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Hotel Bahia (Bocas del Toro)

(1 vote)

Written by Matt Landau

Monday, July 03 2006

This cute little (not so little anymore) hotel on the main drag in Bocas is one of my favorites. It`s very clean, hot running water, relatively inexpensive, and has the feel of a old cottage. The staff is charming and the clientele ranges from crunchy backpacker to honeymooning couple. As with Bocas, and even Panama as a whole, the hotel is a hodge podge.

I checked into quite a funny little place. Above all the history that surrounds it, as the converted headquarters of The United Fruit Company, it has these loveable little quirks. For beginners, everything in my room is opposite: you push the light switch down to turn on the lights, you turn the cold water nozzle in the shower for warm water, and the you pull the toilet handle upwards to flush—to such an extent that it's almost practical joke-ish.

The owner Tito was a grateful host and like a proud general showing off his war scars, Tito gave me the full, and I mean full, hotel history. The hotel slowly transformed from a deserted government address to a fully-functioning tourism hotspot over the course of the past 30 years and today, Tito is deservedly proud to tell you how it all went down.

They say `Hotel Bahia is located on the southern end of Third (Main) Street, Bocas del Toro, in a grand old building that will soon complete its 100th anniversary. Built in 1905, it still serves the public as one of the oldest hotels in the area.`

Their building, which once housed the main offices of United Fruit Company, three consulates and the Tropical Radio & Telegraph station, has accommodated Hotel Bahia since 1968. Its recent completion and thorough renovation included upgrading the rooms with modern conveniences, yet maintaining the charm of yesteryear.

In its lobby, check out the large and aging safe, which was installed during the construction of the building in 1905. This safe, savaged from the original building that was destroyed by the 1904 fire, was used for safekeeping of cash to pay the small banana producers of the area. All the money has been removed though, so treasure hunters and beggars, lay off!

Hotel Bahia

3rd Street, Bocas del Toro

Phone: (507) 757-9626

Fax: (507) 757-9692

Postal address: P.O.Box 0832-1207,

World Trade Center, Panama, Rep. of Panama

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