The Beach House at Bluff Beach Retreat - Panama
Location: Bocas del Toro, Colon Island, Bocas del Toro, Panama, Central America (Bluff Beach) View Map
Accommodations: House, 1 Bedroom + Detached Unit, 1 Bath (Sleeps 2-13)
Keywords: Luxury, Beach, Villa, Private, Pool, B&B, Adventure, Romantic, Honeymoon, horseback riding, surfing,
Welcome to Panama!
Our goal at Bluff Beach Retreat is to exceed your expectations and ensure that you have a wonderful holiday. We are located on Bluff Beach on Isla Colon, the largest island of the Bocas Del Toro Archipelago on the Caribbean side of Panama. Imagine less than two hours after leaving Panama City you are sitting in the hot sun, on one of the most beautiful beaches in the world - sipping a Mojito! Only 5 miles, or 30 minutes from the islands’ airport- we offer the perfect getaway to those looking for a more private vacation. Airlines offer many flights a day to the island and we will be there to pick you up.
Imagine getting up in the morning to the sounds of the ocean, parrots nesting nearby and seeing monkeys enjoying their breakfast. The smell of fresh-roasted locally grown organic coffee brewed in a French press wakes you. Breakfast consists of freshly squeezed orange juice or a Smoothie made from one of the papayas growing outside your window - eggs, lots of fresh fruit and fresh-baked breads!
The 4 acre property is located directly on Bluff Beach, with miles of secluded sandy beach. It is one of the few places in the world where giant Leather-Back Turtles nest! You can walk forever without seeing another person. Our property has many different varieties of trees – from limes, oranges, papaya, mangoes and bananas to beautiful palms. Wonderfully fragrant shrubs and flowers surround our homes. We have constructed three homes, the Palmas Casita, a lovely two bedroom - capable of sleeping four, and a gorgeous, 4,500 square feet Beach House with four bedrooms and three bathrooms – capable of accommodating nine, and our new Pina Casita, a luxury one-bedroom home - capable of sleeping two. You may rent one or more bedrooms depending on your needs. Our heavy-duty solar energy power allows us to run all the amenities that you might expect. The homes have been beautifully built with rich native woods, high efficiency Hunter fans, fully screened louvered windows, hotel quality mattresses, lots of hot water, fully equipped kitchens and so much space to relax and enjoy life. Attention to detail makes these homes a cut above the rest!
Our new 65 foot lap pool & terrazza is now complete.
There’s a lot to do. Enjoy walking miles of deep sandy beach, snorkeling, surfing, fishing, kayaking or use one of our bicycles. In addition, we offer horse-back riding, surfing lessons and guided jungle hikes through our 165 acre farm which is located nearby. We can also arrange excellent boat tours with one of our boat captains to the Bastimentos National Park, or a visit to a local Chocolate farm. How busy you want to be is up to you! If you just want to hide out and relax, the house offers wireless hi-speed satellite internet, a large library of books and DVD’s and almost any game under the sun, in addition to a fully-stocked bar. It does occasionally rain at Bluff - but you can enjoy the rain from our 1,200 square foot porch!
When you arrive at the airport, we will be there to greet you - take you grocery shopping should you prefer to cook some of your own meals, and then we are off to Bluff! The accommodation comes with a cell-phone capable of international calls (all out-going calls are your responsibility – incoming are free!). We have four full-time staff – maid service is offered 7 days per week – laundry is offered at a modest charge. There are many excellent restaurants in Bocas town and three outstanding ones about 15 minutes from the property. Included in your room is a great breakfast – served on the front porch of the Beach House.
Rates range from $100-$225 per day for Las Palmas Casita - rates range from $175-$295 per day for La Pina Casita - rates range from $350-$795 per day for the Beach House - minimum 3 day stays (Low-High Season). Weekly rates are available. We offer groups a fully catered holiday as an option with your own private cook and helper. This is a totally stress-free way to enjoy the homes.
Email us your request and we will promptly get back to you. A 50% deposit is required – with the balance due 60 days prior to arrival. We accept Visa, M/C, or bank drafts.
Included in your stay:
- Transportation to Bluff Beach upon arrival
- Complimentary bicycles, boogie boards, masks & snorkels and jungle boots - use of a cell-phone
- A great breakfast!
Rare Giant Leatherback Sea Turtles are the largest living sea reptiles on our planet. They can be seen nesting on our beach from late March thru June. It is a wonderful experience to watch!
Vacation Rental Features
- Amenities
- Washer
- Dryer
- Linens Provided
- Beds
- Queen Bed
- Twin/Single Bed
- Crib
- Entertainment
- TV (No Cable/Satellite)
- DVD
- Video Library : We have over 100 movies for your use.
