Carmen's place

Bed and Breakfast

I wanted to put 5 stars, because Carmen is really exceptional. She makes sure your stay is the best stay you can have. The breakfast... you'll never get such a breakfast anywhere else. The dinner... She asks you what you don't like, and she cooks something incredible, that you may never have tested, because she is a CHEF and she cooks OH SO WELL.||||The only detail is that: for those who need air conditioner, there is none because a lot of places in the islands collect energy via solar panels (so choose your island and place carefully if you really want AC).||For persons who have a little disability or leg/back pain, choose a room downstairs, because to reach both jungle cabins there is a staircase with maybe 30 stairs. The view is really beautiful though! And you'll get hamac and a terrasse!||||If you want to fish, Marcel will take you on a tour :)||||Both are lovely, we will never forget our stay there.||THANK YOU!

My wife and I had the best time at Carmen’s place. ||||Before we even arrived, Carmen ensured to get in touch and let us know how best to get to her place and to offer us to stay for dinner. Don’t think twice on accepting; Carmen is an amazing cook and it’s a great way to learn more about the area or other guests’ experiences and to also taste some amazing fish that Carmen’s partner Marcel catches nearly on a daily basis.||||We were also on our honeymoon and when Carmen found this out, she went above and beyond to make us feel welcome and so very special during our stay with her. Upon arrival we had champagne waiting for us, beautiful flowers from the jungle garden and a picture of us from our wedding day on our door, and she also then moved us into her jungle cabin for a few nights when it was available on day 2 of our stay. The views of the ocean and sounds on the jungle were truly amazing! ||||It’s rare to find such kind and generous hosts such as Carmen and Marcel and we wouldn’t think twice about staying again.||||Alex & Pippa Xx

Incredible food, felt like family as soon as we arrived.

Went fishing with Marcel this morning. Had an amazing fishing experience. Marcel is an experienced guide that truly cares about his clients. Then we had our best meal in Panama. Carmen and Marcel are wonderful hosts. I highly recommend them.

Thank you very much Carmen & Marcel for a wonderful stay. You have a lovely spot in paradise, and we really loved the atmosphere. The food is also very amazing, we felt so spoiled! See you next time, cause we’re definitely coming back!

Sportfishing adventures with Carmen Marcel Jansen was perfect. Marcel was a very good fishing guide. He knows perfectly his spot and his boat is well adapt for this activity.

Carmen & Marcel are really lovely & friendly persons. That's a place you feel relaxed. For us it feels after 5 days like home.
The rooms are clean and beautiful.
Also the breakfast was for us perfect and if you have the chance to have dinner with them do it and enjoy ❤

My wife and I booked 5 nights on Basimentos Island in Bocas Del Toro,. Not really knowing what to expect. From the moment we pulled up in a water taxi to Carmens place we felt a relief come over us as Carmen met us at the dock with a beer, wine and a hug! Carmen and Marcel treat their guests like family. They go over and above. We had a fabulous honeymoon stay and enjoyed nights sitting out front by the dock having beer and wine and getting to know other guests. Carmen is also an amazing cook. If you do stay, we recommend staying for dinner rather than going out most nights. If you're looking for a quite stay but also a bit of company and fun at night we recommend staying with Carmen and Marcel. They have such great hearts and are truely amazing people. Not to mention Thunder and Breeze (their 2 dogs) Breeze is lovely and quiet, while Thunder… well … lets just say if you have a coconut handy, we will be your best friend :)

Carmen and Marcel host you like a friend! Carmen’s Place is the perfect spot for relaxing and very good to discover beaches, the jungle and the other islands. We extended two times our stay and we will come definitely again — 100% recommendation!

What everyone else said! Carmen & Marcel were such nice hosts, they really make this place special, and go out of their way to provide for your every need. I would stay here again in a heartbeat!

Carmens place is a great B&B on Bastimentos Island. The owners Carmen&Marcel are very welcoming and warm-hearted. The rooms are super clean and comfortable. The homemade breakfast is delightful. You can also stay for dinner. Carmen organized also a day boat trip so we could explore nearby islands and nature. We spent an excellent time and felt very connected to this happy place.

This is more like a B&B.
Words cannot describe how beautiful Carmens Place is.
I try, so here is a list:
1. The best hosts — Carmen & Marcel (and Carmens Nice Juliet) are the most wonderful people you can imagine. They help you with your daily planning (if you want it) and give you advice where the best beaches, best snorkeling, best local food etc. Is. They really care about their guests and always want the best for you. So kind and so sweet.
2. This means they also always want the best food for you! Breakfast is included and super delicious. Especially the coconut pancakes. They also offer family dinners which you should attend if you don't want to miss out as they are all super good cooks. You will never ever leave hungry. All the guests are sitting together, drinking wine and enjoying the good food (a lot of fresh fish and seafood as Marcel is a passionate fisherman). But as I said, dinner is optional but so worth it.
3. The island is much more quiet than Bocas Town and has beautiful beaches, very close. You have to walk through the jungle and then you arrive at Wizard beach with hardly any people.
4. The rooms are clean and beautiful, most of them have sea view and there are hammocks and a beautiful deck on the water where you can sit and relax and also have your breakfast or a sundowner beer.
5. You will find your happy place here. We did and in our trip this was the place where we were relaxed the most.

