El Palmar Hotel For Sale - Your $950K Gateway to Owning a Profitable Panama Business

This isn't some empty building or abandoned property you have to rebuild from scratch. El Palmar comes as a complete, working hospitality business. You get four hotel rooms, each 250 square feet (25 square meters), connected to an indoor and outdoor covered restaurant space with a stage for entertainment. The property sits on 900 square meters, just over 9,500 square feet, giving you room to expand if you want. When you purchase, the deal includes the business corporation, two established business bank accounts, an active website, all social media platforms, and verified listings on Expedia and Booking.com. Even better, there's already a trained team of employees ready to run operations. You're not starting from zero - you're stepping into an already operating, revenue-generating business.

El Palmar sits in San Carlos, a region that's becoming increasingly popular with expats and tourists. The location is genuinely strategic. You're only three minutes from the Pan-American Highway that runs through the center of the country, making access incredibly easy. The property is footsteps away from some of the best surfing spots in the area, with a couple of surf schools just down the road. Weekend and holiday traffic brings city folks and foreign tourists enjoying Panama's beach culture. If your guests want to venture beyond the beach, the mountain town of Boquete is only 45 minutes away, famous for horseback riding, therapeutic baths, ziplining, restaurants, and outdoor markets full of fresh produce and souvenirs. The nearby Wagner Lodge is well-known for Saturday night live music throughout the high season. You're also just 15 minutes from Coronado, where you'll find major shopping centers, grocery stores, hardware stores, and English-language movie theaters. Panama City is only an hour and a half away, and the international airport is just 20 minutes further. The location balances accessibility with the chill, tropical vibe people come to Panama seeking.

Here's what makes El Palmar different from just buying property in Panama. You're not just investing in real estate - you're investing in a lifestyle business that generates income while you live your best life. Austin Hess, COO of DoPanama, positions this perfectly: the appeal is owning an operation that lets you enjoy 365 days of warm weather, creates a safe and adventurous environment for kids, and allows your family to make beautiful memories while the business generates revenue. This appeals to several types of people. Expat families with school-age children get a safe, fun environment where kids can truly be kids. Retirees who aren't interested in sitting around doing nothing can take on a meaningful role in their community while staying active and engaged. Even investors who want to diversify their portfolio beyond traditional real estate can tap into hospitality income. The restaurant and hotel work synergistically - guests stay at the hotel and eat at the restaurant, creating multiple revenue streams from the same property.

El Palmar attracts several distinct groups. First, there are expat families relocating to Panama with children. The San Carlos area offers safety, English-speaking schools within 20-30 minutes, and the kind of relaxed lifestyle where your kids actually play outside instead of being glued to screens. Second, there are pre-retirees and retirees who want activity and purpose. Running a hotel and restaurant isn't passive income, but it's also not the 60-hour workweeks of corporate life. You can set your own pace, hire managers, and create the lifestyle you want. Third, there are real estate and business investors who see Panama's tourism growth and want to capitalize on it. According to Panama's Ministry of Tourism, Panama received over 1.7 million international visitors annually in pre-pandemic years, with steady recovery and growth projected. Finally, there are lifestyle entrepreneurs and digital nomads who want a home base that also generates revenue - essentially a property that pays for itself while you live in paradise.

One reason the restaurant and hotel model works so well in San Carlos is the surrounding attractions. Nearby beaches including Palmar, Santa Clara, and Farallon pull tourists on weekends and holidays. Wagner Lodge's Saturday night live music is a draw during the high season. Boquete, just 45 minutes away, is one of Panama's most famous expat destinations, known for its spring-like climate, outdoor activities, and vibrant community. Within 20-30 minutes, you have access to international schools, medical care, restaurants, and all basic services. Coronado, 15 minutes away, functions as the shopping and dining hub with major commercial centers. This variety means your guests have diverse reasons to stay at El Palmar - some come for the beach and surfing, others use it as a base to explore Boquete, and others just want a relaxing coastal escape. The restaurant naturally becomes their gathering place, which drives revenue and creates the kind of social, memorable experience that generates online reviews and repeat bookings.

Owning a business in Panama comes with legitimate legal and tax benefits. Panama operates under a territorial tax system, meaning income generated outside Panama is not taxed. For business owners, this is significant. Many countries will allow you to establish residency through business ownership, and Panama offers several visa categories specifically for investors and business operators. The Friendly Nations Visa, available to citizens of 50+ countries, costs around $500-$1,000 and provides residency and work authorization. The Investor Visa requires larger capital commitments but is another pathway. Property ownership and business operation can strengthen residency applications. DoPanama's legal team, headed by Nalini Navarro Guardia as President and Legal Director, specializes in guiding business owners through visa and residency requirements alongside real estate transactions. The combination of business income, property ownership, and legal residency creates a stable, tax-efficient setup that many expats find highly attractive.

At $950,000 USD, El Palmar is positioned as an accessible entry point to hospitality business ownership in Panama. For comparison, similar properties in Caribbean destinations or Central American tourist hubs often command significantly higher prices. You're getting a fully operational business, not just four empty rooms. The fact that it comes with established Expedia and Booking.com listings, a website, social media presence, and trained staff means you're not spending 6-12 months getting the infrastructure ready. The restaurant operation adds a second revenue stream most hotels don't have. While hospitality businesses carry their own management demands, the income potential is real. A four-room hotel charging $75-$125 per night (competitive for the San Carlos area) generates $900-$1,500 daily from rooms alone. Restaurant revenue adds another significant stream. Austin Hess describes this as a business opportunity that gives families the ability to make millions of beautiful memories while generating meaningful income. The investment price reflects a fully turnkey operation, not a speculative property or a major renovation project.

DoPanama Real Estate & Relocation (dopanama.com) is a licensed and bonded real estate company (License PJ-1430-2023) with deep expertise in helping expats relocate to and invest in Panama. Austin Hess serves as COO and lead relocation specialist. Nalini Navarro Guardia, the President and Legal Director, brings specific expertise in residency, visa requirements, and business law. Adam Phillips handles content and communication. The team maintains offices inside the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in Panama City on the pool level, plus an information desk at the Hilton Hotel on Avenida Balboa (open Monday-Friday, 8 AM-5 PM). They work with over 98 real estate affiliates across the country, meaning they have listings and expertise in every corner of Panama - from beach properties like El Palmar to mountain communities like Boquete to urban investments in Panama City. For someone considering El Palmar or any Panama investment, DoPanama offers a free 23-question relocation survey that takes just 3-5 minutes, followed by personalized recommendations and a complimentary 30-minute Zoom consultation with Austin. This removes guesswork from the decision-making process.

Let's be honest: owning a hotel and restaurant in a foreign country is not passive income. It requires active management, at least initially. You'll be dealing with staffing, guest expectations, seasonal fluctuations, and the normal challenges of hospitality business. The fact that El Palmar comes with trained staff helps enormously, but you still need operational oversight. You'll need to understand basic accounting, manage cash flow, handle customer service issues, and maintain the property. That said, many owners find that hiring experienced managers takes the day-to-day burden off their shoulders, especially as the business stabilizes. The location in San Carlos gives you the flexibility to be hands-on if you want or mostly hands-off if you hire well. The warm climate, relaxed lifestyle, proximity to beaches, and the genuine satisfaction of creating a gathering place for travelers and locals can make the business side feel less like work and more like adventure. The key is going in with realistic expectations and, ideally, visiting the property multiple times before committing.