Grand Decameron Panama A Trademark Ai Rst

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly We stayed there for 2 weeks in December 2025 Reception: disappointing. Our flight was 1 h late. Got there at 4:30 pm and the room wasn't ready. Were sent to walk around for another hour before we got the key. Didn't receive a map or information about the resort, as restaurant open hours, for instance. We figured it all out during our stay. Room: decent size 2 double beds plus a sofa, small bathroom. Our room was clean, no problems. We got enough soap, shampoo and conditioner. Some nights the water was turned off. Problems with getting towels every day. It took us 3 days until we got all necessary towels, every day had to call reception about it. After that, we just gave up on calling reception and some days used the beach towels after showering. No umbrella, iron or coffee maker. There is only a small fridge that is empty. Nothing in it. Will get one water bottle daily. Resort: big and stunningly beautiful. The first owner did a great job designing it. Unfortunatelly, it changed owners about 18 months ago. Many villas, many of them provide ocean view rooms. 4 big pools and 2 small ones. 2 water slides in not so great condition. Some people got scratches on their backs. Entertainment: not great. During the day, in the mornings, is mostly stretching, yoga and aqua fit. In the afternoon, the only thing I saw was dance lessons between 4 pm and almost 5 p.m. At night, it starts at 9:30 and, as others mentioned, it's mostly in Spanish, and the focus is on dancing. On the beach, there are 2 movie showings, one at 7 pm (cartoons) and one at 9 pm. There is also popcorn available. Nice activity, specially for families with kids. There is no beach volleyball. In 25 years of travel, this was the first time we encountered this. Beach towels sometimes were not available for change at the end of the day. Food ans service: This were HUGE problems. Many reviews mention this but they don't give any details. I will. Please see attached pictures. First of all, there are 3 big buffets. They all serve exactly the same menu at all 3 meals. Tables are not set and there are no table cloths, not even for dinner. You pick your own cutlery, napkins, etc and sit at a clean table, if you can find one. If not, you use a napkin and clean one for yourself. That was the case even for Christmas dinner and New Year's! Breakfast: the best meal of the day because it has eggs(boiled, scrambled, omelets, fried). Otherwise, very poor. Rice, some boiled tomatoes and/or zucchini, beans, or other vegetables I don't know (see pictures). Some mornings, there was a protein dish: porc ribs they called it, chicken wings. It happened only 3 times during our stay. Leftovers were warmed-up on the grill and served at lunch as one of the dishes. Other items: cereals, cold cuts (2 types) and cheese(2 types), fruits, french toast and waffles. Leftover waffles sprinkled with some chocolate syrup became part of the dessert offering at lunch every day. Lunch: 2 types or rice (white and another color), the leftovers from breakfast, whatever there was (not only the protein), 2 soups (the best were chicken and beef tail, but they weren't available every day). Also the same boiled vegetables and another stew with mostly bones in it (see pictures). Usually there were some roasted porc and chicken cold and very dry dishes. Some very sad looking hamburgers and hot dogs (available all day). The hot dogs were a dish in the morning, at lunch and at dinner cut differently but the same. Rice pudding and leftovers from breakfast, fruits. The fruits were average. Watermelon and melon without any taste. Pineapple and papaya were generally good. Pineapple was the most popular among tourists, so when it finished, it wasn't replenished. Dinner: 2 soups, 2types of rice (white and a different colour than the one at lunch), hotdogs called sausages, beans, maybe fish some days, and other local vegetables. On the grill, the leftover chicken or porc from lunch being warmed up and getting dryer, if that was even possible. A couple of nights there was some fresh beef being grilled on the spot. For a couple of nights, besides the cold cuts and cheeses (same as in the morning and lunch), there was a small plateau with smoked salmon that finished in less than 10 minutes. It wasn't replenished. Another couple of dinners there was some prosciutto. Same story. Once gone, it wasn't replenished. Desserts: same rice pudding and fruits as always, and a few more biscuits (see pictures). A la carte restaurants: there are 7, one being closed every night. We didn't like the menu because some dishes were the same as the buffet. However, some other tourists liked some of them. The only good one was the steakhouse but it is almost impossible to get a reservation. Interestingly enough, they have an app for reservations but it doesn't work. So you have to go at 7 am to the lobby bar. There is a long line and order numbers, and you might be there for an hour or so. When your turn finally comes, you will either not be able to get a reservation at all, or you will get one at 9 pm. I tried twice. The first time, I was there at 7 am, got number 12, and at 7:40 am , when my turn came, I got a reservations at 8:30 pm. The second time, I was there at 6:30 am and got number 22, which I gave up and left for the day. I decided that this was a game I didn't want to play. In conclusion, the resort is beautiful and has a lot of potential, but the interest seems to be only on getting as much money as possible with at least service they can get away with. When I went to talk to the management about what a 4 star resort should be (because that what we were sold) they told me that this is not a star rated resort. This absolutely explains the quality of food, the lack of service and the empty fridge. See attached, the response from the management: [Details]

