Kimkim Trip Reviews for Guatemala

Where can I start reviewing my trip to Guatemala? From the beginning Eduardo was amazing in answering all of my questions and planning the trip the way we wanted it. He knew how important it was for us to visit Guatemala after living for 40 years abroad. He planned our trip where not only we learned about the culture, but saw amazing places and met very interesting people.

From the moment Don David (our driver for the duration of the trip) picked us up at at airport until the moment we finalize out trip, his service was extraordinary. He drove us from Guatemala City to Antigua Guatemala. Quetzaltenango, Solola, Chichicastenango, back to Guatemala City (at 3:45 am) for us to take the plane to visit Tikal, picking us up at the airport again, take us to the Hotel Barcelo and picking us up again at 4:30 am to go back tot he airport. His service was incredible. He was always very cordial and will let us know about places and landmarks he thought were interesting or important for us to know.

Now about our tour guides throughout the trip. First, let me tell you about our primary guide, Diana. Such a young, energetic and fantastic tour guide. She is extremely knowledgeable about Guatemala's history. She not only took her time to explain to us each of the places we visited, but also gave us ample time to take pictures, make purchases, eat, and look around. Diana never made us feel rushed and never left us alone in any of the places we visited. She took her time to explain the places we traveled to even told us about the other trips she has done with other groups.

Don Oscar in Chichicastenango was great! The place is incredible. Don Oscar was super knowledgeable about Chichicastenango and its history. If you love to buy items traditional from Guatemala, Chichicastenango is your place.

Don Oliverio (tour guide) and Fernando (driver) in Tikal: From the moment our plane landed in Flores, Don Oliverio and Fernando were already waiting for us. They both made sure we had what we needed for this trip. Our recommendation is to plan to buy bug spray, sun screen and water once you get to Flores (They took the sun screen and bug spray at the airport in Guatemala). Before we started the tour, they took us to a store to buy these items. Don Oliverio explained to us from the temples, royal houses, plants, animals, to the history of the Mayas in Peten.

The hotels: excellent! No other words to describe the cleanliness, comfort and service. In every hotel, we had complementary breakfasts (which were delicious). My favorite hotel: San Buenaventura Hotel in Lake Atitlan. We had our breakfast overlooking the lake and volcano. Amazing experience.

Hotel Reviews

Casa Antigua

Antigua

We stayed two different nights in this hotel. The first room was very very, but the second one, was extraordinary! Very good service and breakfast.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Right in the middle of town and super close to everything. Loved the store right next door,

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Boutique Casa Morasan

Quetzaltenango

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The beds were super comfortable. Very nice suite

San Buenaventura Hotel

Panajachel, Sololá

Loved this hotel. We were able to have breakfast right on the garden overlooking the lake and volcano.

Authenticity & Character

Loved all of the pictures hanging around.

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Barcelo

Guatemala City

I've been extremely blessed to have traveled to many places around the globe. Hotel Barcelo is for sure a 5 Star Hotel!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Very close to the airport

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Antigua Historic Walking Tour

Antigua

Diana was our Tour Guide. She was very punctual and started the tour on time. Very knowledgeable. She never rushed us. We were able to take pictures, buy things and look around. She never minded repeating information or answering our questions.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Fuentes Georginas

Guatemala

If you are looking for a place to relax and enjoy the health benefits of these water, you must definitely visit Fuentes Georginas.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit Chichicastenango Market

Lake Atitlán

The colors!!!! They were so vivid all throughout this tour.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Explore Tikal National Park

San Ignacio

The history and amazing architecture is incredible!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

La atención el cuidado de cada una de las personas que hicieron posible un tour maravilloso para mi hermana y para mi fue genial con personas geniales cada Guia en cada lugar nos enseñaron la historia de cada lugar el chofer Don David los guías Diana Sr Oscar Sr Odilio todos fueron extraordinarios GRACIAS y Eduardo quien fue nuestro enlace con ellos

Chris was incredibly attentive and insightful when it came to planning the perfect trip for us! He listened to what we wanted, made as many modifications as we asked for (there were many), and he didn't stop until everything was exactly how we wanted it. He also made a last-minute change for us on the timing of one of our hikes and it made a huge difference once we had arrived in Guatemala. We had a minor issue at the airport when we arrived, but eventually found our driver and the rest of the trip was absolutely seamless. The boat ride to San Juan and hike with Pablo was incredible. The views were breathtaking, and he and his sidekick were so much fun; we really enjoyed getting to know them. Our guide for the rest of the trip Diana, was just amazing. We feel like she's family now. Highlights in Antigua included a walking tour of the city and hiking the active volcano Pacaya where we roasted marshmallows on the steam coming from the vents on the side of the volcano. Overall, it was a five-star trip with five-star guides, and I would highly recommend Chris and his team to anyone looking to travel to Guatemala. Thank you for the most amazing trip to your beautiful country, we will never forget it!!

