Isla Palenque Resort
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About
#2 of 6 hotels in Boca Chica
Location
5.0
Cleanliness
4.9
Service
4.9
Value
4.7
We understand how it feels when your search for a luxury island vacation turns up uninspiring. You want the best resort in Panama. A truly untouched tropical island experience. An undiscovered, faraway place that will energize you, refresh you, and send you back home anew. Well, Traveler. You found us. This is the heart of Isla Palenque. Our 400-acre, private, tropical island resort in the Gulf of Chiriqui, Panama in Central America. Rich in primary forest, 7 secluded beaches and a sacred history of archaeological significance. Isla Palenque resort is right out of a page of your favorite, fantasy island novel.
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Property amenities
Paid private parking nearby
Free High Speed Internet (WiFi)
Pool
Yoga classes
Free breakfast
Beach
Diving
Babysitting
Wifi
Pool / beach towels
Infinity pool
Pool with view
Outdoor pool
Bar / lounge
Restaurant
Breakfast available
Complimentary Instant Coffee
Complimentary welcome drink
Snack bar
Special diet menus
Poolside bar
Hiking
Snorkeling
Fishing
Airport transportation
Spa
Couples massage
Full body massage
Massage
24-hour security
Concierge
Non-smoking hotel
Outdoor furniture
Sun loungers / beach chairs
Sun terrace
Private check-in / check-out
Laundry service
Ironing service
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Room features
Air conditioning
Private beach
Housekeeping
Private balcony
Minibar
Refrigerator
Bath / shower
Complimentary toiletries
Safe
Wardrobe / closet
Private bathrooms
Hair dryer
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Room types
Ocean view
Non-smoking rooms
Suites
Good to know
HOTEL CLASS
HOTEL STYLE
Hidden Gem
Family
Languages Spoken
English, Spanish
Location
Isla Palenque, Boca Chica 0448 Panama
Getting there
Rental CarsSee all Boca Chica rental cars
204Reviews16Q+A73Room tips
Reviews
Traveler rating
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My two sons (18 and 14) and I had THE BEST trip to Isla Palenque in August. We hiked, they fished, we kayaked, swam every day is the incredible ocean, snorkeled, and even learned how to salsa dance...kind of! (thank you Benny and Jens!). The staff was so kind and helpful, and the on-site tours incredibly informative. We were there for 5 nights--the accommodations were super comfortable and the outdoor shower and bath area....still dreaming about it. The howler monkeys visited every morning and we heard and saw all kinds of wildlife. Plus, my kids being teenagers, could still take some chill time in the cabana to watch a video or stream or WhatsApp a friend--great island wifi! And the food....I miss ceviche every day! Truly a special, incredible experience that I'll forever hold close to my heart. We now want to explore other Cayuga resorts. Thank you to all the staff for being so special and welcoming. You made the trip that much more wonderful. …
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Date of stay: August 2023Trip type: Traveled with family
Value
Location
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Helpful
Response from Guest Service, Revenue Management at Isla Palenque Resort
Responded yesterday
Thank you for choosing Isla Palenque for your family vacation. It is not always easy to find places that work for teenagers, but Isla Palenque is a great option. And how exciting that you are looking to explore other Cayuga Collection Hotels in Costa Rica and Nicaragua now. Make sure you become a Cayuga Aficionado. We look forward to seeing you and your family soon.
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
We spent 5 days here in August 2023 as a family of three. Although there were no other children at the time, our 9 year old daughter had an amazing time. We had activities to do every day - everything from snorkeling trips to hikes for wildlife on the island to fishing off the pier. The staff were all so welcoming and made us feel like part of the family. As noted by others, the food was excellent and plentiful. Our casita was both private and a few steps to the beach. Just a wonderful relaxing week.
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Date of stay: August 2023Trip type: Traveled with family
Value
Location
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Helpful
Response from Guest Service, Revenue Management at Isla Palenque Resort
Responded yesterday
Thank you for spending some time with your family at Isla Palenque. We are happy to hear that you had such an amazing experience. Lots of activities or lots of relaxation. You chose! Thanks for your comment and please visit us again in the near future.
