120 Best Hotels in Guatemala

The owners of El Bistro also run a small, clean, and exceptionally inexpensive hostel next door. Lining a long first-floor corridor, the rooms have either double or bunk beds; all have shared baths.

This longtime budget standby just two blocks off the Parque Centro América has undergone a complete remodeling to upgrade its furnishings and facilities. Spacious, carpeted rooms on the upper floor contain private bathrooms; those on the first floor, all with partial brick walls, offer shared baths. All have colorful spreads and drapes. Everyone has access to shared kitchen facilities.

This romantic little B&B west of the central plaza blends colonial comforts with modern conveniences. The rooms—most have fireplaces—are spacious and homey, with handmade wall hangings and throw rugs and the occasional rocking chair. On the roof is a two-level terrace with a fantastic view of the city. Complimentary breakfast is served in a small dining room downstairs. The staff is incredibly friendly and will be happy to help you with travel plans. You'll get a small discount if you pay in cash.

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.

The Alps are nowhere to be seen, but at the very least, the sun-splashed breakfast room at this cozy little hotel does the name justice. The rooms are smallish but not cramped. Wooden masks and other handicrafts adorn the walls. A pleasant terrace is a great place for relaxing after a taxing day of roaming the markets. The hotel is down a small unpaved road near 7 Avenida, and removed from the cacophony of market central.

This quiet hotel has been popular with budget travelers for more than 40 years. An attractive, light-filled central courtyard behind the reception area is a nice place to relax. The rooms, all of which face the patio, are quite basic. The staff is friendly and will happily store your extra luggage while you travel around the country.

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.

San Juan La Laguna's best (and only) lodging option, the Uxlabil has its own thatched dock and extensive grounds with a medicinal herb garden, Mayan sauna, and Jacuzzi. The simple rooms have textured walls reminiscent of beach sand, rather hard beds, and traditional-textile bedclothes.

A rustic bed-and-breakfast run by a friendly Argentine family, Finca Tatín is far off the beaten path, 20 minutes by boat from Livingston. The inn, which doubles as a Spanish school, rents canoes, which are a great way to see the river without the roar of a motor. A generator supplies the electricity here from 6 to 11 pm; the rest of the day, solar panels take their turn.

This hotel has succeeded where few others have by offering comfortable accommodations for a reasonable rate, making it a favorite of Central American business travelers who don't have big expense accounts. From the small reception area you climb a steep staircase to the pleasant but plain rooms, which are fitted out with tile floors and pale-green bedspreads.

Although they're a bit run-down, these nine bungalows are adequate and have fireplaces that keep you cozy at night. The best part of staying here is having round-the-clock access to the hot springs, which close to the public at 6 pm. The cabins themselves have no hot water, though.

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.

There is only very basic accommodation here, but people come for the eco-activities, not the rooms. Built out over the water, this jungle lodge—the name is pronounced Tee-HAHSH—offers a number of types of accommodations, from cozy birdhouse-shaped cabanas to large two-story bungalows with kitchens and dining rooms. A series of swinging bridges over a mangrove swamp lets you stroll to the adjacent nature reserve. Also nearby is a plantation where you can learn how rubber is extracted from trees. The lodge is also known for its restaurant, which serves a variety of Italian dishes, including homemade pesto. There are also plenty of vegetarian dishes.

If your tastes run toward the simple, then this modestly furnished backpackers' hostel near the center of Cobán makes for a good budget find. Three of the six rooms are for one or two people; the other three have bunk beds and can sleep up to four; bathrooms are shared. Plenty of hammocks are hanging out in the garden and are nice to come back to at the end of a long day. The proprietors also run Cobán Travels tour company.

The rustic Doña Victoria was built as a convent more than 400 years ago. It's filled with charming antiques; rocking chairs and overstuffed couches line the wide stone porch encircling the patio, which is also graced with an old stone well. Rooms are spacious and have beds piled high with blankets for the cold Cobán nights.

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,

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.

Who would've thought that out-of-the-way Huehuetenango would have such a top-notch hotel? Spacious rooms, excellent service, and a central location make it the town's best lodging option. Third-floor rooms have great views, especially when the bougainvillea is in full bloom. At the restaurant ($) you can choose between a table in the shady courtyard or in the cozy dining room warmed by a fireplace.

Rooms here are just functional; but Lake Petén Itzá is a few skips across the street and verandas in tones of blue and orange make for lovely places to sit. Colonial spindles and other notes up the charm dial, as does the little checker-clothed restaurant where you'll have included breakfast (hot and decent). It's easy to confuse this with the several similarly named hotels.

This hotel in an older building a few blocks north of the plaza has a variety of rooms facing a cobblestone courtyard. The plant-filled portico leading to most rooms is scattered with inviting chairs and tables. Rooms are simply furnished, and a few have fireplaces. The hotel even offers its own rooftop market with 45 vendors on Thursday and Sunday market days.

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.

It occupies a lovely 19th-century house, but this hotel isn't quite as charming inside. However, the reception area overlooks an enclosed patio overflowing with potted plants, and the lounge is furnished with reproductions of antiques. The rooms all have colonial-style furnishings; some of the larger ones have very nice views.

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.

Set amid colorful gardens, this hotel gives you comfortable accommodations without the hefty price tag of more deluxe digs. The medium-size rooms are simply and tastefully furnished. Most open onto the pool area—these are set way back from the street, giving you no sense of being smack-dab in the center of town—where you can spend your afternoon on a lounge chair with a cocktail. The restaurant has a certain elegance, with tables set beneath a soaring thatch roof. The menu includes well-made pasta dishes and lots of wine.

This large wooden hotel at the mouth of the Grutas is a good choice for budget travelers. There are sparsely furnished single and double rooms as well as several stone-and-concrete cabañas out back. Some rooms share a bathroom. There's also space for camping. The restaurant serves decent Guatemalan fare.

Run by a cordial Livingston family, Hotel Garífuna puts you in the heart of a lively neighborhood. The rooms in this two-story building open onto a porch overlooking the street or a tree-filled backyard. Expect very basic accommodation here, but the friendly owners make up for the fact that you have just a bed or two, a table, and a fan.

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.

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.

A series of A-frame cabins climb the hillside garden here up from the hotel's private dock. (The views are lovely, but the walk can be bracing.) Inside the cabins, expect rustic wood and blindingly white walls decorated with primitivist art. We like the whimsical, partially open bathrooms. (A hummingbird might be your companion in the shower.) You'll receive a 10-percent discount if you pay in cash. Thursday evenings this becomes one of Santa Cruz's places to hang out. The folks here present a weekly documentary film. The Q20 admission includes the price of one beer or herbal tea.

Nebaj doesn't have much in the way of lodging; the best bet is this friendly whitewashed hotel set around two courtyards. Some of the basic but spacious rooms overlook the garden. A few rooms in an annex next door have nicer furnishings and even toss in cable TV.