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Casa Palopo

Panajachel

The views from this hotel were absolutely incredible, although a little rough getting there. The roads are very bumpy and you have to take an additional ATV to get from the lobby up to where the suites are, and then additional walking and stairs to get to the room. It is not wheelchair accessible. The service and food were amazing and the room was extremely clean. There is no AC so it did get a little warm at night, but they did provide us with a fan. Note that if you want access to the infinity pool, you have to book a specific suite, which we did and it was SO worth it. I highly recommend this hotel to anyone looking for a five-star experience with access to the infinity pool with the most incredible views of the lake and volcanos.

Authenticity & Character

Location

The views from the top

Staff

They were so accommodating and service was impeccable

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean and bed was comfortable

Hotel Casa Santo Domingo

Antigua

This hotel is enormous and just WOW!! It is built into the ruins of a convent that was destroyed in the 1700s. The amount of history and art throughout the hotel is absolutely incredible. There is no AC, but there was a minisplit in our room that provided some circulation of cooler air. The rooms were clean and the bed was very comfortable. There are museums and a church and there is just so much to see in the hotel itself. The food and service was five-star! I would highly recommend this hotel to anyone looking for a unique, historical, and five-star hotel experience.

Authenticity & Character

We've never stayed anywhere with this amount of history and art.

Location

Walking distance to many things in town, lots of restaurants and stores

Staff

Service and staff was impeccable

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean and comfortable

Activity Reviews

Rostro Maya / Indian nose Hike

Guatemala

This was so much more than just a hike!! We got to enjoy the incredible views on the boat across the lake, had an enjoyable hike, then a walking tour of San Juan and got to do some shopping before departing on the boat ride back to our hotel. Our guides were wonderful and we really enjoyed our time learning more about them, their culture and Guatemala. They also did a great job helping us take pictures along the way. I'd highly recommend this hike (especially with Pablo)!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Pablo, the other guide, the drivers, everyone was wonderful!

Transport

Antigua Historic Walking Tour

Antigua

Our guide took us up and down the streets of Antigua for an incredible tour of the highlights of the city. She grew up in Antigua and had lots of interesting facts and history to share. We really enjoyed learning about the city and the sites.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Iximché Ruins & Transfer to Antigua

Guatemala

Our guide was of Mayan descent and it was very interesting to learn about their culture and what they do to keep the Mayan culture alive. He was very knowledgeable about the site and spoke very good English. We learned so much about the Mayan people, their history and their traditions. I would definitely recommend this tour to anyone who enjoys learning about the history and culture of places that they travel to, not just touristy things.

Quality of Experience

The guide was really great

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hobbitenango/Altamira Visits

Antigua

Altamira was really beautiful and easily accessible with a steep walk. The benches and viewing platform is relatively new so it is really nice. We unfortunately went on a foggy day and couldn't see the volcano much in the background, but would still recommend doing it. Hobbitenango is not what we expected. It was very difficult to get to and even once we parked, it required a lot of incline walking on our already tired knees/legs. There also wasn't much to do there except to take a picture on the floating hand. It's ok for a short trip to walk around and take pictures, but if we had it to do over again, we'd probably have skipped it.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Pacaya Volcano Hike & Spa Day

Antigua

The Pacaya volcano hike was such an incredible experience. The hike is moderate and was a bit challenging with a knee issue but we made it! Roasting marshmallows on the side of the volcano where you can feel the heat coming out of the vents is an experience we won't soon forget. Our guide was wonderful and patient with my slow pace. Diana our main guide who stayed with us the whole trip prepared an amazing lunch near the top. Overall, it was a must-do experience for us and it did not disappoint. The spa day was not exactly what we expected and honestly would probably have skipped it had we known. The sauna was very small and extremely hot; after hiking all day, we did not need to be any hotter than we already were. The hot and cold pools was the most enjoyable part and was very relaxing. The massages were not that great and the rooms were very hot, which made it uncomfortable.

Quality of Experience

The hike was 5 stars, the spa is probably 3 stars.

