Panama City. (Best of Latin America).

BEST CONVENTION CENTER HOTEL

Caesar Park Panama. Panama's Atlapa Convention Center is just across the street from this 353-room Westin, with all the amenities and services of a five-star luxury hotel. Phone: [phone]. www.caesarpark.com

BEST LARGE HOTEL

Marriott Panama. This hotel chain has come long way since it started a root beer stand in Washington, D.C., in 1927. Its Panama City hotel rises from the financial and banking district, about 1.5 kilometers from the Atlapa Convention Center. The 296 rooms are oversized and offer executives work desks, two dual-line speaker phones and data ports. Regular room rates start at US$155; executive suites are US$295. Cell phones and office equipment can be rented in the business center. Sports fans can keep up with their favorite teams in the Champion Sports Bar--and keep fit in the health club or swimming in the outdoor pool. Phone: [phone]. www.marriott.com.

BEST BUSINESS HOTEL

The Bristol. An enormous burst of fresh flowers greets guests in the small lobby and the bowl of fruit in every guest room is replenished daily. A butler brings complimentary coffee or tea to coincide with a guest's wakeup call; every room has a CD player and CDs are available from a digital music library. In-room Internet access and fax machines are complemented by a business center that is open 24 hours a day, equipped with computers, free high-speed Internet access and laser and color printers. Need a portable computer delivered to your room? Just ask the butler--every floor has one on-duty 24 hours who will also unpack suitcases and arrange for clothing to be pressed on arrival. There's also a fitness center. The Bristol has 43 rooms and 14 suites, all with separate tub and glassed-in shower; rates start at US$175. It sits in the middle of the financial and banking center; the Via Espana shopping area is a block away. While Panama has many really top restaurants, it is hard to beat the ambiance or the cui sine at the Bristol. Phone: [phone]. www.thebristol.com

BEST CAR RENTAL ALTERNATIVE

Panama Railway Company. For those whose business plans include Colon and the duty free zone, the reinvented Panama Canal Railway is now a good alternative to driving or flying. The train leaves the Corozal station at 7 a.m. for the scenic 75-kilometer ride along the canal; an hour later it arrives in Colon. On the return it departs Colon at 5:30 p.m. A round-trip ticket is US$35 and one-way $US20. The restoration of the railroad was a partnership of the Kansas City Southern Railway and Mi-Jack Products of Chicago under a 50-year concession agreement. Phone: [phone].

BEST RESTAURANT FOR A BUSINESS MEAL

La Casa del Marisco. With the Pacific Ocean to the south and the Caribbean Sea to the north, seafood, from corvina (sea bass) to squid, lobster or crab, graces the menu in most Panama restaurants. La Casa del Marisco prides itself on its preparation; Avenida Balboa, phone: [phone].

BEST TRAVEL AGENCY

Ancon Expeditions of Panama. The guides at this operation know the names of every plant, bird or bug in Panama. They're also up on the best fishing spots, as well as where to surf, dive or go white water rafting. Ancon is in the business of customizing services for all kinds of travelers, including executives on the road. Phone: [phone]. www.anconexpeditions.com