El caribeo isla San Cristobal, Bocas del Toro, Panama
#3 of 57 hotels in Bocas del Toro
Guests' ChoiceBased on 39 hotel reviews
9.7Cleanliness
9.8
Comfort
9.8
Location
9.5
Facilities
9.5
Staff
10.0
Value for money
9.4
Free WiFi
7.5
Each review score is between 1-10. To get the overall score that you see, we add up all the review scores we’ve received and divide that total by the number of review scores we’ve received. We are currently testing a weighted review system in Malta, Iceland, Australia, Greece, Brazil and North Carolina. For properties in these regions, the more recent the review, the bigger the impact on the total review score calculation. In addition, guests can give separate ‘subscores’ in crucial areas, such as location, cleanliness, staff, comfort, facilities, value for money and free Wi-Fi. Note that guests submit their subscores and their overall scores independently, so there’s no direct link between them.
You can review an Accommodation that you booked through our Platform if you stayed there or if you arrived at the property but didn’t actually stay there. To edit a review you’ve already submitted, please contact our Customer Service team.
We have people and automated systems that specialise in detecting fake reviews submitted to our Platform. If we find any, we delete them and, if necessary, take action against whoever is responsible.
Anyone else who spots something suspicious can always report it to our Customer Service team, so our Fraud team can investigate.
Ideally, we would publish every review we receive, whether positive or negative. However, we won’t display any review that includes or refers to (among other things):
To make sure reviews are relevant, we may only accept reviews that are submitted within 3 months of checking out, and we may stop showing reviews once they’re 36 months old – or if the Accommodation has a change of ownership.
An Accommodation may choose to reply to a review.
When you see multiple reviews, the most recent ones will be at the top, subject to a few other factors (what language a review is in, whether it’s just a rating or contains comments as well, etc.). If you like, you can sort and/or filter them (by time of year, review score, etc.).
We sometimes show external review scores from other well-known travel websites. We make it clear when we’ve done this.
These guidelines and standards aim to keep the content on Booking.com relevant and family-friendly without limiting expression of strong opinions. They are also applicable regardless of the sentiment of the comment.
Contributions should be travel related. The most helpful contributions are detailed and help others make better decisions. Please don’t include personal, political, ethical, or religious commentary. Promotional content will be removed and issues concerning Booking.com’s services should be routed to our Customer Service or Accommodation Service teams.
Contributions should be appropriate for a global audience. Please avoid using profanity or attempts to approximate profanity with creative spelling, in any language. Comments and media that include 'hate speech', discriminatory remarks, threats, sexually explicit remarks, violence, and the promotion of illegal activity are not permitted.
All content should be genuine and unique to the guest. Reviews are most valuable when they are original and unbiased. Your contribution should be yours. Booking.com property partners should not post on behalf of guests or offer incentives in exchange for reviews. Attempts to bring down the rating of a competitor by submitting a negative review will not be tolerated.
Respect the privacy of others. Booking.com will make an effort to obscure email addresses, telephone numbers, website addresses, social media accounts, and similar details.
The opinions expressed in contributions are those of Booking.com customers and properties and not of Booking.com. Booking.com does not accept responsibility or liability for any reviews or responses. Booking.com is a distributor (without any obligation to verify) and not a publisher of these comments and responses.
By default, reviews are sorted based on the date of the review and on additional criteria to display the most relevant reviews, including but not limited to: your language, reviews with text, and non-anonymous reviews. Additional sorting options may be available (by type of traveller, by score, etc.).
This service may contain translations powered by Google. Google disclaims all warranties related to the translations, express or implied, including any warranties of accuracy, reliability, and any implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose and non-infringement.
End of dialog content
Showing 1 – 25
Reviewed: 11 June 2024
Tomáš
Czech Republicnothing
its slice of paradise. Owners are great people and everything was perfect. This place is one of the best I visited.
Stayed in March 2024
Reviewed: 12 May 2024
Alon
IsraelExcellent location, friendly staff, delicious food. Romain the owner did everything he could to please our stay!
Stayed in May 2024
Reviewed: 25 February 2024
Dirk
BelgiumEverything was picture perfect but most of all the friendliness of the hosts made our stay fantastic. What else is there to say: the food was excellent, the cocktails were great, the information provided and the help by the hosts to make arrangements made it a very relaxing holiday.
Stayed in February 2024
Reviewed: 16 January 2024
Chris
GermanyOn the balcony of the bungalow we had very small mosquitoes, especially during the early morning hours (most of you might still sleep then) and in the evenings. So make sure to bring a long sleeve/trousers or a Sarong and enough repellent. They do use coils as well, which help. But this was really the only negative point. On the other hand, you are close to the jungle, so it is what it is.
