Some Useful Guatemala Hotel and City Information
Last updated 07/19/10
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Guatemala City Airport Lake Atitlán Area Petén
Looking for a long term rental?
Hint, anytime you check into a new hotel, be sure to get its name and address,
either on its business card or in your notes. If you get lost, all you have to do is show the address
to a cabbie to get a ride back there.
There is no effort here to list a lot of hotels, just ones that look interesting or inexpensive for the frugal off the beaten path traveler. As for availability, just showing up and actually seeing a room and selecting is usually the best way to pick one, except sometimes around holidays or in January or February, but see below to have a feel for what is there. It is also fun to dream about that next possible trip and look over some websites in the process. To find a website dealing with the city or area, click on info for that name if there is a link.
This will at no point be a comprehensive list. I will list hotels that are inexpensive and good or have some particular asset or charm to them. Being online, having a common kitchen and being inexpensive or affordable almost certainly merits inclusion here. I have decided to begin prioritizing hotels that include drinking water, because such places help travelers avoid leaving a trail of disposable water bottles in a country that does little recycling.
(and Information)
Locate villages and cities in Guatemala by Department
Specific Areas
Atitlán Cobán Flores and Tikal
Antigua Daily Photo (an interesting blog about Antigua)
Black Cat Hostel looks quite livable.
Casa Cristina looks pretty nice, isn't expensive, has free Internet, and best of all, provides free water for guests, so that you
don't have to leave a trail of unrecycled plastic bottles behind if you don't want to.
Hostal El Montañes looks fine.
The Jungle Party Hostel even sounds noisy.
Posada la Merced looks good for a splurge and has a kitchen.
For a change of pace outside Antigua,
Earth Lodge is well out of town, but sounds interesting if you want a few days of relaxation.
and you can buy inexpensive refills for your water container.
Be leery of staying at Posada El Viajero. See this link and this one as well.
Looking for a long term rental for a house or apartment there?
Chimaltenango
Chiquimula
Chisec
Hotel Estancia La Virgen had an empty pool when we stayed
there in 2005 and it was not terribly friendly. 7979-7748
Cobán
CobanAV Net has a lot of information
Budget Hostal D'Acuña has e-mail.
Hotel Central is not online, but it has affordable private rooms, drinking water for guests and it is right downtown.
1a. Calle 1-79 zona 1
Teléfono: (+502) 7952 1442
Hotel Las Terrazas is inexpensive, looks nice and is close to the centro.
San Juan Matalbatz is friendly, nice and has some more affordable rooms (7951 0811)
Restaurant recommendation: Xkape Koban at Diagonal 4 is not far from the plaza. ,5-13, zona 2 for excellent comida típica
Near Cobán
San Juan Chamelco
See Petén Page
See a list of Apartment Hotels in Guate,
but most are without websites.
Some hotels in zonas 1 and 4.
(Use that link to access other zonas)
Zone 1
Hotel Capri looks nice, doesn't cost much and has a restaurant, so you don't have to go out at night.
Hotel Quality Service looks quite good and not expensive.
Hostal Don Pedro is not expensive.
Zone 9
Monthly stays at Armadillos Suites sound good. Also has a location in Zone 13, closer to the airport. Monthly as of October, 2006, run $550 for an efficiency for two at six different levels up to a regular apartment for up to four people at $1200.
Zone 10 (La Zona Viva)
One possibility is Hotel Los Proceres, which is not online, but being affordable, it should be mentioned here. Blvd los Proceres 14-53 Zona 10 Phone: 2368-2828
Uxlabil has monthly rentals for studio apartments with a full kitchen
ranging from $500-$1000 and nightly starting at $45 for a single.
Also see description below
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Travelers arrive in the airport and many just head off on one of the many tourist shuttles to Antigua for the standard generic visit there. Others will either be moving on toward elsewhere or will be staying in Guate City for one reason or another. Staying in Guate involves having a good many choices, but the main ones you are likely to have if you want to stay near the airport are three.
If you are either arriving very late or it will be after a very long flight where you will only be interested in take out food and sleeping and your flight leaves early the next morning, you will probably want one of the standard airport hotels at a purely residential neighborhood next to it. Most hotels offer a free shuttle the short distance from the airport.
If you have more time and enjoy good food or you plan to see some of the city, but want to stay near the airport, the Zona Viva is the way to go.
Zona 9 Dos Lunas Guest House is a budget B&B near the airport with Internet. However, I understand that breakfast is from 8-10 am, but that anyone taking a flight early the next morning can ask for their breakfast in a bag. See directions to Dos Lunas
Hostal Los Volcanes offers free shuttle, water and Internet.
The Hotel Aeropuerto advertises being 150 yards away from the airport and charges from $35 a room for up to 3 persons and advertises 5 am breakfasts. Directions to Hotel Aeropuerto
Patricia's B&B does an airport shuttle and charges $30 for a single room.
Casa de Familia seems a bit pricey, but could be useful if you have a late arrival and need to be at a bus station the next morning.
