18 Best Hotels in Guatemala

On the north bank of the Río Dulce, this lovely resort takes advantage of its location with a restaurant built right over the water. The specialties are grilled steaks and fresh fish, including the delicious robalo plucked from the river. A string of spacious bungalows is cooled by river breezes, the nicest feature of which are the porches, perfect for watching boats. The staff can arrange boat trips along the river and to Livingston.

A fresh sensibility, which includes distressed wood and acid-washed concrete tastefully layered over historic architecture and original beams, makes this Flores's most stylish hotel and very easy to recommend. A sister hotel to Jungle Lodge in Tikal, La Isla de Flores uses the same style of painted motifs to make the walls look like beautiful, oversized screen prints. A bar has opened on the rooftop with a Jacuzzi where you can loosen your muscles after climbing all those temples. The restaurant Achiote is on-site.

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.

A wonderfully friendly Finnish–Guatemalan couple operates this bright, cheery hotel on the beach road west of town. The Guatemalan half of the pair brings her artist's talents—ask for a tour of her on-premises studio—to the rooms, which are decorated in bright tropical colors, with one or two beds per room, two chairs, small armoire, and a stone-basin sink and shower in the bathroom. A small staff whips up great food and serves it out in the thatch-roof rancho next to the pool.

For those who feel more at home in smaller hotels, Stofella is our pick in the mid-price category. A short staircase leads to a flower-filled reception area. Some of the guest rooms have small sitting areas. Ask for one in the original building, as those added during a recent renovation don't have the same character. If you're feeling social, join the other guests in the cozy bar.

Set a bit outside the center of town, Monterrico's most sumptuous lodging comes courtesy of the folks who brought you Panajachel's Hotel Dos Mundos. It's another winner, even if such luxury seems a bit out of place in this funky beach town. Bungalows are arranged around the beachfront grounds, and contain tile floors, carved-wood furniture, and individual porches. The combination of ceiling fans and air-conditioning keeps things delightfully cool, as do a dip in the pool or a refreshing drink at the large rancho-style restaurant and bar.

In a sector of the city with few mid-priced lodgings, the Ciudad Vieja, a few blocks north of the Zona Viva, is a good bet. Two floors of rooms are arranged around an elongated garden, with a small restaurant situated at one end of the courtyard. Rooms are spacious and pleasantly—if a bit dowdily—furnished, most with two queen-size beds.

The second word in this lodging's name is missing an I, but this newest of the area's lodgings isn't missing any comfort. Just outside the tiny hamlet of Hawaii, 8 km (5 mi) east of Monterrico, the place is hopping for such a remote locale. (The paved roads ends just outside Monterrico, meaning you negotiate the last few kilometers on a dirt road. Rooms and apartments are bright and modern, and all have terrific ocean views. The hotel offers a 20-percent discount on its normal rates Monday–Thursday nights.

Santa Elena's spiffiest hotel puts you in mind of an old-time lighthouse, dignified in blue and white and sitting lakeside, with splendid views of Flores across the water. From the top-floor terrace especially, views here shine, with bright and spacious rooms, tile floors, and impressive windows. Although far from luxury level, it has standard amenities and nice spaces to lounge. The on-site restaurant will do in a pinch. It's under the same management as several other hotels in Flores, so if you can't get a room at one, you may have other choices.

At first blush, you wouldn't choose a hotel near the center of a port town, but this hotel in the center of Puerto San José does things up big and draws a ton of weekend vacationers from Guatemala City. The place is thoroughly sparkling and modern, with air-conditioned comfort, a great pool, with one for the kids on the side, and a yummy restaurant. If you find yourself needing to stop in Puerto San José—we admit that's far from a likely possibility—this is a good bet.

This pretty colonial house puts a little space between you and the bustling Zona Viva. Floor-to-ceiling windows in the reception area look out onto a sunny courtyard dotted with statues. Sloping stairs lead up to the individually decorated rooms. Other rooms in an annex are newer, but they lack the charm of those in the main house.

Our nod for the best views on the lake goes to this cliffside hotel just outside Jaibalito near the tiny village of Tzununá. All rooms and the restaurant and pool share the same amazing vista. The payback for those views is the 100-meter (330-foot) climb up from the dock via hundreds of steps to reach the place. (Better to make advance arrangements with the hotel to have someone meet you in Tzununá and transport you here via Jeep.) No matter how you get here, lodging is in ample-size stone and wood bungalows with tile floors and bright drapes and spreads. The restaurant ($$) serves local and international cuisine, with seafood the specialty.

Don't let the name fool you into thinking this is a modest establishment—Pensión Bonifaz is Quetzaltenango's most upscale hotel. Though housed in a stately old building at the central plaza's northeast corner, it has a modern interior that doesn't quite live up to its exterior. Still, it is a comfortable, well-run establishment. The nicest rooms are in the older building, where small balconies offer nice views of the plaza. A small café serves light fare for lunch, whereas the larger restaurant (¢–$$$) has a continental menu.

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.

At six stories high, Panajachel's biggest in-town hotel is a veritable skyscraper, and also has the most amenities. Although it lacks the character of smaller hotels, it's comfortable and convenient and has top-notch service. Rooms have balconies overlooking the public beach on Lago Atitlán. The huge restaurant next door, which looks out onto the pool, is for guests only.

This is a realistic option only if you have a car, but the Utz Tzaba is a good small-resort choice. (The name means "beautiful coast.") Rooms make a semicircle around the lush green grounds fronting the beach, and have high ceilings and tile floors. Bungalows sleep up to seven people, and come with one or two bedrooms and fully equipped kitchenettes. (The bungalow rate does not include breakfast for that reason, but rooms do.) A separate kids' pool and playground make this a good option if you're traveling with the family. Internet access is difficult in this part of the country, but these folks offer Wi-Fi.

You could lie in bed and count the birds flying by your window at these villas on Lake Petenchel, east of Santa Elena, where pyramidal angles invoke the temples at Tikal. All 56 rooms, in two-level bungalows spread out around the grounds, are tastefully decorated with colorful weavings and mahogany accents, and they have terrific views. Some 50 bird species have been spotted in the area. If you're interested in more wildlife, ask an attendant where to find the troop of spider monkeys that roams the grounds and the adjacent rain forest, or the local crocodile. Villa Maya is part of a small group of villa-type hotels around Guatemala. Vans shuttle you to and from Tikal.

Villa Santa Catarina has outstanding views. The long yellow building with an adobe-tile roof has small rooms, each with a private balcony overlooking the lake. The restaurant serves international fare including pastas, sandwiches, and chicken. You can relax in the pool or head to a series of natural hot springs that are only a few hundred feet away.