Panama Hotel and Suites

Hotels
7.5 (276 reviews)
4 Bayview Street , San Rafael , us

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Children allowed

Facilities

Non-smoking rooms
Air conditioning
Restaurant
Room service
Terrace
Family rooms
Free wired internet
Internet access
Japanese garden

Review Highlights

Pros:
Friendly staff
Convenient location
Affordability
Cons:
Poor cleanliness
Limited amenities
Room discomfort

Categories

Cleanliness
5.71
Many reviews indicate issues with cleanliness and room conditions, particularly with shared facilities and dangerous areas.
Service
9.68
One review highlighted the staff as friendly and helpful, with a focus on service being a positive aspect.
Location
9.22
Several reviews mentioned the hotel's convenient location, making it easy to explore the area.
Room Quality
6.67
Multiple comments mentioned small and uncomfortable rooms, as well as missing basic amenities like air conditioning.
Amenities
5.7
Reviews stated a lack of amenities such as air conditioning, restaurants, and bars, which were expected.
Value for Money
8.16
Some relevant reviews discussed affordability, providing a good balance of cost vs. experience.
Food and Beverage
6.21
There were mentions of a lack of dining options, impacting overall satisfaction with food and beverage.
Overall Experience
8.68
Despite some negative aspects, several guests enjoyed their stay and would return.
* This sentiment is summarized by AI based on user reviews.
Updated at: 2026-01-10 08:54

Property Description

Luxurious Boutique Inn in San Rafael

Historic Charm and Modern Comforts
Panama Hotel and Suites, nestled between San Francisco and California's Wine Country, offers a unique blend of historic charm and modern comforts. The rooms are elegantly furnished with a flat-screen TV, private balcony, and free WiFi. Guests can enjoy the convenience of room service and relax in air-conditioned rooms with premium amenities.

Culinary Delights and Vibrant Atmosphere
Indulge in a culinary journey at the hotel's restaurant, serving a fusion of Latin American, Mediterranean, and Californian cuisine. The vibrant dining room and tropical patio offer a delightful setting to savor exquisite meals accompanied by live local music. With a bar, terrace, and continental breakfast, every dining experience is a memorable one.

Convenient Location and Nearby Attractions
Conveniently situated near downtown San Rafael, Panama Hotel and Suites provides easy access to a variety of dining, shopping, and entertainment options. Explore the vibrant neighborhood, visit nearby attractions like WildCare and Albert Field, and experience the best of San Rafael during your stay.

Book your stay at Panama Hotel and Suites for a luxurious retreat in San Rafael!

Important information:

Guests are required to show a photo ID and credit card upon check-in. Please note that all Special Requests are subject to availability and additional charges may apply.
Please inform of your expected arrival time in advance. You can use the Special Requests box when booking, or contact the property directly using the contact details in your confirmation.
In the event of an early departure, the property will charge you the full amount for your stay.
This property does not accommodate bachelor(ette) or similar parties.
This property is located in a residential area, and guests are asked to refrain from excessive noise.

Check-in and check-out hours:
Check-out: 11:00 AM

Property Policies

  • Parking

    No parking available.

  • Children and extra bed policy

    Children of any age are allowed.
    You haven't added any cots.
    You haven't added any extra beds.

  • Internet

    WiFi is available in public areas and is free of charge.

  • Pets

    Pets are not allowed.

Location

Guest Reviews

7.5
Based on 276 reviews
Cleanliness: 5.71
Service: 9.68
Location: 9.22
Room Quality: 6.67
Amenities: 5.7
Value for Money: 8.16
Food and Beverage: 6.21
Overall Experience: 8.68
J
Jayson • couple • us
10
2026-04-09 • via Nuitee
B
Bryan • extended_group • us
1
2026-03-21 • via Nuitee
D
Delia • solo_traveller • fr
9
2026-03-21 • via Nuitee
J
Javier • couple • us
1
My night at this hotel went horribly and I will not stay here again.
Pros:

The only good thing I liked was the flexibility of the staff

Cons:

Everything else, the room was not clean at all and full of spider webs, the staff was rude and very “figure it out yourself” type of vibe, there was no parking whatsoever, the floors were so dirty, bathroom was not private and you had to share with another room with random strangers, there was mold in some corners of the room, it overall looked like one of those hookup places where you go in and out. Horrible stay would not recommend.

2026-03-17 • via Nuitee
W
Wadih • couple • us
5
2026-03-17 • via Nuitee
D
D • couple • nl
9
Pros:

Geweldig personeel. Heel vriendelijk en behulpzaam.
Heerlijk balkon. Goede plek.

Cons:

Lucht van de kamer. Waarschijnlijk gerookt. Moet een opknapbeurd.

2026-03-10 • via Nuitee
J
James • couple • us
9
2026-01-29 • via Nuitee
J
John • couple • us
10
Experience San Rafael like a local in a cute victorian home nestled in a residential area.
Pros:

Very casual hotel without staff at night. It is in a residential neighborhood with beautiful trees and big houses.

Cons:

The house is a bit run down and could use coat of paint.

2026-01-25 • via Nuitee
A
Anne • couple • us
10
2026-01-19 • via Nuitee
V
Vladimir • couple • us
3
Pros:

The only good think of this place is good location and we could book late evening.

