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Brennan H

Father-son fishing trip was an EPIC success thanks to professionalism & attention to every detail at Tropic Star Lodge

5.0 of 5 bubblesReviewed 29 Jul 2024
Amazing experience in an absolutely beautiful place!
My first trip to Panama.
Just returned from a father-sons fishing trip and we had an awesome time at Tropic Star Lodge. The staff was all "5 star"; from the fishing director to our boat captain and mates to the kitchen staff and bartenders. The accommodations were modern, comfortable, and clean. Everything was meticulously cared for. Everyone was friendly. The smiles and care were genuine. The food was incredible! Honestly some of the best tasting food I have ever had. The attention to detail was some of the best service and hospitality that I have ever personally experienced.
The fishing was great! Our group (5 guys) caught sailfish, tuna, dorado, roosterfish, red snapper, and several other species over the course of 6 days of fishing. We were extremely happy with our captain (Fidel) and our 2 mates (Jose and Frank). They did a great job of not only getting us in the right places to catch the fish, but they also kept us involved and explained their reasons for using the strategies we were using.
One tip: if Spanish is not a strength, work on it before going! We did not and communication was a bit more challenging. The folks who work in the lodge generally have more English fluency but the fishing staff would have benefitted from us having more Spanish fluency. We were able to make it work but communication was harder than it needed to be because we didn't prepare and assumed everyone knew English.
Overall, an absolutely awesome experience that I hope to repeat many times in the coming years.
Can't wait to return!
Date of stay: July 2024
Trip type: Travelled with family
5.0 of 5 bubblesValue
5.0 of 5 bubblesRooms
5.0 of 5 bubblesLocation
5.0 of 5 bubblesCleanliness
5.0 of 5 bubblesService
5.0 of 5 bubblesSleep Quality
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Mallory White, Guest Services / Front Office at Tropic Star Lodge, responded to this review
Responded 31 Jul 2024
Dear brennanh901,

Thank you for taking the time to leave your five-star review of your recent fishing trip to Tropic Star Lodge. We are very happy to hear that you had an amazing experience and it was an epic success! The team works hard to ensure you have the very best fishing vacation with genuine hospitality being our priority. Thank you for choosing Tropic Star Lodge to spend that special time with your son. We look forward to seeing you back soon!

All the best,
Mallory and Richard White
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
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Reviewed 29 June 2024

Trip of a lifetime! Don't hesitate to book, you won't regret it! Fishing, staff, food, accommodations, overall experience was exceptional. The jungle is beautiful, the sea fishery is alive! The fish are exceptional large and multiple species to chase. Caught and released 20 sailfish 70-110 lbs. on fly rods! Rooster fish, Dorado, Tuna, it goes on and on. Offshore conventional fishing is guaranteed catching! Saltwater fly fishing is beyond anyone's wildest expectations! Will be back again soon!

Room tip: Book it now! You won't regret it!
Date of stay: June 2024
  • Trip type: Travelled with friends
    • Value
    • Location
    • Sleep Quality
    • Rooms
    • Cleanliness
    • Service
Thank Frank T
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Mallory White, Guest Services / Front Office at Tropic Star Lodge, responded to this reviewResponded 26 July 2024

Dear Compass537427,

Thank you for joining us for our first annual Tropic Star Lodge Legends on Fly event. Congratulations on your spectacular catches. It was so much fun to be part of the event and see the group's success on the fly. We look forward to welcoming you back soon! Thanks so much for taking the time to leave your review.

