Inside a 5-star hotel in Panama City's richest neighborhood, complete with 2 infinity pools and a Louis Vuitton-inspired speakeasy (2024)

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The 70-story building is located in Panama's rich Punta Pacifica neighborhood.

When it comes to Panama City and luxury, it's hard not to mention Punta Pacifica.

The neighborhood is home to popular restaurants and luxury condominiums. Duncan McGowan, the president of Punta Pacifica Realty, told Business Insider that Punta Pacifica has the most expensive real estate across Panama City.

A quick search shows single-bedroom apartments costing $200,000 and luxury penthouses for $5 million.

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From the skyline, the building is hard to miss.

Punta Pacifica sits on the coast of the Pacific Ocean, and just a few decades ago, the neighborhood's skyline didn't exist.

Originally, the area was marshland, but in the early 2000s, it was developed into the neighborhood it is today.

More than a dozen high-rises line the coast, but one building with its oval-shaped walls stands out: The Ocean Club.

Inside is the JW Marriott Panama, the neighborhood's only five-star hotel.

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I told locals I was staying at the JW Marriott, but to them, the building is better known as the Trump Ocean Club.

Before the building was called The Ocean Club, it was the Trump Ocean Club International Hotel and Tower.

As Punta Pacifica was being built in the early 2000s, a developer named Roger Khafif took on the task of building the 70-story high-rise.

To up the building's credibility and notoriety, it licensed the Trump name, the Associated Press reported.

The building made headlines, but not for something positive. Instead, an NBC and Reuters investigation found that many of the property's brokers, customers, and investors were tied to drug trafficking and international crime.

In 2018, Marriott International took over management and renamed it The Ocean Club, the AP reported.

But even with the rebrand, the original name seemed to stick. Everyone I spoke with during my Panama trip knew it as the Trump building or Trump tower.

On my second night in Panama City, I headed to Punta Pacifica for a night at the JW Marriott.

I made it to the entrance of the building, where valet drivers were waiting to whisk away cars, and impressive statues filled a lobby.

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While the building is 70 stories, 24 make up the Marriott. The rest are businesses, condominiums, and a casino.

McGowan said that TOC is one of the country's largest mixed-use buildings. The first floor is home to two hallways of businesses. The majority of the floors are condominiums and apartments. Twenty-four floors are the Marriott, and the top two levels house a casino.

I arrived at the building and headed to Marriott's lobby on floor 12.

The hotel lobby is on the 12th floor, where guests can check-in.

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There, I was handed a key to my executive suite.

The JW Marriott is home to 320 hotel rooms and suites. For my one-night stay, I was in an executive suite.

According to TripAdvisor, standard rooms typically cost between $193 and $290 for a night. BI received a media rate for the room.

I was taken aback by the suite's size as I stepped inside.

I rarely find hotel rooms this large in major cities.

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The open-concept room had an area with a stunning bathroom.

The suite was open concept, with spaces naturally flowing into the next.

A partial wall with a vanity and two sinks separated the bathroom from the rest of the suite.

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A tub faced Panama's horizon and sunset.

A bathtub big enough for two was perfectly positioned to look out to Panama's skyline.

The bathroom also had a closed-off area with a toilet and another glass room for the rainfall shower.

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Adjacent to the bathroom was a living area with a loveseat and desk.

Here, there was plenty of space to unpack my suitcase, spend an evening writing at the desk, and relax on the loveseat.

Nearby was a table, minibar, and balcony.

While the table was small, it had ocean views, and the minibar was stocked with drinks and snacks.

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The balcony offered a bird's-eye view of the neighborhood.

Floors below, there was a bright blue pool, playground, and car garage. Across from me were a handful of condominiums, and I had a partial view of the nearby ocean.

Back inside was a king-sized bed.

The final area of the suite was the bedroom area. A bed faced a television, and two nightstands bookmarked the bed.

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I was settling in during golden hour, which meant the entire room was lit in warm sunlight.

The room feels modern with its marble flooring, white interiors, and abstract art. Thanks to an entire wall of windows, the golden sunset warmed up the space.

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After dropping off my bags, I joined Muñoz for a property tour. We started by exploring the businesses in the downstairs area of the building.

Muñoz said to fully understand the hotel's appeal, you have to start at the bottom of the building.

Here, two long hallways are filled with businesses of all types. Walking around, I spotted real-estate offices, salons, restaurants, convenience stores, and cigar shops.

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Then, we headed back upstairs to the Marriott. Here, a bar is the first thing that greets guests.

Between the first floor and the hotel are condominiums and apartments.

The first thing guests see when they arrive is the hotel bar.

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Also on this floor are the hotel's lobby and a speakeasy.

Bold red curtains lead to Cava 15, a speakeasy at the JW Marriott Panama. Muñoz said the bar was designed in conjunction with Louis Vuitton.

I could see the parallels. The room was full of leather and brass embellishments.

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A floor away was the hotel's spa and gym, accessed by the entire building.

I typically picture a treadmill or two and a stationary bike when I think of hotel gyms. If I'm lucky, there might also be a weight rack and room for stretching.

But at the JW Marriott, the gym was bigger than the one I go to back in Denver. The only caveat, Muñoz said, is that the building's permanent residents also have access to the space.

From what I could see, that wasn't an issue — the gym had only a few people exercising when I stopped by.

Also on the floor was a spa where guests and residents could book treatments and massages.

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The hotel is also home to a few restaurants, including one serving Panamanian cuisine.

The hotel has two restaurants. The first, Masi, is located on the 14th floor. It has an incredible outdoor terrace filled with plants and greenery, and chefs serve Latin American and Panamanian dishes.

A floor below is a poolside restaurant called Azul.

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On the 13th floor, guests can take a dip in one of the hotel's two infinity pools.

Muñoz said a visit to the JW Marriott wouldn't be complete without a swim in the hotel's pools.

As soon as the pools came into view, I understood why. The infinity pools seamlessly blended with the Pacific Ocean, and one of them offered stunning views of the city's skyline.

The floor was also home to two smaller pools.

Near the pools, Marriott's elite members can accessive an executive lounge.

Platinum Elite, Titanium Elite, and Ambassador Elite Marriott Bonvoy Members can also visit the hotel's executive lounge, which serves coffee, sodas, and appetizers each evening.

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After our tour, I headed back to the infinity pool to catch the last few minutes of the sunset.

The infinity pool was easily one of the most stunning pools I've seen. Before the sun sank beneath the horizon, I hopped in.

It was an ideal lap pool, plus a submerged level had lounge chairs suitable for relaxing and soaking in the pool's warm waters.

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Then, I spent the rest of my evening dining at Masi.

Good food is one of the main reasons I love to travel, so when I learned the hotel had a restaurant serving Panamanian food, I took Muñoz's advice and decided not to leave the property for dinner.

At Masi, I dined on three types of ceviche — some of the freshest ceviche I had during my trip. I also enjoyed a pumpkin dish and a mezcal co*cktail.

By the time the meal was over, I was stuffed and relieved I had only an elevator ride to my hotel room.

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Finally, it was time to sleep. I hopped into the large king-sized bed, and before I knew it, the morning sun was creeping through the room's curtains.

Full of fresh seafood and smelling of chlorine, I hopped in the hotel's bed and quickly drifted off to sleep.

After packing my bags and checking out, I said goodbye to the Marriott and one of the prettiest pools I've swam in.

The infinity pools and ceviche were the highlights of my short stay at the JW Marriott. But even after one night, I understood how the hotel and neighborhood got its reputation for luxury.