Celebrate the Panama Canal Centennial With a Posh Hotel Package

by  Karen Gardiner | Aug 5, 2014
Cruise in Panama Canal
Cruise in Panama Canal / dani3315/iStock

On August 15, the Panama Canal, which unites the Pacific and Atlantic oceans and is considered a feat of civil engineering, will celebrate its 100th birthday. Many cruise lines are offering centennial itineraries that are scheduled to pass through the 48-mile-long canal, but other travel companies are getting in on the celebrations, too. For its historical value, this package from the Waldorf Astoria is perhaps the most alluring.

The foundations of the Panama Canal Treaty with the United States was laid in room 1162 of the Waldorf Astoria New York, in discussions between Philippe Bunau-Varilla (a French engineer and soldier who was stranded in Panama when the Panama Canal Company went bankrupt in 1888) and Manual Amador Guerreo, who would later become first official President of Panama.

In commemoration of the Panama Canal’s centennial celebration next month, the Waldorf Astoria Panama, which, when it opened in March 2013, became the first Waldorf Astoria in Latin America, is offering The Panama Canal Package. The package includes a breakfast buffet, complimentary WiFi, a Panama Canal transit tour, and transportation to and from the Miraflores Visitor Center where guests can learn more about the canal. The Panama Canal Package is available for through December 31 and costs $380 per night, based on availability, with a two-night minimum stay. If you don't want the whole package, rooms are still available, on August 15 and beyond, for a very reasonable $159 per night.

If staying at either the Waldorf Astoria Panama or the Waldorf Astoria New York, you will be able to enjoy a commemorative Panama Canal cocktail. The "Bishop" cocktail, which is made with Caña Brava Panama Rum and Boedecker Pinot Noir, dates back to the time of the treaty signing, and has been deliciously adapted for today's palate by Frank Caiafa, the house mixologist at the Waldorf Astoria New York's Peacock Alley. Also, you can reserve a cocktail making class and learn to make the drink yourself at Waldorf Astoria Panama.

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