Guests provide overwhelmingly positive reviews of their experiences staying at Rancho de Caldera eco-resort in Panama. They praise the natural beauty of the surroundings, the luxury accommodations, excellent cuisine prepared with locally sourced ingredients, and the owners' commitment to sustainability and environmental protection. Visitors enjoyed hiking, horseback riding, swimming, and relaxing in the peaceful setting, and many expressed hopes to return in the future.

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What guests are Saying at Rancho de Caldera
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“Wow! Rancho De Caldera is literally a dream come true! Not only is it an exceptionally
beautiful resort with all the amenities, but it is run with an enlightened view of ecological
integrity and sustainability.
You can enjoy the superb cuisine in a
restaurant with a view knowing that
Chef Craig personally knows many of
the producers from whom he
purchases. I enjoy cooking and, unlike
some chefs, he generously shares his
knowledge with people who express
interest, so I picked up a few tips from
him that I can use at home.
If you have any interest in emerging
eco-tourism, you will find the fact that
Rancho De Caldera is permanently off
the grid to be another attraction. They
use a combination of hydro-power and
solar panels for their electricity...”
--A guest from California remarks on Rancho de Caldera sustainable eco-project

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Rancho de Caldera’s Power system: Solar power, Wind power, and hydro-power:
“Rancho de Caldera is a magical place… I spent 4 amazing days there in mid-September,
and haven’t stopped raving about it to friends and family ever since. I work for the
United Nations and so have had the opportunity to travel to many parts of the world, but
Rancho de Caldera is truly special. This is due in part to the natural beauty that
surrounds it – one can spend a long time watching the clouds drifting over the
mountains, or taking in the view from a quiet spot by the pool, or gazing at the stars on
a clear night. But Rancho de Caldera is above all the result of a unique vision – a
commitment to making a dream come true in a way that is deeply respectful of the
planet and of the surrounding community. Like many places worth visiting, as a friend of
mine pointed out, Rancho de Caldera is a short plane ride away from Panama City, but it
can reached from New York City the same day. Gina’s directions are remarkable – I have
rarely felt so certain all logistics of a trip would work out perfectly, and indeed they did.
And once at Rancho de Caldera, there is lots to do: horseback riding, hot water springs,
visiting the nearby town… Visitors can be as active or as laid back as they wish. My only
regret is that I did not have more time to spend there, but I’m really looking forward to
my next visit.”
--United Nations worker from New York
“I was going on a bicycle tour from Atlanta to Panama when
my friend showed me Rancho de Caldera's website.
Paradise -- It became the end destination for my trip. For
four months, I lived very simply -- camping, showering with
a basin of water, eating street food -- waiting and waiting
for Rancho de Caldera. It was magic. The setting, up in the
mountains, makes it seem unreal!! The rooms and service
are top-quality luxury, and the food that Craig (the chef)
serves is beautiful and exciting ... and delicious. Rancho de
Caldera was an amazing reward at the end of a long bicycle
trip. And it was tough leaving, having to return to reality.
In writing reviews for Rancho de Caldera, TripAdvisor really
should provide shortcut keys for ‘amazing’ and ‘beautiful’.”

