Punta Caracol Acqua Lodge

A truly unique location with many kind staff members. But the property appears run-down despite newly painted in yellow and green. We got water down through the roof, when it rained. There was no lock on the back door. Most of the breakfast was good - especially the juice and the beautifully cut fresh fruit - but the serving of hot beverages remained a mystery: Why luke-warm and only half a cup in the pot many times? Most of the dinners were pricy and dubious, like an undercooked lobster and a caesar salad without chicken and dressing, but a tonne of cheese. Is an adult present at these premises - especially in the kitchen region? (Yes, we mentioned all of this during our three day stay. No impact.)

During our stay at Punta Caracol, we celebrated my mother’s 70th birthday, and it was an unforgettable experience. The setting is simply paradisiacal, perfect for enjoying with family. The accommodations were excellent, and the food was delicious. The tours offered are varied and greatly enriched our experience. It was amazing to see our children enjoying such a special place with their grandmother. Definitely, a place we will always remember fondly.

This was the perfect ecolodge experience on the water! Maria, who owns the lodge, always went over and above to organize day trips and rides to town for our family. We loved our room and the water & scenery were spectacular. My teenagers can’t wait to go back! Charging our phones at reception was a small price to pay for a unique and beautiful Panama experience. We ate our breakfasts and lunches on site and preferred to eat in town but were impressed with the cleaning staff and the willingness to help. We also had WiFi which was slow but it worked which was a pleasant surprise given that we were in the middle of the water. Just remember that you are booking an ecolodge and not the Four Seasons and then enjoy the experience. We highly recommend it!

Punta Caracol Aqua Lodge offers a stunning, eco-friendly, overwater experience with breathtaking views and a peaceful environment. The bungalows provide a unique connection to nature, but several aspects of our stay left us disappointed. We saved up for this trip to celebrate our anniversary, and while we didn’t expect more than the basics, the unwelcoming attitude of the staff—an issue mentioned in reviews for years—made us feel like an inconvenience rather than valued guests. In an industry built around hospitality, this lack of communication or effort to make us feel welcome was disheartening. We understand there may have been a language barrier, but kindness is universal. With the exception of two older women who worked in the kitchen in the mornings and were always kind and welcoming, the overall staff left much to be desired. We ended up going into town for meals instead of dining at the lodge due to the uncomfortable atmosphere. Additionally, the food is overpriced for what it is, with limited options that don’t justify the premium price tag. While the kitchen is advertised as open until 9 PM, many items were unavailable by the evening, which was frustrating. The boat service to and from the hotel was unreliable, with some guests seemingly prioritized over others. We even had to pay extra for alternative transport to ensure we made it to our destinations on time. The billing also lacked transparency. Instead of charging per meal or activity, everything was added to our bill at the end of our stay, leaving us blindsided by unexpected costs. Furthermore, we were not informed about the free amenities such as kayaks and snorkeling, which guests must physically push and pull from the water using an unstable dock. This process felt unsafe. All charging of electronics had to be done at the reception area, which left very little privacy or convenience. The shower water had a sewage-like smell and left me with a bad rash on my leg. While the setting is undeniably beautiful, the poor hospitality, overpriced food, and logistical issues made our trip far from the dream experience we had saved up for.

My feelings about this place are mixed. The manager is so helpful, she helped me rearrange my schedule and get my c-pap back. The staff was really nice but except for on my bday (they made me a cake and actually waited on us) they didnt seem to interested in anything beyond the bare. We had to get our own drinks, refill, etc. Now, we did come here knowing, things are just slower here and as long as you are patient, you'll be fine. The food was soooo good. I was nervous about the food being expensive bc of reviews but it was not, at all. Everything seemed fresh and homestyle. The tour company the recommended was top tier. The property grounds were beautiful. Crystal clear water, good snorkeling. We saw stingrays and cool fish. The rooms were cute but I didn't like that there is no power at night or barley any. In order to use the restrooms at night i had to scoot on the grou d to the stairs bc i couldnt see. LOL. Showers were hit or miss for heat(not a big deal here). There are no outlets in the rooms and the fans remain on low. Our first night was cool bc of the breeze but nights 2 & 3 were rough and we're from Florida and brought our own mini fans. Everything needs a good update. For the price we felt we've enjoyed other otw bungalows more in bocas. Eclipse del mar-better rooms, service, etc. Here-better view, snorkeling, water and food. The thing that really got me, is I'm a 20% tipper even if it's meh. I needed change for a 100, the staff member helping me told me that she didn't have change bc she saw I only had 100s. I saw the change.....which out of principle I'm not tipping tripple bc you refuse to provide change you clearly have. So they got 13%, which is standard there anyways. This place is advertised as eco lodge but there are no refill stations for water and they provide endless water bottles. The ultimate disappointment was we had a flight to catch and wanted to get a pizza first at bonbons. We asked them to call us a water taxi to town. Instead she said ok and then decided to have one of the staff members take us to town. Except town wasn't town, it was there personal laundry facility over water. Covered in barbed wire, miles from town AND charged us $40 ( the cost of a water taxi to where we asked to go lol). After 20 min of waiting for the taxi "she called" I had to beg him to take us where we actually needed to go. He was not happy. Neither was I. All in all, I don't think I'd stay here again but I'm really happy we did stay there. 3 nights was perfect. Anymore and wouldn't have been as exciting.

Punta Caracol is an accommodation located near Bocas del Toro on Isla Colón. Secluded, but within walking distance of the main residential area, it offers a break from the stresses of the city for those in need of total relaxation. The boat journey from Bocas to the lodge takes around 15 minutes and the hotel runs a service at certain times between Bocas and the lodge. The lodges are on the water of the Caribbean Sea and have direct access to the sea via a platform set up in front of the balcony of the rooms Breakfast, lunch and dinner are a la carte and offer a variety of good quality food. The resort can organise visits with other operators to other islands in the vicinity. The accommodation has a living room, bedroom, bathroom and balconies at the front and rear. The water available in the accommodation is treated but brackish. The hotel provides plenty of bottled fresh water for guests' daily use. Reception offers guests the chance to charge their mobile phones and Wi-Fi is available in the restaurant area.