Cons:

We came to hotel to check in and we were waiting outside about an hour, everything was close. We were calling customer service few times, then some customer share an owner phone number with us, we called him and he helped us.

2026-01-19 • via Nuitee
L
Linda • solo_traveller • us
8
2025-12-05 • via Nuitee
M
Michael • solo_traveller • us
1
Avoid.
Cons:

This place is a total scam, everything in their description is a lie, including having a bathroom en suite and having a restaurant/bar on the premises.

2025-11-28 • via Nuitee
M
Maurice • extended_group • us
10
Great local hotel for friends and family!
Pros:

Great local hotel, we live close by and use it as a kind of annex when we have family and friends in town that we can’t accommodate. Never disappoints!

2025-11-24 • via Nuitee
I
IMiichelle • Family • Oregon Coast, Oregon
2
DO NOT STAY HERE AND DO NOT USE THEIR FLEX PAY IT IS A SCAM!!!!!!
Pros:

THIS HOTEL IS HIDING A SCAM - BEWARE BEFORE YOU BOTHER TO CONSIDER STAYING HERE!!!

WE absolutely do not recommend this hotel on any level. We made a reservation the night before and due to an ADA issue, as well as food poisoning, e could not travel for 4-hours to get here.. We were not able to attend the following morning to our reservation. We called for two hours trying to cancel our room and repeatedly, they refused to help us. Whenever we asked for the room to be cancelled, they hung up on us and we would have to start over again. There is a similar review on their facebook page from someone who said they were charged multiple nights for a cancellation and the policy is one night. We could not find anyone rational to talk to or even remotely nice, we were just shoved into a vortex of hell with these people. I WAS CRYING in the end because we could not get anywhere, just more and more and more rude people. We will be consulting with a lawyer as they literally refused any accommodation or any help due to an ADA issue and even hung up on us saying it did not matter to them if it was ADA related or not.

I WAS TREATED ABUSIVELY BY THE STAFF TAKING CALLS HERE, THEY IGNORED US ON EVERY SINGLE CALL, WE WERE HUNG UP ON ON EVERY CALL AND EVEN AS WE BEGGED FOR HELP, NO ONE WOULD HELP AND STILL REFUSE!!!!!!

Since this matter, I have still been unable to resolve this with this hotel. Not only that, but I recently got a BILL from THEIR FLEX PAY that is somehow attached to their hotel. They have some agreement with FLEX PAY which is UPGRADE - A PREDATORY COMPANY THAT STEALS EXORBITANT AMOUNTS OF MONEY FROM YOU UP FRONT AS IN PREDATORY INTEREST CHARGES!!!!!!

SO GET THIS, I EMAILED THE OWNER, AS SHE HAS ASKED ME TO, SHE HAS NOT REPLIED ONCE.

FLEX PAY OFFERED US A PAYMENT PLAN ON THIS AND DID NOT DISCLOSE HOW MUCH THE INTEREST WOULD BE OR ANYTHING OF THE SORTS.

NOW, HERE IT IS 4 WEEKS LATER AND TURNS OUT, PANAMA HOTEL'S AGREEMENT WITH FLEX PAY, IS UPGRADE AND UPGRADE HAS CHARGED US DOUBLE THE COST OF THE HOTEL!!!!!!!!!!!!!! DOUBLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I HAVE LITERALLY GOTTEN SCAMMED BEYOND BELIEF AND I HAVE NO IDEA WHERE TO TURN OTHER THAN ATTORNEY GENERAL IN CA

THE OWNER HAS NOT REPLIED AND APPARENTLY THIS IS NEVER GOING TO GET FIXED SO HOPEFULLY I CAN SAVE THE REST OF YOU FROM SPENDING A DIME HERE

2025-11-02 • via Tripadvisor
A
Andrew • solo_traveller • us
10
2025-10-31 • via Nuitee
V
Virginie • family_with_children • fr
9
Très bons moments passés sur la terrasse au soleil dans les fauteuils
Pros:

La chaleur des pièces

Cons:

Rien

2025-10-20 • via Nuitee
I
IMiichelle • Business • us
2
HORRIFYINGLY STRESSFUL EXPERIENCE
Pros:

I absolutely do not recommend this hotel on any level. We made a reservation the night before and due to an ADA issue, we were not able to attend the following morning to our reservation. We called for two hours trying to cancel our room and repeatedly, they refused to help us. Whenever we asked for the room to be cancelled, they hung up on us and we would have to start over again. There is a similar review on their facebook page from someone who said they were charged multiple nights for a cancellation and the policy is one night. We could not find anyone rational to talk to or even remotely nice, we were just shoved into a vortex of hell with these people. I WAS CRYING in the end because we could not get anywhere, just more and more and more rude people. We will be consulting with a lawyer as they literally refused any accommodation or any help due to an ADA issue and even hung up on us saying it did not matter to them if it was ADA related or not.

2025-10-14 • via Tripadvisor
D
Daniel
10
Pros:

I will definitely comeback to Panama hotel

2025-10-11 • via Nuitee
J
Jean
10
Pros:

This is a magical place with a really good price. I enjoyed walking into downtown. It is quite, safe and comfortable. Be sure you know that many of the rooms offer shared bathroom and shared kitchen. Also, the stairs are steep and shallow, so it may not be the best choice if you have mobility issues.

2025-10-07 • via Nuitee
B
Bobillot • couple • us
7
2025-10-04 • via Nuitee