Very nice accomodation with great hosts, good cocktails, great pool, big garden and great food. The host built the whole thing by themselves, which is very impressing. We stayed at the big bungalow and it was simply perfect. If you want to relax and calm down this is the place to be. Food is not cheap but very good! I can totally recommend this place and would love to stay there again pretty soon!
Stayed in January 2024
Reviewed: 10 January 2024
Kristina
GreeceGreat hospitality and a quiet jumping-off point to explore Bocas. We loved the view, the eco aspect, and kayaking through the mangroves. Thank you also to the hosts for being so helpful as Bocas takes a bit of know-how for a first-timer - they helped us book tours and water taxis. Wish we'd had more time just to relax and enjoy their gorgeous property!
Stayed in January 2024
Reviewed: 5 January 2024
Cornelia
United KingdomEverything was perfect
If we could we would give 20 stars. From the start to the finish it was absolutely amazing. Cami & Romain are gorgeous hosts. Not to forget lovely Pamba & Jango. We had the bungalow with a seaview. You wake up in the morning and you can watch the sea from bed and with the jungle sound you fall asleep quickly. 1000 % Paradise for people that like it quiet and peaceful. The service and the food are excellent and the whole property and eviroment means it is an exclusive stay. Snorkeling and kayaking from the private dock and Romain's great garden tour keeps you active if that is what you are looking for. Other local tours can be arranged by the hosts. We can only say it was the highlight of our one month Panama tour and we were sad to leave. If you add this amazing place to your journey you will not regret it.
Stayed in December 2023
Reviewed: 3 January 2024
Heather
CanadaWe found that because we had to pay for our lunch and dinner the cost was a little higher than expected. But the food was excellent and we just decided to enjoy what was provided.
We found that this place was very secluded. There was not really any place to go nearby unless you paddled up the river (which we did not do) It was very relaxing as a result. The bonus was the pool. It was the only place in Bocas area that we stayed that had a poll. The food was exceptional. Fresh lobster one night bought from a local in a wooden dugout canoe. One day we had a tomato tart for lunch. Dinner included an appy, entre and dessert. We snorkelled out front of the resort but unfortunately some of the reef is dying. But it was a good snorkel!
Stayed in November 2023
Reviewed: 27 August 2023
Jennifer
United StatesThere were many no-see-ums. Bug spray is a must. Not the fault of the property, it is the nature of the area.
Our stay was exceptional. The grounds are beautiful. We snorkeled right in front of the property and it was amazing! We were hosted by Romain, who was very accommodating. Our meals were delicious, the drinks were well made. After dinner, we sat and spoke with Romain about his experiences in Panama and the history of the property. This is a wonderful place to stay and exists only out the determination of a group of young people who wanted to live the Panama dream. We highly recommend it!
Stayed in July 2023
Reviewed: 13 July 2023
Rudolph-h
PanamaNo self service capabilities, like a coffee machine and small fridge in the rooms. Lack of air conditioning made sleeping uncomfortable. The distance from Almirante, the main island and other attractions like Red Frog beach made taxis very expensive.
The food, service and location was fantastic. Camille's cooking was simply awesome. We felt at home, Camille and Romain were very accommodating to our every request. Even the dogs and cat were super friendly! The pool was a life saver, and the view simply magical.
Stayed in July 2023
Reviewed: 9 July 2023
Lea
Germanythere are little biting flies on the island
We were welcomed with open arms and it felt like home. The food was super delicious, the dogs always wanted to cuddle and besides the geckos we saw scorpions and a baby sloth in the garden. We wanted to relax a few days in the Bocas, but this stay was even better than we imagined :) The next time in Panama we will definitely come back here again
Stayed in July 2023
Reviewed: 12 April 2023
Amrita
United KingdomI liked everything about the property. The only recommendation, as with everywhere in the Bocas area, is to get some layers on at sunset to avoid the biters.
The property was located on the quiet and chilled Isla Cristobal. The grounds of the property itself were beautiful with a pool overlooking the water, a huge garden with plenty of seats and hammocks and a restaurant/bar for meals and games. The hosts are very friendly and you are very well looked after from the start with very good communication assisting with arrival to the accommodation and carrying cases, wonderful drinks and smoothies (the best I had in all of Panama!) at a very competitive price and a wonderful 3 course dinner which was delicious. The included breakfast was also delicious, the pancakes were perfectly cooked. They also offer excursions that feel very different to the normal tour excursions for e.g. they take you themselves in their boats to see the dolphins in dolphin bay at a time where no other tour groups are operating. They also offer Kayaks to use free of charge and there is a coral reef you can access from the property for snorkeling. There are only ever two rooms on the property so it is very chilled and relaxing - an amazing opportunity to unwind, disconnect and enjoy the surroundings. And a special mention to the care and attention provided by the hosts who built the property themselves. We would definitely stay again.
