Panama's newest boutique hotel, Las Clementinas Chambers, has opened today (14 December 2010).

The hotel only has six 'over-sized' suites and is located in a fully-restored, historic 1930s property in Casco Viejo, the walled district near the Panama Canal - a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The design and build of the hotel took more than three years.

Conservatorio SA, the owner and operator of the hotel, sourced local architects and craftsmen to restore the property and its original 1930s décor.

Artisans were brought in from Colombia to reproduce hand-painted tiles and the selection of furniture ranges from heirlooms abandoned by aristocratic families to antique desks from the old British Embassy.

Olga Quelqueje has been appointed general manager.

With its grand theaters, eclectic architecture and burgeoning nightlife, Casco is becoming an international destination unto itself, as well as a central point for exploring all that Panama has to offer.