Panama City, Panama and Cartagena, Columbia were a wonderful combination of two cities that we had not visited. The flights on well-known carriers were excellent. The hotels were clean and comfortable. The only issue was with the hotels. Our hotel in Panama City was well beyond the city center. It was a minimum 30-minute Uber ride to any sights, which cost anywhere from $10 to $25 one-way. With the number of hotels in the city, we would think that there is a better location. Our hotel in Cartagena was in the beach zone, but it was a family hotel with numerous kids. The area across the street is a beach area called Playa De Bocagrande. It contains persistent venders, pushy sales tactics, litter, and murky waters. Tripadvisor rates it a 2.7 out of 5, which we believe is generous. Again, we had to Uber each day to see any sites in the old city, where there are numerous hotels and enjoyable sites. The great thing is that Uber is very safe and easy to use in both cities.
Again, after figuring out the hotel situation in each city and how to overcome their respective issues, we had a fantastic time. We plan to return to each, but will avoid these two hotels.
