(Trinidad and Tobago Newsday) Recently I was invited to visit Panama courtesy Copa Airlines and the Royal Decameron Golf and Beach Resort in Panama. I had never heard about the chain “Decameron Hotels”, so it certainly was going to be a completely new experience. And I wasn’t disappointed. Caribbean people would be familiar with names like, Marriott, Radisson, Hyatt, Hilton, Sheraton and Double Tree, all leaders in the hospitality industry. Decameron however, is part of a renowned chain of all-inclusive hotels throughout Central and South America.
Life aboard COPA was pleasurable, especially when you have the privilege of sitting up front. The service was excellent and the inflight persons very personable and helpful.
Tocumen International Airport was as busy as any hub, truly a beehive of activity with travellers hustling every which way as they sought their connections to anywhere in South and Central America and even the northern Caribbean.
Royal Decameron is 90 minutes from Tocumen, located in Playa Blanca in the district of Farallon, a region that is famous for its pleasant microclimate (the sun shines more here than in anywhere else in the country) boasts the brochure, as well as its beautiful landscape and ecological attributes.
Driver Oriel Pillici got us safely to the resort close to midnight, which restricted the enjoyment of its physical attributes, but the restaurants and bars were still open and the action was flowing with a show in progress at the amphitheatre and to the hundreds of guests in the audience, time obviously was of no consequence.
In addition to its tourist clientele, Royal Decameron attracts a large percentage of local business throughout the year, so it’s not surprising while walking the expansive grounds to see scores of families utilising the many facilities the resort offers and it certainly reveals the true spirit of Panamanians as a people who know how to enjoy their family vacations.
Strolling around, I was amazed to observe the great care that is obviously put in to keep the grounds so well cultured and allow guests to appreciate the lush landscape, dotted with exotic flowers and shrubs, which completed the ambience of the property.
It was as though there were pools everywhere with adults and children having great fun splashing and swimming.
Actually there are nine of them, one “adults only” pool and three whirlpools. And mere feet away the calm waters of the powerful Pacific Ocean broke almost silently unto an almost flawless beach, beckoning swimmers and even non swimmers, to enter and enjoy its placid waters, an invitation I refused to pass up. Having enjoyed the waters of the mighty Atlantic, the Caribbean Sea, the Aegean and Meditteranean, I just had to test the placid waters gently lapping over more than two kilometres of a dazzling white sand beach.
Royal Decameron Golf and Beach Resort boasts 852 fully air-conditioned rooms set in tropical style, each with either two full size beds or one king size bed and a sofa, satellite television and a bathroom and toilet.
Guests cannot ever go hungry at Royal Decameron. There are just so many places to get something to eat almost 24 hours a day. There are eight specialty restaurants and two night theme buffet restaurants; four snack grills and two pizzerias.
As for watering holes, drinkers have a choice of three beach bars, four pool bars, three lobby bars and a single sports bar and if things get too groggy – you’re guaranteed safe transportation to your room. With nightly entertainment available your holiday is certain to be enjoyable. For the sports minded there is soccer, tennis, beach volleyball, table tennis and other table games. There is also aqua-aerobics and dancing lessons daily at the Las Congas swimming pool. Attention has also been paid to non-motorised sporting activities, which include kayaking, wind surfing, snorkelling, sail boating and paddleboats.
I was taken on a riding tour around the resort’s fantastic golf course on a golf cart driven by Ana Carolina Diaz, Head of resort’s Hospitality Services. The knowledgeable guide every possible attribute of the golf course which was designed by renowned golf course designer Randall Thompson.
Ana even took the time to show some me some modern, well-designed housing units built by the Royal Decameron for sale.
Royal Decameron is a fabulous beach resort, which offers some of the most complete hotel facilities and services in Panama and is one of the most visited resorts in Central America and this is certainly manifested in the fact that hundreds leave and hundreds arrive everyday.
By Vernon Khelawan