FAQ
The Balboa Inn
Your home in Panama
Frequently asked questions
Are there any services/stores near your inn
Within walking distance (5 minutes) you will find a small supermarket, a post office, 3 banks, 4 restaurants (one Niko's Café = lots of variety, low price, breakfast, lunch, dinner), a mini-mart, a navigation chart store, a diving school, a huge artican market, 4 ATM's, the police station and the busstop (1 minute walk from our Inn).
What kind of Internet service to you offer?
We have 1 computer available for guests during day time and 2 in the evening. There's also a wireless network. If you bring your laptop and it has a WiFi card in it, you'll be able to surf right away, in your room or in our common area and garden patio. And yes, this service is free and reasonably fast (about 1.5 MB ADSL).
Do you offer airport pickup and transfer to the Balboa Inn?
Yes we do and we recommend it as not all taxi drivers know our location. Not only that: they are also geographically challenged to say the least. Play safe, get peace of mind and let us arrange your airport pickup and transfer. It's worth the extra $ 2-3.
If you come with a rental car from Tocumen Intn'l airport, PLEASE visit our 'location' page and print the info related to this topic. If your rental car has a GPS, the Balboa Inn is listed (!) in the accommodation section but still, please print our special Tocumen instructions.
Can we bring our kids?
Absolutely. Our yard is ideal for them and we can provide nanny service ($ 5 an hour) if you have to run an errand or just want to spend a part of the day alone. And please note all our showers and faucets have a kid-friendly hot-water safety feature so they can't get burned by hot water. And there's soooooo much to see for kids in Panama!
Which one-day tours to you recommend in and around Panama city?
Panama Canal's Miraflores locks, Embera Indian village, Toboga Island tour, Casco Viejo guided tour, Panama City day tour including shopping at Albrook Mall, helicopter tour, Cerro Ancon and 'Mi Pueblito' (open air museum). Or fishing at Gatun lake and a visit to Ft. Lorenzo at the Chagres river entrance. Check out our 'what to do' page.
How safe is Panama
As safe as any big city: there are well defined places you want to avoid but all the popular places are very safe. Panama's tourism board is taking the safety of traveler's seriously. Compared to other nearby countries, you'll see a lot less bars, barbed wire and similar sign of citizen's lack of trust in law enforcement effectiveness.
What about bringing our pet?
The Balboa Inn is a pet-friendly B&B. But please cooperate to keep it that way. Needless to say we only accept well-behaved pets. The well-being of our other guests takes priority at any time. If your pet creates any problems that affect the well-being of other guests, we reserve the right to require you to leave. We reserve the right to deny entry to pets we feel will cause incompliance with our pet policy. If unsure, please inquire.
Please don't let your pet sleep on the bed. To cover extra cleaning expenses, we do charge a USD 10 a day per room pet cleaning fee with a maximum of USD 30 per week.
Pets should not be left alone in a room unless they are kept in a cage. Any pet-related damages will incur in extra charges.
Should I drive a car in Panama?
It's not for the faint hearted but actually, statistically, our traffic safety record is better than that of the US. Hard to believe? No. We have less highways (where most fatalities take place), no 18-wheelers (that kill basically anything that comes in their way) and kids can't drive cars here until they are 18 and even then, very few have money to buy one. Having said that, keep in mind that pedestrians in the busy city center are generally seen big game and the bus drivers are totally crazy. Never assume a bus will stop for you. So, to answer the question: yes, you can rent a car in Panama.
I want to buy real estate in Panama: what do you recommend?
Uhh, we're not in the real estate business but the newspapers are full of ads and we can give you some advice on what represents value and what is an over-hyped projects. Right now (February 09) we recommend you wait until you seem some bargains. At any case, we STRONGLY recommend you rent something for 3-6 months and live in Panama before you buy anything.
I want to retire in Panama
Great! Good idea. But like we said, first stay here for a month or 3-6 to get a taste of it. It's not paradise (which place is) and it is a developing country. There are many pluses but also stuff you have to put up with. Not everybody can handle 3rd world annoyances.
What about health(care) in Panama
Excellent. First class service is available and cheap. When our twins where born, all cost, including hospital expenses, specialist care, the whole chebang, the bill was under $ 5000. When our daughter had a problem with dihydration once, we took her to a well known private clinic on Sunday. The was taken care of over a 3 hour period, including infuse. Total bill: $ 128. A check of our son who had a nasty caugh at a nearby (private) clinic? $ 20. Pharmacies (open 24/7) sell almost anything over the counter and it's a lot cheaper here and in the US.
What about refunds/no shows? I got sick, missed my flight, etc. etc.
While we sympathize with any health problems you may run into, delayed flights or other problems that keep you from showing up at the Balboa Inn, please remember we are a relatively small inn. Cancellations do affect us greatly (one room represents 14% of our capacity) and we regularly have to turn away people. So make sure you read our cancellation policy. Cancellations less than 15 days before the scheduled arrival date will result in the full charge of your stay. Booking a room means you agree with this policy. To read our reservation and cancellation policy and other fine print, click here.
Of course, if we can (partly) re-book the room we will refund the corresponding portion.
So, are there any reason I should not go to Panama?
Absolutely! There's the pain and sense of loss when you have to go home again, mostly related to the getting used to warm weather and sunny skies. We should also warn you of the risk of minor strokes when you just had a first class steak, drinks and coffee at a fine restaurante and the bill is still under $ 15. The same risk exists when you just took a taxi, got stuck in traffic and when you arrive after 30 minutes, the charge is still $ 3. Right now, we can't think of anything else but maybe you want to help us out?
for ultimate convenience or contact us if you have questions.
__________________ Phones: (507) 314-1520 / 6618-4414 ____________________
last update: January 20, 2010