Venetian Room
An upstairs room hung with Italian art, with a queen bed, a private balcony through French doors, and a claw-foot tub with shower.
San Rafael, California
Romance and relaxation await
Thirteen individually themed rooms in a historic San Rafael inn, with private patios in select rooms, dog-friendly rooms, and the Panama Hotel Restaurant, reopened for dinner.
About the hotel
A haven of calm in Marin County
The Panama Hotel sits in the quiet Gerstle Park neighborhood, a few blocks from downtown San Rafael. The house has welcomed travellers since the 1920s, when Maria and Joe Gargiulo took in boarders from the nearby train station, and every one of its thirteen rooms is decorated to its own theme.
Several rooms open onto private patios or balconies, four welcome dogs, and the Panama Hotel Restaurant is back, serving dinner from Tuesday to Saturday. San Francisco is about half an hour south, and Muir Woods, China Camp and the Marin coast are all within an easy drive.
- Panama Hotel Restaurant, open for dinner Tuesday to Saturday
- Private patios or balconies in select rooms
- Dog-friendly rooms, $15 per pet per night
- Coffee and tea in the lobby, 8am to 6pm
- Free Wi-Fi
- Air conditioning in select rooms
- Microwave, refrigerator and coffee maker in every room
- 100% smoke-free
Themed guest rooms
All 13 rooms-
Rosie's Room
A whimsical upstairs two-room suite with a queen bed, a double futon sofa, a sunny sitting room, two TVs and a large private balcony.
Mimi's Bungalow
A ground-floor room named after a former owner, with French doors to a private patio, a sitting room with wet bar, a double futon sofa bed and a stall shower.
Garden Room
A ground-floor guest favourite with French doors to a large gated private patio, slate floors and a stall shower. Accessible and dog-friendly.
Reopened September 1, 2026
Panama Hotel Restaurant
Nearly a century after Maria Gargiulo began selling tamales from the front of the house, the restaurant is open again, with Executive Chef Hiram Diaz cooking California coastal food in the historic dining rooms and on the garden patio.
- Tuesday–Thursday5:00–9:00pm
- Friday–Saturday5:00–9:30pm
- Sunday–MondayClosed
Dinner only. The hotel does not serve breakfast.
The restaurant's storyNearby
Distances are by road.
- Mission San Rafael Arcángel0.6 mi
- San Rafael Transit Center0.6 mi
- Dominican University of California1.7 mi
- Marin County Civic Center3 mi
- Larkspur Ferry Terminal3.4 mi
- China Camp State Park5.1 mi
- McNears Beach County Park5.3 mi
- Muir Woods National Monument10.9 mi
- Oakland International Airport31.3 mi
- San Francisco International Airport31.5 mi
Guest reviews
This is precious and the service is top notch. It’s the definition of boutique with quirk and charm for days. We had a late check-in and they were on standby to make sure we got in comfortably and were well taken care of. We took so many videos and photos because the whole place is a work of art. Can’t wait to come back.
This hotel is great! Valle is a wonderful host and the value is unbeatable from what I’ve seen.
Book direct for the best rate
The best available rate is always here, on our own site.
Check dates & bookOr call us on (415) 457-3993