A Weekend at Buenaventura
I recently had the privilege of being a guest for the weekend at one of the beachfront homes in the community of Buenaventura. This visit was my first to Buenaventura, and after hearing both negative and positive reviews about the community, I was very curious to see and experience it with my own eyes.
There is a persistent whisper in Panama City that Buenaventura is not doing well. The relatively newly built El Faro Club House is not being put to use along with the impressive long and large Miami-esque pool that stretches to the beach. Whether this whisper is regularly true I cannot say, but this experience was certainly not the case during my stay. The pool and clubhouse were packed with families, both Gringo and Panamanian, the entire weekend. The eight lovely “cabanas” that line the pool were in constant use, and finding an empty lounge chair was quite the challenge. The clubhouse was working overtime to accommodate the persistent drink and food requests, and the bar had extended their previous closing time from 5:30 to 6:30 – perfect for ordering a sunset margarita.
People boast the stretch of beach that fronts Buenaventura is the prettiest on the Pacific (excluding the various Pacific islands of course). After having explored a lot of Panama and her Pacific beaches I can verify that this statement is mostly true. The fine, almost white sand stretches under the palm tree lined, clean beach that peacefully stretches for miles. I said the statement is “mostly true” because there is a bit of human cheating that creates this beautiful beach. The community staff regularly patrols the beach picking up trash and unwanted palm frawns that have made their way to the sand. Every morning the beach is combed and prepared for the guests and residents of Buenaventura. If every beach in Panama had this kind of attention, there would probably be other nominations for the prettiest beach on the Pacific.
The Buenaventura beachfront homes seem to be an example of poor community planning. Most of Saturday on my weekend getaway was spent lounging in the home’s private pool (I know, tough life). When we awoke on Sunday morning, a wet yard and a very foamy, dirty pool greeted us. Due to a large swell that weekend, the tide had reached the house during the night dumping ocean water into the pool. The community attendants told us that we were not to use the house pool because they now needed to drain and clean it. Furthermore all the furniture downstairs was to be moved to the 2nd floor because there was word that the swell was going to increase and the tide was going to come into the house. I understand that flooding is a possible risk whenever living near water, however, this scenario turned out to be one that the community residents were very familiar with and apparently “happens all the time.” Whether this statement is an exaggeration or not, it does pose the question of whether the beachfront homes were poorly designed.
Despite flooding and furniture moving, my experience as a guest at Buenaventura was wonderful. If given the opportunity I would not hesitate for a second to go back. The beach is beautiful, the pool and clubhouse are very accommodating and the service is outstanding. This February I will be attending a wedding and staying a night at the Bristol at Buenavenutra. This expensive hotel has also created a certain reputation and I will be very curious to compare the hotel and the community homes to see where is better to stay in Buenaventura.
| Written by Hilary Campbell |
This post's rating:
(2 votes, average: 4 out of 5)
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Filed under: Country Guide, Living & Retirement on September 29th, 2009
-10
What is your objective with this article? It appears mainly negative with a sprinkling of niceties to create what you probably hope is read as a well rounded piece. Well it is not.
Why focus upon rumours or regurgitate other “writers” views whom in the main are envious of this project & probably would be unable to afford a weekend rental there?
Accuracy?
1.The clubhouse has been in existence for about 7 years and experienced constant usage.
2. Cleaning the beach – it is a pity that all resorts / beach communities & municipalities fail to do the same.
3. Moving furniture – a king wave normally hits the Pacific beaches every year or so. FYI this is a bad El Nino year, but not worthy of your excessive imagination and ill qualified comments on structural engineering / house design.
4. The 5 star hotel is reasonably priced by any international standards.
Are you the same Hillary who purchased a nice home in Malibu Resort? Enjoy…
Vale,
From your tone, I´m assuming you´re either an investor in, or work for the Buenaventura? Regarding point number 5, you grossly over-estimate the value of a hotel that is located far off the beach, in an area as yet unfamiliar to most tourists, and with a brand name few outside of Panama know.
