Punta Caracol Acqua Lodge
Hotel in Bocas del Toro Province
Reasons to book
Guests love it hereGuests give this property a top rating
Free cancellationFull refund if you change your mind
Great for petsBring all your friends and family, even the furry ones
About this hotel
This collection of eco-friendly wooden cabins is located on Panamá’s stunning Bocas del Toro Archipelago. Situated in the water, the cabins are built on stilts and feature a private balcony with a hammock.
Amenities
Pets allowed
Internet / Wifi
Smoking allowed
Laundry
Balcony or Patio
Beachfront or waterfront
Garden
Family friendly
Map of Bocas del Toro Province
Available Rooms
Master Suite
4 Sofa • 1 Queen • 1076 ft²
Sleeps 6
+
You'll be directed to Booking.com for availability & pricing
Luna Suite
1 Queen • 2 Sofa • 645 ft²
Sleeps 4
You'll be directed to Booking.com for availability & pricing
Standard Suite
2 Sofa • 1 Queen • 538 ft²
Sleeps 4
You'll be directed to Booking.com for availability & pricing
$$$$
Reviews
100% verified reviews
9.0
Location incredibile, personale cortese e cibo buono!!
10.0
Es un lugar muy diferente en medio de la naturaleza con vistas increíbles
Nada me desagradó. Estuvo perfecto
1.0
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.
8.0
Le cadre paradisiaque et unique! Snorkeling au pied du bungalow (ponton individuel), la vue, les levers et couchers de soleil ...Le personnel adorable. La propriétaire très coopérative et efficace.
Le seul bémol (mais sinon ce serait trop parfait !) le restaurant qui est certes superbe mais la cuisine n'est vraiment pas à'la hauteur des prix et du cadre)
1.0
Pratiques opportunistes sur les débits de carte. Ne répond pas à la demande de booking non plus. Communication prétentieuse. Le client est loin d’être le roi pour eux. Juste une pompe à fric.
10.0
Super Lage direkt im Wasser , von der Terrasse direkt ins Meer mit Riff darunter und jeder Menge Fische . Unterkunft per WhatsApp am Flughafen kontaktiert und abgeholt per Boot . Essen sehr gut , Cocktails auch. Vorher nochmal den Fahrer bitten am Supermarkt anzuhalten, dann klappt es auch mit den Snacks . 2 Nächte reichen aber auch da man nicht allzu viel vor Ort machen kann. Aber zum Ankommen und Nichtstun perfekt
7.0
La propiedad linda. Hermosa ubicación.
Faltaría mejorar el servicio .
Que no tenga aire ni agua potable
8.0
Great location and setting. Maria, the host was very friendly and always helpful. The rooms are as described. No electric outlets, no AC. Basic Eco-cottages. Perfect for a place like this to disconnect from reality.
Food and customer service. Please invest in english speaking, friendly staff and good chefs
9.0
Excelente ubicación, personal amable en recepción, camas cómodas, disponibilidad de kayak y snorkel incluido en el hotel, restaurante bastante !
Calidad del agua muy mala incluso para el baño, poca agua potable de cortesía, mal sistema eléctrico que afecta los ventiladores muy flojos
8.0
I love how remote it is. I love the location. The staff is really lovely.
It's not so much what I didn't like, it's suggestions I have. It is incredibly hot and the panels that they use for electricity are not strong enough to add good fans maybe, because there is none. I've been there twice and both times I feel like I want to die at night. My suggestion would be to invest in really good fans for the beds.
The food is okay. It's nothing to really get excited about and because they are so isolated sometimes they don't have a lot. So like not a lot of fresh fruit, even though we're in a tropical location. And that's across both times I stayed there. The food is really pricey for what it is. I think breakfast is a really good bargain but lunch and dinner are very expensive and because you're so far away from everything there's really nothing you can do. I don't mind paying for good food as long as it's really good. But this isn't. Dinner I will say is way better than lunch.
