If you’re thinking about visiting Guatemala but you’re not sure where to start, I’ve put together a guide of the places that I chose to stay during my trip. I use HostelWorld to book most of my accommodations when I travel, so I’ve linked each place so that you can stay there too! If you want to learn more about traveling Guatemala, check out my Trip Report for activity, transportation, food recs, planning advice, and more!!
Quick Clicks
- Antigua: Tropicana Hostel, Adra Hostel
- Panajachel: Dreamboat Hostel
- Lake Atitlan: Casa del Mundo
- San Pedro: Mr. Mullet’s
- El Paredon: Cocori Lodge
After landing in Guatemala City, our first stop was Antigua. We decided to stay at Tropicana Hostel for a few reasons. A friend who had previously been to Guatemala recommended it, and you can book your Acatenango hike through them. We also booked a shuttle with them that would pick us up right at the airport, which was super convenient. Sometimes when you land in a new country and aren’t fluent in the language, it can be reassuring to have transport set up instead of trying to find a bus or a taxi, especially when it’s an hour long drive.
In the heart of Antigua, this hostel was the perfect start to our trip. We also booked our Acatenango hike through them, and they were amazing. Budget tip: if you book the hike, keep in mind it is overnight. So if you are planning to arrive at the hostel, do the hike the next day, and then want to stay the following night, make 2 separate bookings leaving the night of the hike out. This way you’ll avoid double paying for your nights stay.
Tropicana has a beautiful rooftop, a pool, and a great menu. We were really impressed by their staff, both volunteers and employees. We stayed in one of their Basic 14 Bed Mixed Dorms for $17.28 CAD/night. All of their beds have a curtain, lockable values box above your head, and an outlet in the bunk. The lockers for your big bags are a little small and are under the bed. We just left our bags out and we had no issues.
We stayed for 2 nights before beginning our Acatenango hike. I write more about my experience in my Trip Report, so I’ll only talk about the accommodation in this article. My friend and I, being pretty budget-minded, booked the cheapest sleeping situation available. This turned out to be a hut shared with about 10 other people. We definitely got what we paid for! They provided the pillow, sleeping bag, and an extra blanket (so needed it was FREEZING up there!). There were other, more expensive options at the Tropicana Base Camp that included bunk beds with actual mattresses in more insulated huts than what we were in.
When we returned to Antigua after the hike, we decided to switch hostels, just for some variety. We moved a few blocks over to Adra Hostel. This hostel had a quieter atmosphere, and was perfect for the day after that strenuous hike. We stayed in an 8 bed mixed dorm for $22.34 CAD/night, and the beds were great, super private with a curtain, fan, reading light, shelf and outlet. It is still in a very central location for walking around Antigua, and I highly recommend it if you aren’t much of a partier or just want to relax.
Next, it was time to head over to Lake Atitlan. There are many small towns surrounding this gorgeous freshwater lake, and we hopped around a bit. It is easiest to take a shuttle from Antigua to Panajachel, where we stayed at Dreamboat Hostel. After a quiet night, we were ready to have some fun. This hostel welcomes you with a complimentary beer bong or shot lol (they will respect your refusal if this isn’t your thing). We LOVED Dreamboat – the volunteer staff were so fun and friendly, they have nightly activities, a pool, and several areas to hang out. I wish we had stayed more than just one night! We stayed in a 4 bed female dorm for $19.81CAD/night. There were no privacy curtains, but you do get your own bathroom between the 4 of you.
Now, it wouldn’t be a ‘Where to Stay in Guatemala’ blog post if I didn’t talk about La Casa del Mundo. Let me just say… it is soooooo worth the extra money…absolutely gorgeous. We stayed in Standard Room #16: a double bed and bathroom with a balcony. It cost a total of about $165 CAD ($82.50 each). Definitely not a budget stay, but I am so happy we included it. I have a million pictures from staying here and I would go back in a heartbeat. They have a wonderful restaurant and snack stand, sauna, hot tub, and direct access to the lake. The property itself is full of plants with identification cards (if any plant nerds are out there). There are also quite a few cats wandering around, which I loved.
We continued on to San Juan La Laguna. This is considered the cultural hub on Lake Atitlan, and I would definitely recommend visiting, but you don’t need more than a day here. There is lots to do during the day, but things really quiet down at night. Originally, we had booked 3 nights at 4 Elementos Hostal, but we ended up only staying 1 and moving on to our next location sooner than anticipated. There is nothing wrong with 4 Elementos, although for social backpackers, it might be a bit disappointing. There are only a total of 9 beds, and we only met 2 other girls while we were there. Perfect for travelers who prefer a quiet experience, but it wasn’t quite what we needed. We stayed in the 4 bed mixed dorm for $16CAD/night and had an ensuite, which was nice for sure. I should note that there was no kitchen facility either, so if you’re the type of traveler that buys their own food to save money, this is inconvenient.
Next stop: Mr. Mullet’s Party Hostel in San Pedro La Laguna! We stayed here for 4 nights/3 days (2 of which were spent crippled by food poisoning, but that’s not the point here). We stayed in the 4 bed mixed dorm for $27.83CAD/night. This is technically on the more expensive side for a hostel, but we wanted to see what this very social hostel had to offer. Everything was great and clean, and they serve free pancakes every night. We attended the trivia and karaoke nights, both of which were super fun. They also run Central America’s largest boat party on the lake every Thursday. We ended up traveling to our last destination on Thursday so we didn’t end up going, and honestly I didn’t feel like being stuck on a boat with 100 drunk people for hours so I think we would have skipped it regardless, but hey, could be a good time.
Finally, we stayed 2 nights at Cocori Lodge in El Paredon. I could stay here forever. Right on the black sand beach, this surf lodge felt like a resort (for $29.41 CAD/night). We stayed in the Basic 8 bed female dorm, which was actually a shipping container transformed into a dorm, with outdoor bathrooms accessible from only the dorm. This room was thankfully air conditioned, with lockers that will fit your backpack(s), but no curtains on the bunk. Cocori Lodge boasts a beautiful pool, hammocks and lounge chairs, a beach bar and restaurant, and a small outdoor gym area (most things are rusted together but that’s what you get when you’re mere metres from the ocean!).
Overall, I spent about $345.35 for 2 weeks’ accommodation in Guatemala (not including the Acatenango night, that was included in the hike fee)! Of course, you can do this for cheaper, especially if you volunteer at a hostel in exchange for accommodation. While I would love to do that, I wanted to see so many things and only had 14 days to do it all!