Panama Hotel

I cannot believe this hotel is still in existence. There is no lobby, the manager is suspicious of everyone. Note there are no bathrooms in the room, only small sinks with chipped paint. Our door did not lock. I could not open the wardrobe. It is worse than any hostel I have seen in America.
My boyfriend and I showed up and as soon as we were checked in, checked right out and left for the Crown Plaza only a few blocks away and $ 20 more a night.
The pictures on their website are very strategically taken as this place is run down, and full of bugs. I do NOT recommend this hotel (nor is it handicap accessible).

We were taking the train to Vancouver BC and needed a place for a night to transfer to the next train. Yes, the location to the train station is correct and very easy to find. The hotel itself is very old and run down. Very steep stairs from the lobby to the street. I discovered the window was broken in our room and the small table next to the sink was was broken as well. Under the set of drawers is a huge container of rat poison. I will not go back.

My dad and I came to visit the Panama Hotel over Labor Day weekend for the very first time.
The hotel was recently named a national treasure by the National Trust for Historic Preservation. The history of the hotel’s partake in the lives of Japanese Americans during WWII will take too long to explain, so I will not get into it.
But I will say that if you are a) into history and b) you’re into a more bed-​and-​breakfast style hotel, I would recommend this place of accommodation.
So here are some pros/​cons of the hotel for travelers who are looking for a unique place to stay:
Pros for Travelers:
–It’s like stepping back into time when you are staying the night at the Panama. If you like vintage furniture, your rooms will include antique chairs, dresser, closet, etc.
–The beds are soft and really comfy. I slept very well the entire night.
–Rooms including bed sheets are washed and cleaned on a daily basis.
–Breakfast is included. There is a quaint teahouse next door called the Panama Tea and Coffee House. They have great tasting coffee and tea. They also have a window carved in the floor where you can peak in and see the luggages and items that were left behind by the Japanese Americans before they were sent to internment camps throughout the West Coast.
Cons for Travelers:
I can understand why some people might be skeptical about staying here for a weekend. But this isn’t a «Ritz-Carlton”-style hotel, so you have to be more flexible and open-​minded when it comes to the atmosphere of the hotel. Again, you have to love history to understand why the hotel looks the way it looks.
It’s short of staff. The owner is like superwoman in the sense that she will do everything. No joke. Other than the barista who runs the Panama teahouse next door, she and a housekeeper are the only people that checks-​in/​checks-​out guests, business management, hotel maintenance, hotel and bathhouse tours, etc.
There are no elevators (they didn’t have elevators back in the day. or at least the previous owners might not have been able to afford them). So if you’re planning to visit Seattle for a weekend, I recommend that you don’t carry luggage that you aren’t able to carry up the stairs.
Other Tips:
–Ask the owner for a bathhouse tour. The bathhouse is located around the corner of the building, and is one of the oldest bathhouses still standing in the nation.
–It’s a few blocks away from Pioneer Square.
–It’s a little over 1.5 miles to Pike Place Market.

My wife and I stayed a night and thought it was a really interesting historic hotel. The owner is very nice and informative. We got to go into the bath house with the owner. We have booked another stay. Can not be beat for the price and the food in the local area is great.

Upon entrance I was immediately berated by the hotels owner. Loaded down with luggage I used my foot to prop open the door. She watches from the top of the stairs, yelling not to kick the door. I continue to struggle with my luggage as she watches, a smirk on her face. From here she copied my ID, and took my information. I felt very insecure about where she left it as well. The hotel’s «charm» is just a façade for overcharging for an underwhelming experience. If you enjoy privacy while using the restroom or shower, expect neither. The facilities in this hotel are public and open to everyone of all genders. I implore you to reconsider staying at the hotel where the owner belittles you and treats you so poorly. Also if you don’t want your identity stolen, choose another place to stay.

Please read my earlier, long review for details. I don’t give out many 5 stars but this place is a gem. It is a traveler’s hotel built in the early 1900’s. It is completely un-​gentrified, all original and run exactly the same way as the day they opened. I wouldn’t doubt that the antiques in the rooms were the original hotel furniture. History lovers who don’t mind minimal amenities for the sake of history, this hotel is for you. A living museum, there are regular tours of the basement where there is a time capsule of Japanese American possessions that were left as they were being sent to internment camps during WWll.

