Gamboa Rainforest Resort

My mom and I have been to Gamboa several times. It has become my mom's "happy place". The staff at this resort has been so kind to us. From Clara and Angel at the front desk, to Indira and Natalia at the tour desk, everyone seems to go out of their way to make our experience a phenomenal one. We have done many of the tours. Natalia always goes all out to get what we need. She arranged a special tour for me this time to the Old Panama City, which was very much appreciated. The tour guides always impress me, whether it be the experienced ones or the newly hired ones, they have such a genuine passion for their work. And their knowledge is excellent. The restaurant buffet has improved year over year. This year was the best food I have had there. The staff is very friendly and always makes my mom feel special. The Monkey bar staff are also friendly and the quality of the menu is good. While the resort is not perfect, there were some issues we had with a hammock as well as the transfer from the airport, the Front Desk tries their best to get it sorted out and fixed. But we go for the animals. From monkeys to toucans, to iguanas to caymans, you will see a wide variety of animals and birds. It is a beautiful location, and a wonderful spot if your looking for a quiet place to stay. We're already planning our next trip there.

The property is nice and in a unique location, it the service here is so poor. I had more than 10 emails and WhatsApp messages that were never returned. I had to wait in line for more than a hour to fix a bill after the front desk inflated our bill and added many extra charges. I spoke with 3 other people in line who all said the same thing. The front desk refused to talk to the tour desk (30 feet away across the lobby) or let me speak to a manager. The lack of flexibility and high prices in the tours for what you get are very disappointing. Could be great with a better management team.

We stayed for 3 nights and, unfortunately, the experience was very mixed. On arrival, we were given virtually no information at all — no directions to our room, no details about breakfast, restaurants, or any of the facilities. As we arrived late and were checked in by the night manager, we initially gave them the benefit of the doubt. However, when we returned to reception the following day to ask for basic information, we were told there was nothing else they could tell us. It was genuinely bizarre and not what you’d expect from a resort of this type. Dining was another frustrating experience. Staff seemed unsure how much to charge and prices felt inconsistent, almost as if they were being made up on the spot. We were also told our 12-year-old had to be charged as an adult. Drinks are heavily overpriced — $5 for a single can of beer, when you can walk to the nearby Gamboa shop and buy six for the same price. What made things worse was the constant feeling of being chased for payment. Staff would interrupt meals to request payment before we had even finished, which really detracted from the experience. At checkout, an additional $60 “tax” was added to our bill, despite our booking (via Booking.com) clearly stating that taxes were included. This left a particularly sour impression. To be fair, the resort itself is beautiful. The setting is fantastic, the rooms are clean and comfortable, and there is plenty to do in the surrounding rainforest. However, there was an ongoing sense that the focus was on extracting as much money as possible from guests, which made us reluctant to book any tours or spend more on-site. For example, the gondola tour is advertised at around $50 per person, yet you can walk to the top in about 15 minutes — very poor value. Tips: • Hire a car if possible • Eat off-site to avoid high prices and hassle • Be very clear on pricing and charges upfront Overall, a great location let down by poor service, confusing pricing, and an uncomfortable guest experience.

We had a very pleasant two-night stay at Gamboa Rainforest Resort at the start of our trip. It’s a great place to acclimatize, recover from jet lag, and enjoy the surrounding rainforest. The resort feels a bit touristy, but works well as a comfortable starting point. It’s about 45 minutes from the airport, though with traffic and roadworks it took us around an hour. Our room was spacious with two large beds, plenty of storage, and a terrace with a hammock. The shower, minibar, and Nespresso machine were all great. The AC and dehumidifier are quite noisy, so earplugs are recommended. The dehumidifier helps a lot with humidity but needs regular emptying. There is some light from devices (alarm clock, TV, etc.), which we covered ourselves; blackout curtains work well. The resort appears wheelchair-friendly (no thresholds, elevator, spacious bathroom with support handles). Staff were very friendly and helpful. We didn’t join the tours, but from what we saw they seemed quite commercial and relatively expensive. You can easily explore the grounds yourself with a 1.5–2 hour walk or a nice jog. Breakfast is good, with plenty of options for non-vegans. Vegan choices are limited but sufficient (fruit, vegetables, avocado), though no plant-based milk. Overall, a relaxing and convenient place to start your Panama trip.

We love the location for birdwatching and seeing the wildlife. Our room was clean with comfortable air conditioning and hot showers. The meal plan was a good value and variety was good and restaurant staff were very attentive. Some staff members were very friendly and accommodating, others not so much. While the online reservation system and emails to reservations were confusing and unresponsive, the young woman at the front desk was excellent at getting us our room and meal package.