JW Marriott Luxury Brand to Open First Hotel in Panama

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Marriott International’s world-class luxury hotel brand, JW Marriott Hotels & Resorts, has announced plans to convert the existing 118-room Bristol Buenaventura, making it the first resort and first hotel for the brand in Panama. The future JW Marriott Panama Golf & Beach Resort will be located within the master-planned Buenaventura beachfront community, near the town of Rio Hato, about 80 miles southwest of Panama City, on the Pacific Coast of Panama. The property will be operated by Marriott under an agreement with the Bristol Hospitality Group, which will retain ownership of the resort. The property is located in Buenaventura, undoubtedly Panama’s most exclusive resort community, approximately 80 miles southwest of Panama City on Panama’s Pacific coast. The resort is nestled on 1,000 lush acres with 118 accommodations, including five expansive suites and four residence-style villas.

In addition to 118 guest rooms and suites, the resort features five restaurants, a recently opened 18-hole Nicklaus Design course, a fitness centre, spa, kids club and new beach club complete with breathtaking infinity pool and waterfront butler service. The hotel has 517 square meters of meeting space, including a grand ballroom and four smaller meeting rooms.

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Daniel Fountain / 01.10.2012

Editor, Hotel Designs

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Fun fact: I’m usually the person friends rely on to organise trips, schedules, and group plans.

Workhighlights: Successfully coordinating events from planning through to delivery and seeing everything come together on the day.

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Fun fact: People tell Sienna she gives off Bridget Jones vibes, and she loves to bake, always making sure there are shortbreads floating around the office

Work highlights: Sienna joined Forum Events & Media Group while studying Communications and Media, starting in the sales team where she managed and helped launch the first the PA Life Leading Venues of London SHOWCASE, where she built relationships with luxury venues across the capital. Drawn to the stories behind these spaces, she naturally transitioned into the editorial team, creating social media and editorial content. Upon graduating in June 2026, she is excited to be joining as Assistant Editor for Hotel Designs and SPACE.

Fun fact: When not working, Jess can usually be found tending to her kitchen garden in the Sussex countryside or foraging for herbs in the nearby woods. A keen grower, she recently studied a RHS Level 2 Diploma in the Principles of Horticulture during her spare time.

Work highlights: Jess joined SPACE magazine in 2022 and has since progressed from Assistant Editor to Editor. During this time, she has worked across many aspects of the publication – from shaping editorial strategy and overseeing operations to contributing to art direction and representing the brand on stage at industry events including Surface Design Show and WOW!house.

Alongside her role at SPACE, Jess has built a creative career spanning the arts, culture, design and travel sectors. Prior to joining the magazine, she spent more than a decade in the commercial art industry, in artist liaison, gallery management, and curating collections for the hospitality sector across hotels and cruise ships. During this time, she also worked on freelance projects as a writer, photographer, and creative content producer.
 
Jess studied photojournalism at London College of Communication and the Danish School of Media and Journalism and holds a first-class BA (Hons) in Culture, Criticism and Curation from Central Saint Martins.

Fun fact: Katy has spent years perfecting all kinds of accents and loves a good impersonation!

Work highlights: Katy has been with Hotel Designs since the beginning, way back in 2015 when Forum Events & Media Group acquired the brand.

During this time, she has fostered many meaningful relationships with clients from across the hospitality spectrum, as well as playing a pivotal role in the launch of The Brit List Awards, Hotel Designs MEET UPs, client-led roundtables and panel talks, brand and website redesigns, HD Wellness Sets, DESIGN POD podcast, Hotel Designs LIVE panel talk series, Accessible Design Talks and more. Katy is always on the lookout for the next opportunity to help grow the Hotel Designs brand even further.
 
Most recently Katy has stepped in to the role of Publisher atSPACE magazine, the printed bi-monthly publication focused on hotel design, architecture, and development.
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