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--Philadelphian bikes over 4,000miles to Rancho de Caldera “…We ate most lunches and
dinners at the restaurant. The food is creative and delicious. I don’t know if Chef Craig is
in the witness protection program, but this guy could easily be cooking in some of the
best restaurants in the U.S.. Then again maybe escaping to this pristine landscape
inspires some of his dishes. Both lunches and dinners were outstanding. We found
ourselves buying his homemade applesauce, breakfast sausages, and granola. Also a jar
of his ketchup to bring back home… Gina the owner is a warm reflection in this rain drop
of paradise. “Siesta for the soul”, you bet it is.”
--Family of four reflect on their
experience dining at our restaurant,
Madre Tierra, with Chef Craig
“We recently stayed at Rancho de
Caldera for five nights. We had heard
about this eco-lodge through a friend.
Rancho de Caldera far exceeded our
expectations. The web site, though
very well done, does not fully capture
the beauty of the scenery surrounding
Rancho de Caldera. The landscape
consists of rolling hills and lush
vegetation and the sky is full of the most amazing clouds we’ve ever seen-- it’s hard for
the eye to take it all in and even harder for photography to capture it. You can stand in
one spot and turn 360 degrees and find picture-worthy views at each vantage point.
With such dramatic scenery, the only thing that we wanted to do was just sit and
observe, feeling ourselves part of this dynamic environment.
There are lots of activities offered in the area: hot springs, hiking up the volcano, nature
walks, bird watching, tree trekking, coffee plantation tours, white water rafting, etc.
However, beware that upon arriving and seeing the amazing view from your room, you
may spend your stay at the ranch very content to while away whole mornings sitting out
on your balcony sipping coffee and enjoying the surroundings. It is so beautiful there
that you simply feel no need to go elsewhere…
…It was an incredibly memorable and restorative vacation. If you have the chance to go
to Panama, stay at Rancho de Caldera. You won’t be disappointed.”
–French guest, who visited Rancho de Caldera on a romantic getaway
“…Built on a hillside, each spacious and well-appointed cabin has a stunning southern
vista of the surrounding mountains and foothills, dry tropical forest and ranch land with
grazing cattle and horses. On a clear night, the sky is sprinkled with millions of stars...
…We slept very well, and, in the morning,
were content to sip our coffee and absorb the
pastoral peace of our surroundings. We
birded from our deck with binoculars and saw
Fork-Tailed Flycatchers, Crested
Oropendolas, Blue-Gray Tanagers, White-
Collared Seedeaters, Egrets, Muscovy Ducks

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and parakeets. Walking and hiking are recommended activities. The Caldera hotsprings
are less than a 10 minute drive away. For the more adventuresome, rent a couple of the
hotel horses and explore the foothills…”
- Owners of an Inn in Boquete
“My daughter and I traveled to Panama to get some relief from a frigid, ice and snow-
covered landscape in Cleveland, Ohio….In the seven days we were there, we rode their
horses, hiked their 1.2 mile driveway daily, hiked several other trails, went white-water
rafting, spent one morning "tree trekking" (known other places as "zip lining") in a
harness hanging from a wire cable 100's of feet above the mountainous forest, visited
some hot springs tucked away in a remote area, shopped in Boquete on the sides of the
11,500' volcano named Baru, swam in the Caldera River and in Gina and Chris's infinity
pool, napped on our private decks overlooking the mountains and awoke to rainbows
nearly every day.
Other reasons to choose this location: Panama uses US dollars as its currency, is friendly
and safe and does not get hurricanes because of its location south and west of Columbia
(Columbia gets hit instead). If you go, spend one day in Panama City touring the Canal
to make your trip the perfect Panama experience.”
--An American visits with her teenage children
This eco-resort is totally off the grid (it uses renewable energy-solar, wind and hydro
electric). We had total luxurious comfort with none of the guilt of using up natural
resources….My husband and I came with our 14 year old and 12 year old sons. The boys
especially loved the hiking, horseback riding, infinity edge pool and photo opportunities.
Through conversations at dinner with
the owners and the chef, our boys
learned about alternative energy,
sustainable agriculture, sustainable
building practices and other valuable
information for their futures. These
people care about preserving Panama's
natural resources. What an experience
to eat gourmet dinners by Craig the
chef who
specializes in sustainable agriculture.
Each meal was so much fun, like one
pleasant adventure after another. The
restaurant has a rooftop garden where
Craig got the marigolds for the
marigold iced tea he made for us. Each
dish was presented beautifully.
Our 14 year old's advice: "You definitely would want to come to Rancho de Caldera".
Our 12 year old's advice: " You will want to try the chef's food as many meals as you
can".
…We felt very well cared for throughout our stay. I wish that more resorts would follow
this model.””
--Family vacation, guests from Phoenix, Arizona

