13 Best Hotels in Antigua, Guatemala

The one-time palace of Leonor de Alvarado de Cueva, the daughter of Spanish conquistador Pedro de Alvarado, today serves as a lovely hotel and gives Casa Santo Domingo a run for its money in Antigua's top-notch sweepstakes. Just half a block off the Parque Central, it's the most centrally located hotel in the city. The large, flat-screen televisions in each room are a nice touch—one almost never seen in Guatemala—but look a bit out of place among the colonial elegance of canopied beds, period art, fireplaces, stone-tile floors, and garden. Descending the beautiful grand staircase will make you look just as gracious as we assume Doña Leonor did.

A twice-remodeled, half-century-old house designed in typical Antigua colonial style is one of the city's best small inns. You'll most remember the comfy four-post beds about this place: all are king- or queen-size and furnished with Italian linens and down pillows. Only one second-floor room contains two beds, making it the only option if you're not here as a couple. Getting to Room 7 requires a bit of sure footing: large stepping stones lead to its door over a small pond with floating votive candles. An amply sized rooftop suite has its own private hot tub.

A beautiful courtyard with a fountain and colorful gardens welcomes you to this retreat. The elegant rooms downstairs open onto small gardens, whereas the romantic suites upstairs have four-poster beds piled high with down comforters and terraces where hammocks swing in the breeze. The rooftop patio is wonderful in late afternoon or early morning, and the restaurant is one of the best in town. The meat dishes are particularly good, such as the lomito (pork) bourguignonne with escargots.

The hotel and restaurant maintain an active evening cultural-events program open to the public.

You'd never know from the unassuming, borderline-rickety wooden gate that you're at the threshold of one of Antigua's most beautiful lodgings, but it's all part of the ruse at this truly angelic inn. Large corner fireplaces warm the rooms, each of which is decorated with well-chosen antiques. Those on the main floor look out onto a plant-filled courtyard, and the large suite on the second floor has a private rooftop terrace. The staff has catered to presidents and prime ministers—former U.S. president Bill Clinton, who stayed in the upstairs suite, is the most famous guest on the register—but you'll receive the same fine service.

Rooms acquire progressively more amenities as you go up the stairs in this friendly hotel on a small street near La Merced church. First-floor rooms are a tad spartan, with only beds and tables. By the time you get to the second floor, there are televisions and nicer furnishings, and the two third-floor rooms offer art on the stone walls and nice views of the Volcán Agua. A rooftop terrace offers a 360-degree view of the city. The hot-water supply is limited here (only guaranteed between 4 and 11 am and 4 and 10 pm), but all in all, this is a nice budget find with free Wi-Fi and private bathrooms.

This elegant hotel was built around the ruins of the ancient Monasterio Santo Domingo, a colonial-era Dominican monastery, taking advantage of its long passageways and snug little courtyards. Dark carved-wood furniture, yellow stucco walls, and iron sconces preserve the monastic atmosphere, but luxurious amenities abound. Unfortunately, the food at the restaurant is considerably less inspiring than the rest of the package.

The hotel serves as a tourist attraction in its own right—do visit its Paseo de los Museos museum complex and grounds—but for guests here, the outside visitors occasionally translate into a lack of intimacy.

Located in the heart of the city, this genteel inn, Antigua's oldest, is still run by the same family that opened it in 1923. The dimly lit colonial-style rooms face a beautifully tended garden. You can relax in a tiled portico strewn with plenty of comfortable rattan chairs. Although the wooden furniture and armoires give off a very old-fashioned vibe, you will find Wi-Fi and TV in all the rooms,

This hotel was built amid the ruins of an old convent of which only the often-photographed Arco de Santa Catalina remains. The spacious rooms, all a bit dimly lit, are tastefully decorated with handicrafts and handwoven bedspreads. Most face a verdant courtyard, where a smattering of tables and chairs encourages you to settle in with a good book. The modern rooms in the annex are brighter and have kitchenettes.

A night in this restored colonial mansion—it’s actually three adjoining residences, one of which is a national monument—is a journey back in time. All rooms have soaring ceilings and gorgeous tile floors, and are set around two large courtyards and several smaller gardens. A tile fountain trickles in the dining room, which is on a garden terrace; to the side, a woman prepares tortillas on a piping-hot grill. Indulge in a serving of Antigua flan, a dessert layered with figs and sweet potatoes. Light sleepers, beware: the lively marimba band can sometimes play long into the night. The lodging is part of a two-hotel chain, with another branch in Panajachel on Lake Atitlán; a stay at both places in a single trip gets you a 10% discount off the rates.

A pair of conjoined colonial homes—leading to a pair of two colonial garden courtyards—makes up this friendly lodging a block from its namesake church. Rooms are simply furnished with wood furniture and colonial-style art. A few of the larger rooms have their own kitchen and are large enough to accommodate a family. Elsewhere in the hotel, you'll have access to shared kitchen facilities. The hotel offers discounts for long-term stays, as well as baggage storage if you plan to travel elsewhere around Guatemala.

As a tasteful combination of colonial elegance and modern comfort, Porta Antigua, part of a small Guatemalan chain, is one of the city's most popular lodgings. The sparkling pool, set amid lush gardens, is a treat after a day exploring the dusty city streets. Standard rooms have plenty of space for two, whereas one- and two-level suites can house a whole family quite comfortably. The oldest part of the hotel is a colonial-style building with a restaurant, bar, and a beautiful sitting room. A newer annex building is connected by tunnel under the street, and, although constructed in the old colonial style, contains more modern rooms. Although this is now the city's largest lodging, nothing is overpowering about the place. Weddings are sometimes held in a sunny esplanade overlooking the ruins of Iglesia de San José.

The pretty fountain that gives this hotel its name—búcaro refers to a water jar—set against a wall in the courtyard, is just one of the little touches that make this hotel special. The rooms have red-tile floors and wrought-iron furnishings. The owner and staff are extremely friendly.

Several blocks southeast of the city center, Quinta de las Flores has plenty of peace and quiet along with views of three volcanoes from the well-tended gardens and the open-air dining room. This 19th-century hacienda combines colonial comfort with a sense of whimsy—the decor includes modern takes on traditional crafts. All rooms have fireplaces to keep you cozy on chilly evenings. The quaint bungalows, which sleep as many as five, have small kitchenettes.