Don’t Pay for Lounge Access at the Crowne Plaza Panama Airport
A quick tip for anyone doing a mileage run to Panama City, Panama (or visiting for any reason) and staying at the Crowne Plaza Panama Airport– don’t pay to upgrade to the executive rooms. I had a great stay there, but regretted the extra $16 I spent for lounge access.
As I was only staying for one night and the hotel is close to the airport and not much else, I thought it would be worth it to spend a little more to guarantee access to their club lounge which advertised “complimentary dry snacks, soft drinks and water.†No alcohol and the snacks not likely to substitute for dinner, but would be nice to be able to grab some bottles of water to hydrate before my flights and have some late night nibbles.
It was not quite what I thought.
Spacious, well-lit space converted from two hotel rooms with access to a sunny balcony overlooking the pool, though no outdoor furniture.
But the offerings were lame. I popped by after checking in at 2PM. The only sodas were Coke, Sprite, Ginger Ale, and Strawberry. Nothing diet. Coffee and tea, but no snacks. And no bottles of water, just a pitcher, which wasn’t changed or refilled the entire time.
Figuring I had come in between presentations I stopped by around 5 after chilling by the pool. A few of the sodas were gone, but nothing else had changed.
Stopped by after dinner around 8 – no snacks and the plate I had spilled tea on was still sitting on the counter. I probably should have called down to the desk about it, but at this point it was too late to be drinking Diet Coke and I wasn’t really hungry, though it would have been nice to grab something in lieu of breakfast since I was leaving at 4AM.
The lobby is spacious with tons of power outlets and comfy seating, plus all the rooms have a coffee maker, so unless you’re going to drink about $16-$19 worth of Coke, Sprite, ginger ale, or strawberry soda, save your money.
Thanks for sharing your experience and the warning. I enjoy your articles. A few years ago, I stayed at a Holiday Inn in Southern California with a lounge consisting of a few cans of soda and a small bowl of taquitos that were never replenished. The attendant would replace the soda cans one at a time, and if you did not want a diet soda, you were out of luck. That lounge also was crowded and with sad furnishings, nothing like the light decor in your photos.
Ooof, lounges with old furniture are definitely depressing. :/