I think it´s a nice property and may find some success over time, but in all reality it should be priced somewhere around $189 per night (and it is, IF you book direct) or simply go all-inclusive until demand catches up. The hilarious initial pricing ($450!?) just shows how out of touch this project is with reality. To provide some perspective, the Four Seasons in Costa Rica had to cut rates substantially to survive the recession. This is a big name hotel in an amazing location, in an extremely popular tourist destination with direct flights. There is not an area in which the Bristol can compete with this project, yet they are more realistic about pricing in this market.
I have nothing against the Buenaventura project, but I think the Bristol Buenaventura´s attitude is all too typical of Panama´s overall business problem — the pricing doesn´t match the product. As long as that´s the case, you´ll have trouble stirring up demand, no matter how slick your advertising or big your ego.
Casey,
Thanks for your comment although I find it telling that it focuses upon the Hotel rather than the content of your co-writer’ s piece.
I am not qualified to speak for the Hotel, but will happily give you my opinion as one fairly well versed on the Pacific beach projects in general.
Firstly, let’s go back to Buenaventura which commenced sales in 1998, primarily to the local market – remember this is well pre-boom and the local market was the target market. Panama was on very few international radars until what 2004…
Unlike the majority of developers, a significant investment was made in the resorts infrastructure from outset. This is why the roads are complete, electricity & water available for every lot and great landscaping completes the picture for residents and Hotel guests.
You reference the Hotel’s location as far from the beach – agreed it is not a beachfront hotel but how many 5 star guests want to spend all day on the beach. Surely if you are a worldly sophisticated traveller you look for more than just a great beach? This project has excellent facilities and other amenities such as spa, pools, stables, the coming Nicklaus golf to name a few. If the beach is the main reason to stay there, the golf buggy takes one there in a matter of moments…
To make the comparison between CR & P is not really a good one – CR had what a 20 year jump on P and given CR’s reason to be is pretty much only tourism it is not surpising their hotel market is cut-throat. However, If you want to stay at a proper 5 star hotel on Panama’s Pacific beaches feel free to give the other options….
Regarding The Bristols’ s pricing all I can say is that I find it reasonable. USD 450 per night? I have never seen or heard this before. Maybe Peak Season such as New Year but everywhere is always booked solid at these times so probably simple supply & demand.
If you do not like their rates, its your perogative to stay elsewhere but I think you may be surprised by the resilience of their typical guest in these times.
I also agree with a pricing policy to keep your average plebian out of establishments such as the Bristol and this is not intended to sound elitist.
Each to their own.
Vale, What’s “telling” about my focus on the hotel? I think the way the property is being managed reflects the overall attitude of the project. They should change their slogan to: “so exclusive, nobody goes!”
I’m not attempting to sound anti-elitist, as I think it’s fine to attempt to carve out a high end niche in Panama, IF the product matches with the hype. As a marketing guy, I appreciate seeing a brand pull off a coup, like Grey Goose, Louis Vuitton, etc..I just don’t think the Bristol can afford to be so picky right now.
I compare CR to Panama because I work in both places…and because I know for a fact that customers are comparing the two destinations as well. To ignore CR as a competitor is delusional.
We’ll have to see how well the Bristol does during high season, but I’d be willing to bet you a $100 that the Bristol Buenaventura will have a VERY rough time hitting even 50% occupancy over the next 12 months at their current prices. Look at their holiday pricing right now online — it ranges from $395 to $2,000 per night. At those rates, customers demand something extraordinary…like a beachfront location. After all, that’s why they’re booking a beach resort.
I have been selling high end vacations to Costa Rica and Panama for a decade and know what I’m talking about. This hotel doesn’t have anything extraordinary to offer just yet, so they need to get their prices in line or get used to being empty.
C
I agree with Casey 98%. It is this same ignorance that has condos in Punta Pacifica for over $1.5 M, beers on Calle Uruguay for $5, and my personal gym membership about to jump from $50/month to $150/month. It’s not because anything has improved or that anyone’s selling particularly unique product. Instead, it’s the attempt to gauge out an illusionary market people thought existed.
