Above: Panama’s first JW Marriott hotel
By the Caribbean Journal staff
The first JW Marriott hotel has opened in Panama, Marriott announced.
The 118-room JW Marriott Panama Golf & Beach Resort is located in the Buenaventura beachfront community in the town of Rio Hato.
“Panama remains one of the most vibrant countries for new development in all of Latin America,” said Rob Steigerwald, chief operations officer for the Southern Americas at Marriott International, in a release. “We are thrilled to finally reveal our first world-class JW Marriott luxury brand hotel in the country.”
The resort features five restaurants, including Tamarindo, what the company said “celebrates local Panamanian cuisine and cocktail culture.”
The resort also recently opened its 18-hole Nicklaus Design golf course.
Marriott’s other Panama properties include a 380-room Panama City Marriott, the 248-room Courtyard by Marriott Panama Real Hotel, the 120-room Courtyard Panama City MetroMall and the 126-unit Marriott Executive Apartments in Panama City.
It’s the latest addition to Marriott’s portfolio in Latin America and the Caribbean. Earlier this month, Marriott named Craig Smith as its first-ever regional president for the Caribbean and Latin America.