We had an excellent 2+ week stay at Ruth’s place. First, the apartment: It was very spacious for our 4-person family. It’s 110 years old (!) and has been remodeled with modern amenities. It has original plaster moldings, floors, and woodwork, giving a real feeling of what it was like to live in the “old days”. It also has great air conditioning (which was helpful during the heat wave), 500MB/sec download and upload fiber internet (much faster than what’s available in the US), and a modern clothes washer and dryer. Finally, the windows block out almost all noise and keep the apartment cool.
Next, the location: In the old town but not near all the tourists (so no parties, suitcases over cobblestone roads at 4 am, etc.). Very close to everything by walking, but if you prefer the metro it’s a 6 minute walk to the Colon metro station (and the massive El Corte Ingles store which sells everything, kind of like an upscale Macy’s or a Nordstrom’s but with a much wider selection of everything, including food). We walked the whole city and think that this location is the perfect location to stay for a family!
Finally, the host: Ruth proactively communicated with us prior to our stay to ensure everything was set up properly, and also during our stay. She provided a lot of information for us to sightsee and find great restaurants for families with younger kids. She was SOOO helpful to us and we really appreciate her!