're high up though you really have to be looking up all the time. My neck got a bit sore after a while. The thing is you're always looking everywhere, on the ground you'll see leaf cutter ants, and frogs. There are huge lizards that sit in the trees. Soooooo many birds. Lots of birds. A bird lovers paradise with over 900 bird species!!
By the resort you can see the Capibaras. You head down to the water and you see this creature - kinda looks like a huge beaver with no tail. Keep your eyes open, and be quiet.
Bikes are free for one hour to go mountain biking. Definatly a must! You can see so much, and after a while you need a break from all the walking on the trails through the jungle.
Overall, the service was 5* extremely attentive, and polite. English was no so good at times, but I appreciate this, and embrace it as part of the experience. It was not difficult to pick up the necessary spanish words to get by. This vacation definately served it's purpose for relaxation. The resort is quiet, not busy, and a great get away from the hecticness back home. Watch out though, plan a trip for the Saturday and Sunday as the weekend gets busy with locals and such. We stayed on our balcony relaxing in the hammock for the most part on Sunday, and then got off for a bit of tennis before dinner. Absolutely no complaints about this resort!!!
|
|
|
|
|
| What a relaxing vacation this was! |
| Hotel Gamboa Rainforest Resort |
| User Rating:
|
|
Carol&Family_Canada >
1 contribution(s) Canada |
| May, 2004 | Leisure | Family
|
|
|
We stayed 2 weeks at the Gamboa Rainforest Resort from Jan 26 thru Feb 10/04.
This was one of the best resorts we have ever went too. The weather was typical Panama 'Hot' 'Hot' , being in the Rainforest, we got the occasional relieving sprinkles of rain - but sunworshippers don't worry the sun prevails .Within 10-15 minutes the sun was back and surprisingly we had plenty of cool breezes! What a relaxing vacation this was. |
|
| Service |
| Was excellent ! Staff was wonderful. |
|
| Room |
Upon check-in we were immediately directed to room 305 - hotel part not the Villas . we did not have to pay any extra .e became known to all the staff as having the Panama Canal run through our room) Four days before we set to leave, the hot water pipe busted in the bathroom & we got flooded. We were immediately moved into another room.
Free Internet service was provided in a room off the lobby. The best time to use was first thing in the morning or during the day , so long as no business conventions were going on. At night it was usually busy with people keeping in touch with their family, or like my daughter rubbing it in to her co-workers how beautiful the weather was. You are definitely getting more bang for your buck here. The prices for non-world of vacations patrons were pretty expensive, especially being in US dollars. The lunch buffet was around $22 US per person and who knows what dinner was. The typical price range in the a la carte restaurant was $30 US, per person, not including drinks. So its definately worth the all-inclusive price and the food was some of the best resort fare we've ever had - of course you do have the occasional time when the food isn't so great, but we figured it was because the regular chef probably had the day off.
One of the best places for lunch is at the marina. You get to see lots of turtles, birds & yes even crocodiles and plenty of cargo ships going down the Panama Canal. We didn't see any cruise ships , but we did see lots of yachts especially when we took the tour to Monkey Island. This was a great little tour. You get to cruise down the Panama Canal and then go to a small island where a family of 5 monkeys' live. They are really friendly - make sure to take an apple or banana with you to feed them. If not , your tour guide will usually have something. along the way you are taken to various small islands to see the wildlife that lives there. On this tour , you never get out of the boat. This is around $20 per person. ( If available your WOV rep has a map/brochure that contains a couple of coupons that you can use for the tours. My husband went on the 6 hours fishing trip & had a great time. Here you don't have to have 6 people in order to book a trip. The resort has their own marina & boats of various sizes, so you can have as many or as few people as you want. |
|
| Important |
Take as little as you can..You will get charged if your luggage is over the weight limit allowed (20KG). Our luggage was fine when we left Toronto, and amazingly we came home with less than what we took down there and they said we over 10 Kilos which amounted to $40US that we had to pay. This was the ridiculous part. They do not have the proper equipment and personally we think they were charging everyone for whatever they could get away with. Not to mention, we were not on their passenger manifestation list. This is was our third trip to Panama and we never had a problem before at the airport.
