Four of us spent two nights at Pacific Bay Resort and we loved it. The setting is spectacular--a spot where you can have a truly peaceful, idyllic vacation. The staff was great, the food was very good, the value was excellent, and, overall, we had a fantastic time. That said, people should be forewarned because it is not the place for everyone. It is more rustic than might appeal to some people. There is limited electrical power in the cabins and it took us until our final morning to get someone to turn on the water heater in our cabin. More importantly, the terrain is extremely hilly so you must be ready for a steep climb if you want to go anywhere on the property. The climbs can be treacherous when the paths are wet--which, when we were there, was most of the time. Between the steep, wet paths and the need to wade in from the water taxi, it is a place only for the able-bodied. People should also be forewarned that the owner, Frank, is only there between October and March and during the remaining months you will be looked after very well by his staff, but they speak only Spanish, so, if you do not speak Spanish, communication may be difficult.

I was pleased with the "all-inclusive" value, and all staff members were kind and helpful. The cottage was tidy, although my husband had a scorpion crawl up through the drain into his shower. Ask Frank to connect the hot water or enjoy cool showers. Our 2 yr old daughter enjoyed the monkeys, large beaches with coconuts to play with and the boat ride to Deer Island for a picnic with Frank. The resort grounds present a rolling and steep topography, which was quite a work out to push a stroller up so many hills (especially those that were not paved with concrete). Frank served many delicious carbohydrate/starch meals that were not high protein. We were disappointed in the lack of fruit available to us, but pleased with the quality of the drinking water. The winds were high, making snorkeling, kayaking, and fishing difficult (this of course was beyond Frank's control). This is a place for the physically fit. I left with an appreciation for Frank's responsibilities to the environment, but needing a massage and some air conditioning, craving a banana. Hope Frank invests in a pool soon, maybe a tv/dvd/satellite for the gathering place/restaurant.

If you are looking for a place that is peaceful, welcoming and just has a great feel to it, you need to spend some time with Frank and his staff at Pacific Bay Resort! Plenty to do.....great beaches, lotsof trails for walking, beautiful views: you really shouldn't miss this place! PBR is the kind of place you wonder if you should be writing raving reviews about, for fear that thesecret will be out! We can't say enough about Frank's hospitality and can't wait to return!!!

The review from the people who had gone to Bocas del Toro intially could have been written by us! In fact if we had been able to access this review prior to going last week we would just have gone directly to Pacific Bay Resort. Bocas del Toro was a disappointment, though the place we stayed, Casa Acuario was delightful!

Pacific Bay was exactly what we were looking for. Beautiful, away from the beaten path, pristine, uncrowded beaches, fantastic, green powered generous accomodations with views of the Bay from each porch. Frank is quite a character and very entertaing. His staff is wonderful. We felt very well taken care of.

We are divers and went with Carlos Spragge of Buzos Boca Braca (----) to an island about 2 hrs away, Ladronas, for one of the best diving sites we've been to called "The Bulls". His boat was spotless, his captaining skills impeccable, the diving spectacular but not for beginners.

We are definitely going back!