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
+1
It was my 75th birthday and I gave myself THE BEST birthday present EVER!! Two weeks at Isla Palenque!! In all my years of traveling, I have been to hotels and resorts all over the world. From Papua New Guinea to Singapore to Paris, Rome, Athens, Lima, Madrid,and the very remote island of Ponape, there is no place I enjoyed as much as Isla Palenque. I have never stayed 2 weeks at any one place but I am so very happy I stayed here. You will feel like you have your own private beach almost always. Whoever designed Isla Palenque knew what s/he was doing. I loved tge outdoor bathroom!!! The room itself is very comfortable. The Bungalows are surrounded by jungle, totally private, with a path to the water. And talk about a nice beach. WOW!!! Baby bath sea temperature. Take some time to watch the crabs at work. They had me totally mesmerized. I have been a scuba diver for many years and always focused on the largest creatures. Hammerhead sharks were my favorite but here I took the time to see the little guys who call Isla home. Yaralee and Jens were the great organizers of everything and without them, IP would not be the same. I miss them both!!! Actually, everyone was wonderful and hospitality was top notch. A great big thank you for making my birthday so very special. I felt like queen for a day. The tours are great. Don't miss getting out on a boat. Also, don't miss the beach at Cala Este. The kayaking was a phenomenal way to see the area. Do walk to the end of Playa Palenque Norte, which is tide dependent. The food was great. The chefs work very hard to keep everyone well fed. The weather in June was quite satisfactory. It is rainy season but don't let that scare you off. I almost didn't go because of my concern with "Will it just rain and rain?" No. It won't. Getting to IP is a major trip. We flew to Miami and had to overnight, then flew to Panama City and missed the connection so again, had to overnight. Flew the 3rd day to David with our flight delayed. Then the car ride and boat ride. But it is well worth it! Next time, we will try the red eye and hope for a connection. As other people have said, just go. You will be glad you did! THANK YOU, ISLA, FOR MAKING IT PERFECT. A MAGICAL TRIP.…
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Date of stay: June 2023Trip type: Traveled as a couple
Value
Location
Service
Room Tip: Stay as long as you can.
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Helpful
Response from Guest Service, Revenue Management at Isla Palenque Resort
Responded yesterday
What a wonderful review. We just have one question for you Lorraine. What took you so long to find us? We miss having you on the island and hope you come back soon. And thanks for the comment on rain. No it does not rain all the time during the "rainy" season, which we actually call wildlife season. It is whale Season right now. And yes, indeed, it is a bit of a trip to get to Isla Palenque, but we have not had a single guest who did not think it was too mucho once they stood on that beach that you describe so well. Thanks again. Big hug from all of us at Isla Palenque.
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
+1
Outstanding Resort! We had been here before in 2021 and it was fantastic, and given that it is one of the best resorts in Panama, we decided to come back. It was an even better experience food wise and the services and the facilities were as great as before. I believe it’s the Best Resort in Panama for the price!!
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Date of stay: June 2023Trip type: Traveled as a couple
Room Tip: Try the Pork every time, the quality of the ingredients is out of this world. We did need to add...
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Helpful
Response from Guest Service, Revenue Management at Isla Palenque Resort
Responded Jul 19, 2023
Thank you for coming back. And thanks for this great review. We will work hard to make sure that your next visit will even be better. See you soon.
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
+1
If you want to experience a true natural island paradise immersed in the tropical jungle with remote beaches and world class service this is the place for you. Our group of eight (4 adults and 4 children) stayed at the villa for five nights. Right away upon arrival at the Boca Chica dock, we were treated to a level of service that we never experienced. Every single one of us had an amazing time staying at the villa with its own private beach and hiking trail and also enjoyed all of the amenities of the main resort. Each room is spacious and very comfortable. We were surprised to learn that we will have our own chef and bartender. Jorge and Chef Jerrod provided amazing service and tasty high end food. All of the included tours are must do, highlights included birdwatching, kayaking, secret of the island tour, tropical dancing, and rum tasting. The guides, Rodolfo, Paco, and Francis were amazing. The folks at Las Rocas like Carlos, Guillermo, Jhown, and Marvin were great and very attentive. At the concierge, Jens, Dreshler, and Yari Lee helped ensure all activities were well coordinated and they were super friendly and accommodating. The manager Xavier was great. I know I am missing more people, honestly I can’t remember a place with this amazing level of service by every single person. There was so much personalization of services, we truly felt pampered. My only recommendation is to be prepared with good bug spray and also clothing if you are going to trek in the jungle. I really look forward to another visit to this secluded paradise.…
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Date of stay: June 2023Trip type: Traveled with family
Room Tip: Bring bug spray. Bring some clothes for the humid tropical jungle.