Stayed in April 2023
Reviewed: 8 April 2023
Syuzan
BulgariaBugs liked us a lot 🙂
Our hosts were really nice and kind. Everything was well maintained and beautiful. The reef was awesome. And the food was really great: professionally cooked, presented and served.
Stayed in March 2023
Reviewed: 29 March 2023
Anastasiia
Russiahosts are amazing. they will do everything to make sure you are happy.
Such an amazing place to stay!! There are only 2 small houses and main house for staff with pool and garden. everything is super clean. you can buy breakfast ( coffee or tea, pancakes , eggs , ham , smoothie) ( it was included in my reservation), lunch ( never had it) and 3 course dinner (25$). cocktails with fresh fruits from garden 5$. hosts offer water for free. very quite and peaceful place to stay with your partner or by your own and relax. there is no beach but you can swim in pool. be aware that water taxi in about 20 $ one way so if you are planning to do excursions it’s better to stay on another island
Stayed in March 2023
Reviewed: 23 March 2023
Fabio
United KingdomNothing
A little corner of paradise. Great location away from the caos but close enough to access town, beaches etc easily Romain and Camille are great hosts, Camille cousine is delicious
Stayed in March 2023
Reviewed: 19 March 2023
Isabelle
Germanyeverything at el Caribeo was fantastic. Romain and Camille were amazing hosts, and made our 4 nights stay absolutely wonderful. Their place is so beautiful and quiet - we loved everything about it, from our morning snorkeling sessions to delicious meals, relaxing on their terrasse and boat trips nearby.
Stayed in March 2023
Reviewed: 28 February 2023
Bob
Netherlands-
hospitality, food, location, lodge
Stayed in February 2023
Reviewed: 20 February 2023
Anna
United Stateswe wished we had more time to stay. the sandflies in the evening could be annoying but fortunately they had bug spray & smoke, as well as fans in our room to help.
we loved being able to wander around the farm with the dogs, looking at all the different fruits, searching for (and finding!) sloths. we also enjoyed hanging out in the pool on hot afternoons. everything was well cared for and beautifully done - we loved seeing all the hard work this crew of friends had put into their property. we were inspired by their handiwork and creativity that shined through all the little details and touches. Romain and Camille took such wonderful care of us and went above and beyond for our honeymoon. we were so glad to be celebrating with them as they made our stay so special! incredible fresh-cooked meals and desserts, beautiful lodging, supremely hospitable and friendly people, and the coolest dogs in the Caribbean - El Caribeo is a place we’ll never forget! p.s. don’t skip their tours!!! we did the garden tour with fresh fruit samples in the pool and the. went for a sunset boat ride to dolphin bay where we had the whole place to ourselves. would have done more activities with them if we had more time!
Stayed in February 2023
Reviewed: 4 February 2023
Tobias
GermanyOnly one negative aspect and that were the sandflies during dusk and dawn.
We spent New Years at the el Caribeo and were not disappointed at all. Great food, great views and a nice garden with lots of homegrown tropical fruit. Even got a chance for a fruit tasting. Fresh water is handed out all day long and Camille and Romain took really good care of us.
Stayed in January 2023
Reviewed: 22 January 2023
Michael
United StatesRomain was a great host. He was hardworking, caring and observant of our preferences. The garden tour and dolphin viewing were both outstanding and not to be missed. We had a romantic dusk trip to see the dolphins and saw tons basically all by ourselves with a beautiful sunset. Camille’s cooking was outstanding. She says she has no traditional culinary training but everything was of that quality. All the food had really strong and delicious flavors. We had four dinners there and the starters were all well done, the dinners hearty, healthy and delicious, and the desserts fun. Most meals included numerous items just picked from the garden. El Caribeo is very peaceful with idyllic Caribbean views. Don’t miss snorkeling to the coral in the waters in front. The two dogs and cat were added fun. Each pet was strategizing for a few head scratches in their own unique way. The property is in a more remote area of Bocas Del Toro and therefore expensive to go into town. If you are looking to party in town, this is probably not the best property for you. If you are looking to enjoy nature and relax with excellent food, this is the spot.
