Everyone's heard of the Hard Rock Cafe but I bet you didn't know there was a Hard Rock Hotel!

Yes… a hotel.

Not really being a rock chick, I tend to stay away from Hard Rock Cafes but when I come across a gimmicky hotel – now that's a completely different story. And, being my birthday, I just had to check this place out with my new sidekick I met at the airport. (Yes, you can meet people anywhere travelling).

If you are into rock music, you're guaranteed to be running around like a child in a sweet shop. There is so much rock memorabilia here that it's more like a museum than a conventional hotel. From Elton John's electric red pants to the frilly shirt of Ray Davies from the Kinks, there's so much stuff to look at, that you can easily spend a whole night here exploring floor after floor.

The famous red pants!

My sidekick sitting amongst the memorabilia

And the best thing is, you don't even have to stay here to explore. We wandered around freely and even went as high up as the Rooftop bar which although it was closed, didn't stop us from managing to get onto the floor and taking some sneaky snaps. The view from this bar is incredible and they have top DJs here such as Thomas Gold from Berlin but there is a $20 cover charge to get in.

An amazing view from the rooftop

The skyline of Panama City

I ate at the sushi restaurant which was really reasonable considering the rest of the hotel seems so posh. There are other restaurants here as well as bars and live rock music in the lobby bar which has a small stage. Even going up the escalator is an adventure with brass symbols hanging from the wall, and there's a shop to buy your Hard Rock merchandise too.

A futuristic bar

Cage dancing anyone?

One of the clubs

The pool bar has a stunning view of the city and is illuminated at night. If you're looking for some of the best views of Panama City, then you should really pay this place a visit. And if I can say that, not being a rock chick, it's definitely a winner.

The illuminated pool with the skyline backdrop

Staying at the Hard Rock Hotel

If you do decide to stay overnight, here's a great tip to save money. You can find suites in the Hard Rock Hotel on Airbnb which will cost you less than booking a room here directly. And if you've never used Airbnb before, you can save $25 off your first stay when with the referral code: leldridge3. 

N.b. I haven't been paid to write about this hotel. It was just such a novelty hotel that I wanted to write about it!