Panama City

I don't know whether some of these questions are serious or not. Whether you're going to enjoy mongering in a place where you don't speak the native language depends mostly on you. Do you want to get into a serious intellectual conversation with your date or do you just want to bang her? If you prefer the first your options will be limited, but not nonexistent. If you just want to bang you won't have any problems -- it's not like Japan where they'll shun you. You will be able to get around town without Spanish.

I would take a taxi to the Veneto. If you're arriving at the airport at 2:30 PM you probably won't get to the hotel until around 4:00 PM. You could request an early check in but you won't need it. If you do arrive at a hotel before they have a clean room, you have two options. Leave the luggage with the hotel and go do something or hang around until the room is ready. I always leave the luggage although once, in Athens, it was stolen.

[QUOTE=Dave1027; 1260760]I am going to be traveling to Panama City, Panama next month for 4 days. I will be arriving Panama City around 2:30pm. Will I be able to check into my hotel room at Veneto Casino at that time. I see that their check inn time is 4:00pm.

Thanks

Dave.[/QUOTE]
If the hotel will pick you up, take that. However, I would always take a cab from the airport to the hotel and not mess with buses or shuttles. A good cabbie will take the expressway and not the surface streets and get you to the hotel in 15 minutes when there is no traffic, or 30 minutes during rush hour. You can go upstairs and jump into a cab that has just dropped off passengers (when the cops are not with 20 feet or not looking) and negotiate $20-25, or just get a cab downstairs with the rest of the lemmings coming out of customs and pay $25-30. Make sure he takes the expressway, even though it costs him $2 toll. If he does, then he values his time and yours, is honest, and should become "your" cabbie for the trip back to the airport or any other long (more than $5 trips).

Veneto is a four star hotel with pretensions of being a five star hotel. If they secure your luggage, your luggage is secure. I doubt they will not have a room available for you if you arrive at 4pm, as they have a first rate maid staff. (unless a convention is leaving town, but I doubt it.) If they secure your luggage, but you don't feel comfortable walking around the neighborhood with your passport, cash, laptop. Stay in the hotel. Have lunch in the restaurant in the lobby (I recommend the native "sancocho" or chicken / beef stew, which will rehydrate and refresh you after your flight) or the mini sushi bar in the lobby, or have you meal in the casino and people watch. Or, have the staff bring up to you while you chill out sitting by the pool on the 7th floor roof.

The immediate neighborhood is very safe, providing you keep your wits about you, so feel free to go across the street, find one of the Chinese owned cellphone stores, and get a $12. 99 phone with some minutes. They are great for making local calls, and will be much cheaper than using the hotel to make your calls back to the states.

You can have lunch in the Manolo's restaurant acroos the street or in the food court on the same block as the hotel (they even have Subway!) and next to that is next to a pharmacy. Pick up you vitamin C or V (however, I recommend the other pharmacy that is block and a half away from the hotel, Arrocha, as there prices are less touristy and high.)

There are inexpensive cybe cafes across the street from the Veneto that also do long distance phone calls very cheap.

Down the hill from the Veneto is a McDonalds, but if you go down the hill, and turn left instead of towards the McDonalds, you will see a walkway that crosses over that big Spain Street (Calle Espana) and during the day, there is a shoe shine guy who will spit shine your shoes for just $1-2.

Go to the little mom-and-pop mini-grocery stores and stock up on juices, beers, and other refreshments for you room refrigerator. You do NOT want to pay big hotel prices for a candy bar from the mini-bar, so insist they empty out the fridge before you check in or shortly thereafter.

I like walking 50 meters from Manolo (down the stree that "T" intersections the Veneto) , walk past the vegetarian restaurant and the rental car places, and use the little grocery store (again, all Chinese owned) for shopping. I like the fresh juices, particularly pineapple juice that are so inexpensive and come in milk-carton packaging. Across the street from that one is a dry cleaner / laundromat. Take you laundry to be done there. Drop it off in the morning, pick up in the evening, and they charge you by the pound. A small 1/2 pillow case of laundry can be washed for less than $3 and that includes soap, softener, drying, and folding.

Anything the short or long term visitor needs can be found within five blocks of the Veneto.

Appreciate any advice I can get. Have been going through the threads but can't see if gt is open on Sunday.

Can anyone make reccommendations for a Sunday night besides gt?

Will report back after the visit

I like walking 50 meters from Manolo (down the stree that "T" intersections the Veneto) , walk past the vegetarian restaurant and the rental car places, and use the little grocery store (again, all Chinese owned) for shopping. I like the fresh juices, particularly pineapple juice that are so inexpensive and come in milk-carton packaging. Across the street from that one is a dry cleaner / laundromat. Take you laundry to be done there. Drop it off in the morning, pick up in the evening, and they charge you by the pound. A small 1/2 pillow case of laundry can be washed for less than $3 and that includes soap, softener, drying, and folding.

