Panama Hotel

Hotel needs updating. Some of the furniture tattered. Great bakery next door. No restaurant close by but within walking distance

First off I couldn’t find parking, all on street. After 6 pm I was able to park out front. I booked through Expedia as usual. When I arrived a sign saying New Owner was on door. It looked a bit abandoned, didn’t see anyone around. As I checked in the man at the counter said the room you booked has a shared bathroom did you know that? But if you want a private bathroom it will be $40 more. Well, I didn’t see this on the website… kinda sneaky. Unfortunately I had no choice as I booked through work and had already paid. It wasn’t horrible as there were maybe 2 other guests there. It is an old house made into a hotel. Like you are staying in someone’s home. Room was clean. Balcony was nice. It is noisy , wood creaky floors and doors shut loudly. I wouldn’t stay again however it was not horrible. Would be good for saving money or people who like very casual accommodations.

Everything was pretty good for a room at the low of a price. The place was clean and there weren’t any shady characters hanging around like you normally find a cheaper motels. The staff was super helpful and accommodating. The only thing I would recommend is air conditioning in the rooms that the occupant can control. I know that needing air conditioners in Northern California has not been necessary in previous years. However I think we can all agree that it has been getting hotter and hotter each year. So I think it’s time to invest in a little AC unit for the rooms. Other than that everything was really wonderful! Thanks, Nick

This is such a pleasant place to stay. The only reason I didn’t give it a higher mark is that I think the bed could be more comfortable. And with all our electronic devices, we need more convenient outlets to charge them. Still, I love the laid back atmosphere, the charming neighborhood, the excellent bakery right next door, and the closeness to restaurants.

Clean and the young man on staff was exteeremly helpful.

I was staying over for one night, gorgeous room, great quiet space!

The location was charming We arrived at 10 pm to an empty office and lockboxes. It was confusing to find a way in.

The location was charming We arrived at 10 pm to an empty office and lockboxes. It was confusing to find a way in.

Very narrow and steep stairs - coffee every morning (probably after 8am) and a lovely balcony!

Rooms are small but patio areas tables set up around to use a nice place priced right

Great experience.

All good except for there towels it has big holes. I ask for another and I was given 2 new ones

Great funky hotel - ideal if you're not crazy about staying in the sterile chain hotels. If you want your own private bathroom make sure you're selecting a room that has that - I was in a room with 2 shared bathroom/showers that were at the ends of the hallway, but the bathrooms/showers were usually available (these shared bathrooms are one-person at a time, private bathrooms). Super comfortable, extremely quiet. Great place to stay if you don't mind a place that's probably a little more lived in and isn't super sterile (if you don't mind some occasional disrepair). Overall very clean and comfortable.

The rooms were perfect and Eno took good care of my family once again. I live in Gerstle Park and when we have big family get-togethers and I can’t accommodate everyone the Panama hotel is my home away from home.

The rooms were perfect and Eno took good care of my family once again. I live in Gerstle Park and when we have big family get-togethers and I can’t accommodate everyone the Panama hotel is my home away from home.

Bad

Panama Hotel is a locally owned independent hotel in a rambling historic home on B-street. It's a quirky hotel, not just another Marriott or some other forgettable corporate brand, Instead, this is a structure with a real sense of place. I stayed in the "boudoir room" and really enjoyed it - lovely room with large bathroom, clean and well maintained, with my own little balcony to have my morning coffee on. I travel to San Rafael frequently and the chain hotels get pretty forgettable and empty after a while. Panama Hotel has a lot of character. The rooms was cosy and breezy with a view of gorgeous trees, the bed and bath linens were spotless and soft, the hot water plentiful, the water pressure strong, and a coffee pot in the room. I will definitely be back.

Historical. Beautiful. Quaint. Ridiculous. Old school. Fun. Funny. Entrance and exit after 8 pm. No access to fresh water after 8 pm. Manager who I thought was super friendly is likely under the control of his partner who didn’t like my hours. When it was check out time he slammed on my door so loud I nearly had a heart attack. I won’t look a man like that in the eye without thinking less of him next time I see him. There’s no cause for that kind of behavior.

