Panama Hotel and Tea House

Melissa Hayworth Wood

This review is for the hotel only. We stayed two nights here last weekend. The décor and ambience of the hotel is very unique and appealing. The linens were all comfortable and clean, but the mattresses are so soft that you can't sleep on your tummy without it hurting your back. The shared bathroom was only slightly inconvenient, but we were aware of this feature before booking the room so it didn't bother us. The shower room was pretty dank and unclean, the shower drain was full of gunk & hair. We only took one shower because we didn't want to use the nasty shower again. Definitely bring shower shoes! The front door is kept locked and the hotel can only be accessed by having an employee come open the door. One morning, my fiancé left to get coffee and pastries and when he returned he called to have the front door opened, it took almost 10 minutes for someone to come down and it seemed like they had just rolled out of bed after having a rough night. You can't access the hotel after 12 am, which can be inconvenient if you're in town for an event that may go late. We happened to be in town for a concert and had to get back to the hotel by midnight, otherwise we wouldn't have been able to access our room. The location is very convenient to downtown Seattle and we were able to easily walk to the hotel from the stadium after the concert. Overall, it wasn't a terrible experience, but it's not convenient to stay here for us; we like to be able to come and go as we please.

William Kuntze

Owner preserves pictures and hundreds of items stored by Japanese Americans removed from West coast in 1942. All can be seen in the excellent tea house and expresso cafe

Carl Furfaro

Hard to exaggerate how nice the teahouse is. Wonderful selection of teas and lots of nice pastry-type things to choose from. And I'm not sure I've experienced a warmer, friendlier, more welcoming atmosphere anywhere, ever. And there's an emphasis on the history of Japanese Americans that makes it fascinating to wander and explore all the photographs and newspaper articles on display, among other things. And it's a treat (if you're an animal lover) to have Miu-Miu (myu-myu) the cat letting you know she prefers not to be ignored.

Sophie Guo

Perfect vintage looking aesthetic, the building is old but it’s taken care off well and it is comfortable and clean. Food and drink downstairs are delicious and well portioned. And of course, the highlight of the space is the hospitable Ms. Miumiu