Hotel Playa Tortuga - Bocas del Toro

Big, beautiful and 100% Bocas

Text and photos by Jacob Ehrler

The presidential suite sits above the two storey open dining room
where the two wings of the hotel join in front of pools, sundecks
and jacuzzis, stretching out to a point which juts the property
out into the bay.

The grand-scale Bocas style
architecture of the hotel is an
impressive sight.

Hotel Playa Tortuga in Bocas del Toro has opened just in time for guests of the hotel to take a tour and watch the sea turtles lay their eggs later this month. The three-story environmentally friendly hotel has 120 rooms that all face the water. Guests can enjoy the authentic Bocas flavor from the comfort of their in-room balconies, private golden sand beach, pools or restaurants as well as arrange for an array of tours offered by local guides who know the archipelago best.

A few things were very important to President and Engineer Guillermo Quijano of UNESA when conceptualizing his first hotel venture outside of Panama City. It had to be family-friendly while staying true to an authentic Bocas flavor that attracts so many visitors to the northwestern Caribbean province. And it would operate under strict eco-friendly standards.

While on a trip to Bocas with his own family, Quijano realized there was a need for hotels where he and his wife could feel comfortable bringing their young children. Beyond comfortable rooms, the hotel property incorporates a children’s swimming pool, adult pool, spacious meeting rooms, a private, golden sand beach and a deck restaurant – complete with safety handrails – where guests can dine in over the water in true Bocas style.

Guillermo Quijano at the
inauguration of Hotel Playa Tortuga.

The commitment to the environment is strong as well. The hotel processes 100% of its waste water, uses biodegradable detergents and cleaning products and recycles rain water. It even has its own well – the only one around– to minimize strain that the hotel could put on the local water supply. The property has many of the original trees that were there before the hotel as well.

When guests tour the archipelago to see dolphins, snorkel, surf, scuba or just water-taxi about, they do so with 100% local providers.“They are the experts!” says Quijano about the tour providers in Bocas. The hotel owner knows that his guests will have the best and most authentic experience by referring his guests to locals who have the boats, equipment, expertise and a lifetime of experience. His decision not to open an internal tour company has gained him respect in the Bocas community, which benefits from the presence of the large hotel.

Inside the grounds of the hotel, guests can choose between two restaurants which incorporate local ingredients, flavors and culture into their “Advanced Caribbean” menu. The abundant local seafood is featured, of course, but try the Coffee Rubbed Pork Chop, an item inspired by the Chiriqui coffee that used to be exported from Bocas ports.

Restaurante "Naguas" is named after the traditional dress
worn by the Gnöbe Bugle women native to Bocas del Toro.

This is the third hotel built by Sucasa. Their other hotels are The Country Inn Panama Canal and The Country Inn El Dorado. Building such a large hotel in Bocas presented a few challenges for Sucasa, like shipping all construction materials by ferry as well as shipping over 20 containers of furnishings after construction. Quijano says that the local civil authorities were helpful throughout the process.

"The Deck" is a full-service restaurant
and bar in an exquisitely crafted bohio.
A unique feature is an aquatic observatory
set into the deck to view the sea life below.

This large hotel has been well received by the community, where large-scale projects can sometimes cause a stir among locals who fear that the authenticity of the province is being lost. According to Quijano, the authentic flavor of the community and sustainable development go hand-in-hand. His hotel alone has provided 100 direct jobs, of which over 90% went to locals.

The style of the hotel maintained true to Bocas flavor as well; after all, that is what people travel out for. Quijano wanted the hotel to look like it had been there for fifty years, and the renowned Mallol y Mallol Architects of Panama achieved that look perfectly.

Couples can stay at the hotel for $160 per night and the grand breakfast buffet is included. Visit www.hotelplayatortuga.com or call 757-9050.

After an extensive training, the 100 staff members are
noteably excited to be a part of Hotel Playa Tortuga.

Hotel Playa Tortuga - Bocas del Toro

The lady in charge

Paola told The Visitor: "My favorite part
of the hotel is the lobby. Maybe it's the
furniture, the decoration, or the palms".

With her winning smile and abundant energy, Paola Rios is leading 100 tourism professionals in Bocas del Toro. As manager on duty at the brandnew Hotel Playa Tortuga on Isla Colón, she oversees operations of the 120-room hotel, the largest in the Bocas province. Originally from David, Chiriquí, Rios studied business administration at Latina University. She has just returned from a year in Canada and the U.S. where she worked in the hotel industry.

“I love the rush of a hotel when it is full! We just opened and I can just imagine how exciting this is going to be here,” said Rios as she walked through the 68-person, double ceiling height indoor dinging room. She also commented that “the hotel is a big advancement for the province. We will be an example of service and the improvement should be felt throughout all levels of tourism offerings here.”