Panamonte Inn, Boquete, Panama

Panamonte Inn is located in Boquete, a cute little town in the highlands of Panama, about 2 hours from Cala Mia (by boat and car transfer) or 40 minutes from David airport. Boquete enjoys a great micro climate and temperatures are always mild, comparable to what we have here in LA. It is a mountain climate, so rain is to be expected in the afternoon.

What a precious property! The combination of a turn of the century charm with newly renovated bedrooms (king beds, flat screen TV’s, WiFi around property, large bathrooms, you name it) is brought up to perfection. And what makes this property even more special are the owners, Inga Collins and her son Charlie Collins. Their life story is worth reviewing – it is so unique.

In a couple of words – Inga was born in Panama from Swedish parents (her father was a sailor). She passed on her love of cooking to her son Charlie who is now the assigned chef for the President(s) of Panama. He has cooked for celebrities like George W., Sean Connery, etc.

Charlie and Inga love to meet with their guests and share stories. It is possible to arrange lunch with Inga for your clients, and/or private cooking classes with Charlie. We did experience a cooking class at Charlie’s home, it was great.

Obviously the restaurant at Panamonte offers superb cuisine (I strongly recommend the trout). The playground around Boquete is amazing: bird watching hikes, treks through the rainforest in the Baru Volcano National Park, water rafting, golf (yes there is a golf course), canopy rides, coffee tours (we learned so much about coffee! I’ll never drink coffee the same way again!). And at the end of a busy day you can relax at the Panamonte Inn Spa and enjoy one of its fireplaces.