Sofitel recently opened the doors to its newest historical luxury hotel, the Sofitel Legend Casco Viejo in Panama City, smack dab in the capital’s old city and a short distance from the Panama Canal.
Officially open since January 2023, the Sofitel Legend Casco Viejo was designed to blend Panamanian culture with Sofitel’s signature French “savoir-faire” spirit. The mixture of French and Panamanian is especially kismet in this instance—not only given the hotel’s walking distance proximity to the French Embassy in Panama’s Old City, but also given France’s role in the history of the Panama Canal, less than an hour drive from the hotel.
In 19th century, the French launched the initial modern engineering effort to construct the Panama Canal, but failed largely due to onsite deaths, primarily due to Yellow Fever. The U.S. launched the second—and subsequently successful—effort to complete the Canal in 1914, incidentally opening to little fanfare on the same day as the start of World War I.
The Casco Viejo location is the sixth property under Sofitel’s exclusive “Legend” brand. (The five existing properties are the Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi in Vietnam; the Sofitel Legend Old Cataract in Aswan, Egypt; the Sofitel Legend People’s Grand Xian in China; the Sofitel Legend The Grand in Amsterdam; and the Sofitel Legend Santa Clara in Cartagena, Colombia.) Sofitel Legend hotels are meant to entice worldly travelers who are drawn to sites of grandeur for their storied pasts, architectural beauty, sweeping vistas, and enchanting ambience.
Sites for Legend properties have to meet a few requirements, starting with the building used for the new hotel must be at least 100 years old and located within historical and culturally-rich destinations. But upon opening, each property is renovated and upgrade to offer both a timeless and elegant experience, delivering lavish amenities and modern comforts expected of a five-star property, including fine dining restaurants, state-of-the-art fitness centers (open 24 hours per day), sensual and relaxing spas (featuring KOS Paris skincare and wellness products), glittering swimming pools, and impeccable service from check-in to check-out.
Nestled on an waterfront enclave in Casco Viejo (“Old Quarter” in English), all of the suites have sweeping views, whether of the Pacific Ocean, the old city, or Panama’s glittering and seemingly never-ending skyline of white skyscrapers. The original structure was built in 1917, originally serving as the home of Club Unión, an exclusive social club in the 20th century, the building welcomed some of the most notable names of the century, including Queen Elizabeth II and Albert Einstein. In 1968, it became the Officers’ Club until the end of the Noriega dictatorship in 1989.
All of the hotel’s 159 guest rooms and 35 suites are in two buildings that surround several social spaces, including the oceanfront pool, the all-day dining restaurant Caleta, a cocktail bar, and the lobby, featuring an intricate, hand-painted mural on tiles detailing the history of the Panama Canal.
Many of the rooms and suites offer balconies, ideal for watching the sunrise with a French press (with coffee from Vera, the onsite café downstairs), or sunset with a glass of champagne. And being a Sofitel property, all of the beds have Sofitel’s proprietary luxury bedding for an extra comfortable experience.
While comfort and relaxation are paramount at Sofitel Legend properties—designed to be destinations in their own right—the food and beverage program is also a top priority.
The hotel has five dining sites: Caleta (a Mediterranean-inspired brasserie), Mayda (the lobby bar and plaza—ideal for socializing any time of day, having a cocktail at happy hour, or even working remotely), Vera Café (a Parisian-inspired patisserie and coffee shop, offering favorite to-go items with delightful twists, such as pistachio croissants and zingy lemonade), the pool bar (which offers healthy snacks and bowls, fresh juices and smoothies, and tropical cocktails and beers during the day), and Ammi (the soon-to-open rooftop bar and restaurant with al fresco dining and live music). Room service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The hotel is also developing a secret speakeasy that could soon open on a reservations-only basis.
Since opening, the Sofitel Legend Casco Viejo has been booking out its corporate event calendar (as well as weddings on weekends). The hotel has 9,880 square feet of indoor and outdoor function space, with marble floors, bespoke woodwork, and spherical chandeliers, fostering an elegant and sophisticated ambiance. There are also three additional meeting and board rooms for private gatherings for up to 60 guests.
Sofitel managers also note that Legend hotels aim to build relationships in the community by promoting sustainable social and economic development and supporting local ecosystems. At the Casco Viejo site, Sofitel is collaborating with various organizations supporting the indigenous population as well as providing mentorship and coaching opportunities to local women business owners.
Rates for the Sofitel Legend Casco Viejo start at $369 per night for an ocean view room.