Stayed in January 2023
Reviewed: 17 January 2023
Michiel
Netherlandslocation and super personal attention from team Caribeo. Great food! They have a fantastic ‘house reef’ for snorkling
Stayed in January 2023
Reviewed: 3 December 2022
Christian
GermanyThe scenery with seaview, a well managed 2 ha garden and the jungle in the back is amazing. Camille, Romaine and Clement are good people as they make you feel home instantly and take a lot of effort to make sure that you are fine. Currently there exist only 2 bungalows which makes it the perfect place to relax and enjoy the surrounding nature. Nonetheless it was also fun to have some drinks and some interesting conversation in the common area. Camille is a smart person. ❤️ For me it was the first hotel in panama so far with really clean rooms. The cooking is excellent. The breakfast (pancakes, fruit salad, smoothie and coffee) is included but optional you can also order ham and eggs from their own chicken. You can order lunch and dinner (3 courses) for fair price as it surely fills you up and there is no risk of starving. Various drinks are also available for relatively cheap price (cocktails made of own garden fruits for 5 $). Regarding activities the owners can arrange/book boat tours/water taxis if you like. I recommend doing a guided garden tour with concluding fruit tasting. It may be interesting for tourists to see many different herbs and tropical fruits growing directly in the garden. I even saw a sloth. Also I recommend doing a kajak tour. When driving along the mangrove coast there are several rivers to enter. Exactly halfway between El Caribeo and the "drunken monkey bar" you can drive first through mangrove forest and then for quite some time on the river through an open landscape with some palm trees and some cows. After passing a huge liane and the river splitting up you can take the left and drive even further for some time. When you pass a little bridge the river turns into a mini canyon and shortly thereafter it may be time to drive back because it will get difficult to turn the kajak if the river gets too small. I also highly recommend driving towards the dolphin bay.
Stayed in November 2022
Reviewed: 26 November 2022
Kerstin
GermanyIt was one of the best places I’ve ever stayed. the food is more than delicious and there is such a beautiful garden. If you are in Panama, you should go there!
Stayed in November 2022
Reviewed: 6 November 2022
Sämi
SwitzerlandIt was absolute paradise. The owners are extremely nice and they cook (very tasty) , clean and do the tours all themselves. We felt comfortable and welcome from the first minute. If we could have we would have stayed a few more days. Hope to see you soon :)
Stayed in November 2022
Reviewed: 26 June 2022
Christian
GermanyClearly 5* rating - a Gem in Bocas del Toro. We had been looking for an accommodation in Bocas del Toro for 6 nights and decided on El Caribeo - bull's eye! Isla Cristobal was perfect because we did not want to spend the days in the hustle and bustle of the party and tourist spots, but were looking for a quiet and relaxing corner. The vacation was pure relaxation. El Caribeo is a beautiful main house with pool, 2 bungalows, private jetty to enter the coral reef with boat dock and a large garden. The garden is super well-kept and has palm trees, mango papaya maracuja fruit trees, herb and vegetable patches and lots of flowers and exotic trees (including sloths if you're lucky - we saw 3 of them 😊). It is also an excellent base for various activities (very nice snorkeling right at your doorstep, canoeing (equipment available), scuba diving or just lazing around). The boat ride from the main island to El Caribeo takes about 20min and costs between $20-25 for 2 people (as of June 2022). We had a bungalow with bedroom and an extra bathroom with shower and toilet. The accommodation was extremely clean - incredible, in the middle of the jungle. Everything at El Caribeo lives with and from nature and it can be operated almost self-sufficiently. Thus, most of the food comes from the own garden and can' t be beaten in terms of taste and freshness. In addition, Romain makes an incredible effort with the preparation of the dishes (everything is cooked fresh) and is passionate about it. The prices of the food and drinks were absolutely fair (lunch $12, dinner menu $25). Again, many thanks to Romain who took extreme care of us and gave us a wonderful time in Bocas del Torro. We would come back anytime!
Stayed in June 2022
Showing 1 – 25
Booking.com is part of Booking Holdings Inc., the world leader in online travel and related services.
We have more than 70 million property reviews, and they're all from real, verified guests.
1
The only way to leave a review is to first make a booking. That's how we know our reviews come from real guests who have stayed at the property.
2
When guests stay at the property they check out how quiet the room is, how friendly the staff are and more.
3
After their trip, guests tell us about their stay. We check for naughty words and verify the authenticity of all guest reviews before adding them to our site.
If you booked through us and want to leave a review, please sign in first.
End of dialog content