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We stayed at Dreams Playa Bonita Panama during March. I booked our stay by transferring Ultimate Rewards points from our Chase credit card.
Getting There
It takes around 30 minutes to get to Dreams Playa Bonita from Casco Viejo, Panama City and about 40 minutes from Tocumen International Airport (PTY). The ride to get to the resort requires going past the city on windy roads. You will also pass the Westin Playa Bonita before seeing the property. It’s not that much of a bumpy ride, just expect long narrow roads.
Once you arrive at the property, there is a gate guard/security person. They have a list of names with reservations to the resort and will ask for your name before entry onto the grounds. I really liked that about Dreams! I feel they take safety very seriously because they do not give easy access to anyone.
Check-in
The check-in process at Dreams Playa Bonita is typically smooth and quick. Upon arrival at the front desk, a bartender will approach you with a glass of champagne. Make sure you have your passport available so they can pull up your reservation. If you are a Hyatt member, the receptionist should thank you for your loyalty and offer an upgraded room, if available.
Check-in time is 3 pm. We arrived at the resort around 1 pm, hoping that we would be able to check in early. Boy, were we wrong. Unlike some resorts, they have a STRICT no check-in (no getting your room key) until 3 pm policy. This rule is fine, it is just something to note. While waiting to access our room, we quickly went to the lobby bar for drinks. The bartenders were very attentive and made delicious cocktails! One of my favorites was the passionfruit-mango blend. My husband’s go-to drink was the Evan Williams bourbon and coke.
Room
At 3 pm we received the room keys and were assigned room 504. This was a Deluxe King Ocean View room with a balcony. Note: Floor 5 is the highest level.
The room was clean, spacious, and the modern decor was a nice touch. The bathroom has his and her sinks, which I always love! My space! The shower and bathroom overall were pretty large.
The mini fridge was stocked with water, beer, and soda.
There are beautiful ocean views from the balcony. You will see the Pacific Ocean and all the ships waiting in line to go through the Panama Canal. The beachfront resort grounds are well-kept.
Dining
After checking out our room, we headed to Seaside Grill for a late lunch. Here, they have a buffet-style serving space. It’s nice outdoor seating right next to the beach, with bird nets. There are ALOT of birds. And they are greedy. LOL.
We tried Portofino for dinner on our first night. It was an Italian buffet with different kinds of pasta, salads, and pizza. The dinner selections were okay, but there was nothing to call home about.
If you don’t want buffet food for dinner, Oceana is their sit-down fresh seafood restaurant. Oceana has a nice, quiet ambiance and is not typically crowded. I highly recommend eating here!
Dinner at Oceana
Starters
Entrées
My husband ordered the grilled salmon. It was fresh salmon in capers sauce and vegetables with mashed potatoes.
I ordered the pasta with shrimp in mushroom sauce. This dinner was very tasty. I actually cleaned my plate with every dish!
Dessert
For dessert, we both ordered the red velvet cake. It was so moist and good! My goodness. I should have asked for a second one.
Breakfast
The breakfast is buffet-style and served in the same restaurant as Portofino. I don’t personally enjoy buffet food as much as a fresh plate made and served just for me. But choose whatever floats your boat!
We ordered room service breakfast the following morning instead of returning to the buffet. It was the best decision ever! (Room service is free, by the way). The room service attendant came much quicker than we expected with our breakfast. The food was hot and delicious! It was a better option than the food you would be served at the buffet.
Entertainment/Amenities
There are a few different outdoor pools to choose from. One pool is like your family and kids’ area pool. The other pool has a swim-up pool bar and music. There is another adults-only pool that was offered during check-in that we were told was an extra $50 a night charge. It did seem like a nice private area, but we didn’t get that package. One thing I did notice was that the pool chairs were not very plentiful. When we went out to the main pools, it was pretty much hit or miss if we would have a place to sit or not. I recommend getting there early to get a pool chair in your desired spot.
For nighttime entertainment, near the Lobby Bar, there is usually karaoke with disco dance night to follow. This seems to be the main entertainment for this resort. They also offer different movie showings daily around 7 pm. I like how they have different activities to offer.
My husband enjoyed a great workout in the fitness center included in the booking. The gym is not crowded and was a very well-equipped fitness room.
Dreams does offer spa facilities and has a beauty salon where you can book appointments for an additional charge. They have daily promotions on massage services including:
- 50-minute Relaxation Massage $230
- 50-minute hot stone massage for a couple $300
- 50-minute Tension Relief Massage $280
Overall Impression
I enjoyed our stay at Dreams Playa Bonita Resort. For the resort’s price, I would say you get your money’s worth. We used 15,000 Hyatt points per night for our stay. Without using points, this resort ranges from $190 to $300 US dollars. This was a great deal and savings! If you have points you want to use and get the most out of them, this would be a great place to go.
