Frequently answered questions about the Coffee Estate Inn

The Coffee Estate Inn

Frequently Asked Questions

What is your best price?
Prices are always current on this website. This link will take you to the "Pay" page for current prices.
Do you have a minimum stay?
We accept reservations for two nights or more. If you stay for three (3) nights or more, we offer a complimentary coffee and nature tour of the estate and a roasting demonstration.

We have a minimum 3-day stay during the Christmas - New Year's holiday period (December 21, 2012 to January 1, 2013 inclusive). Christmas is a big family time for our employees and we do our best to limit the number of changeovers to give them as much time off as possible during the holiday week.
We don't like making advance reservations and being tied to a schedule. Can we just show up?
This is small inn. We are usually not able to accomodate last minute arrivals. We suggest that you call ahead to check availability.
Do you offer discounts for longer stays?
Our price is the same for all stays. Discounts are not available.
Can I reserve a particular bungalow?
Please understand that we are not able to guarantee any particular bungalow as we cannot anticipate the unknown. All of our three bungalows are private, have beautiful gardens and stunning views. All that said, we will do our best to accommodate your request.
Do you offer a coffee tour?
Yes, if you stay for three (3) nights or more, we offer a complimentary coffee and nature tour of the estate and a roasting demonstration.
What forms of payment do you accept?
We accept Visa and Mastercard credit cards for the reservation deposit. We prefer that you settle the balance of your account in US cash. American Express Traveller's Cheques are accepted with some restrictions. Currently, there is a $5.35 charge for each traveller's cheque presented.
Do you require a deposit for a reservation?
Yes, we require a non-refundable deposit to guarantee your reservation. As part of our reservation process, we require that you sign our credit card authorization form. Full details are provided at such time as you request a reservation.
What is included in the rate?
- Inside your bungalow
  "Do-it-yourself" Continental Breakfast of our fresh roasted estate coffee, homemade breads and scones and fresh fruit.
  Free wireless internet access.
  Security safe.
  Day and evening security monitoring.
  Parking adjacent to your bungalow.
  Remote control unit for estate access.
  Two bouquets of fresh cut flowers.
  Housekeeping service day and evening.
- Outside your bungalow
  Access to our private, 6 acre park, bird and tree lists.
  Bird identification assistance.
  Use of the library and its computer.
  Information Package for Boquete and Panama and travel tips.
  Owner-conducted orientation upon arrival.
  For stays of three (3) nights or more, enjoy a complimentary estate coffee tour and roasting demonstration.
How much do the ATM fees usually run to withdraw money from US banks?
Since banks in the US have various charges, we suggest that you check with your bank to determine their charges for withdrawing money from ATMs. You should also ask about the fee to use your credit card outside of the country. Some of our guests have had to pay as much as a 5% "foreign transaction" fee.
Would you suggest bringing cash from the United States?
It is never a good idea to travel with large amounts of cash.
Do you offer a hot breakfast?
No, we offer a "Do It Yourself" complimentary continental breakfast of Barry's home baked breads and fresh fruit in your bungalow. The bungalows are equipped with our fresh roasted estate coffee (and fresh milk, teas, etc.)
Do you offer supper? Do we need to pre-order?
Yes, we offer food services from our Gourmet Kitchen seven days a week. All menu items are created and cooked by Barry and Jane at the inn and all food is served in the privacy of your bungalow. "Date Night" dinners are available on Tuesdays and Fridays and "No-Frills" suppers other nights of the week. Selected wines are available daily.

For your arrival date, you need to advise your menu choices at least one day in advance. When you are here, you can order dinner by 11:00am for that evening.
This link will take you to the "Dinner" page
Will you also cook for our friends who are not staying in your inn?
We prepare and serve dinners only to guests of the inn.
Do you have hot water?
Yes. There is hot water in the shower and in the bathroom and kitchen sinks.
Do we need to bring bottled water?
Not necessary. We have our own certified water supply on the estate grounds.
Can I leave my windows open at night? Are windows screened?
Yes, and Yes. You have large screened windows on all four sides of the bungalow and fans in the bedroom, kitchen and bathroom.
Are there quite a few mosquitoes?
In the "True" Boquete area, mosquitoes are not common at any time but we have some black flies as well as no-see-ums that come and go with the amount of rainfall and wind. We have screened windows in the bungalows. If you have extreme sensitivity to biting insects, find an insect repellent that you are comfortable wearing and use it as required.
Is it safe to leave valuables in the room?
Safes are provided for your use in the bungalows. As part of the overall orientation, we will talk about our security practices and recommendations.
Do you provide parking on site or is it outside the property?
Secure parking is provided inside the estate adjacent to your bungalow.
Can my family or friends in Boquete join us for the coffee tour? Can they walk the gardens?
The complimentary coffee and nature tour, facilities and estate gardens are available only to the guests of the inn.
We heard if we have visitors, they must check in first with the office. Is this true?
Visitor access is restricted and controlled to protect the privacy and security of guests and the tranquil setting. We suggest that people who want to entertain outside friends or family should select another establishment where they can all be together.
Can I smoke in the room?
Smoking is not permitted inside the bungalows. Each bungalow has a large outside terrace where you can smoke.
Do we have to worry about noise from other guests?
We haven't had that kind of problem here. First of all, our guests are quiet travellers seeking a tranquil environment. Second, our three bungalows are independent buildings well spaced and separated by trees and vegetation for privacy.
Is there any staff person there at night?
Yes, Jane and Barry, the owners, and Jane's mother, Pat, live on site.
Is there someone around if we have any questions?
Either Barry or Jane is available to assist you from 7:00am until 11:00am and from 4:00pm to 5:00pm. In the event of an emergency, we can help you at any time.
If we stay, are we restricted coming and going because of the gate at the entrance?
We provide all guests with a remote control for the gate to come and go as they please.
When we travel, we like to keep to ourselves. Are there private dining options?
Yes, private dining is what we offer. All of our food is served in the bungalows.
Do I need to bring my blow dryer?
Items like hair dryers, alarm clocks, cork screws and umbrellas are standard provisions in the bungalow. For details about what is included in our bungalows, please see The Bungalows page. This link will take you to "Bungalows Overview"
Will I be able to get my BBC news?
Yes, we have a premium satellite TV service.
Can you recommend a location for laundry services?
We provide same day full laundry service onsite for a fee. Label instructions are read and heeded.
Should we have our own transportation? Do we need a 4X4?
Yes, you really do need a vehicle to stay here. It is the difference between staying in the mountains with us on a private estate and renting a room in town. Taxis are not readily available to come up here at exactly the minute you want one, if ever, as they have more lucrative fares downtown. There are good restaurants downtown and beautiful driving loops and areas to explore. You miss a lot if you don't have your own vehicle.

