Lake Atitlan, Guatemala
 

Can someone recommend a nice (and not so expensive) hotel on the Lake and how to get there from Antigua, Guatemala. Everyone recommends me to visit the Lake, so I guess it's worth to see.
Thanks in advance!

Mario's Rooms in Panajachel is excellent - small, clean rooms with a safe and realy hot water, free internet and purfied water, great location, $15 or $20/double/night.

Tipipul Kaan in San Pedro La Laguna is also excellent, not sure of the price.

www.lacasadelmundo.com very best for me amazing...

LOcal people told me that Panajachel is too touristic and commercial.

But the shopping is arguably the best in Guatemala and some folks like it there - to each his or her own.

You mean, like Mayan traditional stuff?

By the way, those Mario's Rooms, do you have to book it or just walk in? I was thinking of going closer to this weekend, and this will be a long weekend somehow (15th is the Independence Day), so I'm not sure.

For shopping, all the Guatemala favorites: masks, huipiles, paintings, weavings (some made into pillows, stuffed animals, bedspreads), scarves, beaded ornaments and necklaces, you name it.

Mario's Rooms is popular and is likely to fill up on a busy week-end. You could call ahead: 7762-2370 (dial 011-502 first if you're calling from the US).

Maybe I'll just go for one day on weekend, leaving morning and coming back evening. I'm in Antigua now.

When we visit the area on medical missions we stay at La Playa Linda, www.hotelplayalinda.com/ It's near the water on the south end of town. Basic clean rooms, some with beatiful balcony views. I think the prices we paid are generally in the $25 dollar range so it may be negotiable, but they may have given us a bulk rate because we basically rent out the entire hotel and visit every 6 months.

Hands down Hotel Atitlan is the nicest, and at about $125 a night well worth the money for what you get. I just went to eat at the restaurant there, but daydreamed about splurging on a night there next time I am in the area.

Thank you all. I went to Panajachel yestreday (Sunday) just for a day, without any hotel stay. I was glad I did that - I think for a relaxing time you need to go to a smaller towns in lagunas on the Lake. Panajachel was full of locals, trading their stuff.