Food

Diana prepared such a delicious lunch on the side of the volcano!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Eduardo was very helpful on the planning of our trip. We are very thankful of his help and all the help of the driver Arturo as well all the guides , Diana, and Esmeralda.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Camino Real Antigua

Antigua Guatemala

We had a great time at the Camino Real Hotel. People are very caring and helpful there. The rooms are very clean. The food at the restaurant is amazing! I forgot my phone and Fitbit chargers there and they emailed me to let me know. I was so happy to get the chargers back. Arturo the driver was able to pick them up at the Camino Real Hotel and brought them back to the hotel that we were staying at in Guatemala City. We would go back to the Camino Real in a heart beat!!!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Eco Hotel Uxlabil

We had a terrible experience there. There was a bar close by and the music was very loud. The music didn’t stop until midnight and then the dogs started barking until 4AM. The next day the music started again at 9AM. The lake is beautiful and peaceful but it’s so sad that the loud music ruined our stay there. It seems that they don’t care about the tourists. We won’t ever go back there.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Jungle Lodge Tikal

Peten

The room was nice clean. Unfortunately the sink was not working properly. The water was not going down. The food at the restaurant was good and the people at the front desk were helpful

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Barcelo

Guatemala City

We had a terrible experience at this hotel. The first night we got there we had to call reception because there was water on the bathroom floor and the toilet was leaking. They said that they will move us to a different room but later told us that there weren’t any rooms available. So they sent someone to fix the toilet but it leaked the next day. We called reception again at 8 PM and someone else came to dried up the floor and put out towels on the floor. Both maintenance guys didn’t know what the problem was. They just kept drying the floor. We had to called reception one more time at 1AM because the noise of the water that was leaking woke us up. At this point they wanted to move us to another room and we said no thank you. We were leaving that day. We won’t ever ever come back to this hotel.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Flor de Ixcaco weaving process

Guatemala

Delfina was very knowledgeable. We enjoyed this activity very much. The store was very pretty too.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our driver Arturo was an excellent driver. We enjoyed his company very much.

Guatemala City Tour

Guatemala

We enjoyed going to the National Palace, Cayala and the market. The only thing is the traffic is terrible.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sunrise Tour of Tikal National Park

Guatemala

Our guide Oliver was very knowledgeable. Our driver Eduardo was very nice too. We enjoyed the sunrise very much. Oliver even let us used his binoculars to see the monkeys.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Eduardo’s van was very comfy. The seats had headrests.

Canopy Tour in Tikal National Park

Guatemala

Javier and Kevin were very helpful and very nice people.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Scenic Drive to Lake Atitlán

Guatemala

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our trip to Belize and Guatemala was amazing! Our scuba trips in Belize organized by Ramon's Village Resort were incredible including swimming with sharks, rays, and sea turtles as well as diving for conch for our lunch. Our visit to Tikal in Guatemala will provide life long memories. Esmerelda, our guide, did a fantastic job leading us around Lake Atitlan and Antigua providing outstanding insight and history of the regions and Guatemala as whole, not too mention assisting us when our Spanish wasn't quite up to the task particulary with the lunch and dinner menus. We can't say enough about our experience and would highly recommend this itinerary as a family trip with teenagers.

My husband and I booked our trip to Guatemala for Holy Week. We specifically chose this week to view the processions and street carpets that are present during Holy Week. Our itinerary began with a trip to Tikal National Park. We visited the Mayan Temples and learned a great deal about the ancient Mayan civilization. We climbed a few of the temples , walked the complex , and connected with many facets of nature. Our guide, Oliverio was knowledgeable and very personable. He explained ancient customs, sacred rites, and ceremonies. From there we traveled to Lake Atitlan to get a better view of the volcanoes. We participated in the village tours, shopped at the local markets, and witnessed the religious preparations being made for Easter Sunday. The remainder of our trip was spent in Antigua. We watched many of the processions on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday of Holy Week. We walked through many of the streets and watched as many of the local Guatemalans prepared the colorful street carpets. One of the highlights of our stay in Antigua was the Antigua Walking Tour. Our guide, Maribel was delightful. She was informative, humorous, and very pleasant. We explored the historic landmarks and churches. Maribel explained many of the Mayan customs and traditions. We also visited a jade factory where we learned about the mining and colors of jade. Later that evening, we participated in a Guatemalan Cooking Class. There were 12 adults in the group and each of us were assigned a different task in preparing the meal. This group effort allowed us to engage in conversation and fellowship throughout the cooking process. At the end of the class, we sat down on the roof top to enjoy the meal. The sunset and the volcanoes provided the perfect backdrop for this meal. On our last full day in Antigua, we made the most of the day by participating in a bike tour around Almolonga Valley. We rode through suburban villages and stopped to visit churches, colonial ruins, a chocolate factory and a wine factory. Willy was our guide and he was most patient when we needed to take a break. There are a few hills on this scenic ride and at the midway point of this ride, we needed to walk our bike and take a few minutes to recoup. Willy provided clear safety protocols for the operation of the bike and remaining safe on the road. Willy answered all of our questions and shared many interesting details. It was fun to spend three hours with Willy on this tour. The Casa Antigua Hotel was centrally located and the courtyard was quaint. The staff was friendly and helpful. However, the rooms were very outdated. The décor was old and the rooms needed painting. There were no screens on the windows, and the towels were dingy and frayed. If I had seen the inside of the rooms prior to the trip, I would have opted for another hotel. We enjoyed our stay at Jungle Lodge Tikal and San Buenaventura Hotel. My husband and I enjoyed this trip and am glad that we decided to visit Guatemala. Eduardo did a great job with the logistics and we were moved from point to point without any difficulty. The final itinerary met our expectations and the activities did not disappoint. Eduardo provided great suggestions for activities and we were able to travel around different parts of Guatemala in our week long stay.

