About

Customer Service and Guest Experience is my Passion

Ariel Stephens the bocas guru

Hello, I'm
Ariel Stephenson,
the Bocas Guru

I am originally from Bocas del Toro and left the islands when I was 17 to embark on a career in the hospitality industry. I have over 25 years’ industry experience spanning work on cruise ships, in restaurants and bars as well as in 5* hotels, primarily based in London, where I lived for over 18 years.

Customer service and guest experience is my passion. Throughout my career, I have strived to ensure that travellers and guests have a unique and unforgettable experience tailored to their needs, wherever in the world that might be. Now I have the opportunity to do this in my home country and my home community.

I came back to Panama at the end of 2017 with two main goals:

  • to be a part of the movement to improve the quality of the hospitality service in Bocas del Toro and the experience of travellers who visit
  • to give back to my home community through my experience in and passion for hospitality – to help create more sustainable futures and a platform for greater opportunities for the local community

Since moving back to
Bocas del Toro...

I have run two hotel operations, including Doña Mara Beach Hotel, which I currently operate with a team. My aim in running these hotels and lodges is to offer the highest level of customer service, ensuring that you, the guest, have an unforgettable, personalised experience while visiting Bocas del Toro.

Alongside a team, I have also set up a Bocas hospitality program for members of the local community. The mission of the program is to provide access to opportunities for the native communities of Bocas del Toro through vocational training in sustainable hospitality, while promoting environmental awareness and cultural integrity. 

We ran our pilot course in 2021 under the non-profit the Back Bay Project. We hope to have our second cohort of students in 2023. The project will run under a new name and will be reinforced by the support of a US non-profit that would like to work with us – watch this space!

My time back in Bocas has shown me that there is a real need for the services I provide through the Bocas Guru

Learn more about how the Bocas Guru can help you on our Services page:

Learn More