120 Best Hotels in Guatemala

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.

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.

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.

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 grande dame of downtown hotels, the Pan American opened in 1942, and was for many years the most luxurious lodging in town. To step into the dark-wood lobby of this former mansion is to leave the confusion of the city behind. A covered courtyard with attractive wrought-iron chandeliers spills out from the restaurant, whose servers wear traditional highland dress. The rooms are small but attractive, with tile floors, handmade rugs and bedspreads, and walls adorned with traditional paintings. The restaurant, known for its brunches and its coconut cream pie, is one of the few dining options left in the Old City.

You start seeing the signs advertising this hotel on the Atlantic Highway as you leave Guatemala City, and long before you get here you've memorized the name and location. The place, a few kilometers south of Cobán, is huge, and in that regard very un-Verapaces-like, humming with all the activity—gym, shops, playground, meeting rooms—of a hotel that bills itself as a "resort and conference center." Rooms are scattered around the lush grounds; some have fireplaces. The hotel has a lot of amenities and is a good value.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

A German immigrant by the name of Milly Schleisier opened this string of bungalows back in the 1940s. In so doing, she created what is still one of the most charming of Panajachel's accommodations, melding the designs of country houses in her homeland with the colorful culture of her adopted country. Each of the rooms is unique; the large bungalow, which can sleep up to five, has a fireplace. Breakfast is served family-style every morning.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 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.

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.