- Stereo System
- Music Library : Each home has its own IPod docking system. Bring your own IPod.
- Shared Pool : Our new 65 foot Lap pool will be complete in April 2011
- Kitchen
- Full Kitchen
- Cooking Utensils Provided
- Refrigerator
- Microwave
- Catering Available : We can offer 3 meals a day with your own personal cook. Rates available upon request.
- Outdoor Features
- Gas/Electric BBQ Grill
- Deck/Patio
- Balcony
- Lanai
- View/Location
- Beachfront
- Communications
- Cell Phone
- Broadband Internet
- WiFi (Wireless Internet) : Bring your own laptop
- Other Amenities
- We can accommodate between 2 and 13 people. Rates are per person. Special rates are available when renting the entire retreat. Please inquire.
- Suitability
- No Pets Allowed
- Kid Friendly
- Smoking Not Allowed
- Activities
- Shopping
- Kayaking
- Sailing
- Boating
- Swimming
- Surfing
- Biking
- Fishing
- Horseback Riding
- Shelling
- Hiking
- Restaurants
- Other Activities
- Leatherback Sea Turtles & Bird watching
Rate Details (In US Dollars)
Rates for 2 people begin at $125 - $ 325 per night
Minimum 3 night stay.
From $ 695 per week Low Season - $ 1095 per week High Season
We have hosted family celebrations, Yoga retreats, and business groups.
It's a great place for groups to relax & enjoy all Bocas del Toro has to offer.
Your own private cook & helper is available upon request.
Note: Until confirmed, rates are subject to change without notice.
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Credit Cards Accepted:
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Map & Owner's Profile
Oceanfront Bluff Beach Retreat - New Huge 65 Ft Swimming Pool
Year Purchased: 2005
Why the Owner Chose Bocas del Toro
We fell in love with Bluff Beach & Bocas del Toro at first sight. Bocas' unique Caribbean flavour, its' warm & friendly people and stunning Bluff Beach were irresistable.
The Unique Benefits at this House
The tranquility of our beautiful property and the daily adventures of Bocas del Toro are a wonderful tonic for our guests.
Bluff Beach Retreat is a beautiful bed and breakfast getaway in Panama. Located on a four-acre section of breathtaking Bluff Beach, Isla Colon, the main island of the Bocas del Toro archipelago.
Salt water pool - protected from strong ocean currents. Either hike to or ride our horses to this beautiful picnic spot.
You may visit our interesting farm. Our workers tend horses, chickens, & cows. There are many beautiful birds & trees. Our orange & lime grove will soon be producing abundant crops.
Owner's Map of Bocas del Toro
Christine & I have lived in Toronto all of our lives. After many years of running busy restaurants, we decided it was time for a change.
Property Photos
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- The Beach House at Bluff Beach Retreat - Panama - Panama Vacation Rental
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- Step onto Bluff Beach, Panama - Giant Leatherback turtles nest here - Panama Vacation Rental
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- Relax on the porch of Las Palmas Casita. You may never want to leave! - Panama Vacation Rental
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- Porch of the Beach House - a great space to entertain - overlooks Bluff Beach
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- La Pina Casita - front porch
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- La Pina Casita - interior
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- Tortuga Suite in the Beach House - walk out to our new 65 foot Lap Pool
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- Beach House Bathroom - Colombian marble with local rustic touches
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- Living Room Beach House - comfortable & spacious
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- Your hammock is close by
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- Olas Master Suite in the Beach House
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- Beautiful games table on the porch of the Beach House - overlooks Bluff Beach
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- Chris & Rebecca at nearby Starfish Beach, Panama
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- Allie & Chris snorkeling - crystal clear water - colorful coral - amazing!
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- This cute Sloth let us get very close before he sped off
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- These monkeys wanted to join us for breakfast one morning
Traveler Reviews (27)
Fantastic Beach Retreat!
Guest: weaver2713
(Apex, NC)
Date of Stay: 04/10/10
Review Submitted: 04/28/11
We went to Bluff Beach Retreat in April 2010 (now getting around to writing the review) and I have to say it was a wonderful experience. From the flight into Bocas del Toro to the 4 wheel drive journey to BBR. It got better when we arrived at BBR. It's located on a beautiful tropical beach with no visible neighbors, the lodging is immaculate and Ron is the icing on the cake. He was extremely helpful planning our daily travels (snorkeling, cacao tour, sight seeing, etc.) and dinner at various B & B's at night. I had doubts about going to Panama but this place rocks. All question marks were erased! And, it was not too hot. There were nice ocean breezes at night and you can hear the pounding surf. If you are looking for a very nice place, great value, something off the beaten track, this is it. I HIGHLY recommend BBR.