My boyfriend and I chose to stay here as it’s within walking distance (~15−20 mins) to the main downtown area, and it was reasonably priced ($ 126/​night/​double occupancy).
The owner, Jan, was very matter-​of-​fact, which might come off as aggressive to some. However, you can tell she works hard and does much of the upkeep of the hotel by herself. She is protective of her historic building!
As stated in other reviews, there is no A/​C, elevator, or TV, but that was no problem for us. The room and hallways stayed remarkably cool in the 90 degree weather. The stairs aren’t super steep, and I think there are only 3 or 4 floors to the hotel. The bathrooms are shared but clean. Ladies get their own toilet!
The rooms were spacious and had a sink in them. There’s wifi throughout the building.
Free coffee and pastry for breakfast in the café downstairs. It opens around 8, and the guy who made our coffee was really nice. It appears to be a one man operation, so be patient :) he works quickly and deserves a tip!
The hotel is close to the International District, so there’s a TON of really good, cheap Thai/​Chinese/​Japanese/​Korean/​Vietnamese restaurants nearby.
The only downer is you have to pay for parking, about $ 20 a day in the parking lot next door. However, there’s free parking on Sundays, so if you’re here on the weekend, you might only have to pay $ 10!
The check-​in process is strange, but whatevs. People seem to be whiners about this place. Give it a shot, it’s fun!

I chose this hotel because of the positive reviews. Don’t let the «historical charm», «boutique» and «bed and breakfast» claims fool you. This is the worst hotel! I mean worst, HOSTEL. Overpriced, unfriendly, uncomfortable. Shoulda slept in the car. I’d be $ 126 richer and better rested.

Loved this place. No A/​C, but it was built to be breeze– cooled and even on a 104-​degree summer day, it really was. Just get a room not facing the sun (south wall). The old wood, antique furniture and lamps, fresh cotton cozy everything, wooden floors, family-​run atmosphere, great little continental breakfast in the café (any coffee drink plus any pastry plus a fruit — not huge in quantity but exceptional in quality) make it a whole experience in itself. A tunnel connects the coffeehouse to a piano coffee lounge on the other side. Historically, the Japanese community hid their belongings in the basement and floorboards so that they could be retrieved after they made it through the internment camps of WWII (there is a plexiglass section where you can see how this would work). Very cool!
The main drawback is the stairs. If you have a lot of luggage (as we did), hauling it all up is a real effort (staff will help you, but you have to find them first). It is a small, busy, family-​type operation; sometimes it takes awhile to get someone to help you. And if you are the type who needs A/​C, a large space, exclusive restroom/​shower, unlimited donuts and a constantly-​manned front desk, forget it. Also, be aware that while the coffee shop has been upgraded, the electrical outlets in the rooms are old fashioned and generally two-​pronged. If you want to put an adapter on your laptop, go ahead. Wi-​fi did work fine. Just be prepared for that.
We came in late at night on Amtrak, facing an overnight delay after a really long train ride and nights in stations that were super hard on my somewhat elderly traveling companion. Camping in another train station was not an option, but the hotels in the area are really pricey. Finding this place for $ 99 was such a score. We walked about 6 blocks to get there, mostly uphill and with lots of stuff, so when we saw the huge staircase, we almost cried. But it got better from there. Staff are straightforward and helpful (if not super tightly organized in the modern sense), and gave us no hassles.
The shared restroom/​bath was really not a problem for us. It was clean and logical and old-​fashioned cozy.
Overall, I really loved this place. Wish I had had a couple more days there. Memorable and lovely!

As long as you know what you’re getting into when you stay here, you’ll be fine. My wife and I planned a trip to Seattle and decided to stay at the Panama Hotel because it was the best price for a hotel close to downtown. When we arrived we were greeted by the owner and were checked in. It was definitely an odd process. Photo copied IDs and handwritten forms. We got to our room and found out that there were shared showers and bathrooms on each floor. It certainly wasn’t ideal, but we didn’t at all mind. The bed was comfortable, but loud. No TVs in the room, but we weren’t in Seattle to watch TV. We did have a few instances of the staff asking us if we were checking in when we would return to the hotel at night. The Wife and I agreed that we will stay here again next time in Seattle.

Eclectic historical hotel in the heart of the International District. Walking distance to the Lunar New Year celebration, and numerous Asian restaurants, with reasonable parking available in a lot next to the building. Staff and proprietor were all friendly and helpful. The rooms are small, but clean, and nicely appointed with antique furnishings and nice fluffy bedding. It was quite clear to me at the get-​go that this was a 100 year old building and had shared baths. Funky and quirky, great overnight stay.