Will not be returning. Front desk at lobby two was terrible. [Details]

Resort had poor service because mainly most staff did not know english and some didnt understand english even at positions such as reception. Found many staff rude. Have travelled to over 20 resorts and this is the only one I would not return to [Details]

This was our 1st visit to Panama and Grand Decameron. It was very good. We had a great experience. The food was very good and so plentiful. Choice of 7 a la carte and buffets too.
Very clean and spacious resort. Awesome pools and grounds and beach. So handy to airport. [Details]

Hot weather, limited pool bar options. Staff can't speak English. Decent value. [Details]

Resort was very nice, lots of walking up and down hills. The staff was very friendly and helpful. [Details]

It was, ok at best. [Details]

We booked the Royal Decameron on short notice. We're so glad we picked this location. The resort is enormous..plenty of great places to dine! The view of the Pacific Ocean from our room was awesome..watching the sunrise each morning.
The resort is well maintained. The staff are friendly and courteous.
Our room, not glamorous, but comfortable enough.
We definitely want to come back again soon! [Details]

Overall very good it is as advertised 4* [Details]

We will never return [Details]

Great beach…it was huge…never felt crowded on it…that didn't include the pools …which drew several underdogs more people…they seemed more crowded than the beach…

The food i a few words was….aweful, repetitive and lacking in any creative output or design…
I know it's not a huge country and you are there for the heat and beach…but daily you knew if you missed something a breakfast you would see a portion of it repeated at lunch…
Terrible beef…and it's a joke to call what ever it is a steak…that's to be expected though..steak not their forte in Central America…we experienced the the same thing in Columbia
Have to go see my dentist to make sure I haven't worn down my teeth…
Staff was friendly, but we experienced a problem just like Columbia…very few staff speak English…and show no desire to change..
I realize I'm going to s foreign country and I should try to adapt…which I do…but if I'm paying Canadian or American $ for a trip to an isolated resort…the staff should at least speak English…this is not a first world problem or a racist rant about foreign language…but it is a question of getting value for the $ I paid to go go to any resort…
I don't drink, but my wife said the booze tasted weak…similar to being watered down…
Again, the food left a lot to be desired… [Details]

The room was a little date but overall very clean. We did not pay for an ocean view but still got an ocean view - we could see the ocean from our balcony and it was beautiful. Wifi in rooms was poor but very good in the lobbies. The resort was situated on rolling hills - lots of walking/hills/climbing stairs. Although this was okay for my partner and I, it is not ideal for older folks and people with mobility / health challenges. Food was excellent although spaces in restaurants would fill up quick making it difficult to make reservations. 4/5 pools close at 5pm and one stays open until 8pm. Wish there was 24hr swimming in pool(s) - visitors 18 should be allowed to swim at own risk if they are unable to hire a nighttime lifeguard. Would visit again. [Details]

Great resort...this place is big..grounds well kept...food was great every day in every restaurant. [Details]

My wife and I had a great time at this resort! It is quite large so there are lots of bar/swimming areas to choose from. Plenty of entertainment at night and the food was good! Rooms were spacious and clean. Overall a good experience. [Details]

My boyfriend and I went to The royal Decameron, panama from December 26 2019 until January 2nd 2020. And we had an absolute blast there! The staff are all fantastic, the place was beautiful, and the food was excellent! If you are okay with walking around a bit, this place is probably for you. There are 3 lobbies across the resort, multiple pools scattered across the resort, and many restaurants as well. This allowed us to stay in one area if we wished, without having to walk across the resort to get to something we needed. The ocean was warm and beautiful. There were many excursion options, which we were very happy about! And we had a fantastic New Year's Eve experience here! The staff worked extremely hard to put together a fun filled evening for both children and adults. We would both 100% recommend this place to both families and young adults who are traveling. [Details]

