When You Live At Playa Bonita

The photos and renderings of new residential projects are almost always stunning and near-perfect. Everyone is well-dressed; oftentimes, there is a sparkling blue ocean in the foreground and at least one waiter offering different delicacies. The pool is shimmering, with fire and water features, and the landscaping looks like it has been trimmed with scissors.

With the recent announcement that Marriott International has joined Empresas Bern, Panama’s leading real estate developer, to build the Residences at The Westin Playa Bonita, Panama, several such renderings have been circulating. The new tower is exceptional and luxurious. All units have balconies embracing the rainforest or overlooking the Pacific Ocean, and the ships queuing up to enter the Panama Canal. The lobby is sweeping, and a valet is ready to ease your entrance. Upstairs, your concept of luxury living awaits.

A Level Of Luxury That Goes Above

The global Residences projects that carry the Marriott flag include the residences of Ritz Carlton, St. Regis, Le Merdian, JW Marriott, Renaissance, and Westin, to name a few. Like so many other Marriott Residence projects worldwide, the Residences at the Westin Playa Bonita, Panama, include floor-to-ceiling windows, luxury amenities like personalized service with a global concierge, exclusive social spaces, a cinema, beautiful spa and fitness facilities, various dining options, and water sports.

Not Right For Everyone

While all of this is incredible, Playa Bonita will not be right for everyone. After 17 years of living and working in Panama, I can not imagine living anywhere else. After all the years spent in Panamanian real estate, ultimately, I selected Playa Bonita as my home.

Of Course, There Are Pros and Cons

For me, nothing is better than sitting on my balcony overlooking the Panama Canal while the sun sets with red and gold streaks sinking into the mountains or sharing my morning coffee with the rising sun. However, I often have to wait to get to my balcony in the evening. The Playa Bonita complex is located over the Panama Canal from the city, which means crossing the Bridge of the Americas. Many posts on the internet say it’s only 15 minutes from the city, but that is only correct at certain times.

Three bridges cross the Panama Canal, but the workhorse is the Bridge of the Americas. Depending on the time of day, you can sail across the bridge or sit in significant traffic. It’s best to plan your day around high-volume times for the bridge.

The good news is that two new alternatives for crossing the canal are currently under construction. A fourth bridge with six lanes of vehicular traffic, plus bike and pedestrian paths on each side of the bridge, is scheduled to be completed in August 2028. Currently, it is 20% completed. The impressive third line of the subway will be completed by the second quarter of 2026. This will include a “chunnel” under the Panama Canal that runs 15 miles from the city to Playa Bonita in Veracruz and Panama Pacifico, a special economic zone. These projects will be completed before the first keys are handed over at the Residences at The Westin Playa Bonita, Panama. Keep in mind that construction deadlines are often fluid in Panama!

Sloths, Ocelots, and More

I won’t take the subway much with my erratic schedule, but it will provide tremendous traffic relief over the bridge. It will transport the employees working in Panama Pacifico to almost the doors of over 280 companies such as Dell, 3M, Pepsico, Caterpillar, Cummins, FedEx, and Heinz that call Panama Pacifico home.

Living across the street from the 3,954 acres of one of the most significant mixed-use developments in the world has a lot of benefits. Before a British company developed Panama Pacifico as a special economic zone, the area used to be the old US Howard Air Force Base. The retired base came with schools, barracks, and the longest jet-capable airstrip south of the United States. I love that 1,483 acres are dedicated to preservation, including bike paths, hiking trails, jogging spaces, rainforests, and providing homes to animals such as sloths, ocelots, and hundreds of bird species.

The Wide Selection in Panama Pacifico

On the more practical side of Panama Pacifico, the location provides Playa Bonita residences with an upscale grocery, Riba Smith, which carries local produce, freshly baked bread, cut-to-order meats, and food items from around the world. You can order from Riba Smith online, and they will efficiently deliver it to your door in Playa Bonita.

Novey, the hardware and home goods store, has on offer everything from a rice cooker to an electric drill, nails, screws, paint, a Smart TV (on sale), a can of tennis balls, or perhaps a floatie for the pool. Don’t forget the sheets, towels, and the hand-held vacuum.

Panama Pacifico just welcomed a new Starbucks, and Panama’s locally owned high-end wine shop, Felipe Motta Wine Store & Deli, has also opened a new store. Felipe Motta, known for its exceptional quality, offers a wide range of wine, spirits, beer, gourmet food items, cheeses, and charcuterie. They will also deliver.

Farmacias Arrocha offers prescription drugs, cosmetics, pet supplies, and electronics and is located in Panama Pacifico, along with a full-service medical clinic. Anything you need can be found within three miles of the new Residences at the Westin Playa Bonita, Panama. Banks, bike shops, daycare centers, sports parks, children’s classes, petroleum stations, and schools are within easy distance.