Zona 10 If you are looking for a dorm or private room, Xamanek Student Inn is the best economical Zona Viva option if you are not there for a Friday or Saturday night, because of the disco next door. Ten minutes from the airport, it is quite nice, friendly, multi-lingual, provides drinking water, and is inexpensive. Best of all it is in the Zona Viva, where you safely can go out at night, although like anywhere else, keep your wits about you. There is a kitchen and drinking water for guest use and a good supermarket 3 1/2 blocks away. Although it in an area of expensive restaurants, there is an inexpensive one on the next parallel block over, and if desperation and a lack of pride is in play, you can find a McDonald's just a block and a half away. Following some excellent directions, I was able to walk to the Ixchél and Popul Vuh museums and to take a bus to the Mercado Central on another day. On another day, my wife and I walked to the Archaeological museum, the zoo and the Artisan's Market. There is satellite Internet access included. To get there, you could just walk out of the airport and go past the taxi queue and down the street a bit to try for a taxi for 30-35 Quetzals to take you there. You might even try for the 30 Q price at the airport first. If it is one of those few that use a meter, it will likely cost you close to the 25Q minimum. You should make a reservation, but you can do this via e-mail. There are five dorm rooms, but they add newcomers to empty rooms first, so unless it is crowded, you and your party will have a room to yourselves. There are also three private rooms. Be sure to have the actual street address on you in the likely event that the cab driver does not know where it is. Bring good earplugs to avoid the nighttime sounds from the new disco next door.
Hostal Las Orquideas is a bit closer to the Zona Viva, but is still among the hotels offering a free ride from the airport. It would be better described as a bed and breakfast, but it looks like a very nice splurge for a last night or two in Guatemala City. Charging from $500 a month for one person for long term lodging, this would make a great long term stay as well, although the monthly rate also includes laundry. The building is comfortable and the grounds are a delight. You can also arrange to have a $5 supper prepared if you don't feel like going out for dinner. I stayed here overnight in January 2010 and mostly got caught up with my e-mail.
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Hotel List (some showing e-mail)
(The prices are right, but no email)
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Lake Atitlán Area
Lake Map Showing Village locations The Lake Atitlán Reference Guide is quite interesting and detailed about the Atitlán area. I could debate some of the author's emphases in general info about the Maya, but it looks like a great intro to the area. Apartment Rentals in Atitlán area Long Term Rental Listings ________________________________
Jaibalito Posada Jaibalito is in the village is inexpensive for short or long term stays in rooms or small houses..
See a long hotel list including nearby towns. See another. __________________ Economical online accommodations: Los Tarrales Reserve offers rooms, mountain biking and climbing and local hiking tours and is not very expensive. Search for a hotel.
San Juan la Laguna Hotel Uxlabil sounds not terribly expensive, seems nice and well off the beaten path.
San Marcos La Laguna Hotel Unicornio sounds great and has a common kitchen.
San Pedro La Laguna Finca Bosque is close to town and as of June 2007 was charging $20 per double with breakfast. It looks pretty good.
Santa Cruz la Laguna You can help the local children's library Arca de Noe is good, but the supper takes a long time with many courses, but it is not necessarily filling. La Iguana Perdida looks inexpensive there with higher end options as well and is a good place for happy hour. Hotel Isla Verde looks quite nice for the price. Casa Rosa is kind of expensive, but nice.
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Lanquín/Semuc Champey
This is the logical place to stay if you intend to spend
the night after seeing Semuc Champey.
Here is a very good hotel list.
Many will recommend El Retiro, but it is a good walk from the village of Lanquín.
Hospedaje El Centro is right downtown.
Posada Las Marias is about a KM from Semuc Champey, has a kitchen
and is right next to the river with rope swings, from which you can jump in.
Some people seem to love Semuc Champey, but I think it is overrated.
If you have two weeks
to spend in Guatemala and you see this
on your way to or from
Flores via Cobán, it might be worthwhile.
If you are into white
water rafting or kayaking, Lanquín could be a good destination in
the rainy
season for
you and three others to arrange day trips with Guatemala Rafting.
Hotel List (scroll down a bit)
Hotel Cafe del Sol looks nice, is not very expensive and has a pool.
Hotel El Caracol looks interesting and is inexpensive.
Johnnys' Place sounds highly affordable
and offers a daily shuttle from Antigua.
Media Luna Medio Sol Hostel also has private rooms, a kitchenette and is close to a restaurant.
See that Page.
Puerto Barrios
Quetzaltenango (see Xela) Here
Hotel Y Cafeteria El Eden 7947 8536
Hotel Paraiso is listed by LP as the better one inside the village of Quiriguá. No phone is listed.
Posada de Quiriguá seems likely to be the best place in the village.
Hotel Royale (specifically not recommended)
How to get to the nearby Cancuén ruins.
This is a great stopover location for seeing the Cancuén ruins or for a stop if you
are heading to Semuc Champey from the north or want to head north after Lanquín.
Hotel El Amigo started out as being a lot nicer and friendlier than you might expect in this dusty little town, but has gone downhill. It is cheaper than Hotel Cancuén and closer to town. The pool presumably still needs cleaning.
The room I saw at Hotel Cancuén seemed a bit grim compared to El Amigo, but apparently there are better ones. This is at the northern edge of town and is one of the two Internet providers.
Local Online Newspaper in English
Finca Tatin looks like a great option.
Hotel Backpackers appears to be a hostel with some private rooms.
Tijax Jungle Lodge sounds interesting and not overly expensive.
Bruno's looks good for a splurge.
El Sombrero is not cheap, but it is the only place to stay near Yaxhá and it is quite nice.