48 Best Hotels in Guatemala

Most rooms here face a peaceful courtyard with cast-iron tables and chairs and lots of greenery. Several on the second floor share a balcony that overlooks the avenue. A small café behind the courtyard is a great place to relax after a day of exploring the city.

This three-floor lodging sits on a quiet street, just one-half block off Calle Santander. Rooms come with cabinet, bed, and table—not much else—but the place is a good, peaceful budget find.

This hotel was once the general store that gave El Estor its name. Now run by the loquacious Oscar Paz, it has clean, cozy rooms. The wide wooden balcony is a great place to observe the town's waterfront. Before checking in, make sure the town hall next door has no plans for a dance; otherwise the thumping music will keep you awake until 4 am.

When you pass through the front doors of this hotel north of the main square, you enter a courtyard overflowing with greenery. The older rooms, set around a portico, are brightened by locally made fabrics. They can be a bit noisy, however, especially those facing the street. The newer ones in the back are quieter, but lack character.

Traditionally Monterrico's most happening place gives you several lodging options that will work out, no matter what your budget. They range from multi-person dorm rooms to fully equipped bungalows—they're made of concrete and are still a bit on the basic side, but comfortable, nonetheless. If you're feeling flush with your quetzals, and are here with a small group, opt for the two-story, stone-and-brick deluxe bungalow, the only unit here with air-conditioning, hot water, and television.

Even if you don't stay here, stop by for a meal

—everybody in town usually does at some point during their stay.

The traditionally backpacker-oriented "Lost Iguana" is part hotel and part summer camp. It hasn't forgotten its roots, but has upgraded some of its offerings, which range from simple to splendid. The restaurant ($) serves up good family-style meals, and the dormitory rooms can hold up to eight of your traveling companions. For a bit more privacy, choose one of the stone-floor, thatch-roof bungalows—each has its own balcony—lit with kerosene lamps. (Even the nicer rooms are a good value.) Guests tend to be fairly young—most come for scuba-diving courses. You can also choose between Spanish, art, or weaving classes, too.

Stop by for the Saturday-night barbecue, even if you aren't staying here.

Here is the place that gives San Marcos its New Age-y reputation. The tranquillity of the lake provides the perfect setting for this yoga retreat, which offers day-, week-, and month-long courses. Pyramid-shaped cabins concentrate energies for spiritualists seeking that elusive transcendence. The reasonable price includes accommodations, classes, and use of the sauna and other facilities. You stay here, you're expected to participate. (Guests staying at other lodgings are welcome to enroll in courses, too.) As they are fond of saying here: This isn't a hotel.

This centrally located hotel is popular with Guatemalan business travelers, who appreciate its unusual combination of convenience and tranquillity, thanks to its position on a quiet street one (uphill) block away from the main square. The spotless rooms are simply furnished, with one double bed. Next door is a small coffee roasting plant (owned by the same family), which fills the air with a delightful scent.

The friendly owners here operate their own small tour company, and are likely to be your guide or driver if you use their services. The layout isn't complicated: four levels, three rooms, and a communal veranda on each level. Those at the top have great views of the lake. Rooms are bright, colorful, and simply furnished. Although it's on Calle Santander, the place is far enough removed from the string of bars and restaurants to feel quiet and secluded, but still within walking distance of the action.

An in-town lodging on the Fronteras side of the bridge offers very simple rooms with a bed, television, chair, and little else. It's a good value if you don't need many amenities. Reception is on the first floor; all rooms are on the second, as well as a small communal balcony. The hotel is undergoing expansion at this writing, with the addition of rooms expected to be complete in late 2010.

This small hotel has a distinctly homey feel. The spacious rooms are clean, if a tad musty, and tastefully decorated with típica. All rooms have fireplaces for the chilly evenings. To get here, climb up the stairs to the top of the arch that crosses 5 Avenida and turn left.

We like the one- and two-bedroom cabins in this roadside lodging near the Biotopo del Quetzal. All are set back from the road and can accommodate four to eight people. Each has a much-appreciated fireplace with ample wood supply for those chilly nights, of which there are many up here, making them much cozier than the simply furnished, stucco-wall, brick-floor rooms in the main building closer to the highway. The Posada operates its own small nature reserve; it's ideal for short hikes and is full of orchids, including the region's famed monja blanca.

Full of old-fashioned charm, this little inn has bungalows set along a narrow swath of garden stretching down to the lake. Exposed stonework and unfinished wood paneling lend the place a slightly rustic feel, but the rooms are enlivened by the festive colors from local textiles. The hot water can be unreliable. You'll get a 10% discount if you pay in cash rather than with a credit card.

Resembling little treehouse temples, the Ram Tzul's funky cabins have rustic log-stump floors and pitched pine and cedar ceilings—and terrific views of the surrounding private nature reserve. The octagonal stained-glass windows are a little incongruous, but the bamboo furniture and studied rusticity more than make up for them. The hotel has its own trail that leads to a magnificent 60-meter (197-foot) waterfall, which is worth the visit even if you're not a guest.

This charming hotel overlooking the lake is notable for its floral-pattern stone tiles. Simply decorated rooms have wooden tables and iron candlesticks. Those in front have patios with great vistas. A small restaurant serves simple meals, while several terraces are perfect for a quiet cup of afternoon tea.

A turn-of-the-century building just a half-block off the Parque Centro América houses this charming budget find. Each of the five carpeted rooms is decorated with local artisan work and abuts a long, wide, bright hall that serves as a sitting room, with rocking chairs and lots of plants. All have their own baths, although Room 1's bathroom is across the hall. The one triple room at the end of the hall is huge, with one stone wall and a nonoperating fireplace that has been converted into shelving. You'll receive a small discount if you pay in cash.

This lodge amidst a coffee plantation has well-tended gardens strung with hammocks for afternoon naps. The tastefully decorated rooms are on the small side, but they all have private terraces. Alas, there are no views of the lake. The restaurant (¢–$) serves up international favorites.

With stunning views of Flores across the bay, this quiet, laid-back inn is actually located in the village of San Miguel, a quick drive from the island, or an even quicker boat ride. The rooms are comfortable, the proprietors are a wealth of knowledge and can even guide your trip to Tikal or other archaeological sites, and as you relax on the delightful property they make it feel like your home away from home. You can hike from the inn to El Mirador of King Canek, a treehouse with a 360-degree view that allows you to see the lake and island from a bird's-eye view.