Gamboa Rainforest Resort

Gamboa Rainforest Reserve is in a beautiful area of Panama but the property has a lot of problems. The worst is the amount of mold throughout the first floor rooms in each building. If you walk around the property you can see that none of the first floor rooms aren’t being used, the windows and doors are open and you can see how bad it is. The game room is also unusable because you can smell the mold and mildew when you enter the doors to the area. As you walk around the property you will notice many areas no longer used. The pool filters didn’t work multiple days and the water and algae were pretty bad, also small spots of mold on the pool wall tiles. Also, you can not turn your room a/c below 76 degrees. When I spoke with management they told me there were no mold problems and that I was the only one that reported this problem which I know for a fact was a lie. The employees were great, the buffet food was good, the rooms are a good size with hammocks on the balconies but not a healthy place to stay. We were there for 9 days, left with bad cough, irritated throat and no voice. I wish I would have walked the property days earlier.

We booked on the spur of the moment to come here, I was a little concerned by poor reviews, but knowing that we often find reviews exaggerated, we decided to come. We were not disappointed, the staff are a delight, a little Spanish wins you many smiles here! We booked the meal package which was buffet for 3 meals, I’m not going to say it was gourmet, but it was simple, tasty food either way plenty a good few options, we were happy with the meals, on Sunday at dinner we had à la carte and that was very very good, lovely food, well cooked and presented, when we come back we will opt for the s la carte, and we will come back. Walking around the grounds you see so many birds and small animals, coatis, agoutis etc. The pool is fantastic, large enough to have space and always a lounger free. Our room, a deluxe river view was very comfortable, the air conditioning worked well, excellent shower and a nice balcony with a hammock and the bed was very comfortable.

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.