Bodhi Hostel & Lounge Review: A Laid-Back Stay in Panama City

Bodhi Hostel & Lounge Review: A Laid-Back Stay in Panama City

I'm writing this from inside Bodhi Hostel, near the tail end of a four-night stay — so what follows is a lived-in account, not a first-night impression.


Stay Score: 4.2/5 (Hostel — private room)

  • Location & Access: 4/5

  • Cleanliness & Comfort: 4/5

  • Amenities: 4/5

  • Safety & Security: 5/5

  • Staff & Service: 5/5

  • Value for Price: 4/5

  • Social Vibe: 4/5

  • Sleep Quality: 4/5

  • Self-Catering: 4/5

Best for: Solo travelers wanting to meet people Skip if: You want to be near budget food/drink options Verdict: A great, laid-back stay within Panama City itself — just know it's not Casco Viejo.

Scored on a private room. I can't speak to the dorm-style setup.

The plan was two nights at Bodhi Hostel & Lounge in Panama City. I stayed four.

Getting There

If you're taking local transit like I do, Bodhi is two metro connections and about an hour from the airport. Fare to the nearest terminal ran $3. When I looked at an Uber or taxi instead, quotes came back at $25–30. I rode during the morning commute, and the stations were packed and claustrophobic at times.

The location itself? Not bad. The commute during rush hour? If the Uber fare works for your budget, take it.

First Impressions

The hostel is a little unassuming. One minute you're on a major road passing a Burger King, then one block in you stumble into what feels like a small neighborhood, and there's Bodhi. It sits right next to another hostel, which threw me at first; unless you're approaching from the opposite sidewalk, the signage is easy to miss.


There's a pleasant entryway to the right of the building, next to the parking area. Walk in and the reception desk is right there, behind a staircase leading up to the second and third floors (private rooms and the women's dorm). Staff spoke Spanish with some English and were consistently kind and accommodating.


The Room

I stayed in private room #2, overlooking the pool area, at $54 a night with a full bed and a single bed, A/C, an overhead fan, and a TV with wifi. There's a small desk to work from, plus a table and shelving unit. The bathroom is shared with one other private room but isn't directly connected to it, which I appreciated. Hot water, too.

(I completely forgot to take pictures of the room)

Common Spaces & the Social Scene

Breakfast is included, usually pancakes/toast and fruit, plus coffee. There's a living-room-style lounge with couches, a TV, and games, and a separate pool lounge with extra seating and a designated area for smokers.


Every day I was there, there was a steady, low-key current of people with some hanging out and others coming and going from their own days in the city. It was easy, low-stress socializing, especially over breakfast, and a whiteboard of daily activities at reception gave people something to organize around.

I lean introverted, and Bodhi still worked for me. I had my own space and quiet whenever I wanted it and could step into the social scene only when I had the energy for it. The A/C in the room was a genuinely great retreat after a day of walking.

Not in Casco Viejo

Worth saying plainly: this is not Casco Viejo. Nearly everything you'll find about where to stay in Panama City points there first, and for good reason as it is worth visiting, and worth staying in if it's your first time in the city. Bodhi Hostel is about an hour's walk away, in the city proper, surrounded by tall buildings rather than colonial streets.

What Bodhi does well is pointing you toward both: there's a binder at reception with routes, prices, and info for things to do in and outside the city.

Would I Come Back?

Absolutely. Get me a private room and I'd stay again without hesitation. I walk a lot when I travel, and had no trouble covering the city on foot, including the walk out to the fish market and Casco Viejo. At night, you won't hear bass from nearby clubs, just the normal sounds of a city, which never bothers me.

Book Your Stay

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