Hotels in Antigua

Just got back tonight and can recommend 2 great places to stay. Ashanti's Place ($37.00 US for 4 people) is a quiet place that is around 5 blocks away from main square. It just opened in April so is not advertised a lot. And Umma Gumma ($33.00 for 4 people..2 rooms) is closer to cafes and shops. Free internet, clean, and all the basics. Antigua and Lago Atitlan were quite cool this past 2 weeks. Tikal and Rio Dulce area on the other hand....beautiful, humid and warm.

Last time I was in Antigua you can find things from $10-200. Lots and lots of hotels in Antigua.

Two comments: 1) I don't get it: regular posters (legitimately!) bitch that people ask for "reasonably priced" recommendations without clarifying the parameters. Well, so this person did, saying up to $70 and then no one gave a recommendation in that price range!
That brings me to point...
2) I received a very nasty note from Rosario at Casa Cristina who saw my post. I gave what I know to be a very fair representation of the good and bad of CC based on what we paid. I actually meant it be fairly positive, but it was totally factual. My point was only that given that the original poster here was willing to spend twice what I did, the accomodations might not suit them. Rosario, please don't send me another angry note!
So long, Guatemala regulars. I'm off to the Germany/Austria forums for next summer.

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<hr>1) I don't get it: regular posters (legitimately!) bitch that people ask for "reasonably priced" recommendations without clarifying the parameters. Well, so this person did, saying up to $70 and then no one gave a recommendation in that price range! <hr></blockquote>
That's likely because there aren't a great number of posters on here that stay in digs that cost 70 bones a night. This is Lonely Planet after all - until recently, LP has marketed itself towards the budget market. Budget travelers don't often stay in expensive rooms. It's going to be difficult for them to get a good and informed recommendation here in that price range. Other forums might be a better option to get an informed opinion if they've got that kind of dough to throw around. I know that if I was looking to spend that much, I'd not find recs for a shared dorm room that cost five bucks a night very useful. That's why it's always best to state your budget in dollars - what's perfectly "reasonable" to me might not be acceptable to someone else.

In any case, we've learned that the owners of Casa Cristina react in a highly negative fashion to a person stating a perfectly legitimate opinion. I'd imagine they've hurt their rep here far more by doing that than they would have gotten from someone just reading your post. I certainly won't be staying there next time I'm in Antigua even though it's well within my budgetary range.

I do not want to start a debate or speculation of my letter, like Ms. Eisenberg insinuated above; so this is a copy of my letter. Please judge if this letter is offensive or rude in any way, it was sent to clear the inacurrate information.

Dear Andrea,

I am sorry to hear that the room we gave you; was so miserable for $30, that you even wrote an essay on Thorn Three. Running a hotel is a hard job, because of the type of people you get and have no control off; we get the lovely friendly people who travel to learn other cultures with great disposition and then we get the type who has delirium of greatness with a small budget. It is a pity; you did not check the other hotels around Antigua, to see what $30 in Antigua buys and then make an honest unbiased judgment of our hotel.

Just too clear matters:

1-the room you paid $30 it is not the best (#11 is the best, because of a bigger bathroom).

2. It had a mirror in the bathroom and a mirror in the room.

3. The price of the room is $37; I gave you a disc, since you booked several months in advance. The room had a view of the volcanoes, cable TV, a fridge, unlimited use of internet, unlimited coffee and tee; for $24.6+ $6.6 tax= TOTAL $30!



Sincerely,





Hotel Casa Cristina - Rosario Faass

Well no CC for me EVER I thynk it is terrible that they sent a poster a nasty note rather than trying to fix their flooding shower and make sure staff cleaned the floor. I was going to try the place as other posters thought so highly of this hotel

I dont think what rosario wrote was rude at all, i think she was just trying to clear things up with this girl. She wrote the mail directly to this person, as not to embarass her, not like this girl who then even wrote her back on the thorn tree forum, to embarass rosario. She even made it sound like it was a real "nasty" letter. Ive been travelling to guatemala for 3 years now, twice a year, and everytime ive stayed at casa cristina, and rosario has always been incredibly helpful, and shes a very cheerful, sweet lady. I think its sad that this person tried to ruin her rep, by posting such mean things on here, this person should really find something better to do with her life, get some sort of a hobby...By the way, everytime ive been to casa cristina it has been super clean...including the floor.

Funny, you registered that handle yesterday for the sole purpose of making that post? Umm... Yeah, right. You aren't doing your business any favors here.

I dont think anything has to be cleared up. OP just wrote what she liked and did not like. So if I were running that hotel I would just go attend to the problem and say thank you for bringing it to my attention and I have addressed it. I recall once someone said that Posada La Merced lacked a gate for safety someplace and the owner wrote to that poster and said she was having one installed right away. I think that is a better way to deal with a review you dont like about your business.

Thank you for posting this info about Casa Cristina. I think that is completely rude and uncalled for, to post that type of response here. Arguing with someone who found fault with your shower in a public forum is NOT good customer service. I have been researching Antigua hotels for quite some time for my upcoming trip, and Casa Cristina looks very nice from the website, but now I can’t bring myself to stay there ever!!