DOLPHIN BAY HIDEAWAY

About

5.0

Excellent

471 reviews

#1 of 3 B&Bs / Inns in Isla San Cristobal

Location

Cleanliness

Service

Value

Travelers' Choice 2019 Winner

Certificate of Excellence

GreenLeaders Platinum level

Here on the calmest Caribbean water, at our off-Grid Eco-lodge, our team strives to provide the absolute best travel experience. We know you work hard to earn your vacation and we want you to relax so your focus can be on all Bocas has to offer. We do our best to combine environmental sustainability and the highest levels of guest comfort.

Full view

Property amenities

Free High Speed Internet (WiFi)

Pool

Yoga classes

Bar / lounge

Canoeing

Diving

Children Activities (Kid / Family Friendly)

Full body massage

Wifi

Pool / beach towels

Swimming pool toys

Outdoor pool

Plunge pool

Restaurant

Breakfast available

Kids' meals

Special diet menus

Wine / champagne

Hiking

Horseback riding

Snorkeling

Canoeing offsite

Fishing

Board games / puzzles

Massage

Non-smoking hotel

Outdoor furniture

Picnic area

Sun terrace

Private check-in / check-out

Room features

Housekeeping

Bottled water

Clothes rack

Room types

Ocean view

Non-smoking rooms

Good to know

HOTEL STYLE

Hidden Gem

Languages Spoken

English, Spanish, German

Location

Full view

Contact

Avenida Sur Dolphin Bay, Isla San Cristobal 888 888 Panama

Getting there

Bocas Del Toro Airport7 miSee all flights

Changuinola Airport19 miSee all flights

Rental CarsSee all Isla San Cristobal rental cars

See all nearby hotels

Nearby restaurants

Rana Azul

33 reviews

4.2 miPizza

See all nearby restaurants

Nearby attractions

Green Acres Chocolate Farm

15 minNature & Wildlife Areas

Finca Montezuma Chocolate Farm

1 review

1.2 miFarms

See all nearby attractions

471Reviews3Q+A74Room tips

Reviews

Write a review

A special place with special hosts

This was one of the best unwinds my wife and I have had on vacation in a long time. No deadlines, no " you have to do the excursion at 0800 or you can't go". Brian is sooo flexible, emphasizing the importance of catering to the needs of the guests. The rooms were comfortable but don't expect fancy as this is an entirely off the grid ecolodge, so conservation of water and electricity is emphasized. The food was good, and a couple of times in our five day stay, exceptional. We love to snorkel, and have done so in Bonaire and Grand Cayman. The fish viewing was average, but snorkeling at the small mangrove islands in Dolphin Bay was stunning and unique. We saw a bunch of dolphins, both while kayaking near the lodge, and on several occasions from the boat on and excursion

Date of stay: March 2020

Location

Cleanliness

Service

We thank you for making time to write this great review and for your visit. We understand your travels have taken you both to some of the nicest spots in the world, so your appreciation for the Hideaway is sincerely valued by the entire team. It was a pleasure to get to know both of you and to learn about your interesting lives and careers. You both definitely deserve time to unwind and not have deadlines, and we are happy you enjoyed the relaxation. We are off-the-grid and certainly not "fancy" so thanks for emphasizing that for potential future guests. We do endeavor to provide that "special place" for guests like you and we do hope that if future travels bring you this direction, you will come stay with us again. Stay well and many safe and happy travels - Amy and Brian

It was hard to say goodbye to this wonderful place, Amy, Brian and the entire team of Dolphin Hideaway. Thank you to all of you to make our 6 days so special and filled with great memories. It's the mix of the location, the people who run it, the food they provide and Amy's Happy Hour drinks after a walk with Brian through the jungle learning about the eco system surrounding you which all adds up. We assure we will be back ... thank you.

Date of stay: March 2020

Value

Cleanliness

Service

Your visit to the Hideaway was a turn of good fortune and we are so pleased you were able to spend your holiday with us. Thank you for this excellent review and kind words. The Hideaway team aims to have happy guests that will always fondly remember their time in Panama, Bocas del Toro and with us in Dolphin Bay. Your assessment of the combination of so many attributes - stunning nature, great company and delicious food/drink - does create an unforgettable vibe and we never take that for granted. We will certainly remember you both and look forward to that return visit. Until then, many safe and happy travels - Amy and Brian

+1

Lovely relaxing tropical holiday

Memories: Multitudes of tiny fish school school around the mangrove roots near Isla San Cristobal. Through my mask I also spot a barracuda. Colorful tubeworms and sponges dot the bottom. Afterwards we tie up at a restaurant - no firm land in sight and nice fish tacos. I am happy. At our bnb dock we see a sting ray skittering along the sandy bottom, hunting shrimp. Another day, our host guides a jungle botany walk, much of it seed tasting and fruit spotting. The tease of guaba (Vanilla ice cream bean) and cacao seed coats is later satisfied by a cooling guanabana smoothie. More standard review stuff: Brian and Amy were wonderful, welcoming hosts. Many small touches made us extra comfortable, and the (optional) daily excursions were very enjoyable. The chef cooked delicious meals which we enjoyed on the deck overlooking Dolphin Bay (where we often spotted a dolphin or two}!. In short a lovely place to spend a little time relaxing and living to the rhythms of tropical time.…

Date of stay: March 2020

Value

Service

Sleep Quality

We appreciate you converting trip notes into your review of the Hideaway. Cool idea. Everybody at the Hideaway misses the two of you and the afternoons sipping on smoothies and talking about the day's adventures. Thanks for taking the time to review us and for being such great guests. The "rhythms of tropical time" is almost a forgotten concept in the world today, so we are pleased you enjoyed it so much. It was great having you and we look forward to that return visit with the whole family (when you the young ones are old enough!). Until then, many safe and happy travels - Amy and Brian

Paradise with unexpected perks!

