TripAdvisor Traveler Rating

I had the best experience here, the workers were amazing. I loved sofia, byron, melvin, diego, carlos, estefan & marco! Everyone here is so kind & accommodating; will be coming back. Made real connections, that made our trip even more special!

Such a beautiful resort. Great staff, great food, great views. This is my second time here and I would love to come back again!!!

Horrible experience. There was a fast-moving fire blowing black smoke toward the hotel at about 7:30 pm. All the guests were in the parking lot trying to decide whether to evacuate. Flames were very close. Since thr hotel is high on a hill with only one 1-lane down, we decided to leave. We called front desk the rest of the night for instructions, but no one ever picked up. Fire department at bottom of hill told us to leave the area. Flames were literally crossing the street below. We did not go back that night, and were told no refund at all because the fire didnt affect the upper floors where our room was located. They said we didnt inform them there was a problem before we left. However, no one picked up the phone or directed anyone what to do. Im writing this because they told us we overreacted and they have these fires all the time. Do not stay here!!!!

My family and I came for 8 days the second week of June through our timeshare exchange, kids are 20 and 18 and we really did enjoy our time at Villas Sol. We stayed in a 2 bedroom villa and true to everyone’s comments, they could use some upgrades, however it really met our families needs just fine as we weren’t in the unit too much. The views absolutely made up for any deficiencies. I agree with many reviews the beach isn’t likely what you’ll book here for. They did their best to rake it each morning and set chairs up. It’s a dark sand beach but you can easily explore further down Hermosa with a short walk or head to Coco Playa Panama. The pool and sun deck were our favorite part. We would sit up there every night for happy hour and really enjoy the beautiful surroundings. The lush landscape and hill side and ocean views are incredible. We also saw a lemur, and lots of iguanas on the property. Yes there are cats, but they don’t bother you, we honestly only saw 2-3. You have to know what your getting and what your paying for, it isn’t the four seasons, it needs some repairs but thought it was a great value for the price. The timeshare forced all inclusive and that would be my one negative review. Again as many reviews said it is very repetitive and you will be eating the same things all week. If you aren’t forced to do all inclusive, I’d skip it or maybe just do a couple days. You can still eat at the restaurant but it’s on your terms. There are other restaurants you can walk to along the beach as well and off the main road. The other thing I want to comment on is how incredible the staff are. Everyone was so friendly, they wanted to get to know our names, And our favorite drinks. Melvin, Byron, Diego, Sofia, Carlos, Eduardo, Neivy and Maria all were amazing and that’s just whose names I can remember! I would recommend renting a car. There are so many towns and beaches to explore near the resort. We were within 30-60min drives of ATVing, hikes, waterfalls and other towns. You can also visit Walmart in town. Overall I would stay again, the only reason I’d be deterred is if I had to do the all inclusive again.

? – Do Not Stay Here. Avoid at All Costs. I rarely write reviews this negative, but after what my family experienced at Villas Sol, I feel obligated to warn other travelers. PROBLEMS STARTED AT CHECK-IN The very first thing we were told upon arrival was that the largest and nicest pool — the pool with the swim-up bar and Jacuzzi, prominently featured in the hotel's marketing — was completely closed for construction. We were never notified of this in advance. To make matters worse, this pool was the closest one to our villa. We only found out at check-in. If you've seen it in their photos, don't count on it being open. We had booked a Premium Ocean Villa, but the room we were given was outdated and worn, with rock-hard beds and a building completely obstructing what was advertised as an ocean view. After raising our concerns with management, we were a given a Villa Suite, which was a better experience — but we should never have had to fight for what we already paid for. BEACH & POOL With the pool closed, the only open pool was overcrowded with no private or quiet areas to relax. The beach was a disappointment as well — littered with plastic trash, covered in rocks that made it difficult to walk barefoot, and equipped with old, uncomfortable beach chairs. Be aware that the beach has a constant stream of vendors walking up and down trying to sell products and tours. We strongly advise against booking any tours through these beach vendors. We witnessed a group of tourists board a dangerously overloaded boat — there were far too many people on board and the boat nearly capsized. When the passengers returned, they were visibly upset from the rough boat ride. Additionally, they had been promised monkey sightings and saw none, and they were unable to get refunds from the vendors. This is a serious safety concern. Do not book tours through anyone walking the beach. Use only reputable, established tour operators. THE BEACH TOWEL SYSTEM IS EXHAUSTING This is a large resort built into a hillside, and the towel system is poorly designed for a property of this size. To get a beach towel, you must first travel to the only working pool — which can be far out of the way depending on your villa — exchange a card for towels, and then make your way down to the beach. If you rely on their tram service to get around, add even more time, because trams are slow and the wait is constant. Then you repeat the entire process in reverse to return them. There is no towel service at the beach at all. It is a frustrating and unnecessary way to spend your vacation time. FOOD POISONING — SERIOUS WARNING This is the most important part of this review. We ordered beef nachos at the pool bar. They took over an hour to arrive and came out cold. While we waited, we noticed water actively pouring through the restaurant roof — a visible and serious food safety concern. That night, both my daughter and I became violently ill. My husband, who had not eaten the nachos, was completely fine. We stopped eating at the hotel restaurant immediately and had no further illness for the rest of the trip. Do not eat at this restaurant. NICKEL-AND-DIMING AT EVERY TURN Our villa had no dishwasher, no washer, and no dryer. The property does have an on-site laundry facility, but it is reserved exclusively for property owners — not guests. The hotel will do your laundry, but at outrageous prices: $2 or more per small garment, with larger items like dresses priced even higher. We ended up driving to Coco to have laundry done at a reasonable cost. SECURITY — DO NOT ASSUME YOU ARE SAFE One night we had someone throwing rocks at our villa door. We called the front desk for security and the staff member who answered was unable to understand what we were telling her. No one ever came. The property has a gate, but based on our experience, we question whether they have any trained security personnel equipped to handle a situation like this. If you are traveling with family, especially children, this is a serious concern. Do not assume that because there is a gate, you are protected. THE $300 MATTRESS SCAM — BEWARE This was the final straw. On our last day, we went to the front desk early to review our bill before checkout — and I cannot stress enough how glad I am that we did. The hotel attempted to charge us $300, claiming we had soiled a mattress. This was completely false. We returned to the room, photographed every mattress front and back, and demanded that management come inspect them personally. They found nothing and dropped the charge. I strongly believe this is a deliberate scam targeting tourists on checkout day, knowing that most guests are rushing to catch flights and will not have time to dispute charges. Had we checked out the morning of our departure, we would have been out $300 with no recourse. FINAL VERDICT Do not book this hotel. Do not eat at the restaurant. Do not book tours through beach vendors. Do not assume you have adequate security. And if you somehow end up here anyway — check your bill the day before you leave, photograph every inch of your room on arrival, and do not rely on the tram or the amenities pictured in their marketing. This property does not deliver what it advertises, and based on our experience, you cannot trust management to deal with you honestly or keep you safe.