This was by far one of the worst experiences I have ever had at a hotel, if you want to call it that. Its really an overpriced hostel with CREEPY rude staff.
My friend and I planned a girl’s weekend in Seattle, she wound up booking us 2 nights at the Panama Hotel for lodging. I arrived first after a long drive from Portland. When you first walk in you have to climb two flights of stairs to reach the check in area. What used to be the front desk is covered in clutter, the hallways are lined with ripped old rugs piled on top of each other. A very nice man greeted me and went through the check in process, which seemed very outdated. They didn’t have a computer, he scanned a copy of my ID and hand wrote my credit card information on a piece of paper stating that the owner is the only one who runs card information. I found it odd but was still going along with it. Then he showed me the room that we would have, on the way down the hall he pointed out the shared bathrooms, which was news to me.
Shortly thereafter my friend arrives. She also did not know that the place had shared bathrooms despite having spoken to the owner over the phone (seems like something she should have mentioned). The man starts to go through the process of checking her in when the owner showed up. She walked into the room and abruptly said «He doesn’t work here.» Which obviously made my friend very uncomfortable. The owner then checks her in herself, and even has to call me over to run my card… even though the man took down my information… Very strange. This is also the only place I’ve ever stayed where they make you pay up front rather than at check out. Probably because people would leave.
Eventually we get all checked in and decide to go our for a walk. We get back around 7pm to get ready for dinner, as we were walking up the stairs talking, there was an older man hanging over the railing looking down at us, «Can I help you??» said in a very ‘what the fuck are you doing’ kind of tone. I responded «Uhh. we’re going to our room…» A few moments later I went to use the women’s toilet but the door was locked and I couldn’t hear anyone inside. My friend started to look for an employee to help but no one was to be found, she called out «Hello??» Only to be shushed by the old guy who was off hiding in a corner somewhere. Shushed in a ‘hotel’ at 7:30pm on a Friday???
The next night we got back around midnight after seeing a show. We parked at the nearby lot and were walking towards the front. A different old guy was standing directly in front of the double doors smoking a cigarette. I assumed he was another one of their staff though I hadn’t seen him before. In order to avoid another rude question, I said «good evening sir, we are staying here.» He didn’t so much as smile or give a friendly nod as he said «I know.» Neither did he open the door or move the fuck out of the way, therefore I literally had to reach around him to open the door and get in. What a creep. My friend and I both hurried up the stairs and to our room, too freaked out to even look back.
The next morning as we tried to check out but not a single employee was to be found. I even played lookout while she looked through the binder hoping to steal our information back but no such luck. Some poor guy was standing there waiting to be helped for like 20 minutes. I’m pretty sure the «staff» is just a bunch of creepers who work to live there. The owner lives there as well. Its too bad, I love the antique charm of it but so much needs to be fixed. Especially the customer service.

Definitely was a mistake.
Stayed here for a night in hopes of a new experience.
Definitely not.
First of all, this place is old. I’m not even sure how this place is called a hotel… even B&Bs are better than this. Management was rude and very creepy. THEY PHOTOCOPY YOUR ID… whether it be a passport or driver’s license. And they just keep it in a drawer that anyone can open… and they also ask you to write down all your credit card info on a piece of paper as well. which is also stored in a drawer that anyone can open. We asked whether this was safe and the management replied with some BS about how they really cared about security.
Secondly, getting a good night’s sleep is super hard here. THERE ARE SO MANY PLANES FLYING BY it is ridiculous. You can also hear everything when anyone speaks. Whether its the person upstairs, next to you, or outside your window.
Thirdly, WAY TOO EXPENSIVE FOR WHAT YOU GET.
But seriously, they need to upgrade because historic value don’t mean crap when they put all your personal information at risk.
Stay away.

Stay away from this Hotel! if you believe that making a reservation through
or
, etc. means something to these people at the Panama Hotel your very wrong! This Hotel is a breeding ground for identity theft!
Let me explain: When you arrive they take a photocopy of your drivers license & then they jot down all your credit card information (including your CVV code on the back of the card) on a loose leaf binder & leave your information laying on a table in a public room where anyone can view it. If this isn’t bad enough the staff are rude & just plain weird! When my grandson & girlfriend went to check out in the morning nobody was there to assist them, nor was there a Continental breakfast as mentioned. I’m encouraging anyone reading this review to google «Panama Hotel, Seattle & do some advanced reading of reviews from others. There’s all kind of reviews, both good and bad so I’m just passing along information that my Grandson & his girlfriend experience just recently. Be forewarned!

I will give you a few warnings on staying here — I was not expecting several steeeeeeep flights of stairs but the building in very old so I should have known better but if you have trouble with stairs, be warned! Sometimes they have someone to come grab your bags — we did luck out on that. The service is not your typical fancy hotel staff — these folks are down to Earth and that’s fine by me since the price was right and we enjoyed our stay. The owners and staff were super sweet to us. They were very good at explaining things and offering recommendations or help with the area etc. Using a bathroom and shower down the hall was a bit strange and that shower is not just tiny but combined with old pipes (so you have to keep fiddling with it to get an even temperature) it takes some patience. Our room was clean and just fine though with a firm but cozy mattress. If you are looking for some luxury, spend some extra bucks and stay at a hotel but this place is just fine if you are on a budget.

