Whether you want to hunt for sand dollars or smell the fresh air, Playa El Palmar is a spot you might want to check out, located 1.7 mi (2.7 km) from central San Carlos. If you want to continue walking by the waves, head to Playa La Ensenada located nearby.
If want to top up your tan, you might want to head out to Playa La Ensenada, located 1.1 mi (1.7 km) from central San Carlos. If you want to continue walking by the waves, head to Playa El Palmar located nearby.
San Carlos is well-known for its attractions such as Playa El Palmar and Playa La Ensenada. Visitors speak highly of this beachside city's restaurants and secluded setting.
Check out reviews of San Carlos hotels guests love
Radisson Riviera Panama
10/10 Excellent
"This is not my first time staying at this hotel, and once again it did not disappoint. The rooms were spotless, just as I’ve always experienced. The staff are truly the golden point of this place—kind, professional, and always welcoming. The beach was clean and well maintained, and the food was excellent. Consistency like this is rare, and that’s why I keep coming back. Highly recommended."
The Buenaventura Golf & Beach Resort Panama, Autograph Collection
10/10 Excellent
"Perfect room size, amazing service, super friendly staff. Facilities are great, restauran is very romantic and food was delicious. We had a wonderful time and will come back "
"The property was great, food options were plentiful, but the staff made it memorable! From Maricruz bringing such joy to every meal we were lucky enough to see her, to Alex and Yunier behind the bar making tasty drinks quickly, to Abdiel ensuring the pool was safe and enjoyable, to Eleuterio helping us find a lost personal item and being so nice!
For anyone traveling without children, the pool with the swim up bar is adults only and consistently enforced - we only really saw kiddos at meals.
Overall would recommend!"
"Beautiful setting, nice pool, good restaurant, helpful staff, clean rooms, comfortable outdoor patio and good bar. We really enjoyed our stay and the gorgeous views."
"Unique property, uniquely situated - on the mountain, somewhere in the "hair" of la India Dormida. The views, the quiet, and the isolation would be hard to match. This gets all my 5 stars. Stayed in a mountain-view Queen studio.
The rooms are clean but basic and small - and as advertised (as a container-based hotel). Very little by way of amenities or service. If you arrive with the mindset of a basic camp lodge, with a very comfortable Queen bed. The views and isolation should more than make up for the spartan accommodation. If you arrive with the mindset of a standard hotel room, you will be disappointed. But the views and isolation should more than make up for it. The staff, especially Ariel, are very helpful. And mostly leave you to your devices unless you need them.
Should be noted that the breakfast is in a separate restaurant building, Las Nubes, that is a 2 minute walk away — but it's a very steep walk up the very steep mountain road that also leads to the hotel. Several guests with cars simply drove up. I chose the exercise. The restaurant is open for lunch and dinner. While there is more dining variety driving down into the valley and El Valle; the drive back up the mountain when dark can be daunting. So having Las Nubes as a late dining option is good.
If you hike up the La India Dormida trail, at its peak you can look across and see Las Nubes in the distance. But with some dodgy descent and climbing between you both. "
If you need the flexibility to change your plans to San Carlos, most hotels provide refundable* bookable rates. You can see these properties by searching our site and using the "fully refundable" filter to narrow down the results.
Where can I stay in San Carlos if I want a vacation rental instead of a traditional hotel?
If you want a good alternative to a hotel, browse our selection of 21 vacation homes. In addition, there are 27 apartments and 10 condos.
What will the weather in San Carlos be like during my visit?
With an average temperature of 78°F, San Carlos is a great place if you want to enjoy the sunshine year all year long.
Why should I book my San Carlos hotel through Hotels.com?
There are plenty of reasons to book your San Carlos travel with us: our free cancellations on selected hotels gives you the flexibility you're looking for, and with One Key™, our rewards program, you will be able to earn and use OneKeyCash™* on all eligible bookings such as hotels, car rentals, flights, vacation rentals and more on Hotels.com, Expedia and Vrbo.