Better to Overnight in Chichi or Antigua before Sunday Marke

I agree with Bob. The only hotel where I would stay in Chichi is too expensive for what you get.

Welcome to Guatemala. Have a wonderful trip, and please write a trip report when you return home.

Guys, you've got to be kidding. It is a great experience to be in Chichi on a Saturday night, get up early Sunday morning while the vendors are setting up and seeing things before the tourist hoards from Antigua, etc. show up. It is the difference between seeing something special, and running with the pack. Get your shopping done early enough to catch the church service, or hike up to see the Mayan idol, Pascual Abaj. Each to his own, I guess.

By the way, if you are basing where you go in Guatemala on being able to stay in a nice hotel, maybe you should be traveling in another country. Better to go where you want and stay where you can.

Gosh, I was going to say spend the night in Chichi for a wonderful cultural experience. But seeing what Bob and Juan say, I'm kind of questioning myself. What am I missing? Surely one ought to be able to get a decent room at a decent price?

Buen viaje!

Agree with Aloysius--never stayed in Chichi but have talked to travelers who really liked their small hotels in Chichi.

Last year a guy from Norway said he got sick there and passed out twice in the market during his week there. Both times locals carried him back to his hotel & put him in bed. Said they could have stole everything he had but nothing was touched. Said he would definitely go back to Chichi.

In Chiguimula this young guy took on the entire army of young kids in the market in a street soccer game and he beat them. Made me wonder just who he was because he definitely knew how to play soccer. Think he was a professional.

I'd vote for the day trip from Antigua! The markets were interesting but the 5 hours I had there with the shuttle service from Antigua was more than enough.
I guess it depends on how much you like markets and how much shopping you want to do!

I surprised myself by even going - I had no desire to buy stuff, I hate crowds, and I would never dream of going to the markets in Sydney!
Still it was a pleasant way to while away an afternoon. I really enjoyed the lunch at the Santo Tomas Hotel.

Staying Saturday night was perfect for us. We enjoyed watching the set-up the night before, then hit the market early while folks were setting up. We watched the activity on the steps of the church and sat inside for 15 or 20 minutes, took a hundred photos from the balcony above the produce market in the commercial building, bought a few small treasures in the market, and headed out to Nebaj before the day trippers arrived - PERFECT! We stayed at Hotel Girón which was a great deal, clean and safe, perfect location, $14/dbl. It's a budget hotel though, not a 4 star. That's my vote!

Common sense is the watchword here. I didn't try to buy any exceptional weavings because I could have easily been taken advantage of- I don't know much about weavings. If that was my goal, I would only buy if accompanied by someone who knows the ropes. I felt on safer ground with embroidery because I've embroidered since I was a teenager and know what to look for. Obviously, if a number of stalls have an item, such as the table runners with cats on them done in fairly large stitches, it's tourist issue. I bought some of that for gifts. I did find one square embroidery piece in which the stitches were very small and dense and very obviously made well that I bought for myself. Same with the aprons I bought. If the women aren't wearing them- it's tourist. The bright yellow aprons with women embroidered on them scream tourist. I bought a brocade type apron in Solala for my daughter after looking at a number of offerings and feeling the quality of the material and looking at the quality of sewing. I bought at a stall where I saw indigenous women buying. I'm sure I paid way more than they did but I got something nice. I never tried to kid myself that I was getting a good deal- those vendors are professionals in the art of bargaining.