My other 2% points are for Vale because I’d like the contact information for your friends who have stayed at the Bristol Buenaventura and thought it was worth it. My wife and I are almond enthusiasts in the process of relocating to Panama and we’re in need of a few nut cases for the big move.
Well Casey & Matt, you guys are sprung!
What is this collusion?
Firstly Matt, love your Panama Report, articles & general sense of humour but this response why bother?
What really has ridiculously overpriced Panama City
condos have to do with Buenaventura, undoubtedly the finest project in the Isthmus and the only one to feature a 5 star hotel by true international standards?
I have a suggestion for both of you. Why not contact the Hotel as journalists and highlight forthcoming articles, request that you have a gratis weekend so that you can properly research, experience and provide an intelligent read for your respective followers?
Casey I would never ignore CR but answer me one thing, why would anyone living / staying in Panama looking for a luxury & 5 star hotel experience go through the hassle for a weekend to cross international borders, all the crap the airports put you through, not to mention the CR local connection when you can drive an hour forty out of downtown Panama ……
Come on guys get real.
Vale,
You couldn’t be more off with your analysis. To think that the market the Bristol Buenaventura was going after when they built that hotel was local Panamanians looking to get away for the weekend is nothing short of laughable. Panamanians that can afford $400+ per night already own houses in Buenaventura or they’ve been in the Coronado area for years. Either way, they aren’t staying at the hotel.
This is precisely why Buenaventura needs to become more competitive with North American/European travelers—to be sure, these same travelers are comparing Panama to many other destinations when deciding where to spend their money. Right now, Buenaventura isn’t making the cut.
Wrong. I said Buenaventura pre-boom was initially targeting the local market, not the hotel? Is American your native language?
You sound like another Panama expert, another blind leading the blind..
Please indulge us with your knowledge of the Pacific beach second home market and the local preferences together with the demographic spread.
Whilst you are at it perhaps you could also then enlighten us to exactly how many houses there are built in Buenaventura as of today .
Then when you have made a complete ass of yourself perhaps you could explain in idiot terms for me, fundamental supply & demand.
In the meantime, as they are fully booked I will call again to the Bristol to see if they have had any cancellations from Venezuelans, Brazilians & Multinational execs. for later in the month.
Did you also buy in Malibu?
Hello to all debating the Buenaventura Resort…
My partner and I spent 6 days there in January of 2010 as a special personal celebration.At the expense, it will likely be a once in a lifetime trip.I have no bones to pick with anyone about the resort,but will relate our experience.
We stayed in the hotel and used the pool and beach daily.The room was lovely and spotless,as was most of the interior of the hotel.Unfortunately,the road to the hotel had several trash sites along the way in.I understand that this is Panama so I was not dismayed.But,at the hotel,there was trash floating in the manmade river daily,and could be seen from our terrace,the restaurant and the restaurant terrace.
The Buenaventura was very busy on the weekend we were there,but during the week,it was very obvious that it was nearly empty.Several afternoons during the week,we were the only two on the beach as far as the eye could see.
The food was excellent,but the menu never varied.For the price of the food in the restaurant,and the claims of a world-class chef,I would think that they would have a daily “chef’s choice” or perhaps change the menu once a week.To give the Buenaventura credit,they had hired a new Food and Beverage Manager just a few weeks before we were there and he took the time to speak to us about our meals.He explained that he had changes in mind,which will probably address some of the menu issues.
The staff was wonderful and courteous,but most spoke no English.They went out of their way to serve us and remembered our names after a day or two.
There were some things that puzzled me,such as workmen painting the terrace during a busy breakfast time…not something most guests would want to endure at a world class resort.Staff milling around idle all week when it was slow and then nowhere near enough staff to handle the business during the weekends.
Obviously this is a resort and a country still finding it’s way in the tourist industry.If you go to the resort with this in mind,it works well.We had a memorable stay,at a lovely place,but I do feel that it is overpriced and there are many small improvements to be made to consider it a “world class” resort.