PALMA DE MALLORCA, Spain — RIU Hotels & Resorts will open its second hotel in Panama in April 2014.

The Riu Playa Blanca, situated in the Coclé province, joins the hotel Riu Plaza Panama just over three years after its opening.

With this project, RIU extends its product range and offers guests the possibility to enjoy holidays which combine a stay in the city with rest, together with 24-hour all-inclusive service in a seafront location.

Panama has a strategic geographic location that has made its capital city a key point for business between the north and the south of the continent, as well as an international flight connection hub.

In addition to its cosmopolitan city, with a wide range of culinary, cultural and shopping options, is its extraordinary natural wealth. There are 15 national parks throughout the country and 35% of the land is in protected natural areas.

The new resort will offer 573 rooms and modern facilities with a contemporary and fresh design. Guests will be able to enjoy a wide range of dining options distributed between the main restaurant with an international buffet and live show cooking stations, and the speciality restaurants: Asian, Italian and grill-steakhouse. It will also offer five bars, including the Sports Bar which is open 24 hours and the night club.

The Riu Playa Blanca will also include three swimming pools, one with a swim-up bar, an extensive program of daytime and evening entertainment, the RiuLand kids’ club, water sports, gym, 175 square metre conference hall, as well as free Internet in the hotel lobby and available as an added extra in the rooms.

Playa Blanca is situated in a coastal area in the west of Panama and is known as the ‘Arco Seco’ because it enjoys the best tropical climate in the country, with mild temperatures, warm beaches, plenty of sun and, as its name suggests, little rain.

It is situated in the vicinity of the fishing town of Farallón, in the province of Coclé, just an hour and a half by car from the city of Panama.