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Helpful
Response from Guest Service, Revenue Management at Isla Palenque Resort
Responded Jun 2, 2023
Thank you for your stay at the Villa at Isla Palenque. We agree that it is a great place for a family or group of friends. Of course, we are thrilled to hear that you had such a great time. Hopefully, it will inspire others to think about renting the whole villa. And we are always very grateful when our guests remember all our names. Thanks for this. And bug spray. In May for sure. The rest of the months are much better. Please come back soon.
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
We had an absolutely amazing 5 nights at Isla Palenque! They arranged our family of 4 into one casita (which helps our family spend better time together than when we separate into 2) and we loved the food, fresh juices, friendly staff & honestly the absolute peace, serenity & do-nothing of the place! Walking barefoot on the beach to/from each meal was delightful...the option of activities to do or not to do was also nice. The only drawback...the mosquitoes! Don't come when the rainy season begins (May?) they said they are the worst then because they are coming out and hard to get under control when the rains begin...but once things are leveled out, they are better controlled. They use organic care there & were spraying regularly, but I don't know who ate more at dinner...us or the mosquitoes! Definitely bring repellant..they have some you can purchase if you forget. and the non-deet kind doesn't really work that well...you can always grab a towel and wrap up in it at meal-time. They were worst at dinner, second-worst at breakfast. We took one snorkel trip with picnic lunch that was really nice, but I don't know that it was really that worth it...they have a picnic beach trip on the island that was really nice & would be similar in experience (sand is just browner, but still beautiful!) Anyway, we definitely recommend this place...or any other Cayuga property (4 in costa rica) for that matter...would be fabulous for a honeymoon if you stay in any casita except number 1....…
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Date of stay: May 2023
Value
Location
Service
Room Tip: Ask for any casita but 1, we stayed in 2 & it was close but still super private, 1 won't feel...
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Helpful
Response from Guest Service, Revenue Management at Isla Palenque Resort
Responded Jun 2, 2023
Thank you for spending your family vacation at Isla Palenque. Thank you for the great comments on the culinary experience and also the feedback on the snorkel trip. May is the absolute worst month in terms of mosquitos on the island as it is the month of the first rains. So all the other months are much better indeed. And thanks for the shoutout on the other Cayuga Collection Hotels in Costa Rica. There is actually also one in Nicaragua. Please come back soon. All the best from sunny Isla Palenque.
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Do not go here, UNLESS: You want to meet the greatest staff, best food and magic of an island that truly makes you sad to leave. We have not had such service, ever. The staff cannot be complemented enough. The management made themselves available even when you did not plan on seeing them. Sitting on the beach watching the sunset every night was incredible. With drinks in hand, and a menu fresh with the Panamanian flare made this an incredible journey. The literature states you should stay " four days", to get the effect. I disagree, we stayed 8, and were not ready to leave. Some stayed less, and all agreed, they should have stayed more. If you truly want to have the vacation of a life time look no more.
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Date of stay: May 2023Trip type: Traveled as a couple
Value
Location
Service
Room Tip: Four Days is not enough. We stayed 8!!! and still was not enough. Take a good bug repellant for...
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Helpful
Response from Guest Service, Revenue Management at Isla Palenque Resort
Responded Jun 2, 2023
What a wonderful review. Thanks for this. It means a lot to all of us. Compliments on the service and the team is always the best. And yes, four days is the absolute minimum but we are indeed seeing our guests extend their stays or even come back just a few months after their first stay.
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
+1
Im out of words for this place. If I could give this resort 1000 stars I would. Everything was absolutely perfect, the food was super tasty ( They change the menu a little bit everyday so you won’t get bored of the food) and the service was beyond words ( Special thanks to Jorge, Marvin, Francis, Deshlar and Yaree) always welcoming us with a smile on their faces. Most of the tours are included in your stay so make sure to take advantage of those because they are fun and unique. We enjoyed fishing in the kayaks and doing the secrets of the island tour with Francis. One of the main things that made me super happy is that the resort and its staff respects and protects the animals and nature. Thank you again to all the staff for making our stay super relaxing and enjoyable, we are definitely coming back :) Note: There a lot of mosquitos at night so make sure to bring repellent and close your Casita doors. …
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Date of stay: May 2023Trip type: Traveled as a couple
Value
Location
Service
Room Tip: Bring mosquito repellent
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Helpful
Response from Guest Service, Revenue Management at Isla Palenque Resort
Responded May 20, 2023
Thank you for the 1000 Star Review. We really appreciate this. And thanks for all the praise of our team. Yes, the month of May has more mosquitoes than usual, but in a couple of weeks, that transition period will be over. Please come back soon. Greetings from our sunny Island in Panama.
