My wife and I recently spent three days at Canopy Tower and we were delighted. It is small and we were there with only six other people and we all had a good time. It is a no frills place but quite comfortable and the food was excellent and plentiful. The wildlife is wonderful and the guides are good.

I recently had a to day layover in Panama City, and rather than just staying in a local hotel I found Canopy Tower.
Called Raul: he organized pick up from airport, guides for my full day birding and then transport back to airport following day. Great service, wonderful new species observed.

The hotel itself is unique, being a former US radar station. Great views over the tree canopy from platform on the roof of hotel.

A must for any birdwatching enthusiast

Aubrey.

We have traveled to various destinations in Central America over the last decade enjoying the climate, people and incredible range of flora and fauna in the region. In planning our Panama trip, we were captivated by Canopy Tower, convinced that it would offer a perfect combination of remoteness, creature comforts and the variety of birds and animals for which Panama is famous. We couldn't have chosen a better spot. The lodge, a former US Military base, is quirky and interesting, the food is wonderful, and the guides are extremely knowledgeable and personable. We loved to start the day on the observatory as the sun came up over the jungle, a mug of coffee in hand and one of the guide helping us and other avid birders spot hummingbirds, arakaras, blue cotinga and many other species. Cargo ships passing through the Panama Canal a few miles away, as the famous waterway winds its way through the jungle, is an incongruous sight. In fact, the canal is the reason the jungle is still there, for the demands of the canal for a renewable water supply necessitated keeping this green barrier zone intact.

The third floor of the tower is a common area - one side used for serving meals, the other a lounge and library filled with interesting books on natural history and related topics. It's a comforting and welcoming space. A guest book, signed by such luminaries as bird expert and guidebook writer Robert Ridgely and artist Robert Bateman, was intriguing to explore.

We would recommend staying at the Canopy Tower as part of a package - three days to a week is the norm - as this has the benefit of creating a little like-minded community with which to enjoy excursions, meals at the lodge, and welcome happy-hour drinks. Canopy Tower is special among many wonderful eco-tourism lodges in Central America. We loved it.

We stayed here our first night in Panama on a recent trip. I read about this place online and in my travel books and really wanted to stay here because of how "different" it appeared. Anyway, we tried to email them ahead of time and did not receive a response, so we just stopped in and got a room. The reception was not very organized, but we got a room pretty quickly and they were very friendly and helpful. Apparently, at that time of year (we later found out), they require reservations of more than one night, so we lucked out getting to stay. Our room had two small beds, but they pushed them together for us so we could have one larger bed. Went immediately to the observation deck to hang out and met two really kewl scientists and their daughter who were there for the night for dinner. Hung out there, then had dinner, which was very good. The fish was incredible. It was very nice to hear the sounds of the jungle outside our room, an easy way to fall asleep. Next morning, we took a tour with the hotel to Pipeline Road, which was great. 4 others went with us, and the hike was really long and we saw a lot of animals and birds. Checked out after eating lunch. This was one of the most unique places I have ever stayed in. I would recommend it, but keep in mind it is pretty pricey and not luxury whatsoever.