All the best,
Mallory White

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Reviewed 30 April 2024

I've learned in life that acceptance is the answer to all my problems, and if I find some person, place, thing or situation unacceptable to me I am the problem. Tropic Star Lodge is the journey and destination. It's a place where I've made friends, ate great food, and told stories about life. It's where I find peace, serenity and solitude among the jungles of Panama. When I visit, I have no expectations, if I do i put myself in a position to be let down, therefore I sit back, Relax and enjoy the experience. I've thought about it often, in the beginning when I first started going down to the lodge, I shared with people I was going fishing, my reality is I am going catching with people who take pride in their work, and it shows in the quality of the experience I have when I go there. I'm not baiting hooks, putting out lines or setting hooks. I leave that to the professionals. I was recently there on April 6th to April 11th. Took a friend who i have known for 46 years. For me there is no better place to be with a lifelong friend and speak about where we started in life and where we are today. As usual we get to the lodge and have our meeting about the fishing conditions, Richard White goes around and asks us what we want to catch. Being a wise guy i say Blue Marlin! There is a laugh and smile from Richard. And he shares that they will do whatever we want but the Blue Marlin bite was slow only having seen a couple and landed one, so i heed the warning. Probably not a good idea to fish for Marlin, so its decided tuna offshore and then inshore for rooster fish and cubrera snapper. I have never gone to the lodge and had a say in what I should fish for. I leave it to the professionals. Thats why i pay them.

On a personal note, I have struggled with life for a long time, I was never able to live life on life's terms. I always had to put a little twist on it and as usual pushing everyone away from me at one point, except for 2 people one who is no longer alive and the other the friend I spoke about earlier. 7 years ago, my life has changed, when I go to the lodge, I get a chance to leave life behind, concede to my innermost self and reboot among nature and the thing I love to do the most is catching fish. The person that helped me 7 years ago turns out I am finally in a place to help him, not financially, but emotionally and mentally. And we get to have an experience second to none. I can't think of anywhere else in the world that i would rather be than Tropic Star Lodge.

We caught everything that was there to catch, we ate everything they had to offer, We saw everything there was to see. I've caught black marlin, blue marlin, sailfish, Dorado, tuna, cubrera snapper, rock snapper, amberjack and many other fish over the years. I will continue to go back. I'm booked for January 2025 and will be at it again. with people I want to be around.

Thank You Tropic Star Lodge for an experience, destination and journey.

If you come down to the lodge and don't have fun, its your own fault.

I'm living beyond my wildest dreams, are you living beyond yours?

Thanks,
Big Love

Room tip: Don't forget you're in the middle of the jungle only accessible by boat or plane. What you see takes a monumental effort to pull off.
Date of stay: April 2024
  • Trip type: Travelled with friends
    • Value
    • Location
    • Sleep Quality
    • Rooms
    • Cleanliness
    • Service
Thank Robert B
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Mallory White, Guest Services / Front Office at Tropic Star Lodge, responded to this reviewResponded 8 May 2024

Dear robertbQ6596WF,

Thank you for taking the time to let us know how special Tropic Star Lodge is to you. The lodge is truly unique, and we are moved that you feel how special it is, too. The essence of fishing is enjoying the experience with those you enjoy being around. We appreciate you and are glad we can host you at Tropic Star and provide an experience, destination, and journey while catching some awesome fish in between. It was great having you return with a dear friend, and we look forward to your return trip in January!

All the best wishes,
Mallory and Richard White

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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of TripAdvisor LLC
Reviewed 14 April 2024

This was our first “Black Marlin” trip to tropic star but our actual fourth return visit. As always Tropic Star Lodge delivered a FIVE STAR PLUS experience. Richard has truly fine tuned his fleet of outstanding captains and mates and the service and food was phenomenal. Anyone that fishes understands there is a big difference between fishing and catching. Weather, wind, water temp etc all come into play and it’s unfortunate that some previous visitors have had bad “catching” weeks. Everyone experiences fishing from a different perspective. Personally, spending time on the water is one of the most relaxing, enjoyable, pleasant , and exhilarating parts of life. Fishing just adds to the experience and catching makes the experience absolutely incredible. It’s unfortunate for those whom had a poor week of “catching” fish. My friends and I have had bad “catching” days like everyone else and if and when it occurs multiple days in a row it can be very disappointing. These trips are expensive and expectations can be very high. Mishaps will happen and fish will take “vacations.” I think the most important part of the trip is the overall experience and the incredible level of service. Not everyone will leave Tropic Star satisfied regarding their “catching” experience. Most, however, will find the experience itself to be a fantastic way to spend 3, 4, 6 days on the water. Our “Black Marlin” week was one for our record books. 5 Blacks, 12 sails, and 34 dorados (25 plus pounds each). Our fifth return trip is booked and my gratitude and thanks to all that work at Tropic Star Lodge for an incredible level of service. Thank you for the great “experiences” and the “amazing memories” in regards to the fishing and the “catching.”