And honestly the final suggestion is more games. You're far away from anything and I knew the second time to bring cards and dice games. But there's not many available for people. If you're going to have people that stay for more than a day or two, especially with families then invest in some more games.
4.0
Let’s start with the positives, we had accidentally booked one more night than we needed, whilst a refund for the would have been nice, the hotel did instead include our daily breakfasts throughout our stay. My partner and I are vegetarian and after highlighting the limited menu choices, the restaurant did provide a vegetarian pizza on one of the nights which was a welcome reprieve, and generally the staff are quite friendly but I’m afraid that’s where the positives end.
Our experience started at the boat jetty on Bocas, I was surprised to see barbed wire adorning the jetty, but I was soon to realise the intention may have been less to keep people out, but more to keep the guests in!
On arrival at the complex it was immediately clear just how in need of maintenance all areas are. The entire structure is quite frankly, one strong wind away from total collapse. We had booked the Master Suite, so the largest of the room types. The layout and decoration inside was at best, eclectic. There was only two of us, I’m not really sure how any more could be comfortably accommodated. There was a musky smell, it was very dark, and in line with the rest of the complex, very rickety. There is no AC and the thatched roof does an exceptional job at keeping the heat in. There’s three woeful fans, but they have no impact. The bed itself was very uncomfortable and I barely slept for three nights. The power outlets don’t work and everyone has to charge their devices at reception. The rear doors did not close at all, and the front door lock didn’t work. Every day someone was asked to fix these issues, but we left with neither being addressed. I am eternally thankful that we were not robbed or that no one tried to enter the room. The master suite has the perceived benefit of being further away from the other bungalows, but this affords no privacy or peace. Owing to the dilapidated state of the structure, every movement is fully audible, and if that wasn’t enough, the restaurant blasts music for most of the day too.
Owing to its location, unless you go to Bocas for lunch, you are restricted to the on-site restaurant. It’s hard to accurately describe just how bad this is. Some easy tweaks could go a long way in rectifying this. Eg if you offer a burger also have a veggie option and who doesn’t love a margarita pizza?
7.0
The location is amazing
The service quality is poor. Only the reception service and the boat captain are very kind. The rest of the staff need to improve their service quality in general; they serve with reluctance, slowness, and even show signs of annoyance when dealing with guests. The food service is basic. During the night, nobody from the hotel is present; only the guests remain on the premises.
10.0
Amazing place, simply our number one best stay in Central america. We extended our stay, and also came back later
8.0
the location and free kayaks , the free transfers. The food was good and the setting over the water.
n/a
10.0
Fun location, clean, great staff, and interesting experience.
it’s hard to stay in for a whole week due to the animal activity (lizards, mosquitoes), but it is manageable if you are prepared.
6.0
Property was nice. Spacious for the 4 of us that stayed. food was good
No working outlets. Boat taxi from hotel was more expensive than in town. They tried charging us $80 ($20 per person) for a 18 min boat ride to town. We got the price down eventually but thought that was a rip off
9.0
Location, personal, restaurant
Bathroom is old
7.0
very nice people and excellent location
Food was expensive for what it was.
9.0
Location, view, staffing
Food was too expensive
A lot of mosquitoes
9.0
The uniqueness & design of the complex , also the staff was incredible
you couldn’t charge your electronics in your room and it’s a bit pricey to come by from Bocas Town
10.0
I was amazed by the property, it was above expectations, location , kayaks, snorkels available
prices for food too high
10.0
The staff and the accommodation are outstanding
Everything was great. They need to find a way to charge phones in the rooms.
4.0
no atebtiin during the night or early morning
the location is far from the town and depends of the people of the boats to move. Sometimes they up to one hour late.
9.0
The location is very nice and peaceful. Very tucked away. Really lives up to the photos.
The house itself is also very nice.
There is snorkling gear available, which I would definitely recommend using as there are coral reafs around the accomodation.
Staff is also friendly.
Would definitely recommend booking this for 1 or 2 nights. Longer stay might not be ideal given the price and location (the fact it is so isolated is what makes this accommodation worth visiting, but also means its not suited as a base to explore the island).