This beautiful accommodation is run by warm and caring hosts About the hosts…. We had the most amazing stay at Carmen's Place the past 10 days. The Dutch hosts, Carmen and Marcel are perfectly welcoming, ready to help you and very knowledgeable about the area. They made my husband's 50th birthday the most memorable one to date! About the place itself…. If you need a hair dryer when you are on vacation, don't stay here. In all seriousness, it's a eco-friendly accommodation so everything runs on solar (there is a generator as back up) to provide necessary lights, a water filtering system and hot water showers. There is no TV but excellent Wifi. Breakfast comes with your stay. It's a hardy mix of yummy pancakes, eggs & toast with super fresh and tasty fruit. Carmen cooks a dinner and it's optional if you partake. Her cooking was excellent — we ate dinner there just about every night! Some of her mouth-watering meals were unique pizzas, excellent fresh fish, vegetable lasagna, scrumptious rice and pasta medleys and savory sides of vegetable plates. What to do…. When we were there, there was always a nice breeze. We found out that the rainy season in Bocas Del Toro lasts a little longer than other parts of Panama so we had a fair amount of rain. That said, we had great beach days at Wizard Beach and Red Frog Beach.

The worst value I have ever known. Small and careless rooms. Mosquito nets with holes, windows without mosquito net or any security. The cistern did not work half the time, the hot water regulator of the shower either. Howling Dogs Wake you all the time. They don't give you any choice to choose food. Terrible hosts. And the location is not the best, it is secluded from everything without having any charm to enjoy. And to move you have to find your own transport… that adding day to day comes out expensive. I couldn't recommend anyone. Any place before this.

We spent three brilliant nights here at the end of our trip. Carmen and Marcel are warm, kind, genuine hosts who care about all the simple touches and minor details that make you feel at home. It was lovely having the option to eat huge homemade dinners communally with the other guests, and Carmen’s breakfasts on the jetty really set us up for each day. We enjoyed such fun, happy times in their company and shared hugs and tears when it was time to say goodbye. Thank you so much, we would stay here again in a heartbeat!

Thank you Carmen and Marcel for this amazing stay… short but memorable. We enjoyed very much everything you do for us… you took care of us since the first moment and we felt immediately the great heart and love that both of you have! Amazing place… amazing cooking… amazing people we hope to come back soon we wait for you in Italy.

Lovely dutch hosts on Bastimentos island, well connected to all locals. Cheap watertaxi connection to Bocas. Absolutely recommendable.

Love this place and love Carmen!
Thank you for sharing your dream place with us and for feeding us with your delicious dishes! Miss you.

We had a lovely stay at Carmen's place! Such a beautiful spot in Bastimentos. Great value with a delicious breakfast each morning. I would highly recommend staying here!

We were supposed to stay at Carmen's place for 2 nights and it ended up being 4. The island is nice and secluded but it's only a $3 water taxi to Bocas. There's great surf at Wizard beach, loads of snorkelling to do locally. You can go fishing with Carmen's husband and they are both excellent chefs!

A home away from home! Carmen and Marcell are lovely folks that will do everything in their power to make you feel home, so you can enjoy your stay with them. Breeze is a sweet dog that will also make you feel home and protected. But no worries it's pretty safe!
Carmen's food is delicious. Her recomendations for restaurants are also very good.
To get around you have to take water taxis, quick and easy ($1pp. To/from Old Bank, $2pp. To/from Isla Carenero, $3pp. To/from Bocas del Toro). Carmen can book some tours for you if you want.
Bastimentos itself is not a very clean place, Carmen's place is though.
We've met some lovely people at Carmen's, even on a raining day we had fun!

Great place, great hosts, great food! Home away from home!

It was a real pleasure to spend in Carmen`s Place more than a week. It was the nicest place and the best part of our trip to Panama. Only positive and beautiful memories. Lovely place (sloths in the garden, good connection with the other islands) best hosts ever, delicious home food and the nicest atmosphere. Thanks for all Carmen & Marcel. Hope to see you again!

Best Place ever! Everything was perfect… Hard to leave! You can't find a better Place in all Bastimentos and Bocas too! See you soon Carmen, Marcel and Breeze!

Amazing place to relax, quiet, clean.
Really tasty breakfast and nice views to wake up with.
Carmen and Marcel were always there to help us, they even brought medicines when needed. They are a great couple, friendly and funny.
We spend a great time with them and we definitely recommend this place. Thank you so much.

Carmen's place is the most cosy and enoyable place you can imagine. Their house is lovely and it has an amazing view at the caribien see. The magical sunsets, the jungle as backyard and the nature sounds around are amazing but besides that, it are the people that make the place so alive. Carmen & Marcel's love is all over the place and they run it with their hearts. They wont let you go without having a satisfied feeling about your trip. I spended 3 nights at their place this summer and I already booked my ticket to come back in januari to enjoy this place again. I can't wait to see Marcel, Carmen and breeze again! It's a well promesing place and absolutely don't mis it!
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