Date of stay: January 2024
  • Trip type: Travelled with friends
    • Value
    • Location
    • Sleep Quality
    • Rooms
    • Cleanliness
    • Service
Thank John M
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Mallory White, Guest Services / Front Office at Tropic Star Lodge, responded to this reviewResponded 7 May 2024

Dear johnmE1913XT,

We appreciate your kind words and agree that time on the water is one of life’s most enjoyable experiences. We’re glad to hear that your fourth trip to Tropic Star was a five-star plus experience, and your crew, our land-based services, and food were phenomenal. Congratulations on all your catches -what a fantastic week! We can’t wait to welcome you back for your fifth trip to make more fishing and catching memories with you. Your gratitude and thanks mean a lot to us! Thank you for taking the time to leave your review.

All the best wishes,
Mallory and Richard White

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Reviewed 24 March 2024

Our Tropic Star experience was amazing!

From the moment we were met at the airport in Panama until we were returned to airport, we were given a first class experience.

The accommodations are amazing. Our suite included a lovely outdoor garden shower, wonderfully comfortable bed, and delightful balcony with gorgeous views. It was immaculate.

Our days began with fresh hot coffee delivered to our room.
The staff prepared delicious breakfasts in the restaurant each morning before we headed out for a day of fishing, enjoying a variety of excursions or amenities the lodge has to offer.

The lunches, dinners, desserts, and snacks were delicious and plentiful.

I can not say enough about the excellent service provided by all the staff members. They go above and beyond and pay attention to every detail. They strive for perfection and they nailed it!

We are already planning a return trip.

Date of stay: March 2024
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Thank Rebecca B
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Mallory White, Guest Services / Front Office at Tropic Star Lodge, responded to this reviewResponded 24 March 2024

Dear Z9748NGrebeccab,

We are thrilled to hear you’re already planning your return trip! Thank you for taking the time to leave your review and we are happy to know that you thoroughly enjoyed your experience, including the food and your accommodation. We look forward to welcoming you back soon to Tropic Star Lodge for your next fishing vacation.

Best wishes,
Mallory and Richard White

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Reviewed 21 March 2024

We just returned from a visit during inshore fishing season and were blown away by our experience. The lodge is beautiful, the food and accommodations were perfect, all the staff we encountered were welcoming and professional, and our every need was met from arrival at PTY to departure.

We booked a week long stay with 6 days of fishing. I had planned on taking a few days off while the guys in my family fished but I had such a great time in the boat I fished 6 full days! We caught many different species and were impressed by the expertise of our captain and mate. A drink at the Marlin Bar and a dip in the pool is the perfect post fishing ritual.

My only regret is that I did not get a chance to use the kayaks/paddle boards or do any hiking—but world class fishing opportunities came first! If you’re not too tired from reeling in a ton of fish, I recommend the afternoon cultural tour to Piñas village with Ross. We want to express our gratitude to the staff for an amazing week and are looking forward to another visit in the future!

Date of stay: March 2024
Trip type: Travelled with family
Thank cedarchristiansen
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Mallory White, Guest Services / Front Office at Tropic Star Lodge, responded to this reviewResponded 23 March 2024

Dear cedarchristiansen,

We are delighted to hear that you enjoyed your stay with us! It’s just the best, after a day on the water, to join the other anglers for drinks and snacks at Marlin Bar, followed by a refreshing swim in the pool. Our guests often love taking a tour of the nearby village of Pinas, it’s so interesting to learn about the local cultures, flora, and fauna. We can't wait to welcome you back for more exciting fishing adventures and a relaxing paddle in the bay.

Best wishes,
Mallory and Richard White

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