Sofitel Legend Casco Viejo, Panama
A historic-social-club-turned-high-end-hotel, Sofitel Legend Casco Viejo, Panama is a welcome addition to the city. Part of the historic Casco Viejo neighborhood’s recent efforts to revamp its glory days, the 2023-debuted retreat brings a mix of local history and Sofitel’s signature French luxury to Panama City’s waterfront that’s already beginning to attract international celebrities and jet setters alike.
Following a top-to-toe renovation, the 1917 Panama City property offers a sublime melting pot of luxury. A colonial-style facade manned by stylish staff clad in cream-colored uniforms and Panama hats sets the scene for the turn-of-the-century-themed elegance you’ll find within the hotel’s walls. Stately interiors featuring dark woods and vintage-inspired touches are beautifully complemented by modern amenities like an ocean-facing infinity pool and a sumptuous spa, while a terrace serving Mediterranean tapas with a view of the Panama City skyline puts the best of both worlds at your fingertips.
- What sets Sofitel Legend Casco Viejo, Panama apart from the rest is its seamless blend of French heritage and Panamanian tradition. The brand’s nightly candle-lighting ritual, for example, is beautifully elevated with the addition of local dancers in traditional garb performing in the flickering light.
- Even though it boasts a fairly central location within Panama City, the luxury hotel enjoys a resort-style feel thanks to a peninsula setting, lush landscaping and the largest pool in Casco Viejo. Soak up the sun and ocean views from a partially submerged lounger with a freshly squeezed juice in hand, all just steps from the city's major sites.
- Signature restaurant Caleta follows the historic hotel’s melting pot framework with its Parisian brasserie look and purely Panama-inspired menu. From the mind of respected Italian chef Lorenzo Di Gravio, the menu features as many local ingredients as possible, including produce from a farm in the Pacific province of Chiriqui, fish from a small local company and meat from the Volcán Barú region.
- Head to rooftop bar Ammi to take in the Panama sunset in style. Sip on a glass of champagne and nosh on ceviche while listening to live Latin music as the stars light up the night sky over the sea.
- Sofitel Spa with Kos Paris is a holistic haven of relaxation beneath the hotel offering a blend of French skincare and internationally minded therapies, like four-handed massages and Tibetan singing bowls. For a more local touch, try a lava-, berry- and coffee-infused exfoliation designed to leave your skin feeling renewed and refreshed.
- Sofitel Legend Casco Viejo, Panama’s regal French colonial facade is original to the building’s former life as the Union Club. Its art nouveau columns and wrought-iron gates once welcomed the likes of Queen Elizabeth II, Helen Keller and Albert Einstein.
- Paying homage to the luxury hotel’s seaside address and proximity to the Panama Canal, the interiors boast a 20th-century-style nautical theme with replicas of navigation equipment, historic black-and-white framed photos and a vintage map of the canal serving as the lobby centerpiece.
- Handmade patterned tiles featured prominently across the property mimic a Parisian design style that was popular around the time the Casco Viejo neighborhood was formed. It's these thoughtful touches that make the newly built Sofitel Legend feel as though it’s been part of the neighborhood’s fabric for decades.
- The Panama City hotel’s bathrooms strike a beautiful balance of vintage and chic thanks to sleek subway tile, bronze clawfooted bathtubs and marble double vanities perched atop the hotel’s handmade tiles. (They also come stocked with indulgent Diptyque amenities.)
- All 159 accommodations feature a colonial-inspired look without feeling stuffy. Gleaming herringbone floors, dark wood four-poster beds and bronze accents radiate vintage luxury, while black-out curtains, private terraces and even in-room French press coffee makers (complete with detailed instructions) provide homey creature comforts.
24-hour room service 
Babysitting services
Bar
Gym
Meeting rooms
Outdoor pool
Restaurants
Spa
