Sofitel Legend Casco Viejo

A 1917 club building on the Casco Viejo waterfront

About Sofitel Legend Casco Viejo

Sofitel Legend Casco Viejo is a 159-room hotel in the 1917 Union Club building, in Panama City's UNESCO-listed Casco Viejo. It has a pool deck facing the Pacific, the Caleta restaurant and a spa using KOS Paris products. Tocumen airport is about 25 km away, and the hotel can arrange transfers.

Sofitel Legend Casco Viejo fills the former Union Club on Calle Primera Oeste, inside the UNESCO-listed old quarter of Panama City. The building opened in 1917 and received a newly crowned Queen Elizabeth II in 1953. It stood abandoned after 1989, until a restoration turned it into a hotel of 159 rooms and suites. Views run to the Pacific, the Plaza Courtyard or the historic district.

The Oceanfront Magnifique room has one king bed, 60 square meters and a balcony with a sitting area. The Oceanfront Luxury room is 50 square meters with a terrace. For families, the hotel keeps twelve connecting rooms and six dedicated family layouts. Bath products are by Balmain, and rooms come with an espresso machine.

Caleta is the main restaurant, led by chef Lorenzo Di Gravio, with seasonal menus built on Panamanian ingredients. Mayda, the lobby bar, opens onto a courtyard lined with bougainvillea. Sofitel Spa uses KOS Paris products and has a double treatment room for couples, a tearoom and a plunge pool. The pool deck faces the ocean.

At a glance

Size: 159 rooms and suites
Check-in: 3:00 PM
Check-out: 12:00 PM
Airport (PTY): about 25 km; the hotel can arrange the transfer

Perfect for

History and architecture
Couples and honeymoons
Food lovers

Hotel Facts

Type

Historic waterfront hotel

Facilities

Pool
Spa
Restaurant
Bar / Lounge
Fitness Room / Gym
Airport Transfer

Room Types

Oceanfront Magnifique

One king bed and a balcony with a sitting area, the largest of the three listed.

60 m² · Pacific Ocean

Magnifique, two full beds

Two full beds and a balcony with a sitting area, facing the courtyard.

55 m² · Plaza Courtyard

Oceanfront Luxury

One king bed and a terrace with a sitting area instead of a balcony.

50 m² · Pacific Ocean

Dining

Caleta: Creative cuisine by chef Lorenzo Di Gravio; breakfast 6:30 to 11:00, dinner 18:00 to 22:30.
Mayda: Lobby bar opening onto the bougainvillea-lined Plaza Courtyard.
Ammi: Sky bar with a terrace around the hotel and Latin music.
Vera Café: The hotel's coffee shop.

Spa and wellness

Sofitel Spa with KOS Paris: Massages, facials and wraps; double treatment room, tearoom and plunge pool.
Fitness centre: On-site gym listed by the hotel.

On the property

Pool deck: Oceanfront deck facing the Pacific.
Plaza Courtyard: Bougainvillea-lined courtyard beside the lobby bar.
Fitness centre: Gym for guests, listed among the hotel's facilities.
Local art collection: Panamanian art displayed through the heritage building.

Good to know

The hotel keeps twelve connecting rooms and six family layouts, so families can ask for adjoining space.
Three rooms are set up for guests with reduced mobility.
Transfers from Tocumen can be arranged through the hotel at the time of booking; a taxi also works.

Questions travellers ask

How far is Tocumen airport from the hotel?

The hotel is about 25 km from Tocumen. The hotel can arrange a transfer when you book, or you can take a taxi.

Is there a swimming pool?

Yes. The hotel has an oceanfront pool deck facing the Pacific, and the spa has its own plunge pool.

What was the building before it became a hotel?

It opened in 1917 as the Union Club, designed by James C. Wright. In 1969 it became a club for military officers, and it was abandoned after 1989.

Can children stay in a room with connecting space?

Yes. The hotel has twelve connecting rooms and six family layouts.

Gallery

Location

Sofitel Legend Casco Viejo, Casco Viejo, Panama City, Panama