9.0
It is so peaceful, serene and private. It really allows you to check out and enjoy the beautiful surroundings.
The hot water didn’t always work and the food was good but not overly impressive.
6.0
If weather is good, place is nice :)
too expensive for what it offers imo
9.0
food, location and staff
no negatives point
9.0
The location is beautiful. You can see so much in the calm water while snorkeling. The staff is amazing and the food is delightful.
There is no breeze upstairs so it gets warm and sticky. The owner was very receptive to the idea of an additional opening in the back to get a cross breeze..
10.0
What a unique place. It's a must go for anyone exploring central America
9.0
Great personnel, an experience hotel right in the middle of the ocean!
needs a refurbishment
9.0
location, food, staff
could have comfier sunbeds
10.0
Location was amazing. The sun platform with hammock near the water and also the views are stunning. The sea breeze through the bed room 'window' and the big size bed with mosquito nets are exceptional. Being able to go Kayak (for free) in the beautiful mangrove is super bonus. Staff is very friendly and helpful.
The area, with beautiful excursions to dolphins, sloths, bioluminescent waters, pristine beaches, is an unbeatable bonus.
We would rate the restaurant an eight (8), which is still very good of course, but all other experiences were just excellent. And since this location is too far away for a bite in another place we advise to bring the food on the same excellent level. Sometimes the food was almost there, but sometimes it was a bit mediocre. Maybe the chef wants to accommodate children and other travelers with hardly any non-western food experience? It all might have some more local spices maybe. This place deserves a bit more outstanding food choices. And often the music in the restaurant was off-vibe (too wild or modern, not matching the romantic and natural ambience) and it requires a better sound system. But anyway, overall it was tasty and the service was good and the views outstanding, so this is absolutely no complaint.
8.0
The remote location is fantastic and to be right on the water in the middle of nowhere is a very nice experience. You can jump directly into the water from your doorstep and see all kinds of fish with the snorkel equipment provided. The actual room is very nice and pretty well equipped with bottles of water etc.
The restaurant. It just seems that nobody really cares about it, especially when you are shown the hand written menu for dinner in Spanish without anyone explaining it or any kind of recommendation or anything. The food is quite basic which is okay but would expect a lot more in such an exquisite location and the prices. Might just need one person to put some heart into it, but also needs buy in from the staff who seem to be just going through the motions.
There could also be some better organisation of activities and information provided for the guests. Would expect an info booklet in the rooms with info regarding tours and what’s available at the hotel including the water taxi schedule. Could be fun to suggest group kayaks, yoga sessions or activities at the restaurant/bar. It’s also a shame that you pay so much for tours due to the location and the hotel doesn’t try to arrange some group discounts for example.
Overall it’s a nice place but lacks some love and character.
9.0
Amazing bungalows with so much nature around. Easy to snorkel and kayak around. Staff is great. Beautiful scenery everywhere!
You don't really have many options for food as they only have 1 restaurant and town is about a 10 min boat ride away. It was nice to get off property for lunch but for breakfast and dinner, you will spend about $100 a day which does not include drinks.
10.0
The meals were excellent. Could use a little more fan power to cool the loft area.
Walkway needs some attention..
FAQs
How much does this hotel cost compared to others in Bocas del Toro Province?
The average price for a rental in Bocas del Toro Province is $79 per night. This rental is $26 above the average.
Is parking included with this hotel?
Parking is not specified as an available amenity at Punta Caracol Acqua Lodge. For more information, we encourage you to contact the property about where to park.
Is there a pool at this hotel?
We didn’t find pool listed as an amenity for this hotel. It may be worth double checking if a pool is important for your stay.
Is Punta Caracol Acqua Lodge pet friendly?
Yes! This hotel is pet-friendly. For more information, we recommend contacting the booking provider about animal policies.
What amenities are available at Punta Caracol Acqua Lodge?
We found 8 amenities for this rental. This includes pets allowed, internet / wifi, smoking allowed, laundry, and balcony or patio.
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