I booked an apartment in Colon Playa with TravelRepublic. I would have preferred a sea-view one but none was available. I trusted the 'blurb' & was directed to Apartment # 42. No way was it an 'apartment'. It was a white tiled floored single room with what appeared to be two ex-army metal beds, a 4ft wide (!) bathroom, five off-white wooden scruffy dining chairs with two very small 'matching' occasional tables and a built-in wardrobe. An original small analogue TV with a 9 channel set top box sat on an equally scruffy side table.. Within the room was the "kitchen" This consisted of an alcove with a sink, a small refrigerator and an appallingly ancient two ring hob. There were three cups, some 5/6 assorted plates; a motley collection of well-used cutlery, some pans and a bottle opener. There were no cooking implements.
The room had two windows which opened into two inner sanitation areas & were overlooked by the upper inside 'apartments'.
On the good side; the accommodation has four things going for it :
1. Excellent location on the promenade,
2. Constant hot water,
3. New bathroom suite with 2 loo rolls (and 4 very hard towels).
4. A cheery hall porter.

Don't be fooled - this is not an 'hotel'; nor is it a building of acceptable furnished apartments.

I turned round & left.