Love the resort, second time coming. Our building, 17, needs a repair of parts of the roof siding it was broken in parts and would make huge noise during the afternoon high winds back in the room. [Details]

This resort has several steep hills & lots of stairs. Be prepared to do lots of climbing & walking! This resort is not ideal for anyone with mobility issues or breathing issues. However, there is a shuttle service within the resort, which makes it a bit easier to get around.

The food at the restaurants is good but it feels as though things have been scaled back in order to cut corners. For example, there is no actual steak at the steakhouse. The buffets do offer quite a bit of selection of food but be prepared to arrive well before the buffet time ends because staff start to pull leftover food at least half an hour ahead of time and selection drastically dwindles.

Make sure to check channel 76 every morning for hotel events and open buffets.

Some staff are able to speak a bit of English but many staff are unable to do so & communication can be an issue at times as a result. Knowing basic Spanish words helps! Perhaps bring along Spanish to English dictionary.

Bring along your own towels from home because it can be very difficult to get a beach towel. Also, no face cloths are provided in the rooms or hand towels, so it helps to bring those from home as well. We are a family of 4 who stayed in the same room but cleaning staff only gave us 2 bath towels for the entire trip. On our first night there, we had no shampoo at all but luckily we brought a tiny bottle of it from home.

Some rooms are better equipped and maintained than others. Our first room had barely working air conditioning but the room we were moved to had a newer a/c unit.

Guests are only provided with 1 room key. If you want a second key, it is a $15 deposit.

The pools and grounds are very well maintained. There are many loungers throughout the pool and beach areas, so you will never have a problem getting one. Although, the resort could you some more upright chairs in these areas. [Details]

We arrived and the room we were assigned had no toilet paper or towels or lights and the cups were dirty. I ran after the maid and she gave me the towels and toilet paper. The next day we woke up to a bathroom with over 50 ants. I went to the lobby 4 times and they did nothing until I contacted the travel agent. That is when they changed us room - 3days later. Have been going here for 4 years and will not be going back. Beach is not cleaned up - horse poo and cups littered around. Lacking of yard maintenance. [Details]

We found this hotel adequate for our vacation. We had some issues with the air conditioner in our room. We called for service three separate days, then it would run for a day or less and turn off. We could turn it on again but it would not stay on long. This did get fixed the third time we called for service. Three buffet restaurants but on several days at least one was closed for a meal or 2 were closed. Food was adequate. The pools were nice but some of them were closed for maintenance for more than one day. [Details]

We enjoyed our first trip to Panama, loved the weather - always very warm. Clean hotel, fewer amenities than we expected but we weren't too disappointed. We found the food only average, had expected more and there was always one restaurant and pool closed which made planning the day a nuisance. Local shopping for souvenirs and gifts isn't close, have to go to Panama city which is 2 hours away. Close to the airport which is nice. Mostly friendly staff, bellboys wanted us to carry our bags then wanted a tip - but the others were very nice. [Details]

After visiting Royal Decameron three years ago I chose to return this winter because I remembered such a positive experience. I was not disappointed. Although the hotel itself has signs of wear and tear (rooms slightly dated, dresser drawers wobbly) the resort itself is fantastic. The public areas are well maintained, the staff are friendly and efficient and the location and the weather are perfect. Large variety of restaurants with great selection of very fresh, healthy and delicious food. There's a wide choice of bars and pools so you can choose to be in a quiet area, or in the middle of all the action. The resort is large enough to get good exercise simply walking around the shaded pathways, climbing the numerous stairs and hills. The beach is also a long beautiful stretch to walk and felt very safe even off the resort. I will certainly return again! [Details]

Nice pools, clean & well maintained room & grounds. No issues with staff.
We like to experience local foods but we found most of the food was bland and simple. Forget about deserts, they are well presented but cheap in quality. A la carte restaurants had very little on the menu and for the most part we did find something we liked. Resort is on a hillside, therefore, lots of stairs.....
Rating:
A la carte = 7/10
Grounds & pools = 9/10
Overall food = 6/10
Room & A/C = 9/10 (Basic room, but clean & comfy)
Check in = 10/10 (Fast & easy). I wish other resorts would learn something from this. [Details]

