Casa Acuario Boutique Hotel

Wonderful place to stay in Bocas/Caranero. The rooms are very comfortable, the breakfast is excellent, and the owners JP and Mandy are fantastic hosts, as well as their assistant Ariel! We loved the swimming, kayaks, and snorkeling right off the deck. We will be back!

This place is astounding! Very clean, very convenient, very warm and welcoming. The owners Mandy and JP make you feel right at home from the first moment you step onto the property. We absolutely loved staying here and would definitely recommend to everyone!

We stayed 2 nights at Casa Acuario and had a wonderful time. The rooms are excellent! Spacious, comfortable, and well appointed. Staying over the water is something you won’t forget. My favorite part of Casa Acuario was the communal area where the restaurant/bar is. It’s a cozy space with a great vibe, all times of the day and night. We loved hanging out in this area. There are comfy lounge chairs on the deck that are great for watching the sunset, and a communal fridge stocked full with beers and sodas. The cute, gentle dogs of the house that hang out in this area are a bonus for guests. There’s tons to do within a short walk of Casa Acuario, or via water taxis that constantly cruise by. You can flag down a water taxi right from the Casa Acuario dock and you’ll be aboard and on your way within seconds. If you’re wavering between staying in Bocas Town vs. Casa Acuario, just know that Bocas Town is less than 1/4 mile away - you’re there in 1 minute on a water taxi. Owners Mandy and JP, like many of the other reviewers here have noted, are super friendly and made our stay amazing!

We came to Casa Acuario for brunch and sat on the wooden decking overlooking the turquoise waters. Great brunch food, tasty coffee and super friendly service. It felt very welcoming and relaxed; they were really happy for us to pop into the water for a snorkel before heading off (there is some great coral on the struts of the decking and such clear water). Thanks for a lovely brunch :)

PROS - Easy to book - Reasonable rate - The owners, Mandy and JP, and/or Ariel were always available - Quick and thorough communication before, during, and after the stay - They helped me to arrange boat and ground transportation - Easy to get to: literally a one-minute boat taxi from Dock 25 (which is a five-minute taxi from the airport) - Friendly, laidback dogs - Walking distance to multiple restaurants (I liked Leaf Eaters best, but it's open only for lunch) - There's a three-to-four-mile walking path around the circumference of the island - Safe: the door to the property locks, and there are multiple locks on the guest doors. The windows lock - Strong WiFi - Complimentary insect repellent, water, coffee, toiletries - Fun deck for hanging out, with lots of comfortable seating options. Good people watching. Conducive to meeting other tourists and locals. Nice views of Bocas del Toro and Bastimentos - Excellent breakfast - Spacious sleeping rooms with big private decks. Clean. Plenty of fresh air and natural light - A hammock on the private decks - No noise from neighboring rooms, air conditioning units, or refrigerators. Plenty of fresh air and natural light - Outdoor kitchenettes - Honor bar with wine, beer, seltzer - Paddleboards, kayaks, snorkeling equipment - Laundry service CONS - Aqua plays loud music late into the night (but I stayed on Friday and Saturday, so I might have got the worst of it). It didn't prevent me from sleeping, but it made falling back asleep a little difficult. However, there are white noise machines within the rooms - No Modelo Negra! (But Leaf Eaters sells it to go...)

Just a taste of paradise !Everything was perfect, amazing view, i don't want to spoil more, but it's hard to imagine a better place. Several restaurants are around, a supermarket for those who like to cook and ask Mandy for advice on tours. Contacts she recommanded were great : we did 2 tours to discover cacao farm, do snorkeling and see dolphins and we dived too. Everyone was delighted.

Casa Acuario left us wanting for nothing. Mandy and JP have thought of everything. The rooms are gorgeous, the breakfast is amazing, you can borrow snorkel gear, kayaks, SUP’s and even more. The staff is great, and we even fell in love with the dogs ;) We can’t wait to come back and bring our friends and family!

We absolutely loved this property! The room was ON the water and the views were amazing. We loved hanging out on the patio reading and having a cocktail. Mandy, JP, Ariel, and the rest of the staff were so friendly and welcoming. They helped us arrange several activities which we really appreciated. We hope to come back next year!

Life over the water on Isla Carenero is a true delight. Our family of 4 stayed at Casa Acuario for 4 nights in January and we loved every minute of it. The views out of every window, the porch stretched over crystal, clear turquoise water, delicious breakfasts, awesome owners and staff, and the convenient water taxi stop at the end of the dock made our visit extra special. JP, Mandy and Ariel are so lovely and helpful - from recommending local restaurants, sharing a curated list of things to do, to connecting us with a wonderful surf guide. A+