Anything the short or long term visitor needs can be found within five blocks of the Veneto.[/QUOTE]Thanks for the info. This will seal my plan to Veneto later this year.

[QUOTE=Jotting;1261825]Have been going through the threads but can't see if gt is open on Sunday. Can anyone make reccommendations for a Sunday night besides gt?[/QUOTE]GT is open on Sunday's. The time I went on a Sunday the pickings were pretty poor, and I seem to recall a couple of women at GT telling me Sunday is the night they take off. Elite and Miami are open. The casino at Veneto would be a good option. Habano's used to be closed on Sundays although I seem to recall someone here saying it's open now. Finally, Oasis should be open, but like GT the selection may not be the best.

If you like freelancers check out the Veneto and Habano's. They're only a few blocks away from each other. If you'd rather do the deed on site, then have a beer or two in Miami, then go to GT. (It's easy to avoid the dreaded taxi surcharge if you get the taxi driver to drop you at Nikko's by Miami. Also GT is pretty much just a wh*rehouse -- there are no dancing girls like in Miami later in the evening.)

Finally made it back to the veneto last weekend for a short stay. Thurs-Monday. This was my 5th time there. Was anxious to go back after reading all these recent reviews. All I have to say is Panama city-Veneto has gone downhill! I mean the quantity of women were an avg of about 20-30 a night with the exact same women working each night. The amount of mongers were double the amount of women, so the chicas were getting their way. Asking 200-150 at minimum for an hour. I never paid that much because I speak spanish, if you don't speak spanish they will take advantage of you. These guys are all willing to pay so this is why prices have gone up substantially also because they have no clue. I was with 3 women in a 4 night stay. 1 being a repeat. That's how bad the veneto has gotten. I even saw about 5 chicas from my last years trip! I'm picky and I tend to stay with 8-9 tops. 80% of the women were a 5-6 at most each night. Word has gotten out so the amount of gringos have doubled since I have been coming down. Each night I decided to also check out habanos and ache. Habonos was dead each night. More men than women. Asche was real shady with a lot of locals hanging outside looking around. Not a comfortable place to hang out, its an open bar. Again mostly men than women. Bodaguita was closed due to a recent shooting that occurred few weeks back. Asche is the old bodaguita 2. Same exact location, so they basically just changed the name. I was just amazed by how many guys vs women were at all these places. It felt kind of grimey at one point. I don't know about anyone else on here but when I go to one of these places I really don't want to start kicking the shit with other mongers, that's why I never decided to check out CR (del rey) Mongering in Panama city has gone downhill, there use to be plenty of women to choose from and so little mongers. To me, veneto is just like the del rey, Costa rica, but double the price! Sad to see veneto/habanos go down the shitter.

[QUOTE=Snipps;1262988]Finally made it back to the veneto last weekend for a short stay. Thurs-Monday. This was my 5th time there. Was anxious to go back after reading all these recent reviews. All I have to say is Panama city-Veneto has gone downhill! I mean the quantity of women were an avg of about 20-30 a night with the exact same women working each night. The amount of mongers were double the amount of women, so the chicas were getting their way. Asking 200-150 at minimum for an hour. I never paid that much because I speak spanish, if you don't speak spanish they will take advantage of you. These guys are all willing to pay so this is why prices have gone up substantially also because they have no clue. I was with 3 women in a 4 night stay. 1 being a repeat. That's how bad the veneto has gotten. I even saw about 5 chicas from my last years trip! I'm picky and I tend to stay with 8-9 tops. 80% of the women were a 5-6 at most each night. Word has gotten out so the amount of gringos have doubled since I have been coming down. Each night I decided to also check out habanos and ache. Habonos was dead each night. More men than women. Asche was real shady with a lot of locals hanging outside looking around. Not a comfortable place to hang out, its an open bar. Again mostly men than women. Bodaguita was closed due to a recent shooting that occurred few weeks back. Asche is the old bodaguita 2. Same exact location, so they basically just changed the name. I was just amazed by how many guys vs women were at all these places. It felt kind of grimey at one point. I don't know about anyone else on here but when I go to one of these places I really don't want to start kicking the shit with other mongers, that's why I never decided to check out CR (del rey) Mongering in Panama city has gone downhill, there use to be plenty of women to choose from and so little mongers. To me, veneto is just like the del rey, Costa rica, but double the price! Sad to see veneto/habanos go down the shitter.[/QUOTE]Snipps, I know you and I have kind of been waying in on Panama over the last few months and we pretty much agree. I am surprised you went back but I too got suckered into going back a few times last year also swore I wouldn't go back again. There is that yearning for the good ole days that I guess draws us. I almost found myself wanting to try it again but I am glad I read your post. It just clarifies what I knew but sometimes choose to ignore. The quality is WAY down. The clock watching is WAY up. Some guys are quoting finding $80 for an hour. I am not doubting that but I do not want to even see what type of quality they are talking about. Lately there are about 2-3 girls who are 9's and the last time I was there My friend and I watched one of them leave and come back with 5 different johns over the course of two hours. They are getting run through. 5 years ago the GFE was incredible there was no hour. TLN was standard. Now it just doesn't exist. Or maybe it does but only with a 3 or 4. The only thing that has improved somewhat is the service, but everything else including traffic, noise, heat, laws, gringo tourism et has gotten worse. The last night I am there I also ended up feeling grimey. I get the same feeling in Costa Rica but for the value your just better off at the Del rey. I suppose if I had a lay over for a night or there was some outrageous special on a flight to PTY I would journey back but your post is spot on. Things aint the same in good ole Panama.

