Must-see hotels in Guatemala

  • Earth Lodge

    Guatemala

    High in the hills above Jocotenango, this extraordinary 40-acre spread is set around a working avocado farm, and the views of the Panchoy valley and…

  • Hotel Quinta de las Flores

    Antigua

    More a village than a hotel, this property on the southeastern edge of town is bursting with charms. Pebbly paths weave through and around parklike lawns…

  • Private Reserve Ni'tun

    El Petén

    West of San Andrés and down a gravel road, Ni'tun is set on a 35-acre patch of protected secondary forest where six species of hummingbird nest year-round…

  • La Casa del Mundo Hotel & Café

    Lago de Atitlán

    On a secluded cliff facing the volcanoes is one of Guatemala's most spectacular hotels. It features sumptuous gardens, lake swimming from Mediterranean…

  • Unicornio Azul

    Western Highlands

    This Guatemalan/French-run ranch is at Chancol, about 25km by road northeast of Huehuetenango, offering horse riding through the Cuchumatanes plateau…

  • Mesón Panza Verde

    Antigua

    Antigua's original luxury boutique hotel, the Panza Verde is cloistered in a serene compound south of the center. The three doubles and nine lavishly…

  • Cucuruchos Boutique Hostel

    Antigua

    This hostel hits stylish heights without the need to break the budget. Bunk-bed dorms are spacious and very well appointed, sleeping four, six and 12…

  • Posada del Ángel

    Antigua

    Hidden behind a very unassuming door, the luxury at this posada just keeps unfolding. The five rooms and two suites all have fireplaces, fresh flowers,…

  • Maya Papaya

    Antigua

    Modern and well-designed, Maya Papaya knows its flashpacker market well. The hostel opens onto a modest bar area, where breakfasts are also taken, while…

  • Chiminos Island Lodge

    El Petén

    Jutting out from the western shore of Laguna Petexbatún, this magical lodge shares its promontory with a largely unexcavated Maya citadel that includes a…

  • Casa Rosada

    Lívingston

    Casa Rosada is a one-stop spot that manages somehow to do it all, and do it well. The owner, Ismael, is a wealth of knowledge about the area and can…

  • Utopia

    Semuc Champey & Around

    Set on a hillside overlooking the small village of Semil, 3km from Semuc Champey, this is the most impressive setup in the area. Every type of…

  • Takalik Maya Lodge

    The Pacific Slope

    Set on the grounds of a working farm 2km past the entrance to Takalik Abaj (and on top of a large, unexcavated section of it), this is by far the most…

  • Alice Guesthouse

    El Petén

    As in Wonderland, that is. Fruit of the budding imaginations of a Franco-Belgian pair, this slightly remote spread looks not at the lake but at a swath of…

  • Hotel Atitlán

    Panajachel

    A coffee plantation for much of the 20th century, this estate was remade as Pana's loveliest hotel in the 1970s. Located on the lakeshore 1.5km northwest…

  • Hotel Casa Familiar

    Western Highlands

    This cheerfully run guesthouse uphill from the main plaza has a selection of cozy rooms with hardwood floors, traditional textile bedspreads, good hot…

  • Casa Nostra

    Lívingston

    A lovely spot right on the water with (on a good day) views of Honduras from the upper floor, the Casa Nostra is a place that feels like home. Owner…

  • Mayachik'

    San Juan La Laguna

    Immediately southwest of town, this European-managed ecoresort blends harmoniously with its surroundings. Traditional wood and stone accommodations with…

  • Posada del Cerro

    El Petén

    This ecologically sound option blends into the jungle, close enough to Biotopo Cerro Cahuí to hear monkeys howl the evening in. Ten thoughtfully furnished…

  • Hotel Paredon Surf House

    The Pacific Slope

    This charming beachfront guesthouse has a variety of different options, including thatched private rooms, generous dorms on stilts overlooking the ocean,…

  • Adra Hostel

    Antigua

    The Adra is one of several upscale hostels that have sprung up in Antigua recently. It's a gorgeous affair – Scandi-style dorms with impressively…

  • Casa Morasan

    Quetzaltenango

    It's difficult not to be charmed by Casa Morasan. Set in a restored town house, rooms cluster around a courtyard with trickling fountain, and lots of old…

  • Bambu Guesthouse

    Lago de Atitlán

    Affiliated with Atitlán Organics, Bambu is a guesthouse in splendid wood and bamboo that looks like it grew from the earth. Rooms are calming and airy,…

  • Kasa Kiwi

    Quetzaltenango

    Despite its distinctly un-Guatemalan name, Kasa Kiwi has quickly established itself as a top player on Xela's hostel scene. Generously sized dorms mean…

  • Dreamboat Hostel

    Panajachel

    The paint was barely dry when we visited this hostel, but it was already building a good reputation. Bright four-bed dorms (mixed or women only) stop…

  • Candelaria Lodge

    Alta & Baja Verapaz

    The Candelaria Lodge is a refined hotel so lovely it seems bizarrely out of place here in the relative nowhere of central Guatemala. The rooms are…

  • Casa Tenango

    Cobán

    What this place lacks in frills (no pool, no bar) it more than makes up for in warmth, with a large kitchen, several common areas that are good for…

  • Finca Ixobel

    El Petén

    The Finca Ixobel is an ecological resort/bohemian hideaway set amid pine forest and patches of jungle between Flores and Río Dulce in southeast Petén…

  • Circles

    San Marcos La Laguna

    Near the top of the path from the dock is this casual hostel/cafe with an attached bakery and coffee roaster to provide the essentials of a good stay…

  • Posada Belen

    Guatemala City

    One of Zona 1's most stylish options, this boutique hotel has just 10 rooms, arranged around a couple of lush patios. Rooms are well decorated with típico…

  • Lo de Bernal

    Antigua

    Don't be intimidated by the full suit of armour at this small new bed and breakfast; service here comes with a warm and personal touch. Rooms are…

  • Eco Suites Uxlabil

    Guatemala City

    If you're planning on being in town for a while (or even if you're not), you could do a lot worse than these sweet little apartments decked out in…

  • Dai Nonni Hotel

    Guatemala City

    Just south of the Zona 10 action, this small hotel wins points for its eclectic decorations, backyard hangout areas and big rooms. Discounts are available…

  • La Iguana Perdida

    Santa Cruz La Laguna

    La Iguana Perdida is one of the granddaddies of Guatemala's backpacker scene, but you wouldn't know it from its ever-fresh appearance. It features a range…

  • Ranchitos del Quetzal

    Alta & Baja Verapaz

    Carved out of the jungle on a hillside 200m away from the Biotopo del Quetzal entrance, this place has good-sized simple rooms with hot showers…

  • Casa Santo Domingo Hotel

    Antigua

    Innovatively created from the remains of the sprawling Santo Domingo monastery, this is Antigua's premier lodging. The 128 rooms and suites are of an…

  • Lush

    San Marcos La Laguna

    Truly chic Lush seems to sprout organically from the living rock of the hillside, with recycled glass, plastic and other flotsam ingeniously incorporated…

  • Hotel Jinava Bay

    San Marcos La Laguna

    Cobbled paths weave through gardens bursting with flowers, coffee, palms and a profusion of hummingbirds at this tropical lakeside location 300m west of…

  • Posada Rural Finca Chaculá

    Western Highlands

    In the extreme northwest of Huehuetenango province is this community tourism project started by returnees from five different ethnic groups who took…

  • La Fortuna

    Santa Cruz La Laguna

    As luxurious as it is wild and remote, this ecologically outfitted retreat is at Patzisotz, a secluded bay just east of Santa Cruz around a rocky cliff…

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