Posada de Santiago or Casa del Mundo in Lake Atitlan
 

We booked our flights this week and will be heading back to Guatemala this coming January. We were there in February and enjoyed it so much. Last year when we were at Lake Atitlan we stayed at Casa de Mundo which we really loved. I am just wondering if we should try someplace new this year. I have been looking at Posada de Santiago and it looks nice although the view of the lake is much better(from pictures).. at Casa del Mundo. We really didn't get a chance to visit other towns last year so I would love to hike to some of the different towns from where we are staying.
Has anyone stayed at the Nature Reserve in Panajachel? Thanks

You didn't ask about Lomas Tzununa - that's where we stayed - the views were amazing, and I loved it. Even if you don't stay there, you might want to stop there for a drink if you're hiking in the area.

Susan,
We actually visited Lomas Tzununa on one of our hikes from Casa Del Mundo. Although it was beautiful and the pool would be nice in great weather we truly loved Casa del Mundo. I was really torn as to where to stay when I was planning our first trip.. but then the biking tour we signed up for used Casa del Mundo as it hotel so our decision was made for us.

I just emailed someone from Flickr who had obviously stayed at the Atitlan Reserve. Sounds like it's nice, but the staff all go home at night -- it felt a bit too isolated for these people. Here's what they wrote:

"We stayed one night at the Reserve. We were the only guests there. The room was nice and big. We had a large deck. The showers and bathroom were downstairs and the bedroom was upstairs. It had one king-size bed and a bunk bed. We were a tad uneasy because the staff went home at night. One guy stayed until about 9:00 to sell us snacks from the visitors' center. But as far as we could tell, after he left we were the only people in the reserve. And our cell phones didn't have any bars. So the isolation made us a tad uneasy. We didn't eat at the restaurant at the Reserve. It may be fine, but Hotel Atitlan is within easy walking distance, and that restaurant is really good."

Plumboy,
Thanks for that information. If that is the case then I probably wouldn't be interested in staying there... for the same reasons.I guess I could e-mail them and ask them.

I just got back from Guatemala and although I didn't stay at the reserve I did check out the rooms while my friends were ziplining. The rooms are really nice but they are isolated and I am sure that we would have been scared at night without someone around. They do not serve dinner so I guess that might also be a problem if you didn't have a car. It's really a great place to visit though. You are sure to see some monkeys.

Hi, ttraveler - trip report?!

Hopeful,
It's funny you should ask.. I was just thinking last night that today might be a good day for that.. I am on the East Coast and we have a snowday.. and it's wonderful!
Our second trip to Guatemala was even better then the first and I can see why you love it so much.

Great! Something to look forward to! Have you seen the website I set up for my scholarship project? The photos might interest you: www.becaproject.blogspot.com

Just checked out your website.. very nice.
One of the best things we did this time in Guatemala was buy school supplies for a young boy. He actually went to the store with us. Really a great experience.
I hope to have time to write.. My goodness, the snow is coming down faster then I can keep up with it and my husband is away! It's also turned out to be a pretty busy day with my son. I may just have more time at work.

hi there i don't know your budget, but a friend and i stayed at the very nice hotel regis, in pana at the beginning of the month. it's set in beautiful gardens and sits above a hot spring so they are constantly pumping fresh hot water into the soaking tubs. they also have a temescal which they fire up on request. C$ 65./ night w/ private bathroom

Thanks AndrewDavid but we are already back from our trip. I will check out the Regis just in case we go back.