Real Guest Experiences
See what guests love about their stay at
Bluff Beach Retreat
If I could, I would give it six stars! This retreat is a wonderful gem.The view of the sea through a flowering garden and palm trees is like paradise.Watching hummingbirds on the hibiscus flowers right next to your own terrace is a special experience.The monkeys and sloths that exist on the property can be seen directly in the trees and can sometimes be heard loudly 😂.The kilometer-long white sandy beach right outside the door is incredibly beautiful. Martin and his team gave us the warmest welcome.We had a wonderful time!!!
K shavu
My five girlfriends and I were very pleased with our choice to stay at the Bluff Beach Retreat. We spent 6 nights and we were sad to leave. Karen and Steve were lovely hosts, very helpful with booking tours, taxis, restaurant suggestions etc. Nina, their dog was the sweetest girl. Loved when she came up to visit us on our large covered porch.
We loved La Playa Casita, our three bedroom house just steps from the main house and pool. Perfect private accommodations. The house is brand new, each bedroom with its own bathroom. We were a little worried about sleeping with no AC when we arrived. It was SO hot at 9pm at night but once the ceiling fans got going it was perfect. Kitchen was well stocked for us prior to arrival with drinks and snacks, however budget wise, for drinks in particular you're much better off to stop enroute to BBR at a grocery store to stock up with your own wine and beer etc. Each bedroom has its own safe for locking valuables. We rarely locked our door so it was nice to have that added security for passports,cash etc. The pool is great for cooling off, swimming laps and lounging around.
The road from the main town of Bocas to the retreat is a bumpy one but the taxis are great. We loved riding the bikes down to pachi point and watching the surfers. Had a wonderful lunch at the little restaurant there. We also loved the short stroll or bike ride down to the beach bar at Island Plantation. Absolutely the best pizza! Great service, beach chairs, drinks etc. The Oasis restaurant next door was amazing as well. We had a dinner and a lunch there, loved them both. Great gin and tonics and the best bocas lime pie!!
Lastly, the breakfasts served at BBR were wonderful and varied each day including fresh fruit, eggs, bacon, pancakes, smoothies, homemade coconut granola (you should sell that stuff!) and of course great Panamanian coffee. The girls in the kitchen were wonderful, very sweet and hard working. They also cleaned our house daily and did an amazing job. Hope to return someday!
We just returned from a week long yoga retreat and it was FANTASTIC! This place is truly magical and I cannot recommend it enough. There are monkeys and sloths everywhere, the food was amazing, the facilities are beautiful and well kept. Augusto and Nicole were amazing. An easy 5 star review!
A fantastically beautiful and relaxing experience. Our hosts, the staff and the entire estate were all top-notch. The gorgeous architecture of the inn, the custom lap pool and surrounding pool deck made for a perfect stay. Our room, with a walk-in closet, and the en-suite bath were both huge and spotless. Almost any activity can be arranged through them, and there are at least 3-4 good restaurants within a very short walk. You can't go wrong staying here.
Our paradise in Panama ! Wild, gorgeous, isolated, and an excellent service from Augustino and the team. Cherry on the cake : perfect and uncrowded waves in front of the resort. Hope we will come back
Stunningly beautiful location, incredibly kind staff, and wonderful experience. The rooms are beautiful and impeccably clean, with incredible views. The nature around you is surreal. There is a permaculture jungle with natural food sources, monkeys, sloths and birds. HIGHLY recommend!
Definitely the best accommodation on bluff beach. The service is excellent , the rooms are as magnificent as the view from the main house or the swilling pool.
Morning breakfast is nothing short of spectacular, but what makes this place special is the people that welcome you there. Ron, the owner , does an excellent good job in making sure us, the guests enjoy a flawless stay. Karen and Steve are always willing to share THEIR abundant knowledge about their years living and traveling in the archipelago. This place feels like home after just a few hours, and the beach ( that's right in front of the property ) is very hard to say goodbye to when leaving to get back home.
I just got back from a fantastic Panama Vacation! The 4 day stay at Bluff Beach Resort could not have been any more enjoyable! My girlfriend and I stayed 2 nights in the secluded Las Palmas Casita and 2 nights in the main beach house Las Olas master bedroom. If you prefer to be a little isolated away from the main house, then Las Palmas is the way to go. There is no AC in any of the rooms but you really don’t need it with the nice ocean breezes and fans. The sounds of the jungle mixed with the waves crashing on the shore were just surreal. The property is gorgeous and fits so naturally in the surroundings. I especially love the how the paths were lit during the night. It gave such a magical walk through the tropical vegetation. A beautiful, quiet beach is just steps away from the front of the property. On the way back from the beach, I showered outside and took a dip it their fantastic pool then sipped cool drinks with fresh limes from their farm under the thatched umbrellas.
We also took an afternoon ride on the horses that were available. The horses were beautiful and well behaved. The guide was very considerate of my girlfriend who had never ridden a horse. We stopped for a refreshing dip at a beautiful secluded spot on the far side of the island. On the way back our guide even pointed out a monkey in a tree that we would have never seen!
The inn keepers, Steve and Karen, really made a huge impression on me. I have stayed at other B&B in the past but Steve and Karen stand out as the best! I felt more like family than a guest. They went above and beyond hospitality by picking us up at the airport, taking us shopping, arranging local tours and taxis, and offering rides when going into town. They were always willing to share their abundant knowledge of the area with stories that entertain as well as inform. Steve even got up in the middle of the night to help a stranded Taxi driver that was stuck in the sand on the only road on our side of the island. I was also very impressed with how respectful they spoke and interacted with the local workers, who did not speak English. You can tell how everyone loved their jobs by how clean and well maintained the property is. Needless to say, they are just wonderful people that will make sure you enjoy this beautiful place.
Bluff Beach Retreat is not easy to get to, but is totally worth the effort! It is located right across a dirt road from a beautiful beach. From our casita we could hear the crashing waves all night long! Every day we saw capuchin monkeys jumping through the trees and enjoying the papaya. We saw sloths, parakeets and howler monkeys as well. The setting is gorgeous and the casita we stayed in was lovely - clean, modern and very comfortable.
We had all our meals there and they were fantastic! every meal was expertly prepared and delicious.
Augusto was wonderful at arranging our excursions (snorkeling, a trip to starfish beach and a catamaran sail at sunset). He was available for all questions and took care of all our needs. They also have horses for horse back riding, and arrange other excursions such as jungle hikes and visits to cacao farms.
Great vacation destination. Excellent private property where you can enjoy the tranquility of home and the force of nature with just about fifty meters away from the beach, Bluff Retreat is a complex that has everything to spend some incredible days.
Special mention for Anita and her girls with the fabulous breakfasts every day and also a big shout out to Augusto, who from the beginning was always willing to help us with everything and explain to us in detail how the archipelago works and what we should do to enjoy it.
Without a doubt it must be repeated.
10/10
Rooms: The house we rented was a luxury. Every morning they go over the rooms, bathroom and kitchen.
Safety: Bocas in general is very quiet and safe. You don't have to distrust people, or be afraid, village life, calm and relaxed