The room in Meridien hotel in panama city in Republic of Panama. Panama City’s newest hotel is alight in Art Deco neon and covered in cougar prints. Its billowing curtains and outsized décor borrow heavily from Miami Beach classics like the Delano Hotel.  The good news for frequent travelers and points junkies is that this Panama City property is managed by Starwood Hotels and Resorts. Upgrade benefits may include a room in one of its 39 suites, many of which face the Bay of Panama. Regardless of room size, be sure to request a view of the sea, where bobbing super–yachts and Panamax tankers await their turn in the locks. The hotel’s beds are draped in reds and blacks. Pillowtop mattresses are covered with finely issued sheets. Clarins, which also lends its name to the hotel spa, provides the in–room bath supplies. The shower and toilet are visible from the bedroom, making this hotel impractical for anyone but solo travelers or couples with few privacy needs. (The front desk suggested that a curtain could be tacked up on request, but it seems an inelegant solution to a major design flaw.)  I’ve saved Le Meridien’s main entrance for last, though it will be your premier impression.