The Panamonte Inn & Spa: A Home Away from Home for Adventurers, Explorers and Nature Lovers Since 1914.

Long before Boquete was officially founded in 1911, the Doraz Indians settled this fertile highland valley, followed by Spanish conquistadores and later by 49ers who stopped here on their way from the isthmus shortcut north to California in search of gold. During the late 1800s and early 1900s, the Boquete valley’s spectacular beauty, fertile volcanic soil and temperate climate drew European and North American settlers, as well as people from other parts of Panama. Their hard work and deep affection for the area allowed Boquete to evolve into a prosperous agricultural center. Many refer to Boquete as the “Breadbasket of Panama.”

Joseph Wright, a spirited Texan and retired railroad conductor, opened the Panamonte in 1914 with just 5 rooms. In those days, the Panamonte was called “Pop Wright’s Hotel,” and Wright hosted weary travelers to Boquete who had made the journey from David by train, ox cart or foot, as there was no road at the time. Wright was known to lure arriving travelers to the hotel with the offer of a cold guava and rum cocktail on the house. During the ensuing decades, the Inn saw its share of notable guests, including Teddy Roosevelt and Charles Lindbergh, who dropped in during a flight through Central America. The great explorer Admiral Richard Byrd holed up at the Panamonte to finish writing his memoirs about his Antarctic expeditions.

In 1946, Hans and Vera Elliot purchased the Panamonte Inn and expanded the property to include 10 rooms and a formal dining area. Hans had come to Panama from Sweden in 1924 as a captain aboard a Swedish merchant shipping vessel. He later brought his wife Vera from Sweden to Panama City, and established a successful cargo shipping business. While visiting Boquete to solicit cargo from cattle ranchers, farmers and rum manufacturers, Hans became enamored of the Boquete Valley and moved his family here, eventually purchasing the Hacienda La Esmeralda farm, and the Caldera hot springs, in addition to the inn.

Vera Elliot was a cultured and exceptionally fine hostess, and her attention to detail and respect for perfection and protocol earned the Panamonte Inn an esteemed reputation throughout Panama. It also provided the foundation for the tradition of hospitality the Panamonte is known for today. Vera hung oil paintings by Latin American artists, had the gardens planted with fruit trees and colorful flowers, and polished the cutlery until it gleamed. During the latter period of the 1900s, the Panamonte was considered the premier retreat for diplomats, VIPs, and the Panamanian elite who came to Boquete to escape the humid heat of David and Panama City. The Shah of Iran visited the Panamonte while searching for an exile address, as did the famous Swedish actress Ingrid Bergman, who enjoyed the Panamonte so much that she came back for a second visit. Even Richard Nixon stopped in for lunch. Many international travelers and merchants visiting Panama or sailing through the canal made a point of visiting Boquete and the Panamonte Inn, prompting Vera to hang a sign over the front door depicting two puffed-cheeked cherubs blowing trade winds and symbolizing the Panamonte’s role as host and meeting point for visitors from around the globe.

During the past 20 years, the Panamonte has also hosted a new kind of visitor: ecotravelers and birdwatchers who come to envelop themselves in lush, verdant rainforest and view wild fauna and the hundreds of birds that live in or migrate through Boquete, including the Resplendent Quetzal. The Panamonte was a pioneer in the ecotravel market in Boquete, and the first to create adventurous and active tours around the area. In order to provide its guests with maximum relaxation and an antidote to sore muscles, the Panamonte opened a full-service spa with a highly trained staff.

Keeping with the philosophy of personalized attention associated with a family-owned and -operated inn, the Panamonte’s current owner is the Elliot’s daughter Inga Collins, who is often on hand to entertain guests with anecdotes from the Panamonte’s past and suggest activities and sightseeing options in the area. Inga also upholds the tradition of fine hospitality established by her mother Vera before her. Inga’s son and partner Charlie Collins is an award-winning chef whose focus is on creating a memorable dining experience for his guests. In the true pioneering spirit that defines the Panamonte Inn & Spa, the Collins family is constantly seeking new ways to make certain their guests are relaxed and enjoying themselves, hosting yearly Food & Wine Festivals, holiday events, unique tours, and offering a cozy and comfortable environment that evokes the feeling of a home away from home.