[QUOTE=Mfins;1263006]Snipps, I know you and I have kind of been waying in on Panama over the last few months and we pretty much agree. I am surprised you went back but I too got suckered into going back a few times last year also swore I wouldn't go back again. There is that yearning for the good ole days that I guess draws us. I almost found myself wanting to try it again but I am glad I read your post. It just clarifies what I knew but sometimes choose to ignore. The quality is WAY down. The clock watching is WAY up. Some guys are quoting finding $80 for an hour. I am not doubting that but I do not want to even see what type of quality they are talking about. Lately there are about 2-3 girls who are 9's and the last time I was there My friend and I watched one of them leave and come back with 5 different johns over the course of two hours. They are getting run through. 5 years ago the GFE was incredible there was no hour. TLN was standard. Now it just doesn't exist. Or maybe it does but only with a 3 or 4. The only thing that has improved somewhat is the service, but everything else including traffic, noise, heat, laws, gringo tourism et has gotten worse. The last night I am there I also ended up feeling grimey. I get the same feeling in Costa Rica but for the value your just better off at the Del rey. I suppose if I had a lay over for a night or there was some outrageous special on a flight to PTY I would journey back but your post is spot on. Things aint the same in good ole Panama.[/QUOTE]Mfin, you hit it spot on. I did get suckerd in, and I too choose to ignore. I wanted to go back and see for myself. I just couldn't believe what I was seeing. This one girl I met claimed she was in pty city for only 2 days, she was about 8-9. Only looker around on a Thursday night, I got her down to 100 from an asking price of 175. I offered to take her out to dinner relax and have a drink. She told me straight up that is a waste of time for me, I need to make money. I passed on her. I saw her come up and down that elevator about 4 times that night with all different types of johns. The rest of the 10 women were not attractive at all and looked like used robots. 20 guys staring at 10-15 girls.

I am good friends with a couple of the taxi guys out front and they make fun at us johns who end up sleeping with these girls because they know its all business and all mechanical. I will admit Sat night was the best night and veneto had about 5 8-9s but you had to grab them early before someone else did. Crazy. I had better time gambling and winning money than searching. Can you imagine!

[QUOTE=Snipps; 1263228]Mfin, you hit it spot on. I did get suckerd in, and I too choose to ignore. I wanted to go back and see for myself. I just couldn't believe what I was seeing. This one girl I met claimed she was in pty city for only 2 days, she was about 8-9. Only looker around on a Thursday night, I got her down to 100 from an asking price of 175. I offered to take her out to dinner relax and have a drink. She told me straight up that is a waste of time for me, I need to make money. I passed on her. I saw her come up and down that elevator about 4 times that night with all different types of johns. The rest of the 10 women were not attractive at all and looked like used robots. 20 guys staring at 10-15 girls.

I am good friends with a couple of the taxi guys out front and they make fun at us johns who end up sleeping with these girls because they know its all business and all mechanical. I will admit Sat night was the best night and veneto had about 5 8-9s but you had to grab them early before someone else did. Crazy. I had better time gambling and winning money than searching. Can you imagine![/QUOTE]Used robots. Hahahahahh- that cracks me up. How was the carrott law. Did it effect things at all

[QUOTE=Mfins;1263692]Used robots. Hahahahahh- that cracks me up. How was the carrott law. Did it effect things at all[/QUOTE]Not really, on Friday and Saturday veneto bar stopped serving drinks at 230, half our before 3am closing. The other nights at 130am before 2am closing. At that time they were still women hanging around, but those were the ugly ones and basically the women that have been walking the casino for the past 3-4 hours. I went to check out asche and habonos at that time as well and it was dead. You need to go at about 8pm, thats when you have more of a variety. Basically you had to find a women between 8pm-11pm in veneto. The used robots hang around during bar closing time. LOL

Does anyone know of a poker room other than the veneto and majestic.