Also , take snacks for the plan. Unless you fork over the $120 each way for 'first class' you don't really get anything_ sure you get a lunch or breakfast but its not that good. The wait in the long line @ Tim Hortons in the TO airport was well worth it _ at least we got fresh bagels for breakfast there. The one we got on the plane wasn't very good & now they even make you pay for pop.
We will definitely return to Gamboa !!!! |
|
|
|
|
| A wonderful resort. |
| Hotel Gamboa Rainforest Resort |
| User Rating:
|
|
Lee&Mike_Canada >
2 contribution(s) Canada |
| Apr, 2004 | Leisure | With Spouse/Partner
|
|
|
We spent the last two weeks of April at this wonderful resort. We were not at all bored, but admittedly this resort is not for everyone. It is geared toward eco-tourism, so if you are not a nature lover and are looking for pool activities, evening entertainment and late bar hours, this resort is not for you. There are plenty of guided nature hikes and day and night tours of the area included with the World of Vacations package, as well as kayaking and other assorted activities.We went on two tours outside the resort (Monkey Island Tour and the Partial Canal Transit, both recommended) and otherwise spent our time on the resort's beautiful grounds. The pool is quiet during the week, busier and noisier (louder volume of music) on the weekends when the arrivals from other hotels and the locals come. At present, there are no activities around the pool although we did hear from one of the staff that management thinks there should be some.
We stayed in the historic villas for the first week. No, they are not 5*, but they are very quaint and reminded us of a summer cottage. They are very roomy (large living and dining area, small kitchen with fridge, coffeemaker and double sink great for doing laundry, bedroom with large closet, and small bathroom with tub & shower) and are nicely decorated with wicker furniture. The windows on 3 sides of the villas have screens, so it was great to shut off the air at night and listen to the night sounds and the birds in the morning.
We transferred to a room in the hotel the second week. Although the room was luxurious and had a large balcony with a wonderful hammock overlooking the river and rainforest, we actually preferred the villas because of the space, the windows and the proximity to the wildlife (right outside your window). It all depends on your personal preference. We found the noise level from other guests coming & going from their rooms the same in both locations, but there is more vehicle traffic going past the villas.
If you are content with nature walks looking for wildlife (there is loads of it right on site!) and spending some time around the pool relaxing, we would recommend Gamboa resort. If you are looking for a very active resort, then it sounds like the Decameron might be a better option.
Feel free to e-mail us at paws@rivernet.net (Subject: Gamboa) if you have any questions. |
|
|
|
|
| Gamboa is a beautiful resort and a nature lover’s paradise |
| Hotel Gamboa Rainforest Resort |
| User Rating:
|
|
T&M >
2 contribution(s) Canada |
| Feb, 2004
|
|
|
Gamboa Rainforest Resort:
We spent 4 days at the Decameron Costa Blanca and 3 days at the Gamboa Rainforest resort.
Getting there:
We checked out of Decameron at 1pm. An air-conditioned bus took us to Gamboa. They provide a tour guide who talks of the history of the area for the 2-hour drive. Check in was quick and we instantly noticed an improvement in customer service and a better command of the English language from the staff.
Rooms/Grounds:
When we received our room assignment we were pleased to discover we were in the hotel not the historic villas. The historic villas looked large but we did not see the inside of one. We were in room 101, which was on the third floor at the far end of the hotel. The distance provided peace and quiet, not that this is a loud resort by any standard. The view was amazing we faced the Chagres River and had a beautiful view of the whole resort. Take the top floor in the 100’s if you can. The 300’s are at ground level and provide little view as our friends discovered. The room and bathroom were large and tastefully decorated. Our room had two double beds, a sitting area with chairs and a hammock on the balcony. The grounds are not perfectly manicured and they should not be as you are in the rainforest. There is a jogging track/trail that can be walked as well as numerous exhibits our favourite being the butterfly atrium.