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“…Kudos to Gina and Chris, the owners, who have created an eco-friendly, self
sustaining, healthy, beautiful and serene environment none of us wanted to leave. An
inspirational place! Most definitely the highlight of our trip to Panama. We hope to return
many times.”
--says guest from Paris, France
“…The people at the resort
were very attentive when we
needed something and at the
same time never disturbed
our privacy. My girlfriend
and I are foodies and we
were excited to hear that
they have a chef at the
resort. We had a fabulous 5
course meal and enjoyed
some of their signature
moothies…. There are other
things to do besides eating
the great dinners, swimming in the pool or enjoying the great view from your cabana.
We went horse back riding, an excursion that the resort set up for us. Boquete has a lot
of offer as well. We went on a coffee farm tour at Fincha dos Jefes ([--] I definitely
recommend this tour). There is white water rafting in the area and we had an
adrenaline-surging experience with one of the local companies we went with. Gina and
the staff at the resort can help you schedule anything you need. I almost forgot to
mention how helpful Gina is! We received an email before we arrived asking about
dinner preferences. We also were given travel information that proved invaluable and the
contact info for a great driver in Panama city. If you got to Boquete definitely check out
Rancho de Caldera, you wont be sorry. Although we have many places we wish to travel
to our experience at Rancho De Caldera temps us to make a trip back there in the near
future, I fear that other exotic trips may never be as good.”
--New York guest and girlfriend rave about the service
“We stayed at Rancho de Caldera for our honeymoon in July. It was the last stop on our
two week tour of Panama before heading home. After researching all the choices in
Boquete, we booked three nights at R de C and we couldn't have been happier about our
choice. The surroundings are spectacular! Being married to a photographer, I know that
photos can be enhanced and sometimes when you get there you can be let down. Not
here, the website is a good representation but the actual beauty is extraordinary…
…The dinners were scrumptious. Chef Craig has an amazing gift and our last dinner still
stands as the best meal I've ever had. We still dream of that masala dipping sauce and
the curried trout! Gina was always available when we'd call from the road because we
were lost or needed some assistance. She made sure our every need was met. And let
me tell you about the shower! Oh my goodness, the showers and water pressure were
out of this world! We loved their attention in providing luxury accommodations while
having minimal impact on their surroundings.
My favorite past time while at R de C was sitting on the balcony, watching the horses
graze below with the rain providing the soundtrack. The smells, scenery and sounds are
what I try to remember when life today gets a little to hectic. We will be back, sooner
than later we hope!”
-Michigan honeymooners

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“I went to western Panama
to teach locals and Ex-
Patriots how to trim their
horses hooves. Little did I
know I would be staying in
paradise at Rancho de
Caldera.
I had a phenomenal room
looking out to the mountains.
Owner Gina stocked my
kitchenette with local fruit,
organic coffee beans, and
breakfast foods. Tropical
birds shared my breakfast
crumbs on my porch…. Every morning and evening, I swam, stretched, sipped coffee
and admired the view in total peace and quiet.
Chef's Craig ethnic cuisine offered at lunch and dinner is exquisite. Treat yourself to a
large bag of his homemade granola too! Gina and Craig are now designing vegetable
gardens so no doubt you will be eating some of their bounty.
For those of you visiting for pleasure, Rancho de Caldera is within driving distance to
innumerable sights and experiences. I visited the nearby town of Boquete but am so
glad I stayed in the perfect solitude of the Rancho away from the tourists. It is
advertised as a Siesta for the Soul and it is!
Western Panama is a well kept secret and I can't wait to visit again next year. ”
--Delaware guest
“…Owner Gina Cronin will go out of her way to be sure you have a great experience - do
as little or as much as you like….The rooms are too amazing to describe accurately -
every room has a huge glass wall of doors that leads out to a huge porch full of furniture
overlooking the gorgeous mountains - the sun rises and sunsets are indescrible. The
resort is small but boasts an infinity pool, horses, and a first class chef making amazing
meals from food grown right there in many cases… All rooms have mini fridges and
microwaves, the suites have full gourmet kitchens. Internet access is available but you
won't want to work - too relaxing!!!!”
--Florida family vacation
“…Romantic beyond compare!”
--a couple from Indiana celebrates their relationship
“…We ate dinner twice at the resort's restaurant, Madre Tierra, and had an incredible
three course gourmet prix fixe meal for just a little more than we paid for lunch at a
mediocre place in Boquete…”
--guest from DC compares experience dining at Madre Tierra to dining in Boquete

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“…Words and pictures cannot do justice to the incredible views, the peaceful setting, and
the out of this world meals we enjoyed while on our vacation. This is a place we will
definitely be coming back to.”
--A married couple reflects after vacationing 7-days with their parents at Rancho de
Caldera
Additional guest comment who participated in an art principles workshop:
"I attended an art principles workshop this past weekend, taught by artist Marni Craig
and hosted at Rancho de Caldera by Gina Cronin Such a treat! Beautiful surroundings,
wonderful accommodations, pleasant company, good course content, and great food.
The website advertises ‘A siesta for the soul’ and they make good on the promise.
Soooooo glad I went, and can’t wait for a repeat experience"
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