Historical. Beautiful. Quaint. Ridiculous. Old school. Fun. Funny. Entrance and exit after 8 pm. No access to fresh water after 8 pm. Manager who I thought was super friendly is likely under the control of his partner who didn’t like my hours. When it was check out time he slammed on my door so loud I nearly had a heart attack. I won’t look a man like that in the eye without thinking less of him next time I see him. There’s no cause for that kind of behavior.

Good

Very good

Do NOT stay here! It was not a clean place I felt dirty the whole time. The room smelled so gross and musty. One of the pillows had dirt on it. There were stains on the carpet as well. I didn’t have a private bathroom and had to share one and being a young single woman I was scared and the booking didn’t even specify I wouldn’t have my own bathroom. The service was so bad there was only like two people working there. Save your money and book somewhere else!!!

It is quirky but lovely, with so much charm and history. Beautiful gardens. My room was extremely clean, and a really comfortable, peaceful place to be. Surrounded by trees & gardens. The restaurant is closed, but will be reopening at some point. Really easy and convenient to walk right into San Rafael.

No making bed, cleaning room or changing linens or towels during entire stay. Bathtub was in bedroom. No heat.

Exceptional

1) I came in and the they told me that I had to upgrade my current reservation to have a private bathroom. In the booking I booked originally, they did not specify anywhere that the room doesn’t come with a private bath. They did this on purpose to get guests pay 2) The staff is extremely unprofessional and rude. Some of them don’t even speak English and don’t know how to answer my simple question such as where’s parking 3) It’s street parking, no garage though I wasted my money on this hotel, I didn’t even stay because they tried to scam me. WORST motel experience. Please do not come here

Superb

Property is definitely old and in need of an update. Looks like they were changing ownership and working on stuff. Can't wait to be there when the restaurant opens up. Room was nice. Staff was helpful. Parking easy. Location was in walking distance of nice restaurants and bars.

The only good thing I liked was the flexibility of the staff Everything else, the room was not clean at all and full of spider webs, the staff was rude and very “figure it out yourself” type of vibe, there was no parking whatsoever, the floors were so dirty, bathroom was not private and you had to share with another room with random strangers, there was mold in some corners of the room, it overall looked like one of those hookup places where you go in and out. Horrible stay would not recommend.

Passable

The only good thing I liked was the flexibility of the staff Everything else, the room was not clean at all and full of spider webs, the staff was rude and very “figure it out yourself” type of vibe, there was no parking whatsoever, the floors were so dirty, bathroom was not private and you had to share with another room with random strangers, there was mold in some corners of the room, it overall looked like one of those hookup places where you go in and out. Horrible stay would not recommend.

This is my go-to hotel when I'm in San Rafael. They are renovating the rooms and the common areas and bringing back the bar, which will be so cool. Rooms are spacious and comfortable, bathrooms are clean, wifi is strong, staff is great. There's a lovely bakery next door that I recommend as well.

Everything was perfect. Beautiful property. The man who checked us in was amazing. No breakfast is offered at the moment. Would love to enjoy breakfast on property. Parking is on street. I had no trouble finding a spot to park. Loved the balcony!

Good place

This place is absolutely amazing, a gem in the heart of San Rafael. It's a funky, family run place with uniquely decorated rooms- if you're looking for cookie cutter chain hotels go elsewhere. Great price for this location, and they're trying to re-open the attached restaurant. The bed was new and comfortable, the room was spacious and clean. There was a balcony just off my room and the shared bathroom was great. There is a microwave and mini fridge in the common area. This will be my go-to spot when I'm in San Rafael, thanks for the great stay.

Great Value, Nice Room (Garden), Helpful Staff!

Clean and cute room. Staff was super friendly

Staff is very welcoming. The room is decent and clean. I missed the part that it was a shared bathroom. Does not have a restaurant but close to 7 11 store. Overall I had a pleasant stay!

