Had an amazing stay at Riu Playa Blanca, Rio Hato!
Pros:
- Option to relax in the quieter pools or on the beach
- Entertainment at the pool with the swim-up bar, the nightly shows/performances, and the disco
- 24/7 sports bar provides snacks, drinks, pool table games, and air conditioning
- Several bars. We continuously felt accommodated.
- Enjoyed the food at the buffets 3 à la cartes (no reservation required, but should arrive by 6:30pm to avoid long wait times)
- Friendly and accommodating staff
- Clean rooms
- Organized driving service to take you to excursions or restaurants/entertainment off the resort.
- Pleasant environment, overall. Not a “party” resort.
Cons (would not rate badly for these, but small things to note):
- If you are flying in to the Tocumen airport in Panama City, you will be travelling 2-3 hours to get to the resort. Our driver was friendly and made the trip entertaining for us, but the drive might be exhausting for tourists.
- If you are looking to interact with other vacationers at the resort, most of them are only Spanish-speaking. We still made friends with several English and French speakers
**Online weather predictions indicated rain and thunderstorms every day. However, we were fortunate to have beautiful, sunny weather for 6 out of the 7 days. Amenities remained open during the rain so it didn’t bother us, either way.