The Westin Playa Bonita Panama

The practical experience is more uneven than the Westin name suggests. Rooms are genuinely good, and the three ocean-facing infinity pools plus a kids' pool are clean and well run. Dining covers more ground than people expect: Tierra y Fuego for steak, Asiana for curries and sushi, Starfish Grill for Panamanian dishes, the Pacifica buffet, Oregano Italian Deli and La Micaela coffee shop, with the Tidal swim-up bar, the Bamboo pool bar, the Oasis lobby bar and Soleo Sports Bar for karaoke at night. The beach is the catch. It is a long stretch of shelly sand, but Panama's large Pacific tides make swimming hit or miss, so most guests treat it as scenery and swim in the pools. Food quality and service speed draw mixed reviews, and since Marriott publishes no inclusion list for its all-inclusive rates, check what yours covers.

It is the right call for Marriott loyalists, travelers using Panama as a stopover, and couples or families who want pool time alongside serious sightseeing. It is the wrong pick if you want powdery Caribbean sand and water you can wade into at any hour. For day trips, the Miraflores Locks visitor center is the essential Canal stop, Casco Viejo has colonial streets and cocktail bars, the Biomuseo sits on the Amador Causeway, and the mountain town of El Valle de Anton makes a good full-day excursion.