Please see my comment - I wasn’t even able to set foot in the hotel.

Exceptional

Nice and cozy

Superb

Very casual hotel without staff at night. It is in a residential neighborhood with beautiful trees and big houses. The house is a bit run down and could use coat of paint.

Very casual hotel without staff at night. It is in a residential neighborhood with beautiful trees and big houses. The house is a bit run down and could use coat of paint.

I really like this place and stay here frequently. My low rating this time has to do with parking. This hotel is located in a residential neighborhood with no designated parking, which already makes it difficult especially for travelers arriving late. However, this time, there was also construction going for for a month and all parking became a tow away zone at 7 AM! That's really something guests should have been made aware of before arrival, maybe even with some helpful hints of where to go for other parking if one is not familiar with the area. I had not planned on needing to be out of my room by 7 AM so my car would not get towed.

Enos the gentleman at the front desk was great and very helpful! My room was very clean and cozy….This is a very charming and quirky hotel that feels more like a bed-and-breakfast… I stayed in the Dale Evans room, which is in the section of the hotel that has shared bathrooms and kitchen… There was no one else on my end that evening during the week so I had the kitchen and bathroom to myself. My room had a balcony right out the door overlooking the street which was very nice. It’s a busy street right near downtown San Rafael, but during the night, it was very quiet… You could walk to all the great restaurants and shops downtown—the price was very reasonable, because of the quirkiness of the place… If you were looking for something fancy, this is not the place for you. This is very homey and unique— every room is different. There is a section of the hotel that has private bathrooms, and they are a bit more expensive but still very reasonably priced for Marin. I highly recommend if you want a unique experience… There is only street parking because this is a residential neighborhood, but I didn’t have a problem finding a spot right next to the hotel… Enos informed me that my bed was new and they’re in the process of updating all the rooms. The bed was very comfortable. I ended up booking the same room for another night because the location is so great I could go explore Marin and Point Reyes and tamales Bay, etc. and then return to this comfortable place…

We came to hotel to check in and we were waiting outside about an hour, everything was close. We were calling customer service few times, then some customer share an owner phone number with us, we called him and he helped us.

Sweet locale - lots of personal service for check in.

I would totally stay again.

Yes. Bakery and cafe nearby.

our rooms are spotless and we love the quirky decor. Our check-in was smooth. This is a really fun place to stay.

Very good

Cute spot with character! Our room was clean and the location was great with lots of food spots within a short walk. Our bed was a little small and lumpy and a bit of the overall charm is lost with the entrance renovations underway, but otherwise no complaints. Easy to find street parking.

Cute place. Bakery right next door. Parking is difficult if you get there late.

Great place to stay

No parking, thin walls, can hear everything from hallway and nextdoor guests. Shared bathroom, which was not on the listing. It seemed like there were a few people that lived there full time, one was very loud, with dishes clanking and in and out of his room at all hours.

Charming small hotel. Enos was kind and helpful at check-in. Fun rooms display lots of creativity. Although it is older, it was comfortable and up-to-date in what we needed. There is also a fun bakery/coffee shop--Armida's-- next door. Easy walk to downtown restaurants.

This is my favorite hotel in San Rafael. I often travel with my medium sized dog and they are very welcoming and gave us a great room with a private fenced patio. The rooms have names and individual characteristic decorations. I always get a room with a private bathroom and it is well equipped with coffee maker, microwave and refrigerator with a small sink for washing up. I am looking forward to the day they open their restaurant again. It is easy walking distance to the local park and downtown San Rafael. The staff is very friendly and the room always clean.

I will definitely comeback to Panama hotel

This is a magical place with a really good price. I enjoyed walking into downtown. It is quite, safe and comfortable. Be sure you know that many of the rooms offer shared bathroom and shared kitchen. Also, the stairs are steep and shallow, so it may not be the best choice if you have mobility issues.

