Roam Yoga & Wellness
Panama
Recensioner
The garden and the rooms were wonderful, and the property truly allows you to feel at one with nature. The breakfast and dinner were also very good. However, management seriously needs to address several inconsistencies and hidden costs. They heavily advertise "public yoga," which anyone would expect to be included in the stay. Yet, at check-out, we were hit with an unannounced charge of $5 per person per session. Given that the classes are taught by one of the owners and not an external professional, adding this to the bill without any prior warning feels incredibly cheap and misleading. The lack of transparency continued with the dinner pricing; we were charged $28 one night and $30 another, completely ignoring the $25 rate stated in their own arrival information. Dietary requirements were also handled carelessly. Despite claiming to serve vegan breakfasts, we were served eggs on one occasion and dairy on another. To make matters worse, they made an unacceptable mistake during dinner: as a vegetarian, I was served a tuna dish as my main course. While they did replace it, the damage was done. For a vegetarian, knowing an animal was killed and then thrown straight into the trash because of their carelessness is deeply upsetting. The dining atmosphere also felt quite off. The local staff did all the actual cooking, yet the two owners insisted on being the ones to bring every dish to the table, keeping the hard-working kitchen staff completely hidden from view. Our departure was just as poorly managed. Our return journey to Isla Colón was arranged through an acquaintance of theirs in a boat with absolutely no sun protection. You would think a friend might do this as a favor, but instead, they charged us $5 per person—the exact same rate as a professional water taxi, but with none of the comfort. On a positive note, they do offer paddleboards and kayaks for free use. However, there are too few of them compared to the number of guests. On top of that, they are not in perfect condition; one of the kayaks is missing all its scupper plugs (water stoppers), the paddleboards are missing their ankle leashes, and there are no life jackets provided at all.
What an incredible stay! As soon as I arrived I was transported into paradise. The garden is gorgeous and well-cared for. My little casa was impeccable; despite being in the jungle it was extremely clean. The space had everything I needed to feel comfortable, including fast, reliable wifi which is important to me since I work remotely. The room wasn’t too hot at night with the fan and I was able to sleep well. The sounds of birds chirping and insects buzzing were wonderful. Meghan and Ryan were so attentive to my every need. I felt like I didn’t even need to leave Roam during my stay since I had everything I needed, but there is a dock and you are able to arrange to go anywhere in bocas for $5 through one of their drivers. They have community yoga classes offered certain days of the week and I highly recommend going to one. The highlight for me has been the food! Each meal has been healthy, delicious, and beautiful! Meghan and Ryan clearly put so much thought into every part of this space, I fear it has ruined traveling for me because it doesn’t get better than this.
UPDATE: It is actually very concerning that this owner is trying to discredit my review by claiming in their response that I am a guest from a year ago. To be clear to all, I stayed here this past fall with my wife, and this is the first time she or I have ever shared a review of this establishment on any platform. If my description of the stay led you to believe I was someone else who experienced something similar a year prior, that should be a massive red flag to potential guests. It suggests that the issues I encountered are not a one off and have happened with not just me.. I rely on honest reviews when I travel, so I make it a point to provide an accurate recount of my own experiences so others are well informed. I pointed out the positive aspects and not so positive aspects. Instead of accusing me of being a different person or posting elsewhere, you should focus on addressing the actual quality of your service and facilities. Trying to deflect rather than taking responsibility just confirms that people should spend their money elsewhere. While the location is a bit of a trek to reach, this retreat offers a truly beautiful and peaceful escape surrounded by incredible wildlife. The rooms are admittedly outdated, though they were mostly well cleaned and provided a quiet atmosphere for a restful stay. Unfortunately, the service was disappointing at times.. One night after I made reservation for a specific fish dinner (because everything else is vegetarian by default unless you pay extra and make a reservation), the owner, Megan, simply served me the same meal as everyone else without explanation. I was patient and waited a bit to see if it was coming after or separately perhaps. When I asked about my order prior to dessert, Megan told me they had forgotten it and it would take too long to thaw. The lack of an apology or any remorse for the error was frustrating, and the mention of frozen fish certainly raised questions about the freshness of the food👀..oh, and the portion sizes were not generous at all! I was always left hungry still following a meal there.
Had the opportunity to have dinner here, and the food was truly amazing! The best meal we have had in Panama by far. Meghan has put so much thought and creativity into the menus and uses locally sourced ingredients, most from her property itself! Highly recommend!
What a wonderful place! Just everything was perfect and you can tell that the owners put a lot of love and effort into this place. Our room was spacious and very clean with a wonderful view from the terrace, the breakfast was delicious, the garden a little paradise (we've seen a sloth, many frogs and there's a small caiman living in the pond) and the staff was friendly too. Especially Meghan was very helpful with any kind of information. I'd definitely recommend staying here.
