Riu Hotels & Resorts has chosen the city of Panama to inaugurate the Riu Panama Plaza hotel, its first city establishment and the first of the Riu Plaza brand, on November 1, 2010. This new accommodations offering will provide exceptional services designed for both business travellers as well as those who travel for pleasure.

The Riu Panama Plaza is a modern hotel located at a privileged site in the heart of the business and banking district of the city of Panama, 21 km from Tocumen International Airport. This luxurious five-star, 645-room hotel has entailed a 125-million-dollar investment and will offer the ideal setting for hosting events, meetings and congresses. Guests will be able to enjoy high-speed wireless internet in all areas of the building, including the guest rooms.

Luis Riu, CEO of RIU Hotels & Resorts, remarks: “We regard the city of Panama as a fine opportunity for opening the way to the urban congress and incentives business. We are enthusiastically presenting the best of RIU’s service and philosophy applied to the city. This is an exciting moment for the firm, as well as one of the most important challenges in RIU’s history.”

The hotel has optimal facilities for the business sector and strikes a balance between style and functionality with RIU’s acclaimed service. The executive Riu Class salon, free for guests in executive rooms and suites, is a relaxing area in which guests can peruse the press and enjoy courtesy services that include wine, beer, soft drinks, tea and coffee.

The hotel will dedicate 17 conference rooms in a total of 21.15 square feet to meetings and events for up to 1,000 people. The rooms will be flexible spaces that can be adapted to meet guests’ needs.

Hotel guests will have free access to the business centre, which will be fully equipped with business travellers in mind.

The 35-storey building will house 645 spacious rooms with 24-hour room service, free mini-bar and a living area with a sofa and work table. The rooms are divided into the Deluxe, Executive, Senior Suite (89 m2), Presidential Suite (120 m2) and Penthouse (258 m2 and 306 m2) categories. The superior rooms on the executive, suite and penthouse floors will afford spectacular views of the city.

The Riu Panama Plaza offers guests an exquisite and varied cuisine and they will be able to choose among the Arts and Tastes restaurants, Lobby Bar Studio 50, Sushi Lounge and Ibiza Snack Bar Lounge. Breakfast in the shape of a varied buffet with integral products and live cooking will be free of charge in the Arts restaurant.

The Riu Panama Plaza Hotel will also be equipped with an outdoor swimming pool with an integrated jacuzzi, health club, spa and wellness centre, Turkish bath, hairdresser's, beauty salon and a pub-nightclub.