Pool:
There is only one pool and it has a swim up bar where you can also order snacks. This is definitely not the high light of this resort.
|
|
| Restaurants and Bars |
Corotu Restaurant (Main Buffet/ ala carte) The service here is very good. For breakfast there is an omelet bar and the usual breakfast things like Pancakes, waffles and French toast. There is also a pastry table, fruit table and a selection of dry cereal and yogurt. We did not eat lunch here and instead had our lunches at Los Lagartos. There is a different theme for dinner each night and they also have an a la carte menu. We ate off the menu, which was included, and the food seemed to be the same as the fine dining restaurant but with additional choices.
Chagres River View (Fine Dining a la carte) It may be hard to get reservations here because it is a very small restaurant. There is a wine menu but the house wine is also very good. I would say that the food is 4 or 5 star.
Los Lagartos Restaurant (buffet by the river) This restaurant is only open for lunch. They have a nice buffet but the best part is that you can sit outside on the deck overlooking the river. This is a great place to view water birds and turtles. There are a lot of fish here as well and it is fun to feed them bread and watch the turtles compete with them for the food.
Monkey Lobby Bar This is the only bar other than the pool bar that was open. There is not much in the way of nightlife at this resort. In the evening people would have a few drinks and watch sports on TV. It is a small bar with a few tables and they serve the usual drinks. One nice thing is that you can get bottled water here as well. |
|
| Spa |
| The spa offers almost any treatment that you would want including packages and they also have whirlpools and saunas. The prices are very reasonable and the packages are a great deal. We all enjoyed our treatments and left feeling very pampered. |
|
| Tours |
Observation Tower
We did our own early morning trail hike up to the observation tower. We met up with our friends at 5 am and walked up the road toward the observation tower. Having never been in the jungle before it is interesting to hear it come alive, strange noises and all. We had howler monkeys jump from the trees across the road ahead of us. You are walking up a steep road for a while when you come to an area that flattens out, keep an eye on the left and eventually you will see makeshift staircase up the hill. When you reach the top you will be close to the Arial tram area and you will see the observation tower it is a series of ramps going up 9 stories we heard. If you don’t like heights this might not be for you. Nothing can compare to watching the sunrise over the jungle unfortunately the day we were up there was a lot of fog. Another couple had reach the top before us and kindly pointed out a tree sloth in the distance. We came down the road again and heard the “cracks” of the toucans. Look high in the trees and you might see them.
Monkey Island ($25 US per person)
We heard about this tour from Debbie’s and highly recommend it as well. You take a boat into the Panama Canal and travel to islands where your guide will point out tree sloths, alligators, iguanas and anything else of interest. Eventually he took us to an island where after calling the monkeys, they slowly appear out of the trees. We thought ahead and had brought bananas and apples which the “white faced monkeys” took out of hands. A couple of them even ventured onto our pontoon boat for a feast. We also saw howler monkeys jumping from tree to tree.
Nocturnal Boat Cruise ($36 advertised but we paid $52 US with tax for two)
We heard this was a great chance to see different wildlife at night. We saw lots of caimans, a couple tree-sloths and numerous birds. Our guide was a naturalist and explained a lot of about the animal life on the river and the geography of the river itself. We did not view as much wildlife as we had hoped but being in the lake at night seeing the stars was awe-inspiring with the jungle around us.
Panama City by taxi ($80 US for 5 hours – 4 people)
There are tours for shopping and seeing the canal but we choose to make up our own itinerary and the hotel tour desk arranged a taxi for us with an English-speaking driver (Ask for Eduardo, he’s great). Panama city is only half an hour from Gamboa, which meant that we had more time to explore. Our first stop was the Artisan craft market in Balboa. The prices here were much better than those at the hotel gift shop and the vendors were willing to bargain. It helps if you know some Spanish. Then we went to the old city with its cobblestone streets and original churches and houses dating as far back the 1600s. It was very beautiful and it was interesting to see the contrast between the old and new city, which was visible from the waterfront. Our taxi driver was great and he acted as our guide, telling us of the history of the city and it’s people. Next we went to the old, old city, which are ancient ruins from the original Panama City that were destroyed by pirates. There are also a number of gift shops here with crafts and souvenirs but the prices were higher than in Balboa.