Just needed an affordable room while visiting family. I loved all the eclectic charm and antiques at the hotel, such a quirky cool vibe!

This is not a hotel!!! This was an old, broken, and terrifying Jail. The staircase was so dangerous that you could kill yourself climbing it. No air conditioning. Only fan!! Mosquitoes in the room. The blanket was torn off. The room was so tiny!! Shared bathroom, fridge and macrowave ... just terrible.

Our room was comfortable but the lobby and main areas were very cluttered and not in use which gave the place a strange vibe.

Miguel is helpful

Relaxed, safe, great location. Boutique charm, and a bookcase for exchange reading.

$115 no private bathroom, very small room. Just thru my day

The staff was so friendly and helpful. The rooms are so cute, comfortable, and homey. There is plenty of street parking. There is a cute little bakery right next door and you can walk to a local grocery store. Overall, I really enjoyed my stay here

Convenient for exploring San Rafael and Larkspur.

Good value and close to restaurants. Enos, staff, was excellent.

Great spot, unique property. Lovely location

Top

Be aware that some rooms have a shared bathroom, so check to make sure it says "private bathroom" if that's a requirement. Other than that, I highly recommend and will return again! Thanks!

Great staff and friendly people. Would recommend 👌

The whole property is under renovation and only shared bathroom rooms are available. It is old, tight steep stairs, small rooms. Its more like a child vacation home than a hotel.

The Panama Hotel has a certain old-time charm and is a really great place to stay. The staff is friendly, helpful, and responsive. The room was comfortable and the Internet connection was good. The shared bathroom was fine except for when someone took a bath and left the tub dirty (it was cleaned up by staff the next morning). I will stay here again if needed and would recommend to friends and family as a charming and, at times, reasonably priced place to stay.

Panama Hotel should not be operating. Much construction work to be done, bathrooms need to be operable and also let guest know they are shared! One set of stairs did not have a railing. I immediately left, had to book somewhere else and Panama has refused to refund. Hotels.com didn't back me either.

Great stay cozy cabins.

Loved my stay here. It’s giving hostel, very true to what would would find in Panama and we were so here for it!!

Ken’s Safari room was much more remodeled than shown in the picture! It was a very pleasant surprise. No complaints, perfect for two days with my husband and dog. Very easy self check in at 1am.

I contacted hotels.com immediately upon arriving at the hotel to cancel my stay at 10pm when I checked in, and I did not stay at the property at all. Despite hotels.com escalating my cancellation request, the hotel has refused to provide a refund, even though their listing is demonstrably inaccurate and misleading. I will be reporting fraud to my credit card company.

This hotel should have its license revoked. The room I booked apparently had a broken toilet, which I did not find out until I checked in, gave my cc and id, and was taken to a completely different room. The room I was taken to had a 6 inch at least dip in the mattress visible from the door. I asked to see an alternative room and that room had bleach stains all over the bedding. Not only this, but the hotel was under construction and I saw no other guests or staff except the person who checked me in. When I said that I did not feel comfortable staying there and requested a refund, they refused.

I like this family-style hotel, but the mattress was not great ... the bed kind of felt like my bed BEFORE I replaced the 20-year-old mattress. I still slept okay, though.

This is a unique place. I stayed for 6 days after having a minor medical procedure so i wanted a homey feel and an economical price. This gave me both. It is clean but it is unique. My room had a little patio with a fence and was private which was great given i was in my room a lot. Tv is small but adequate, 2 blocks from grocery and convenience store, in a clean quiet residential neighborhood. Highly recommend if you are OK with a bit out of the ordinary- to me very pleasant. Would stay again.

This is a lovely hotel with many economic room choices and a fantastic aesthetic. Comfortable and elegant.

I was thrilled when I first saw the hotel's name, but my excitement quickly faded upon arrival. The hotel was in a deplorable state, dirty and unkempt. To make matters worse, I discovered bed bugs on my bed. When I reported this issue to the staff, they inquired if I had found the windows open. I stayed for two nights because I was aware that a refund would not be possible.