Wow, what an incredible trip!! Eduardo was so wonderful to work with, very knowledgable and easy to communicate with. We absolutely loved our itinerary, he picked really fun places to visit and things to do. Everything went smoothly, from our transportation to accommodations to tours. I never felt nervous or anxious, and that's saying a lot coming from me. I loved our personal driver, personal tour guide, and even a private boat for the lake tour. Incredible!
We LOVED our tour guide, Esmerelda, who was above and beyond our expectations. She was professional, knowledgeable, kind and polite, and so much fun! We felt like she was our new best friend. Esme knew all the best places to eat and visit. I was never confused as to what we were doing or where we were going too. She was always ready to help us out of boats, take photos, show us how to pay, or point out cool landmarks. I was impressed with her ability to switch between Spanish and English easily. At the end of trip, we were so sorry to have to say goodbye.
I was also especially impressed by our driver, Antonio, who also became a good friend. He was friendly, a safe and reliable driver, and very concerned for our wellbeing. He kept us laughing with his jokes and stories. We felt spoiled that we had our own personal driver for the whole trip, and someone who was so respectful and helped us with our big, heavy bags, too. Esmerelda and Antonio are truly special people. We're so lucky to have had them for our trip.
I've never had such a well-planned, easy international trip. I felt relaxed and at ease the entire time, loved all the places we visited, was obsessed with our hotel in Lake Atitlan, and fell in love with Guatemalan and all the people we met. I can't wait to visit again!

I can't say enough good things about this trip and experience! Catherina did a wonderful job planning a week in Guatemala with an itinerary that was customized for our needs. We were traveling with our 5-year-old daughter, so we needed to plan a lot of interactive activities that would keep a kindergartener engaged. Catherina went above and beyond. Every day we had something exciting on the agenda - hiking an active volcano, ziplining through the jungle, making chocolate by hand, visiting a goat farm and eating cheese with the owner of the farm... The highlight was getting to participate in creating an alfombra (Holy Week sawdust "carpet" for religious processions) with Catherina, her family, and members of the community, which was an opportunity that Catherina created especially for us. That was so special and something we will always remember! We also need to talk about how incredible our guide Esteban (Catherina's brother) was. Esteban was with us all week and made sure our entire stay in Guatemala was fun, easy, and smooth. Esteban is simply the nicest guy and we had a ton of fun with him. He was so great with our daughter and was a blast to talk to, answering all my questions about Guatemala and helping us work on our Spanish. I would 100% recommend Kimkim, Catherina, and Esteban to anyone considering a trip to Guatemala!!!

Catherina put together a great trip for us and was very responsive to our feedback and worked super hard to give us a unique trip within budget. JJ our guide was helpful, friendly and able to accomodate small changes in plans along the way. Thanks for hooking us up with Go Wild for the Acentenago trip. They were great and it was awesome to know we were supporting the local Acentenago community

Hotel Review

El Recreo

Lanquin

Great hotel but a little out of Lanquin which meant we didn’t get to see the town itself. Rooms were tidy, but basic

Authenticity & Character

Location

Somewhere more central so that we could look around the town

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Ram Tzul Trekking

Guatemala

This was a good activity to do to break up a long trip. However, the waterfall itself was not that impressive and there were not many orchids. This was an ok thing to do, but would not necessarily recommend

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Friendly and knowledgeable

Transport

Semuc Champey

Guatemala

Walk was good and the pools beautiful and lots of fun. The experience of riding in on the back of the truck also added to the experience

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Driving on the back of the truck was fun and made the trip feel more authentic

Acatenango overnight

Guatemala

The hike was hard but the journey was well managed with regular breaks. The base camp site was great and Benjamin made amazing hot chocolate. The small group format was awesome, glad we weren’t with one of the bigger companies

Quality of Experience

Great product and well executed.