Owner was extremely rude from the get — go, demanding our luggage doesn’t hit the stairs. No offer to get a bellhop. The proprietor just simply disappeared after that. This was the beginning of the nightmare.
No elevator, no AC, no TV, they demanded to copy all of our ID (why?). And none of this was on the website. I don’t care how historic the building is, I’ve been to plenty of hotels in Sweden, Finland, Norway. There is still a basic level of decency you need to provide to your guests.

I was suckered by all the «historic» talk and lingo, and my wife an I love quirky, out-​of-​the-​way, non-​chain, unique little places. But we also value cleanliness, safety, comfort, and good customer service. Sadly, the Panama Hotel FAILS in those four categories, miserably I might add. Historic is one thing, Old and threadbare is quite another. I really wish I had the $$$ to buy this place from Jan, keep her as the historian, but hire REAL hotel front desk clerks, not just other people who happen to LIVE in the hotel. With modest touch-​ups, (OKAY, some not-​so-​modest) one could envision this as one kick-​ass retro place, Right now, it’s far from it.
No AC? No problem, except windows are screenless, and there are no fans available. Safety, PERSONAL safety was really not in evidence here. Windows open at the end of the hall, at the fire escape. When I checked out a few hours after checking in, I tested the fire escape from the parking lot, wasn’t hard to jump up to the ladder, and then If I’d wanted to, VOOM, I’m in.
The key they give you? It’s a real key, I can live with that, not every property has to have a key-​card, But not ANY property should give you a key, with the room number stamped on it, AND the hotel’s address too, ASKING for theft.
If you do go here, WATCH your CREDIT CARD. The room check in procedure is Identify Theft Class 101. They photocopy your drivers license, what? They they hand-​write your cc number, expiry date, and your security code? what? what? what?
Then, as if all of that is not bad enough, they simply put your info, YOUR info, in a three ring binder, on a table, in a COMMON room! Anyone, and I mean anyone, could walk in and look and/​or take or copy your info. I know, because when I checked out, I did just that, I took MY info sheet right back. I’m still not confident that someone didn’t copy my cc info in the few short hours I stayed there.
If you are married, avoid costly legal battles, and don’t stay here, because your wife will certainly divorce you. If you are young and single, and male, maybe/​I think I would have thought this a «cool» place when i was in my twenties…
But the drunks, and the cussing, and the loud, REALLY loud, street people were just the icing on the cake. I checked in, and soon thereafter, checked right out.
I will give them this, the sheets were crisp and clean, but the bed sagged like a broken trampoline when both of us lay down on it.
Jan, the owner, has done some great work on preserving this property, but go for a visit, just don’t stay the night. It seemed to me that a great deal of people who were there, LIVED there, not a good sign. Jan is also very verbally abusive to her own employees, in FRONT of guests, again, not a good sign.
When reading other reviews, and I encourage you do read ALL the reviews on Unilocal,and TripAdvisor, read them the same way you read real estate adds. That is «cozy» really means «small».
Unless you have luggage that fits on your back, it’s also one heck of a stairway from Hell to navigate just to get to the 2^nd floor, where one checks in…

The building is really neat but the owner is a nightmare. She talks on and on about herself, bragging about how a book is written about her. But what upsets me the most is the way I’ve seen the way her talk/​yell at her employees, very demeaning and abusive. Supporting businesses that treat their employees well is important to me, so I wont be supporting this nasty hotel.

I really enjoyed my stay here! Despite the building being over 100 years old, the facilities were as clean as they could be.
My room was very cozy.
The staff was very friendly and the owner was awesome. I felt like I could ask her anything.
I would definitely recommend this place to people who want to experience a different hotel experience.
But if you really don’t like sharing a bathroom, this place is not for you.

Update: I feel compelled to say something in response to hannah a.‘s post. The owner of the Panama Hotel gave my friend and I a great recommendation for a seafood dinner down on the waterfront during our stay and then gave us a ride there in her car to beat the evening dinner rush. She told us all about the neighborhood on our drive and was very friendly. She definitely was NOT driving a lamborghini. In fact, her car was something along the lines of an older model Ford or Chevy and the inside was just as lived-​in looking as mine. Please don’t let a post like hannah a’s leave you with a faulty impression. It’s very much off the mark and shamefully harmful.