Recommended for:Sightseeing, romantic getaway, families with young children, girls getaway, adventure seekers, families with teenagers.
Best place in Bocas
Guest: jalgera
(Prospect Park, NJ)
Date of Stay: 10/04/10
Review Submitted: 10/12/10
We spent 6 nights here in October. Weather was great, with temps in the 80s everyday. The beach is very close and many times we were the only ones on it. Water was warm. Every morning, a huge breakfast was laid out and preparations were made with the help from the owner for various activities including snorkeling, boat tour, town dining and jungle hikes. The accommodations were top notch, clean and modern, and they had WiFi which is tough to find on Bocas. We had an excellent stay and highly recommend this place to any party traveling to the Caribbean..
Recommended for:Sightseeing, romantic getaway, tourists without a car, families with young children, adventure seekers.
Whatever happened to truth in advertising: This place is better than they say!
Guest: Crystal & Rod
(Atlanta, GA)
Date of Stay: 06/29/10
Review Submitted: 07/17/10
The Retreat at Bluff Beach is....well,...I'm afraid to say how satisfying the experience was for fear that the world will descend upon the place. This would be good, of course, for Ron Dennis and his warm, competent staff, but selfishly, we'd like to keep the knowledge of this little gem all to ourselves. We were there for eight days, 7 nights and had our schedules permitted, we would have stayed longer. I worried that there would not be enough for Rod to do "way out" in the jungle (have you traveled with a hyper person before?), but he was content to read novels, take daily naps, walk/run on the beach with Cassius, hike through the jungle, amble down to La Coralinas for cocktails (and that view!); , explore Bocas in all its quirkiness; talk with the interesting guests, Steve and Karen (the temporary managers) and Ron, "retreat's owner and developer. Nonetheless, eight days was the right enough time for each of us to really rest and relax. The photos that you see on this site are NOT an accurate depiction: the place much is lovelier! Downsides: 1 ) Fruit back "home" (in GA) pales in comparison to the fruit that you are served each morning at breakfast 2) somehow the hum of the A/C at night doesn't have the same effect as falling asleep to the sound of waves crashing against the shore a few hundred yards away 3) the beach needs more people! You wouldn't want to think you were in a postcard or something! Seriously: the waters are rough and needs to be respected!!--not for children or inexperienced, poor swimmers. Upsides: Breakfast at Bluff beach; meeting interesting brave people who know that there are alternatives to living at full throttle--and are trying it (in Panama); William the dependable, gregarious cab driver; living off the grid and sustainable tourism; breakfasts at Bluff beach-oh, I said that already; napping in the hammock in the mangrove trees on edges of the ocean; touring Ron's finca (farm) with Steve, Karen and Omar the farm's manager learning about the rainforest (but do wear the boots that they offer!!); experiencing the (still) pristine waters of Dolphin Bay (with Louis tour guide who is very proud and knowledgeable about the area)--we actually saw dolphins and ate fresh oysters that Louis pulled from the roots Mangrove tree. He opened them, squeezed lime juice (from limes picked that morning) over the delicacys and served them to us on the oar! On second thought, I think that part was a dream. Crystal & Rod
Recommended for:Romantic getaway, tourists without a car, girls getaway, adventure seekers, age 55+.
Relaxing Quiet Getaway!
Guest: Anoo
(Boston,MA)
Date of Stay: 06/27/10
Review Submitted: 07/10/10
We had a wonderful time at the Bluff Beach retreat. The beach right in front of the property was pristine and beautiful! You could spend hours lazing on the hammocks! The daily freshly prepared breakfast is awesome. Ron, Steve, and Karen have genuine interest in sustainable tourism and this property is a live example - of course they are wonderful hosts and make you feel right at home.
Recommended for:Romantic getaway, tourists without a car, families with young children, girls getaway, adventure seekers, age 55+.
