Villa Camilla Hotel

An architect's house in the valleys overlooking the Pacific

Flanked by nature and the Pacific Ocean, the boutique hotel Villa Camilla, is located near Pedasi, around 4 hours south-west of Panama City. This architect’s house designed by the French designer Gilles Saint-Gilles is the ideal place for a relaxing seaside treat.
Curious travellers or love birds will enjoy the charm and first- class service to better appreciate the surroundings.

The 7 elegant rooms of the Villa Camilla hotel reflect simplicity and individuality. They are all personalized and decorated with handmade wooden local furniture crafted from only natural materials. If you’re looking for serenity and authenticity, you will find it here.

The charm of simplicity and natural

Gilles Saint-Gilles fell in love with this region in 1997. Very quickly, the French architect and his wife dreamed of installing a waterfront housing complex which would fit in harmony with the stunning natural surroundings. Thus Villa Camilla was established in 2005 taking into consideration local naturally found building materials like wood, terracotta and stone.

Though based on simplicity, the house contains lots of little details like the Venetian walls, a window system with adjustable openings, and doors conceived especially for the local climate. Under the supervision of Gilles Saint-Gilles, local craftsmen used "old world" techniques (the sixteenth century).

Pebble paths lead to a tropical garden of Japanese-inspired design. Bougainvilleas climb the hand-polished Venetian walls. Water flows over the edges of the infinity pool. The Pacific breeze gently swings the terrace’s hammocks. One cannot avoid enjoying the tranquillity of the place ... 

The 7 rooms of the Villa Camilla are named after plants or trees and are all different.
Our favourite room is the "Roble" (oak). This cosy upstairs suite opens onto a private terrace overlooking the swimming pool. In Bordeau colours, with cream walls, the warm decor is completed by a fantastic wooden floor.

Tempting Experience: Buy a house in Azueros

Gilles Saint-Gilles and his partners have launched a project to develop a true "community" along 5kms of the shore. Villa Camilla is the pied à terre for any future buyer. You can purchase or build your house in this small paradise between $ U.S 485, 000 and $ U.S 2, 000,000. All the houses are delivered with Internet access, air conditioning, appliances, furniture, planted gardens with lights, irrigation system ... No worries for privacy, the community’s housing spreads over 200 hectares of hills overlooking the sea, and you'll always have access to the Villa Camilla security service, concierge, tennis court and the beach club...
You'll have your own home on the idyllic beach of Panama!

Services and activities on site

Relaxing by the pool is an enjoyable activity, but you can also explore the beaches of the region. You can choose between Playa Los Destiladeros and Playa Escondido. You can reach these nearby beaches on foot, by mountain biking or on a horseback. 

The concierge service of the Villa Camilla can arrange excursions for you such as a day with a captain who will take you on Isla Iguana, to visit and fish! If you’re lucky, you may be able to observe whales, orcas and porpoises...

Villa Camilla is equipped with free internet service and access to computers.

Every day, the chef of Villa Camilla offers a different menu depending on the availability of fresh produce. You can choose between having a  meal in the restaurant surrounded by orchids and tropical plants or on the terrace by the pool in a more intimate setting.

Azueros Peninsula

The Azueros Peninsula is located in the central region of Panama, and includes the provinces of Los Santos, Herrera and part of Veraguas. It is located by the Gulf of Montijo y Parita.

Azueros has a cultural heritage dating back to Spanish colonization which has been conserved through the celebration of local folklore. .

The city of Pedasi, southeast of the province of Los Santos, is the nearest to Villa Camilla.

The wealth of this region lies in the natural surroundings and its numerous dreamy beaches such as El Arenal, El Toro, La Garita, Los Destiladeros ... if you’re a surfer, do not miss the Venao Surf Beach.

Also check out the Iguana Island 7km offshore where there are 58 hectares of tropical forest with wonderful fauna and flora and 9kms of beaches. This is an extraordinary place for diving and snorkelling. Do not miss the most preserved coral reliefs of the Gulf of Panama, a genuine marine sanctuary. The white sandy beaches along this turquoise water evoke an island paradise!

Awards and Press reviews

• The most affordable beach hotel. Travel & Leisure 2009
• French Architect Gilles Saint-Gilles as the impressionist painter Paul Gauguin, was captivated by the tropics, to build a project which is in step with the local nature. AXXIS 
• By visiting the Villa Camilla and its surroundings, one has the impression of being in a dreamland, where all fantasies are possible ... AGENDA
• "I chose this location because of the sea" said Saint-Gilles. "The calm, the climate, it's very relaxing as in Tuscany". And they began to build. First a house...
  Travel & Leisure November 2005
• Villa Camilla: an intimate refuge composed of 7 suites with clear simplicity. In order to protect the local ecology, the designer Gilles Saint-Gilles, has prioritised privileged raw materials in the construction of furniture, and has found some alternative tips to the ventilation and lighting. Le Figaro
• Villa Camilla immerses its guests in the heart of lush nature. It’s an atypical destination for enjoying the ocean and the tamed jungle. Gala October 2007