Played alot at veneto in 2009 but rules were not enforced as buddies passing money from thier stack to on another, specificailly the asians and the 2 greeks did what they wanted whenever looking at peoples cards in the dead hand pile. Dealers and management never did anything about. Makes for a shit game. Or did cleanup thier act. Still 5-5 game or do they now have 1-2.

Also how about Managua, enjoyed playing at the del rey and colonial in sj.

Also how about Lima, I know wrong thread

[QUOTE=WaterTraveller; 1264611]Does anyone know of a poker room other than the veneto and majestic.

Played alot at veneto in 2009 but rules were not enforced as buddies passing money from thier stack to on another, specificailly the asians and the 2 greeks did what they wanted whenever looking at peoples cards in the dead hand pile. Dealers and management never did anything about. Makes for a shit game. Or did cleanup thier act. Still 5-5 game or do they now have 1-2.

Also how about Managua, enjoyed playing at the del rey and colonial in sj.

Also how about Lima, I know wrong thread[/QUOTE]Casinos in Managua suck for the most part in my opinion.

Thanks for the input about Panama city guys, I liked it there before. No big hurry to return, used to go to San Jose and venture out to Panama. Lived there 8 months. In my rookie days with limited Spanish I have pulled decent chicks out of the veneto for 40-50$ for the rest of the nite, pretty proud of that. I'm very fussy. Also from the bocas terrana, you just need to have a lot of time to find a good one. Which I have, I usually go for 2-3 months. Will agree San Jose is good bang for your buck, new Fantasy and Zona Blue, now little Habana were very good 5 years ago, but I like going to the 25$ an hour places that I call" down the hill" from the Del Rey. I've had a couple dealers and waitresses from blue marlin and delrey, but sure had to do my ground work first. Tennis at Parque Sabana, Jazz Cafe, Castro's Discotheque. Like 1 post mentioned would love to go back for old times sake, but out of nicaragua (I like fenix there, had the 2 best young ones there for 50 tln, alternate between the 2) Costa Rica.

And Panama I would only revisit San Jose, just a little too far from my beach place Manuel Antonio.

My new destination is now Habana Cuba, I love it, spent 4. 5 months last year and will spend another 4 this year with a side trip to Lima. Just for all you guys out there that don't have alot of money to spend trips, to Latin American countries and casas de putas doesn't have to costs thousands of dollars, I used to go to above mentioned places party all nite, gamble, tanned bitches for about 5000 a month. Go crazy in the city for a week then chill at a beach place for a week or so and do it all over again. All you need is a phrase book and learn as you go, and be polite to the right ones and tell the others f-k off politely.

Someone mentioned about knowing Spanish and doesn't need to go to casas anymore, that's where I'm at, but still like to go.

Good luck and for people who want to go to Latin countries and are hesitant, do it, go make mistakes, then laugh about it, and try not to make the same ones. Was funny, forgot to mention I'm now 51 year balding but in pretty good shape, started touring 12 years ago 4 months a year with no Spanish.

Have fun, and remember you don't need a million bucks

I am looking for some up date information. Other than the Veneto and Habano's are there any other good places to go in the city?

Sounds like the city has gone down hill. Are there any other good hotel bars or clubs for non working ladies or locals?

I am going to be there the week of the 16th of April.

Let me know if anyone has any suggestions.

Thanks

Short report on yesterday action.

Ashe was CLOSED, nearly all of avenida Uruguay was dark.

Habanos was deserted around 22:00 hrs, saw 3 girls.

Veneto had no crap table open. Only one roulette and at some point while the band was playing around 22:30 only one black jack.

A few girls but the ratio m / f was overwhelmingly against the males. To make matters worst two things happened around 23:15.

Must have been a plane load of mongers that descended on the Veneto. I would venture to say that around 40 to 50 guys showed up en masse and livened-up the place a bit.

But unfortunately there must have been a rich party being organized in one of the suites cause I saw one local guy with a Panamanian hat hanging around the escalator, chatting the pretty ladies and as a group (a dozen of the most charming ones) and just as the plane load of tourists arrived, the girls ascended and disappeared for the rest of the night.

Ahhhhh well. Somebody had fun.

Enjoy.

Mellow