The hotel was unique, very aesthetically, pleasing, Victorian style hotel, and like an island type resort setting feeling. Different but very comfortable and easy and lowkey.

Quaint! Felt right at home! Will always come “home” for a visit.

Loved it.

Right few blocks from downtown. Great old cute place to stay.

Amazing!!!

The hotel was quaintly old-fashioned but not ready for guests. The room I booked had no functioning heater so I had to take another room; there was no private bath, and the bath I had near my room had no hot water in the shower; after I washed my head in the cold water, I wiped up the water and the towel came up almost black - the floor obviously had not been mopped in a long time; the telephone in my room did not work, despite numbers being posted on the wall for the office and outgoing calls.

The property is super pretty! It's a bit older in its appearance and amenities but it kinda gives modern Victorian and I was for it! The heaters are not as strong as I would have loved for the weather and the locks aren't necessarily the most strong feeling on the room doors but I loved it regardless and will be going back! BE ADVISED THAT NOT ALL ROOMS HAVE ATTACHED BATHROOMS. BE SURE TO LOOK AT THE PICTURES AND CALL THE PROPERTY IF NEEDED!

Got in late for check in and they had key in lock box for me.

Shared bathrooms. (Difficult to get a comfortable setting on the shower.) Good overall.

I got off work at the hospital and was told my key would be in a lock box(because there is no 24 hour front desk as advertised) and couldn’t find the lock box in the dark in the winter rain storm. When I rang the bell out of desperation and cold, the man who came to the front was rude and absolutely astounded that I couldn’t find the 4 lockboxes and accused me of being drunk and suggested I find a place elsewhere. When I said that was fine with me he changed his tune. I should have taken the opportunity to stay elsewhere because it was a nightmare. I got into a sparsely appointed room with no bathroom where the window was wide open and the room was freezing. I had to be up at 5 for my shift the next day so I laid down but the light from the hallway around the door was too bright. I left the next morning and got a different room and the hotel refuses to refund me for the other night. Horrible place, best to avoid. All the pictures on the site are from a previous owner: the rooms are not cute, the restaurant is not open, and there is no 24 hour front desk. To top it all off the staff is rude. Get a room elsewhere, you’ll thank me for it later

Great retro, comfortable with minimal bothersome amenities.

To cap everything off, the manager refused to offer any sort of refund / compensation for this terrible stay - telling me in person that I needed to go through Hotels.com and then refusing to respond to Hotels.com despite repeated attempts by them to resolve the matter.

A night full of rest..😴thank you guys!

Funky Boutique hotel, I have stayed at before and will again. Not a modern hotel by any stretch, but clean and not too far from downtown food, drink & shopping. Room was clean - the Fridge turned out to be a freezer, but other than that no problems. Restaurant was closed, staff was nice but it is not a 24 hour staffed reception. I liked it and will be back for sure

Junk stored everywhere. Property is in ownership transition

The hotel is very cute. We had a great stay. There’s a great bakery around the corner

This was a chance I’m glad we took! It’s so charming and unique. Clean and quiet. We will definitely be staying here again.

Worst place i have ever stayed and terrible management.

This place is great... such History and thr rooms are soooo cool... always our place to stay ... A++++++

There were paint cans and construction supplies piled in the courtyard. It seemed abandoned. The owner left the room key in a lock box. There was no air conditioning, and the fan in the room was too noisy to tolerate. The bathrooms are down the hall. I rated the service as excellent because I left the hotel within an hour after arriving, and the owner did not charge me for the stay.

I liked the guy who helped me thru the reservation process

It was unique and comfortable.

The lobby and restaurant were under construction. We stayed in the Venetian Room. It was smaller, darker and dated than it looked on their website photos. Needs some maintenance work or updating - chip paint, holes on the walls, some splashes of "something" on the walls, picture frames falling apart, our towels had holes, etc. Otherwise, good price, great location and walkable to downtown San Rafael.