We could not leave Panama city without doing some shopping so we asked our taxi driver to take us somewhere were we could get good prices. He took us to a strip mall, which had stores that were much like our Walmart and outlet shoe and sporting goods stores. We found some great deals like a bathing suit for $7 and man’s dress shirt for $1.99. Taking a taxi to the city is a great way to see all the sights if you only have a day to visit. |
|
| Conclusion |
| Gamboa is a beautiful resort and a nature lover’s paradise. I also think it is a very good value for your money. There are lots of tours available and I would recommend visiting this resort if you enjoy wildlife and prefer a quieter type |
|
|
|
|
| Good but not a 5 star resort |
| Hotel Gamboa Rainforest Resort |
| User Rating:
|
|
Lisa from Canada >
1 contribution(s) Canada |
| Jan, 2004 | Leisure | With Spouse/Partner
|
|
|
Decameron & Gamboa
My husband and I were in Panama for two weeks, Jan5-19,2004 and the weather was hot, hot, hot!! We are both in our mid 30's and enjoyed ourselves tremendously. Our first week was spent at the Decameron and we really enjoyed ourselves. We tried each of the restaurants and my favorites were Mogo Mogo (Thai) and Sushi Samba. Although the process for making reservations at the a la carte restaurants was not the best (you had to be up at around 6:30 am to get an early sitting) luckily it all worked out for us. The pools were wonderful and felt cool when you first got in ( but that's because it was hot, hot, hot!!!). Although the hotel claims there are so many adult pools and so many childrens pools, there is not any that are strictly adults only.
The ocean was warm ( warmer than the pools), but it had quite the undertow. The flags at the beach were yellow for the whole week while the life guards were on duty.
The resort has over a hundred straw umbrellas on the beach, but we still found that you needed to be there bright and early to get one. It was unfortunate, but the days my husband and I sat on the beach we would see huts reserved but no one would use them the whole day (because they had spots reserved at the pools as well). As I said, this is unfortunate but I don't know how it can be resolved.
We did no tours from the Decameron, we thought we'd save that for the following week. And in the tour book when it says 90 minute drive from the airport, it's more like 2 hours. And if you have a tendancy to car sickness, make sure you take your gravol. We were lucky enough to see the peacocks numerous times (there are 2 males and 2 females on the property). We only made it to the evening entertainment twice, but both shows were pretty good.
Our trip to the Gamboa was about two hours from the Decameron, and they showed a movie (again, you'll need the gravol).
Our rooms were not in the hotel, but in the historic villas and they were most definately not 5 star. I would maybe rate them as a 3 star at best. To stay in the hotel was about $20 extra a night and they claimed there was only two nights available and then they were full (although the whole week they did not appear to be full at all). I also thought that the pool area could have been maintained better i.e. the concrete hosed down at night and the tables wiped down daily. I also thought that the pool bar could have used a good scrubing (there was black mold on it). You did not have to get up at a ridiculous hour to get a lounger by the pool, which was very nice.
|
|
| Food |
| The food at the restaurants was very, very good. If you ordered off the menu's, what you received was definately 5 star meals. The food from the buffet tended to be on the cool side, and sometimes the service was a bit slow. The a la carte restaurant was most definately a 5 star restaurant but the menu's don't change often enough. There was one menu for the first and second day we were there, and then they changed and it remained the same for the rest of our stay. That was a little disappointing. |
|
| The Lobby |
| The lobby is beautiful, again like a 5 star hotel. |
|
| Excursions |
We did a few trips while we were there.
