I have not been paid by any entity in any way (financially, benefits) to write this Sheraton Grand Panama City review. Any airport, airline, lounge, hotel, and/or loyalty program policies may have changed since then.

A hastily planned trip to the beautiful isthmus of Panama requires a stay at a good, solid hotel. As a one-again minted Marriott Bonvoy Platinum, I prefer staying at a hotel where breakfast and lounge access are included thanks to my status. In comes in the Sheraton Grande Panama City, a hotel in Panama that has a Club Lounge. Although it is a solid hotel, I was left with a desire for slightly better customer service and attention to detail.

Hotel Info:

Hotel: Sheraton Grand Panama City
City: Panama City, Panama
Room Type: Club Level Standard King Room
Date: January 2024

Overview: Sheraton Grand Panama City Review

The Sheraton Grand in Panama City is in the San Francisco area of Panama City, which is adorned with several restaurants and a major shopping plaza. Built in 1983, the hotel doubles as a casino (as is the case with many hotels in Latin America), and offers a health club, spa, and restaurants. This Sheraton also offers the Sheraton Club, which can be accessed by Bonvoy Platinum and higher, in addition to certain casino patrons. The hotel was last renovated in 2007.

Check-In

Upon arriving at the Sheraton Grand, I went over to check in with what had to be one of the most rigid front desk employees I have come across in Latin America. While I didn’t expect an incredibly flowery experience, the employee’s demeanor set the tone for the rest of the experience. As a Platinum Elite, I asked if the hotel had any complimentary upgrades available, and he let me know I had been “upgraded” to a Club Level room, which was a standard room on a Club Level floor. Did feel like he couldn’t wait to be done with the interaction.

Room

The room was a bit dated and needed some deeper cleaning and detailing. It was nothing major, but one of the bedside lamps needed a new bulb, and the room overall needed a good dusting. Amenities were standard otherwise, and there was a modern flat screen TV available.

The restroom was standard, and was also dated but not in horrible condition.

There was a walk-in shower, which was great.

Sheraton Club Lounge

The Sheraton Grand has an executive lounge, and access is available to the following guests:

• Marriott Bonvoy Platinum, Titanium, Ambassador, or Cobalt.
• Guests booked in “Club Level” rooms.
• Certain casino patrons (exclusive to this hotel).

I found it to be a bit tired and uninspiring. In my experience, Bonvoy-branded lounges abroad have been relatively solid in their breakfast and hors d’oeuvres offerings. However, this lounge left much to be desired.

There was a lack of soft drinks, no complimentary water available, and the hors d’oeuvres peaked with finger sandwiches, cheese, and dried out beef skewers. Sodas and water were left out only during hors d’oeuvres, and never refilled.

There was a coffee machine that would spew out some sort of coffee, but it wasn’t as advertised. Was more of a powder-based drink.

Casino patrons were able to use the VIP lounge located inside the executive lounge. Perhaps a lounge-squared? Regardless, definitely an interesting sight.

There was also a desk that I assume would’ve been staffed by an attendant, but never saw anyone utilize the space.

There was another media area with sofas and a computer available for guests.

Restaurant

The Sheraton Grand has three restaurants, a coffee shop, and two bars. I only experienced Cafe Bahia for the breakfast buffet in the lower level and a casual eating restaurant named Las Hadas in the side of the hotel.

I did forget to take pictures of the breakfast buffet, but I managed to get pictures of my dinner at the casual restaurant, which included tortilla soup and a chicken Caesar salad.

Conclusion

The Sheraton Grand Hotel is a fine hotel in need of a refresh. The food was good, and the room was mediocre, but what does need to improve is customer service from the front desk and hotel staff. I will say that the staff at both restaurants were excellent on the customer service front, but the front desk and club lounge attendants could take a pointer or two from the restaurant staff.

There are other options in Panama City in a similar price range. If you have an option, I would recommend the Hotel Sortis, an Autograph Collection hotel. The customer service alone wins out by a mile, but the Sortis is newer, recognizes elite members more, and has excellent facilities and provided a better overall experience.

Have you had a chance to stay at the Sheraton Grand Panama City? Did you enjoy this Sheraton Grand Panama City review? Let me know your thoughts on Instagram, Threads, or Twitter!

As always, Live Life One Trip at a Time!

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