A great, little inn close to everything without being downtown. We were there for 4 days in the off-season. There was only one other couple staying there at any time during our stay. Hercilia (the manager), Orlando and Hermito (the chefs), Livingston, and his two sons (our tour guides) were all awesome. The service was great and the food was much better than expected. Originally, we were going to stay at the Hotel Bocas del Toro, but we didn't want to spend that much. I am sooo glad we chose Bocas Inn instead.

Our first trip to Bocas which we booked through Ancon Expeditions in an online offer for 3 days/two nights. The hotel is a delightful building and, since there was only one other couple checked in, we had a fabulous room on the 2nd floor that opened directly to the balcony with a hammock outside our window. The views were idyllic, the weather magnificent. The voucher provided pick-up from the local water taxi station. Upon arrival, no one was there to meet us so we had to wait, phone again and wait a while longer. It did allow me time to explore the street and take photos but seemed a bit remiss of the staff when they knew the arrival time. The front garden is charming, the lower level deck is set up for restaurant/breakfast/drinks but due to slow season wasn't staffed the majority of the time. The room is fairly utilitarian with a double bed and a single one. Very small bathroom with a large toilet dispenser that is ill-placed causing you to hit various body parts when trying to get to the shower. However, these are minor complaints. I should also note that all the "downtown" hotels are on top of each other. Due to it being the slow season, we didn't suffer from the loud partying known to occur at various times -- so beware if it's peace & quiet you're seeking. Smoking is also prevalent all over the island and you should be cognizant of that as well if it bothers you. The breezes were great though so we weren't bothered by the smells of cigs all around. Orlando, the cook for our morning breakfasts, was terrific. He remembered our favorites on the second morning and cooked us made to order breakfasts along with helping us with our Spanish and entertaining us with his charming humor. Don't ask the manager for restaurant recommendations as we were directed to the most horrid place (Le Pirate) for a lousy meal which I'll review under restaurants. We did find the next evening a sublime place to eat (El Ultimo Refugio) -- highly recommended! I thought it insulting that when leaving and asking for a taxi to return us to the taxi stand we were told that our voucher only provided for one-way transport to the place. The cost is minimal; the hotel should realize that being told you're on your own to get back leaves a bitter taste and is poor practice when there are so many choices to be had on this small island. We will return to Bocas but believe we could find better accommodations and prices the next time. For additional comments, you can e-mail me.

The Bocas Inn is a beautiful property. It overlooks the water, with a "comidor", balcony, and rooms that are waterfront. The comidor is a wonderful place to eat, read, and relax.

Pros: Location. Staff. The staff were all super helpful and friendly. I don't remember the manager's name, but she was really wonderful. She gave my sister and I lots of advice about things to do around Bocas town. She gave us information on the Ancon tours, but she never pushed us, and was very honest about what they had versus more barebones experiences in town. When we opted for the cheaper in-town option, she wasn't upset at all. Breakfast. It was a great breakfast, buffet style some days depending on how many guests were there. There were scrambled eggs (or made to order if there was not a buffet), fruit (usually pineapple and melon), delicious bread, cheese, etc.

Cons: It's a little pricey for the area, if you are on a budget you could definitely do cheaper. The air conditioner did not work very well, we ended up opening the windows instead most nights.

We had the rooms towards the street, which was definitely less picturesque than the waterfront ones. However, we had wifi access in our rooms, and they didn't, so keep that in mind when booking.

Not 5 star luxury but none the worse for that. 3 night stay. Terrific staff. Great setting on the edge of a tidal river - we got there by boat to their own private landing place. Excellent breakfast - none of that Continental style crap. 2 minutes away from the main drag where there are loads of shops and eating places. Plenty of excursions available. Bloody good laundry about 200 yards away to the right. You can smoke on the verandah outside.