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
+1
We spent 10 days in a casitas if Isla Palenque. It's a place where you feel out of the world, lost in a paradise Island. The beach is so big more than a mile from one side to the other and guess what most of the guests prefer the pool. Amazing because the water is so warm, no huge waves, you can walk easily for meters and you can stand on your feet. The food is very good, ceviche, catch of the day but I must say when you stay 10 days as we stayed the menu becomes repetitive but as we like to eat fish it was ok. On the casitas you can find everything you could need except TV, but I dont think Robinson Crusoe was looking at TV. At least you have a very good WiFi. The staff is very nice, very helpful even if most of them are juniors bit they try to do their best.
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Date of stay: April 2023Trip type: Traveled as a couple
Room Tip: Stay in casitas number 1, close to the restaurant which is very quiet
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
1 Helpful vote
Helpful
Response from Guest Service, Revenue Management at Isla Palenque Resort
Responded May 11, 2023
Thank you for sharing your Robinson Crusoe experience with future travelers. We are glad that you enjoyed your ten day stay with us. Most guests spend about 5 days on the island but wish they would stay longer. Thanks for the feedback on the variety of the menu. Fresh fish is always a good option and we are glad that you enjoyed that. Please come back soon to Isla Palenque or any of the other Cayuga Collection Hotels in Costa Rica and Nicaragua.
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Isla Palenque is a really special place, though not necessarily easy to get to, it's worth the effort. The wait staff and guides were all phenomenal! Unfortunately the concierge was new and didn't know much about activities so we had to a lot of asking and research even while we were there. The set up is perfection! It's easy to go back and forth from the pool to the beach through out the day and if your kids are independent enough you can park yourself in a comfy chair while they run around. We went with three families with children ranging in age from 5-11 and it was great for this sort of thing. We each stayed in casitas and I'm glad we did. From what I could tell the villa is a bit of a hike to everything and quite isolated. We also made the casita work for our family of 5. The food and drinks were incredible. I really miss everything about Isla Palenque now that I'm home and back to real life. …
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Date of stay: March 2023
Value
Location
Service
Room Tip: Make sure you have a sense of what activities you'd like to do so you can ask for what you want.
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Helpful
Response from Guest Service, Revenue Management at Isla Palenque Resort
Responded Apr 5, 2023
Thank you for visiting Isla Palenque with your family and friends. We agree that it is a bit of an effort to get to our island, but we also all know about "the road less traveled" right? We are sorry about the fact that one of our newest team members was not quite as helpful. We will make sure we bring him up to speed with all the info on the amazing activities on the island. Thanks for the great comments about the food and drinks as well as the friendliness of our staff. We hope you come back soon or that your review inspires other families to visit us. Saludos from sunny Isla Palenque.
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
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PRICE RANGE
$644 - $1,879 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
LOCATION
PanamaChiriqui ProvinceBoca Chica
NUMBER OF ROOMS
9
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Claim Your ListingISLA PALENQUE RESORT - Updated 2023 Prices & Hotel Reviews (Panama/Boca Chica)
Frequently Asked Questions about Isla Palenque Resort
What are some of the property amenities at Isla Palenque Resort?
Some of the more popular amenities offered include free wifi, free breakfast, and a pool.
Which room amenities are available at Isla Palenque Resort?
Top room amenities include a minibar, air conditioning, and a refrigerator.
What food & drink options are available at Isla Palenque Resort?
Guests can enjoy free breakfast, an on-site restaurant, and a lounge during their stay.
Is parking available at Isla Palenque Resort?
Yes, paid private parking nearby is available to guests.
What are some restaurants close to Isla Palenque Resort?
Conveniently located restaurants include Bocas del Mar Restaurant and Bar, La Promesa, and Restaurante Roxys Kitchen.
Are there opportunities to exercise at Isla Palenque Resort?
Yes, guests have access to a pool and yoga classes during their stay.
Does Isla Palenque Resort have airport transportation?
Yes, Isla Palenque Resort offers airport transportation for guests. We recommend calling ahead to confirm details.
Which languages are spoken by the staff at Isla Palenque Resort?
The staff speaks multiple languages, including English and Spanish.
Does Isla Palenque Resort have any great views?
Yes, guests often enjoy the ocean view available here.