The Balboa Inn

The hotel was quiet and clean with comfortable beds. Exactly what we needed.

We spend 10 days there, nice and clean place, good service,But needs space to hang your clothes and a place were to accommodate your clothes.

It's a small hotel in a nice residential area. I could park our rental car right in front, no fighting downtown traffic or searching for a parking spot in Casco Viejo. Most touristy spots are a $5 Uber ride away if you don't have a car. Since the hotel is so small the pool area and courtyard are peaceful. The AC worked well. There were agoutis playing in the yard across the street. There aren't many services within walking range, so if you don't have a car, you may have to use Uber to get to a restaurant or use Uber Eats for food. They will cook you breakfast at the hotel.

The room met our basic needs, but could've been so much nicer with only a little bit of extra attention to the niceties and decor. First of all, our room didn't look at all like the photo when we booked. It was just 4 plain white walls and 2 beds. No bench, chairs, table or freestanding lamp. We twice had an odd difficulty getting them to give us a cup of ice--it didn't seem due to a language barrier. Pool and patio were great, but we were always being watched--not in a lifeguard sense. Breakfast was expensive ($14, not $5 as stated) and not great; only ate there once. On plus side TV, A/C, mattress, fridge and microwave were all good. When we changed our reservation in advance to delete one night, the price went up instead of down.

From the online photos, I expected the room to be more attractive than it is, which is quite sterile. This is a great place for backpackers and younger people. There are no handrails on the staircase which is a risk for older guests. The patio area is very attractive but could be improved with some plants in the planters for the palms. The rooms do not have washcloths, just one towel per guest and there are no drinking glasses. The mini fridge and microwave are a good feature. No chair in our room, only the bed to sit on. The manager is very helpful and will supply drinking glasses when requested. You can buy beer, bottled water and sodas but he had no wine.

We were given a double room when we asked for a triple during a full house, there were conspicuous gummy fluid stains on the top of the sheet, the replacement sheet didn’t fit, and the second replacement sheet smelled of BO. This was our second stay here. Our first stay was acceptable but the AC had no adjustments— either on or off— and the beds and pillows were not great. The hotel is poorly marked and difficult to find from the outside. The pool is not chlorinated. There are no bird feeders as mentioned in other reviews. The breakfast is poor and the staff will not call a taxi for guests.

The rooms were comfortable. Hot water showers and attached bath. My room had a small refrigerator and a microwave. The building had a kitchen but was not accessible for the guests. That was the only drawback, since there weren’t many restaurants nearby. You can order breakfast through them for a cost. We did not use that service. The national bus terminal/metro line is close by. You can walk to take a small bus or a metrobus to go to Albrook (which has a huge mall, bus and train terminals). You can easily walk to Ancon Hill and also Casco Viejo if you are into walking. Overall, it was a great property in terms of location and amenities.

I liked the fact it was quiet.didnt feel I was on the city. The guy that works there was always very helpful on all our needs.(taxi, directions, laundry) good place.

I only booked at this motel because it was around the corner from my venue for the evening. My room was a white box but I was only there to sleep for a night so it was fine. No fridge or minibar but there was a random microwave. They don't give you the wifi password when you check in. The airconditioning seemed weak at first but after 7pm it cooled the room just fine. They should clean the carpet on the stairs as a dirty staircase can make a poor impression. Didn't use the shower or towels or have breakfast (breakfast isn't included so it's not a B&B), didn't see anyone when I Ieft just before 11am, just left my key on the counter...I'd stay here again if I had an event to attend in the area but otherwise I'd choose somewhere nicer and more central. Not thrilled to have paid $60 to stay here but given rates in the city it's not the worst. Nice to be able to drive up to what looks like a house in a nice residential area and self-park. Heard a few dogs barking in the early evening but it wasn't too noisy after that. No water provided in the room (tap water is probably drinkable? No pitcher, glasses, bottles, etc). There was a bedspread in a plastic bag (in case you get cold?) Night lights for reading were like 9000 k. Soap and one roll of toilet paper provided. Decent wifi. Didn't use the tv. My room was up a flight of stairs, no elevator, fyi (I had help on arrival...there was no one there when I left). Sheets were rough, clean, white.