We are 700 feet above the town of Boquete up a steep road and less than a seven-minute drive to town. We are three kilometres from the centre of town of which 2 1/2 kilometres are newly paved. The last 1/2 kilometre of our road is rock-gravel. Although you can drive up here in any vehicle, a higher clearance (not necessarily 4X4) vehicle with automatic transmission is more comfortable.
What is the charge for Wi-Fi?
Wi-fi is included in the bungalow cost as well as access to a computer in our library.
We are avid readers. Are there proper reading lights?
Yes. The living rooms and bedrooms in the bungalows have excellent light for reading.
Can I recycle my trash?
Yes, our employees have been trained to remove anything that can be recycled from the bungalows. We also have compost containers for each of the bungalows. To avoid Styrofoam trash, we provide re-usable take-away containers.
Confused with "cool mountain climate" and then reading 80-90 degrees on Internet ???
Unfortunately, the helpful folks at Weather Underground, etc. base their data on the city of David which is a totally different climate than the town of Boquete and its immediate surrounding mountain areas. Elevations for the "true" Boquete area range from 3,500 feet upward. David, the source for the weather data, is about 50 kilometres south of us at sea level and is known to be one of the hottest places in Central America.

Let us go a step further. Do not confuse the "Cool mountain climate" coffee growing areas and biodiverse misty oak forests of Boquete with lower elevation regions included in the District of Boquete. The "District" spreads southeast down towards David. It includes communities such as Caldera, at 1,300 feet, which is charactistically hot with arid ranchland and islands of dry tropical forest. For more details on what to expect during the different months of the year at the Coffee Estate Inn, situated at 4,200 feet in Boquete.

This link will take you to "Boquete - Weather Overview"
What do we need to bring for clothes?
Bring long pants and socks, shorts, t-shirts, a cotton sweater or sweatshirt and a Gore-Tex or similar waterproof jacket. Plan on layers. A second pair of walking shoes, runners or boots is also a good idea. Boquete is a casual-dress town.
How long should I stay?
Our minimum stay is two nights. We recommend that you stay more days if you really want to see and enjoy the area.
What is there to do?
You can be as active or as quiet as you want to be ... birding, walking, hiking, running, driving scenic routes (we provide maps to explore on your own), river rafting, canopy zip line, coffee tours in addition to ours. If you are interested in guided birding and/or forest tours, we will recommend the best guides available based on your interests. We also work with an excellent massage therapist. Advance booking is recommended.
Do you recommend tours?
Yes, we can suggest exploring on your own and guided tours. Based on your style and interest, you can go with whatever tour operator(s) in Boquete best meets your needs. We do not accept any commissions from any service provider.
Will my US cell phone work? Are there telephones in the bungalow?
Most people buy a local prepaid SIM card for their US cell phones. The card costs about $4.00. Our transportation services coordinator in Panama can usually take care of this for guests. If it is essential that you are available at your US number, you should check what is required with your service provider prior to departure. We have portable telephones that can be used in the bungalows for single calls.
What kind of a library do you have?
Our lending library contains over 500 books including a large natural history selection, classics, adventure and historical novels and chronicles, mysteries, handyman, gardening and hundreds of magazines. We have the latest editions of the six major Panama guide books.
Do we need to bring our Birds of Panama book? Should we bring binoculars?
We provide guide books for use in each of our bungalows. Bring your binoculars as we have a bird-rich environment.
Do you have a gift shop?
We have a modest gift shop. We sell indigenous Ngobe hand-woven bags called "Chacaras", greeting cards and maps to our hotel guests.
Do you sell your coffee? Do you sell your green beans?
Yes, we sell one pound bags of coffee roasted and packaged fresh on demand (with one day notice). We are not currently selling green coffee beans.
We are a family of four (kids 19 and 16) and would like to have 2 rooms each with 2 beds.
The Coffee Estate Inn doesn't offer the type of accommodation that you require for your family group. Each bungalow is furnished with a king size bed in the bedroom. We designed our accommodation to cater to individual couples in each of the bungalows.
Our children, 7 and 3, travel everywhere with us and are very well behaved. Can we stay?
Children must be fourteen years and older to stay here. We are oriented to couples seeking peace, privacy, quality, personalized attention and excellent food.
My clients want a room with a balcony, view and king bed. Can you send availability and rates?
Please ask your clients to write to us directly as we do not accept reservations through tour operators, travel agencies or other third parties.