Guest: Mark Orion
(-)
Date of Stay: 12/31/09
Review Submitted: 12/31/09
"December 23rd, 2009 - I just returned yesterday from a week at Bluff Beach Retreat. Ron and his staff deserve the highest ratings we can bestow. I'll share a few observations regarding why I think they went above and beyond. First of all; honesty. Ron's a guy whose word can be trusted. When traveling internationally you need honesty and Ron was super. You don't want someone feeding you B.S. just to get you to stay there and then once you arrive it's brown water for showers (or drinking water). Our group of 10 bombarded Ron with email questions BEFORE we arrived and he responded immediately in all cases with useful information and tips that proved factual. No tricks - no surprises - nice. Right up front, let's talk about money. Ron provided many services he simply didn't charge for. The rates we negotiated for the stay were fair and he certainly could have charged for many other value adds he made available. There were bikes available to ride, high rubber boots for the "genuine rainforest experience" (your shoes would have been trashed), books to borrow for leisurely reading, DVD's to watch, Internet access... the point is he didn't nickel and dime us on each thing. If you stay in town, it's not as personable and expect everything else to be a ticket item. Ron offered the option to have our own cook onsite and WOW - this was fabulous. If this is offered to you - DO THIS and beg for Nicole! Nicole is a world class chef (really!) and she handled meals for 10 with ease. The food was superb (we were picky and loved the organic local produce) and we all ate like we were on a cruise ship (including fattening deserts made with local chocolate!). Believe me, when on vacation who wants to cook PLUS Nicole is very friendly and fun to chat with as she whips up her masterpieces in the kitchen. Spend the dough and hire Nicole. Absolute deal." The rest of this review can be found on TripAdvisor - "The BEST in Bocas - A Five Star Experience"
Recommended for:
Guest: Alex Modzelewski
(Kailua, HI)
Date of Stay: 11/01/09
Review Submitted: 11/01/09
This B&B on Bluff Beach in Bocas del Toro, Panama feels like a stage from the “Mosquito Coast” movie: miles of sandy, empty beaches pounded by powerful surf, mist of salty water suspended in the morning sun, the jungle coming within twenty feet of the water. To finish it off, a local Indian worker trotted by me on his pony, heading for his work in one of the hidden haciendas.It is a great place to enjoy a few quiet days dedicated to exploring the jungle (a great birding place), walking a wonderful beach and having some philosophic reflections on absurdity of city life.The accommodations are very comfortable in a newly built, sumptuous house and Ron, the owner-operator, is a friendly Canadian who will give you as much privacy or companionship as you desire. His big, goofy boxer, Cassius comes as a bonus. A trip to the resort is an adventure by itself; don’t try to drive there through the jungle yourself, let Ron pick you up.Thank you,Ron.Alex and Ania Modzelewski
Recommended for:
Guest: Jody Johnson
(Charlotte ,N.C.)
Date of Stay: 09/21/09
Review Submitted: 09/21/09
One of the most if not the most pleasant vacations we have ever taken, Ron was so accomodating , picking us up at Bocas, arranging the taxi and room in Panama, We thourougly enjoyed the main house, ( as a free upgrade ) and enjoyed Ron's company and his great boxer buddy - Cassius,, Horseback riding was great fun, boat trip and lunch, all very reasonable, A beautiful home and setting, We intend to come back, want to bring my daughters, thanks again to Ron Dennis for a delightful experience at a gorgeous setting,,
Recommended for:
Guest: Hatton Littman
(Big Sky, MT)
Date of Stay: 07/25/09
Review Submitted: 07/25/09
We LOVED the house at Bluff Beach. Our group of 5 women surfed, snorkeled, walked the beach, and dined fantastically every night. We loved the comfort of the house and the quiet away from town. We were in total luxury! And then if we wanted to get into town it really wasn't a hassle to drive and of course we had some fun adventures biking in and out. Ron and Christine are fabulous hosts!
Recommended for:
Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 07/15/09
Review Submitted: 07/15/09
Bluff Beach is beautiful and perfect for walking/running/sunbathing. The house is fabulous and so are it's owners. We had a wonderful time and would recommend a week or more stay to all!
Recommended for:
Guest: Sydney & Jeff Lynott
(-)
Date of Stay: 04/26/09
Review Submitted: 04/26/09
Wow! Where do we begin? We could NOT have asked for a better place to enjoy our honeymoon. Ron, you made it so easy from beginning to end, whether it was answering our hundreds of emails before coming out or ensuring we had access to everything Bocas has to offer. Your ability to host/entertain/tour guide/bartend/provide history is what sets Bluff Beach apart from the rest. What's more, your place is stunning & the location could not be more perfect! We will never forget riding in the "dirty bitch", Iris' breakfasts, the nights at the Coralina, the sound of the waves & nature all around us and your good company. We are so sad to leave & can't wait to bring our families back someday. What an incredible paradise you have here. Thank you for everything! Sydney & Jeff Lynott married 4-18-09 PS. Cassius will always be near & dear to our hearts!
Recommended for:
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Vacation Rentals by Owner Listing #164437
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