Hard Rock International recently received the necessary approval to begin condo sales for their new Hard Rock Hotel Panama located on the Pacific Ocean in Panama. According to a press release I received from a reader earlier this week, this major project will be located in Playa Blanca, and is to include 499 units, a 200,000 square foot pool, two restaurants and a spa. Hard Rock International is famous for their popular Hard Rock Café locations around the world, as well as their Hard Rock Hotels and Casinos. Hard Rock International is a subsidiary of Seminole Hard Rock Entertainment, which is wholly owned by the Florida Seminole Tribe of Florida. The Panama Hard Rock Hotel location is being developed by the Virginia based firm Lago Mar Resorts.
The approval of the Hard Rock Hotel is good news for Playa Blanca, which was already named one of the top destinations to visit this year by the New York Times. The press release for the hotel claims “the eco-sensitive design of the hotel will incorporate Panamanian culture from Spanish colonial to Kuna motifs…” Sounds pretty interesting, if they can pull it off.
The Hard Rock is one of several upscale developments currently being planned for the region, with the posh Nikki Beach Resort scheduled to be completed later this year.
A Hard Rock Hotel has been approved to be built in Playa Blanca (Photo of Las Vegas Hard Rock Hotel from www.wikipedia.org)
The addition of Hard Rock Hotel to this beach is a great match. This is a beautiful part of Panama that I’ve been to a few times. Currently undergoing a vast expansion. There are at least two existing all-inclusive resorts operating at full capacity: Playa Blanca Resort and Decameron Hotel. The end of 2024 marks the arrival of Nikki Beach Resort - this is a top luxury resort, geared towards actors, musicians, models, socialites and sport celebrities. You never know, perhaps you’ll run into Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt on the beach, or watch a Sports Illustrated swimsuit photo-shoot 2024. Hard Rock website reports opening of their newest addition in Panama in 2024.
In addition to the existing resorts, there are numerous condominium and villa projects being constructed in the area. If you are planning to visit this area, (although not commonly known) you ARE ABLE to book these private residences through an agency or often through the resort as well. A guest can request a private 2 or 3 bedroom condo or a villa with 2 bathrooms and full kitchen - great for larger families, friends, or if you don’t want the all-inclusive meal plan. Most of these condos (eg: at Playa Blanca Residences) are oceanview or oceanfront. If you are thinking of purchasing, I suspect Hard Rock Hotel will have a similar condotel plan.