Overall a great vacation in Panama. Weather was HOT. Check in was very smooth. Hotel is very close to the airport. WARNING.....Hotel is located on a huge hill so anyone with mobility issues or young children should request a "beach level" room. Rooms are practical and clean. Pools and grounds nicely maintained. Resort is large which allows for nice evening walks. The beach is wide and also well maintained. Watch for jellyfish though. They post red, yellow, green or white flags along the beach as warnings to swimmers, which they review during the orientation session. The bartenders at the pool bar for the most part did an outstanding job! While there we visited the market in Anton Valley. The market is not huge and is about a 45 min drive from the hotel. We had better luck and prices buying from the beach vendors who were extremely friendly! The food at the buffet restaurants was really bad. We have traveled to 17 All Inclusive Resorts and this ties last place with a resort we stayed at in St. Maarten. The bread, omelette and pasta stations saved us. By day 3 our son was making rice sandwiches to fill himself up. Some of the employees are EXTREMELY rude (NOT ALL, BUT SOME). They had an employee telling guests that the Atlantis Buffet Restaurant was closed and would re-direct you to the buffet restaurant up the hill, when in fact the Atlantis was open and NOT FULL. This happened EVERY day for NO APPARENT reason. Spanish speaking guests were not re-directed so we ended up just following suit and would eat at the Atlantis anyways since it was closer to our room. [Details]

Staff are very friendly, warm and attentive. Very big resort, spread out across almost a kilometre of beach with many pools and activities. The food was really good with lots of variety at the buffets and the a la carte restaurants. Lattes and cappuccinos were excellent, especially at the Lobby Bar! While this is an older hotel with real keys to rooms, the hotel is well maintained and everything is very clean, including the grounds.
There is lots of walking along elevations since the hotel is built along a hill. Steps or paved paths connect all the levels. The hotel has multiple shuttle vans that would move guests between locations on the resort, so mobility restricted or tired guests had the option to get a ride!
Sports equipment was good quality, including good tennis balls! [Details]

We traveled to the Decameron the first week in Dec and our family included 2 boys (age 8 & 10), 1 grandparent (over 70) and 2 fortysomethings. The resort had something for everyone. There are 2 movies every night on the beach with popcorn provided. 1 kid movie (minions / boss baby / beauty and the beast etc) and 1 adult movie. We watching Wonder Woman & the latest Fast and the Furious. Food was quite good, tons of salad and fresh fruit - but limited vegetables, dessert lacked.
Panama City is 1.5 hour to 2 away for a city tour (canal is on the way). Anton Valley is about an hour away with rainforest, waterfall, ziplining etc.
We had beachfront rooms and were very thankful we didnt have to climb all the hills each time we wanted to go back to the room.
We flew in and out of Rio Hato airport - it is about a 10 minute drive away from the resort. Small airport so airport noise was very limited (I think less than 1 airliner/day).
Overall trip was thoroughly enjoyed by all age groups in our party. [Details]

Loved it. Fun and relaxing! [Details]

Low quality services and multiple strange " internal rules" applied to Canadian tourists . No activities or party on Easter days. Bad food . 70% local tourists ( Spanish) very noisy and rude. A weak and disoriented management trying to bring....any kind of tourists even for a weekend. Not recommended for Canadian tourists . [Details]

Just what you would expect for a 3 star hotel. Management tried but they had to few staff that spoke English or even tried to be pleasant to English speaking guests. Resort is old and outdated but is well maintained. Did not make sense to pre book for buffets and only added to the frustrations. [Details]

Enjoyed our stay at the Royal Decameron. The grounds and the pools are exceptional and the staff were professional but difficult to communicate with as there is very little English. The major weak spot is the food. It is extremely bland for a warm climate and is very repetitive no matter what restaurant you go to. The Sushi venue was a nice setting but awful food and neither of us could eat anything. The tour to the canal and old Panama was excellent and very good value. [Details]

Very good time .nice location, 10 minutes to the airport .God food [Details]