23 Best Hotels in Guatemala

A private boat transports you to this posh hideaway, where you're given five-star service in the jungle. Generous, light-filled private bungalows provide luxe linens, comfortable beds, and spacious bathrooms, some with rain showers and Jacuzzi tubs. There is a swim platform on the lake, a beautiful pool, and an open-air spa that is not to be missed.

By far the best B&B on the lake, and one of the country's loveliest hotels, luxurious Casa Palopó has an almost mystical atmosphere. Each of the seven rooms in the main house, decorated with religious-theme artworks from around the world, offers incredible views of the volcanoes. Muted blues run throughout this former villa, mirroring the colors of the lake. Most baths have giant tubs perfect for prolonged soaks. Just down the road, an annex offers two equally sumptuous suites, each with its own pool and hot tub.

Keep any disappointment in check until you arrive. You turn into a quiet cove northwest of Panajachel, and will spot an ugly high-rise building. That isn't this hotel. This Spanish-style inn consists of a main building flanked by two-story wings that surround a pool. The extensive grounds border on a long stretch of shoreline and the Reserva Natural Atitlán, a wooded reserve crossed by footpaths and hanging bridges. The rooms, each with tile floor, carved wooden furniture, and handwoven bedspreads, have balconies overlooking the gardens or the lake. Even if you don't stay here, stop by for views of the lake at sunset. The restaurant is reliable, if a bit overpriced. The hotel also offers weekly rates, which include all meals if you like.

Built in the Spanish style around a central courtyard, Hotel Santo Tomás is one of the town's best lodgings. Breezy passageways in which hundreds of plants spring from rustic clay pots lead past two trickling fountains. Spacious rooms are decorated with traditional textiles and antique reproductions. Each has a fireplace to warm you when the sun goes down. The back of the hotel is quieter, and has views of the surrounding countryside. The large restaurant ($$) is a quiet lunch refuge from the market cacophony.

Livingston's finest hotel, the Villa Caribe has some great views of the Caribbean from its hilltop perch. The extensive grounds overflow with foliage. Spacious rooms, in a thatch-roof building, all have private balconies and ocean views. Palm trees surround the large pool, where you can relax in one of the lounge chairs or order a drink at the bar. The restaurant serves seafood dishes, such as coconut shrimp and robalo, but is almost always empty. The staff can arrange trips up the Río Dulce and to spots around the Bahía de Amatique.

Perhaps the best accommodations in Tikal, this lodge's cobblestone footpaths will lead you through a tamed jungle (but not so tame as to deny you a hello from a spider monkey or an iguana) to remodeled bungalows, painted with elegant interpretations of Maya motifs. The original structure was built almost 60 years ago to house archaeologists working at Tikal; those rooms are now the budget options with shared baths. If your budget allows, choose one of the bungalows or suites instead. The Jungle Lodge remains an affordable option in the park, but recent upgrades have made some rooms more luxurious—with outdoor showers, Jacuzzis, and other tropical amenities—and more expensive. The food is underflavored and overpriced: stay here and eat elsewhere (the two other park hotels have restaurants).

Francis Ford Coppola's Guatemalan lodging is decorated in exquisite taste, with rich textures and all casitas glimpsing Lake Petén Itzá; espresso makers and craft toiletries make it decadent, and a combination of Balinese and local furnishings make you want to import some of the aesthetic home. The nice full-lake-view units are many steps farther down the hillside and treacherous for some; however, there is a hillside elevator to bring you back up from the lake. The restaurant's Guatemalan fare, such as chilaquiles, beef tenderloin served with peppercorn sauce grilled on the open parilla, is delicious; however, it's local food at resort prices. A gift shop above the restaurant sells crafts at fairly reasonable cost. A split-level pool just below the restaurant lets you cool off if you don't care to swim in the lake. You're about an hour's drive from Tikal. Ask about the sister properties in Belize.

Las Lagunas, lagoon-side luxury on the expansive grounds of a nature reserve with spider monkey acrobats giving frequent shows, has spacious waterfront wood cabins with soft, decadent beds and hot tubs, and the infinity pool is perfect for cooling down after a hike. A complimentary boat tour will carry you through the lagoon to Monkey Island, where you can delight in feeding the rescue critters. Certainly, the most special part of this resort is its setting, but the service is exceptional and the restaurant is world-class. A slim breakfast is included, as is an airport shuttle. Guests can also enjoy a complimentary boat tour.

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.

Sprawling resorts like this waterfront complex are the newest trend in Guatemala. The beautiful natural surroundings are somewhat diminished by all the effort to make things luxurious. The impressive pool, complete with a replica of a Spanish galleon that shoots water from its cannons, has slides for children and an island bar for adults. Few of the sunny suites have views of the ocean, but they are equipped with everything you would find in a well-furnished apartment, including washers and dryers.

