dfarmer

We will be in Guatemala for 15-16 days. Probably thinking 4 nights at Atitlan.

Anyone know anything about the Hotel Posada de Santiago www.posadadesantiago.com

It is located in Santiago Atitlan. Looks fabulous on the website, very good reviews of TA. Great price.

Deciding where to stay around this lake is a bit overwhelming!! So many choices. Advice please?

Thanks

SusanInToronto

We loved Lomas de Tzununa. The view was spectacular, and it was very comfortable. We spent 4 nights there last December.

dfarmer

Thanks Susan, I have your trip report filed with my Guatemala research. I so appreciate the time and effort that it takes to prepare a report, they are so useful to others like me!

As for Lomas de Tzununa - I went back and checked their site. I thought I remembered the prices being higher and with so many lovely choices in Guatemala at such reasonable prices, I can't see paying big dollars for a hotel.

However, it must be the steps that had discouraged me. SO just how bad are those steps? How often do you have to climb them? Can they be avoided? Or do they have to be climbed daily in order to do things around the lake? This whole trip is going to be tons of walking and I was a bit concerned at adding a hotel that obviously has a huge climb.

We are a couple 51 and 64. I have a knee that sometimes gives me problems. I play golf several times a week and climb the stairs at home just fine, so nothing that keeps me from doing things.

Well this was a long way of saying - tell me about those stairs, please!

SusanInToronto

We're a couple 61 and 57, and I'd be the first to admit that my husband is in much shape than me. I'm more into yoga than aerobics!

Going down really wasn't a problem with my knees, although I have had some problems before. Going up was ok if you took it slow. You have to keep in mind that the altitude is quite high at the lake to begin with. We went down once a day and went up once a day. However, you could also arrange to have them pick you up at the village of Tzununa and drive you to the hotel. One day we walked to the village - it took a little longer than the stairs down to the lake, but it was definitely a more gradual slope. I think I mentioned in my trip report that I'd change into my swimsuit and take a dip in the pool when I got to the top, just to cool down.

The day we arrived, I was a little concerned. But there is an intercom / phone at the bottom of the stairs - we called up to say that we had arrived, and they sent a man down to carry our bags. We had 2 carry on size bags between the 2 of us, and he carried them both up at the same time. He also got up there a lot faster than I did!

We really enjoyed this hotel, and the stairs were worth it in my opinion. I'd go back again any time. We would leave the drapes open at night and wake up to these amazing views. The owners were very nice, as were the people who work at the hotel in the restaurant, etc.

I'm glad we chose the place we did, it worked out great for us. But you're right - there are a lot of nice places to stay around the lake.

jpan

We spent a week at Lomas in April while we were in Guatemala for a month. We found it to be a wonderful place to stay but keep in mind it is isolated from any of the local villages. This was fine with us as we were looking for a place to simply relax and have some down time. The stairs are fine if you take your time but there are a lot of them, the views are incredible. If you are looking to stay some place that will allow you to go out for dinner in the evening Lomas would not be it as the boats stop running around 6pm. That said, we like Santiago a lot, a very interesting village with a lot of restaurants and things to do. So if you are looking for easy access to that, Posada Santiago would be a good choice.

qwovadis

www.lacasadelmundo.com my fav

www.hotelregisatitlan.com

in town neat nice prices.

dfarmer

Thanks for the recs everyone.

Susan - thank you very much for the details! Just what I needed.

jpan - did you happen to stay anywhere in Santiago?

I am torn about this part of the trip. I love the looks and sounds of Lomas. But, we also much enjoy browsing around, eating at local spots, etc. Of course we would obviously be able to do that during the day and at lunch. Decisions, decisions?

We do have a week of total R&R at the end of our trip, on Ambergris Caye in Belize.

Any more thoughts - anyone?

dfarmer

jpan - just found the answer as to where else you stayed. Thanks anyway.

After reading some other posts thought I would add - that I think we really would like to have the views of the lake from our hotel.

jpan

If views are what you are looking for, Lomas can't be beat. The food there is really outstanding and its easy to catch a boat from their dock to the various villages around the lake.