Dining Diversity Without The Bridge

Going into the city can be a hassle if you are looking for a quick meal and haven’t made it to Riba Smith. Panama Pacifico has a terrific sushi restaurant with fish that just left the water. There is also a nice Italian spot serving pasta and pizza and a brew pub catering to local and international employees. There are also places like Papa John’s and Subway for a grab-and-go.

If you want something more upscale, The Westin Playa Bonita Resort is a five-minute walk from the residences. The breakfast buffet offers everything from fruit to omelets, pancakes, meats, freshly baked bread, and vegetables. The same restaurant, Pacifica, has buffets throughout the week with themed dinners such as BBQ, Italian, and Mexican. My personal favorite restaurant is Tierra y Fuego, an Argentinian steak house. But Starfish Grill is always reliable and I will admit the Lobby Bar, often with live music, is a great place to chill.

A Vehicle Is Probably Needed

You may want a vehicle if you live in the Playa Bonita complex. Ubers are readily available and inexpensive, but on a long-term basis, it might get old. The front desk can always get a driver and car to take you wherever you want. Drivers will almost always give you their card and hope you like them enough to call often. They want a relationship! If you purchase or ship down a car, just select a vehicle with parts in stock in auto mechanic shops and dealerships.

Another thing I like about living in Casa Bonita is the availability of domestic help. It is good for the local workers and good for you. They will clean, wash the windows, change your linens, do the laundry, and put away the groceries if you have something delivered. The cost is about $40 daily, and you should provide lunch. All the service workers in the building generally know each other, so they efficiently work in tandem to ensure everything is in order. There is nothing like walking in the door and smelling a clean house and seeing that your laundry isn’t just clean, it is also folded.

The Tides Are Unique In Panama

The Playa Bonita residences are located on the Panama Canal’s Pacific side and experience dramatic tides, which is very different from what you would typically associate with “beach.” You can find the blue waters and killer waves in Panama on the much more shallow Caribbean Sea. If you want a pristine beach and blue waters, The Residences at the Westin Playa Bonita, Panama, might not be for you; however, you may find it peaceful walking on the flat ocean floor, exposed because of the broad tides.

The internet in Panama City is excellent. Your connection on all digital devices, including your television, is inexpensive and installed quickly. If you don’t speak Spanish, I suggest you hire someone to set up your accounts initially. They can be automatically deducted from your bank, paid on a credit card, or paid online. Free internet can be accessed in all the lobbies of the complex. Your unit’s trash is included and handled via common collection areas. There are several on each floor.

What Do You Mean No Postal System?

Something that often surprises people is that Panama does not have a postal system: no daily mail delivery and no boxes from Amazon. But don’t think you would need to live without Amazon or birthday cards from the grandchildren. The problem of no Post Office is easily solved by purchasing a personal “box” in Miami or other similar cities. Daily, the “mail” is loaded on a plane and flown to Panama. You can pick up your Amazon boxes in maybe three days instead of two.

Panama will not be a lot less expensive than your home country; it can be, but probably not at the Residences at the Westin Playa Bonita, Panama. While we have exceptional offerings in the pre-sale period, these units will start in the lower $300,000s and top out at $3,000,000 for the make-it-your-own penthouse. Other daily expenses will run less than in the United States as Panama’s cost of living is about 32.5% less.

Let It Be An Investment

Of course, if you are looking for an investment, these units can be rented, much like any other hotel room in the Marriott system. All the details, maintenance, cleaning, marketing, and check-in-check-out procedures are handled. Today’s travelers love hotel-type amenities in a full-scale apartment.

Panama has so many pluses that it will take at least a couple of newsletters to cover everything. We enjoy world-class sports in Panama, including the recent International PGA Golf tournament and the annual Ironman competition. Our football (soccer) team went to the World Cup in Russia, and baseball (beisbol) is the national sport. There is a fabulous culinary scene with Michelin Star chefs, international jazz competitions, world-class medical facilities, and terrific schools, most of which offer International Baccalaureate programs, and many are bilingual.

If you like playing golf, you won’t need to go far. A new golf course is planned for Panama Pacifico even when the new golf course is under construction. Tucan Golf Club is a 10-minute drive from the Bonita Complex. It offers a challenging 18-hole course, a Golf Academy, food options, and a pro shop.

Panama uses the US Dollar in daily transactions; Tocuman International Airport is the “Hub of the Americas” with global non-stop flights to more than 80 cities in 32 countries. Travel is easy, and Panama stays on Eastern Standard Time all year.

These incredible units are currently priced at the mid to high $300,000s with penthouses as much as $3,000,000. Furnishings are included.

Panama might not be right for everyone, but it has been right for me. If you’d like more detailed information about the Residences at the Westin Playa Bonita, Panama, or any other Empresas Bern project, contact me however you prefer.