My wife and I had three segments to our vacation. The first was a short stay in Panama City to explore cuisine, nightlife, and culture. The second a stay in Bocas Town for snorkeling, and island hopping while not being too far away from the comfort of markets and taxis. The third was a little hideaway for some downtime and relaxation. If you know me, you know I'm not great at downtime and relaxation. We were greeted by Brian right on schedule and were immediately escorted to paradise. Where Bocas Town is busy and a bit noisy, Dolphin Bay is quiet, serene....peaceful. We watched dolphins from the beautiful boathouse, looked at starfish from the dock, swam, drank, and took excursions which started and ended exactly when we wanted them to. Brian and Amy KNOW what they're doing. Everything was extremely well structured without EVER feeling scheduled or inflexible. Everyone who works for the Hideaway is a pleasure to be around and happy to help you with whatever your pleasure is for the day. There are cocktails, there is beer, there is wine, there are visitors from all over the world and the owners, staff, and guests all become friends within a very short time. I have to brag a little. All of the fresh prepared meals are amazing, BUT the fresh seared Tuna with a Wasabi sauce was by far the best food I may have ever had on vacation. The last night there, we all sat out under a moon so full it lit up the water, drank wine with people from around the world, who had become friends. At midnight we paddle boarded on water so calm it looked like a mirror. We laughed until it was finally time to head to bed, surrounded by nature, happy. Thanks to Brian, Amy, JA, Mireya, and Nathaly. You all made our vacation amazing. To those guests we met while staying - Let us know when you go back...we'll meet you there.…

Date of stay: March 2020

Cleanliness

Service

Thanks so much for this remarkable review of the Hideaway. We have been striving diligently for years to create unique holiday opportunities and your perspective helps reinforce those efforts. "Best food I may have ever had on vacation"! That really inspires the kitchen team as they always look to fashion incredible meals with fresh local ingredients. That last night you were here was especially spectacular with full moon and glassy sea - hard to ever forget for any of us. And the end of day, what else could you ask for - "head to bed, surrounded by nature, happy". It was such a pleasure to have you both here and thanks for sharing so much about your interesting backgrounds and lives back home in Colorado. We know your futures may take you to other destinations, but we do expect to see you again in Dolphin Bay someday. Until then, many safe and happy travels - Amy and Brian

The place to stay in Bocas!

Our family of 4 -- kids ages 12 & 10, husband, myself - had an incredible, truly one-of-a-kind experience at the Dolphin Bay Hotel. Brian & Amy and team were amazing hosts. We stayed 3 nights - not quite enough. For our family, one of the best things about DBH was the personalized (and private!) daytime excursions. Brian took us to a few "secret spots" -- the snorkeling was amazing and pristine (plump jellyfish, colorful coral, shiny sea pearls), but also, he made sure the kids were comfortable, bringing the boat around when they got tired, and hanging out with them, while my husband and I would continue on. Also, the meals are delicious and satisfying, and honestly, we looked forward to them-- both for the food and the company. Dishes like yogurt parfait with homemade granola as the breakfast "appetizer", the pasta with pink sauce/shrimp and veggies, capped off by an eye-popping dessert... al fresco on the veranda, conversing with the other guests. A note on bugs - the lodge is in the middle of the jungle, so some bugs make it inside. Our kids can be squeamish about bugs -- but it did not prove to be an issue. Insect repellect a must. Some unique things that made the experience magical for us: dolphin sightings, lazy kayaking, over-water Blue Coconut lunch spot, bioluminescence, firefly flip beetle, sloths, mingling with other guests, and the way everyone engaged our kids. We have traveled pretty extensively as a family, and highly recommend DBH. We will absolutely be back!…

Date of stay: February 2020

Fortunately, for many we are considered "The place to stay in Bocas!". Thank you for that sentiment. Hideaway guests definitely are trying to avoid the crowded streets of Bocas town and want access to adventure, beautiful gardens, forests, calm water and excellent food to go with it all. Your family deserves "one-of-a-kind" experiences, because you work hard, saving your holiday time and money to share precious time together. Leaving Los Angeles and the urban lifestyle every now and again is refreshing and we are so happy you spent time with us. There are so many choices for travel destinations and we appreciate that you all want to visit us again. Your magical list is significant and really cool and even we do not take for granted all of those amazing opportunities. Keep on being great parents and a fun family and we will see you again down the road. Thanks for the review and many safe and happy travels to you all - Amy and Brian