First, we took the 2 1/2 hour radio station tour. It was $35/person and well worth it. It was similar to the monkey island tour but longer. On this trip we saw crocodiles, tucans, 3 different kinds of monkeys, 3 toed sloth, lizards and lots of birds. Don't forget to take some fruit from the buffet (the monkeys will come right on the boat to take the fruit from your hands). The next trip we took was the arial tram and that was also $35/person. While it was interesting, I think I would have rather walked the path to the observation tower and spent that money on another boat trip to see the monkeys.
Our last side trip was a partial transit through the Panama Canal. That was $96/person and was quite interesting.
|
|
| Conclusion |
The people at both resorts were very friendly and we would both go back to Panama (but stay at the Decameron).
The tour company should not be advertising the Gamboa as a 5 star hotel and as a result there were a lot of dissapointed people the week we were there.
If anyone has any questions feel free to email me at lharrison007@yahoo.ca |
|
|
|
|
| I don't think I could ever enjoy another resort as much as this one. |
| Hotel Gamboa Rainforest Resort |
|
|
|
| We were at the Gamboa Resort from Jan 5-12/04. It's going to be hard for me to put in words what a great and relaxing vacation we had. We were looking for a Resort that offered something other than "Theme songs" and "Bingo". What we recieved was excellent service, animals beyound belief [ Tucan, Parrots, Crockodiles, Turtles.....to name a few]. Instead of going to there fantastic gym I would take a walk at 6:30am and see and hear amazing things. You were totally safe and when I returned and went for breakfast they had it all ready for me [ I eat the same thing every morning ] And they were not even looking for tips they just liked to please you. This is the only resort my husband and I would love to return too. Honestly I don't think I could ever enjoy another resort as much as this one. |
|
| Some things I would have liked to know before hand |
1- The Hotel rooms are not part of the World of Vacation's package, they are an upgrade. Do not even try to arrange for them through your agent. To upgrade at the Hotel is usually $20.00 but it can range from $25-50. If there are alot of you you may get it for $20.00. The Villas are ok but they will not keep there 5 star rating if the Hotel rooms are not offered in our packages. Most people upgraded but were not happy with having to pay extra.
2- Internet service was FREE while we were there. Which was great to keep in touch with our kids and friends. And with temps in the high 30's the room was never overly busy.
3- This resort has just converted over to being ALL-Inclusive so there is a little confusion over what we can have and what we can't. Just make sure you do not give them your credit card # and never sign for anything otherwise you could be charged twice.Just make sure they see your bracelet and if you find a problem go to your Rep J.F. he will help.
4- Make sure you walk or take the transportation offered at the front desk to go to the docks for lunch. It is truly amazing to see all the crockodiles, turtles and watch the ships go by and the food everywhere on the resort is fantastic!!!!Considering that I am very picky I couldn't believe that I just LOVED the food, never even got tired of anything plus we never got to try everything on the menu's. No one ever got sick that I know of either.
5- The resturants are air-conditioned so unless you like to eat on the Terrace like we do, bring a sweater for inside dining.
6-Go to Monkey Island if nothing else , it is the cheapest trip and by far the best. Take some apples and banana's from the Buffet and make sure you have alot of film. I took 17 rolls and could have taken more. Not just of the Monkey's but everything else.Do your trips at the beginning of the week before the Decameron group arrives on the Friday plus alot of locals come for the weekend. So enjoy your solitude while you can!!!
7- You need $20.00 US per person to get out of the country no matter what your Agent tells you. It is not included in the price.
8- PANAMA Airport- You are allowed 20kg per person to go under the plane. You are charged for every kilo over. Some were paying $150.00 US just to get there lugage on the plane. That was a real mess and held things up.The Duty free is amazing, we passed the 3 hours in no time. So if you don't find anything in Panama don't worry you'll find it at the airport.
There is soooooo much I could tell you but this is way more than I would read myself. So please feel free to E-mail me if you need further info at laras42@hotmail.com just address it ??Gamboa Resort so that it doesn't end up in my junk mail
Hope this helps, have a GREAT VACATION!!!!! We sure did!!!!! |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
