We love it when a lodge we recommend invests in the guest experience instead of just filling rooms. Everything below comes from Casa Cayuco’s own pages and from the owner’s update to us on 1 November 2026. Where something is still being finished, we say so rather than promise a date the lodge has not confirmed.

Why Casa Cayuco was closed for six months

The lodge closed its doors on 1 May 2026 and reopened on 1 November. According to Casa Cayuco, the time was used for construction: a brand-new guest lounge and new beachfront accommodation. For a remote lodge that runs on solar power and boat deliveries, doing the heavy building work in one block, in the quieter months, is a sensible choice — it avoids having hammers going next to guests during the busy winter season.

The lodge is a family-run eco-adventure lodge at Punta Vieja on the southeast tip of Isla Bastimentos, about 30–35 minutes by speedboat from Bocas Town. Max capacity is 53 guests, which is part of why it feels personal rather than resort-sized. If you have been waiting to book because the lodge was shut, this is the green light.

The new guest lounge

The new guest lounge is being built together with the new bungalows. We have not been given a published opening date or a floor plan for the lounge, so we will not describe features we cannot source. What we can say is that the existing lodge already has a lounge deck, a library, a bar, and communal tables for breakfast, lunch and dinner — and the living room built out over the water is where many guests spend their afternoons. The new lounge adds to that.

If a particular feature matters to you (for example, space for a group or a rainy-day hangout), ask the lodge when you book. We will update this guide when the lodge shares more.

Two new beachfront bungalows from 15 December 2026

Two brand-new beachfront units are ready for stays from 15 December 2026, according to the lodge owner. Both are fully screened-in, which makes them a good answer for guests who prefer to sleep without any gaps in the walls:

• Starfish Beachfront Bungalow4% off · HungryTravelPanama — one bedroom with a king bed, sleeps 2, pentagonal layout inspired by a starfish, full bathroom and a spacious deck terrace by the sea.
• Cangrejo Beachfront Cabaña4% off · HungryTravelPanama — two bedrooms (one king, one king that converts into two XL twin beds), sleeps 4, full bathroom and a large sea-view deck.

The photos on the lodge’s site for both are design renderings, not finished-room photos, and we have labelled them that way here. That is also why the other seven rooms are still the safest choice if you want to see real guest photos before you commit.

What has not changed

The reasons families chose Casa Cayuco are all still here. The lodge was named Tripadvisor Travelers’ Choice Best of the Best 2026: #1 Family-Friendly Hotel in the World. Rooms are open-air with high-powered ceiling fans, memory foam mattresses, mosquito nets and high-speed wifi, and there is electricity 24/7 from solar power. Only the Estrella De Mar villa is air-conditioned.

Every stay still includes the round-trip speedboat transfer from Bocas Town, all meals (chef’s choice breakfast, lunch, a three-course dinner and an afternoon snack), morning coffee and tea, sea kayaks, paddle boards, snorkel gear, yoga mats and a guided tour of Salt Creek village. Guided excursions, drinks, staff gratuities and taxes are extra. Our guide to what is included and what costs extra goes through each one.

Which room should you book now?

Until the new bungalows open, the nine established rooms cover every kind of trip. A quick map:

Our full room comparison goes into detail.

Planning your 2026–27 season dates

The lodge’s own weather notes say it is warm all year, around 27 °C (82 °F). The drier stretch is generally February to April and August to October; November to January is rainier, usually with showers at night that clear by late morning. The biggest surf swell runs November to April, while August to October brings the calmest sea.

The new bungalows’ opening on 15 December 2026 lines up with the Christmas and New Year period, which is popular. If you want a particular room on those dates, look at availability early. For New Year’s Eve the lodge hosts a dock dinner with champagne toast and fireworks, with an extra per-person charge for 31 December that is included in that night’s rate.

Getting there after the reopening

Nothing changes about the journey. Most guests fly from Panama City (Albrook) to Bocas del Toro in about 50 minutes with Air Panama; the lodge recommends flight 980 in and 981 out because they match its one daily boat (2:00 pm pickup at Bocas airport, return from the lodge around 12:30 pm). Our getting there guide covers flights, buses and the Costa Rica route.

How to book Casa Cayuco with our 4% discount

1. Open Casa Cayuco’s own booking page through any link or button on this page — Casa Cayuco4% off · HungryTravelPanama.
2. Check that HungryTravelPanama is shown in the promo-code box (type it in if it isn’t) — that is what gives you 4% off.
3. Choose your dates (at least three nights) and your room, then look at the live rates — room prices are not published, so the booking page is the only reliable source.
4. Pay the 50% deposit. Cancellation: more than 60 days before arrival the deposit is refunded minus a $100 admin fee; 45–60 days, half the deposit is kept; within 45 days it is forfeited. The lodge strongly recommends travel insurance.

Because the lodge has just reopened and new rooms are coming online, check live availability rather than assuming a date is open. We are Casa Cayuco’s partner and earn a small commission when you book with our code. The lodge itself says that booking direct gets the best rate, and our link simply makes sure the discount code is attached.

FAQ

Our Honest Final Word

A lodge that closes for six months to build is a lodge that wants to keep getting better. We cannot promise details the lodge has not published, but the core — calm beach, great food, good guides, a very lovely team from Salt Creek — is unchanged, and the new rooms add options. If you want to be among the first guests in the new bungalows, aim for stays from 15 December.

Check live rates for Starfish Beachfront Bungalow4% off · HungryTravelPanama or Casa Cayuco4% off · HungryTravelPanama, and keep HungryTravelPanama in the promo box for 4% off. All our stay guides live on our Panama stays page.

4% off · code HungryTravelPanama

New and favourite rooms at Casa Cayuco

Tap a room to see live rates. Our link pre-fills HungryTravelPanama in the promo box for 4% off your stay.

New one-bedroom beachfront bungalow · sleeps 2Starfish Beachfront BungalowNew · from 15 Dec 2026Check rates with 4% off →New two-bedroom beachfront cabaña · sleeps 4Cangrejo Beachfront CabañaNew · from 15 Dec 2026Check rates with 4% off →Beachfront bungalow · sleeps 2Pelicano Beachfront BungalowAll meals + boat transfer includedCheck rates with 4% off →

Code HungryTravelPanama gives 4% off stays booked directly with Casa Cayuco. We are Casa Cayuco’s partner and earn a small commission when you book with our code. All our Panama stay guides →