The Westin Playa Bonita, Panama

Guests experience equal parts tropical paradise and world-class sophistication at The Westin Playa Bonita Panamá, which made its debut October 20, 2011. Set on the coast outside Panama City, the US$100 million resort aims to personify Panama’s dual nature of environmental splendor and human innovation.

Of special interest to meeting planners, the new Westin features 611 first-class accommodations and the largest conference and banquet facility in the country. The largest meeting space, the Grand Ballroom, measures 13,498 square feet and holds up to 1,500 delegates. It completes a choice of 22 flexible function areas and more than 66,000 square feet of conference space—not to mention an array of venues for gatherings outdoors. A dedicated events team oversees everything from custom menu creation and catering to state-of-the-art communications, entertainment, and presentation systems.

Attendees adjourn to the golden sands of mile-long Playa Bonita, three infinity-edge pools, a spa and fitness center, and excursions to nearby attractions, from the surrounding tropical rain forest to the Panama Canal, Pacific Ocean, and fabled shores of Panama City. Guests dining at home can set sail on a world journey of culinary pleasures, from an international buffet at Oceánica to Pacific Rim dishes at Café Pacifica, steak and Latin specialties at Tierra y Fuego, pan-Asian flavors at Asiana, Mediterranean tapas at Soléo, and fresh local seafood at the Starfish Grill.