Although its facade won't win any awards, the lovely lounge offers rest to the weary; relax with a cocktail in one of the comfortable armchairs as you listen to jazz. Or you can always head to the Health and Racquet Club, a spacious spa and sports facility. Rooms are nicely furnished, and each has a small balcony with a view of the city.

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.

Set amid a tropical garden, this string of thatch bungalows faces the expansive waters of the Bahía de Amatique. The grounds are adjacent to a forest-draped hill with a small waterfall. You can relax by the pool or on the private beach, or arrange a cruise on the bay and up the Río Dulce. Boats pick up guests at the dock in Puerto Barrios; phone ahead to let them know you're coming.

Río Dulce's largest resort is also one of its more luxurious properties. Guests flock for the weekend from Guatemala City, leaving the hotel relatively quiet during the week. It's set amid lovely forested grounds near the San Felipe fortress. Rooms are all suites, with small kitchens, living rooms, and bedrooms containing one or two queen-size beds. Second-floor suites have private decks with individual hot tubs. The Banana Palms is a good option for families, since it has a separate children's pool, and games such as foosball, Ping-Pong, and billiards.

The half mile of beach on the lake and the five private docks with hammocks (and a swing) are the stars of this property, along with the kayaks, stand-up paddleboards, and tubes for use. Though the rooms are nothing special, they are spacious, and the natural setting and friendly service more than make up for it---and the rate includes both breakfast and dinner.

At the end of Calle Santander, this excellent hotel—there's a branch by the same name in Antigua, and a stay at both branches in one trip gets you a 10-percent discount on the rates—has some of the best views of the lake. The rooms make use of handwoven fabrics from the local communities. Ask for one of the newer beachfront rooms with slightly more modern amenities and better views. Relax by the pool or in one of the hammocks hung along a breezy corridor. There's a small on-site museum that gives insight into the history of the Maya.

The well-manicured gardens of this small complex lead down past a shallow pool, bricked Mayan sauna, and Jacuzzi to a private beach. Although many of the condos lack good views of the lake, their barrel-roof brick ceilings and understated Moorish design more than make up for it. This is a great place for groups or families—each bungalow can sleep six, and has a separate living area, fully outfitted kitchen, and private terrace.

Long regarded as Chichicastenango's "second hotel" (after the Santo Tomás), the Mayan Inn was actually the first lodging to set up shop here. (It dates from the 1930s, and is one of the country's best-known hotels.) Rooms have corner fireplaces, and surround a series of beautifully maintained garden courtyards. Most have wide windows overlooking the pine-covered hills. The service is as impeccable as always—an attendant in traditional costume is assigned to each room.

This former colonial house has character that most other hotels can't match. Ivy-covered walls give way to a cozy reception area. Some rooms surround a breezy courtyard overflowing with potted plants, whereas others share a balcony reached by a spiral staircase. The softly lighted rooms have wooden paneling and tile floors. The Middle Eastern restaurant is an ideal lunch spot; take a table on the tranquil patio where hummingbirds surround a melodic fountain.

The towering InterContinental, in the center of the Zona Viva, exudes a feeling of modernity and luxury throughout. The expansive lobby is graced with a monumental contemporary sculpture and two sweeping staircases, and the large, comfortable rooms have modern art on the walls. The very good French restaurant imported its chef from Paris. Other restaurants, as well as shops and boutiques, are within walking distance.

You negotiate a rough road to get here—it's a few kilometers north of the entrance to its namesake ruins—but a stay on this working coffee, rubber, and macadamia plantation is worth the trip. The colonial-style rooms are in the plantation house, and, except for having to share bathrooms, are quite nice. Two large, newer, separate bungalows are designed to be their own mini-Mayan palaces. The lodge has a lot of mix-and-match packages that contain lodging only, all meals, or several tours, among them horse and bicycle rides, as well as tours of the nearby ruins.

The colossal Vista Real has a neocolonial style—with vaulted ceilings and arabesque arches—and excellent views of the city and the neighboring volcanoes from its hilltop perch. A series of ponds and cascades play out below a covered bridge, which leads you to the main building. Suites are elegantly appointed with colonial art and sumptuously soft bedding. The only drawback is its location slightly outside the city.

With every imaginable amenity and a staff that aims to please, it isn't surprising that the immense Camino Real has hosted everyone from rock stars to heads of state. The spacious reception area lies just beyond a long foyer lined with overstuffed leather chairs. Stately rooms are furnished with carved French provincial–style pieces. Executive floors hold spacious suites with room for business travelers to spread out. French doors in the rooms on the executive floors provide views of the nearby volcanoes.