My friends from New York recently opened a new hotel in Casco Viejo and it is a hit. The area of Cacso is similar to the older sections of New York City where my friends have done renovations similar to the hotel that they just opened here. Here is a story by Jacob Ehrler from the Visitor.
Panama residents hear it all the time when receiving out-of-town guests, “It looks like New York!” Those who watch the news know it too – The Economist described our capital last year as a misplaced “chunk of Manhattan” in a feature on whether Panama was the world’s next Singapore. But correlation between the two cities is deeper than glass and concrete. Both are banking capitals, melting pots and while NYC may be considered the capital of the world, Panama is today being touted as the future capital of Latin America.
A bustling restaurant scene that took off here in the last decade also allowed room for comparison. And today, the country is enjoying even more similarities to the Big Apple than ever before. The examples range from the Trump Ocean Club International Hotel and Tower, the tallest and most expensive building in Latin America to the Tantalo Hotel in Casco Viejo, where Manhattan developers have fallen in love with the burgeoning arts scene in the Old Quarter.
Fashionistas and photographers agree too: Panama City is a lot like New York. Read this special report to see the similarities that many have found.
Old Quarter inspires Manhattan developers to foster arts scene
Matthew Blesso and Adam Rosenberg of Blesso Properties at the Tantalo rooftop lounge.
Last week saw the opening of Tantalo, a new hotel, restaurant and rooftop lounge on Calle 8 in Casco Viejo, Panama City’s Old Quarter. The investor group, Blesso Properties, is from Manhattan and found itself immediately identifying with the historical part of the city.
Blesso representatives report being drawn to develop in Casco Viejo for three reasons: the similarities to the NYC neighborhoods of The Village and Chelsea, where the developer focuses on restoration and adaptation, the favorable economic conditions of Panama and the burgeoning arts scene in Casco Viejo.
“From an investor standpoint,” says Matthew Blesso, “we got a lot back from the local arts scene. We were thrilled with the energy and excitement that local artists demonstrated when we asked the to collaborate in the decoration of the hotel.”
The twelve dorm-style rooms are each decorated by a local artist. Room themes range from sex to tropical fruits, inspired by Panama City’s classic colorful fruit dishes sold on the street.
The investors, who are already enjoying proposals to franchise Tantalo, also cite having received excellent service from of government and contractors and are pleased with the amount of time it took from inception to opening of their project.
Visit TantaloHotel.com.