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Benjamin was so helpful and provided excellent service. Once he found that we enjoyed running down the loose dirt he found more sections and then ran in front clearing the path when the kids were running down the hill at the end of the hike

Transport

My trip to Guatemala was amazing. I honestly didn’t expect it be so fantastic. I’m not a big traveler so I just went with knowing what I was told. Eduardo setup a great itinerary for me with what I had in mind in Antigua and lake Atitlan. Our driver Antonio and guide Esmerelda were so personable, friendly, caring and communicative. I didn’t realize how private our group would be it was Que fancy!! They All really felt like family when touring with them. So much fun and one of the best trips I’ve taken. I recommend this tour group when visiting Guatemala! You won’t regret it, for us, our trip went smoothly and we will be back again!

I really can't say enough amazing things about Cathy and the whole team at Columbus Tours! They were so knowledgable about the culture and history of Guatemala. They were professional and made all of our excursions so fun. It was such a gift that we were able to learn from them and travel with them to Lake Atitlan, Antigua, and Pacaya Volcano. This team made our trip! Absolutely would recommend them to anyone!

Activity Review

Pacaya Volcano Hike & Picnic

Guatemala

This hike was so much fun! We roasted marshmallows in a crater and enjoyed the entire hike.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our guide, Esteban, was incredible. From the moment he picked us up at the airport until he dropped us off 2 weeks later, we felt incredibly safe and well cared for. Esteban was very engaging with our children and had each of us excited for the adventures ahead with his delightfully enthusiastic daily greetings. His passion for his country shone through with everything we did and his knowledge of Guatemalan and Mayan history is exceptional! The entire team at Columbus made us feel more like family than clients. I would highly recommend this company.

Hotel Review

Hotel Villa Caribe

Livingston

Excellent food and entertainment! Great pool. Friendly and helpful staff

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Villages Around Lake Atitlán by Boat

Guatemala

Unique opportunity to see authentic Mayan tradition and lifestyle. Opportunities to support local families and to purchase beautiful, unique textiles.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Esteban’s respect for and understanding of Mayan culture

Transport

Iguana was our boat driver. Super happy and pleasant guy!

Very well planned trip. Exactly what I was looking for. Activities I requested with local insight in to where to go, where to stay and what to do.

If I could give a 10 star I would. The Columbus Guatemala tour team deserves that and much more. They went above and beyond to ensure our trip and experience was memorable, and they succeeded. Starting with Catharine managing the logistics of our trip and selecting beautiful hotels for us. She showed such care for our needs and was flexible to our requests.
Our trip involved a visit to Tikal, Antigua Guatemala, Atitlan and Chichicastenango, and our goal was to learn our Mayan history and culture. Our tour in Peten was awesome due to the knowledge of our guide Carlos. He shared so much information about Tikal history and surrounding ruins. Our visit to Antigua and Iximche with our guide JJ was terrific and fun. He was the best! He really made us feel at home. JJ was very attentive, offering tips and asking for our food preferences and took us to great restaurants. We enjoy great food and love the coffee. Thanks JJ!
Our trip to Atitlan and Chichicastenango was very interesting and full of history. We have traveled to different countries in Europe and Asia and although we have enjoyed each trip and learned a lot, our trip to Guatemala was very special due to all the care and attention Columbus team provided us. From the drivers to the guides and logistics team, we felt safe and were able to focus on enjoying our trip. I HIGHLY recommend Columbus Tour team.

Activity Review

Tikal Maya Ruin

Guatemala

Tikal was beautiful and the month of February offered the perfect weather. To my surprise, no mosquitoes and low humidity. The time spent with our guide in the park was sufficient and the food at the restaurant in the part was outstanding. The restaurant was situated in an open area where we were able to enjoy the nature while enjoying the food.

Quality of Experience

We loved everthing

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide was awesome

Transport

Just got back from an amazing trip to Guatemala. Eduardo helped us greatly with the itinerary and how to get the most out of our trip. We were able to get everything on our wishlist thanks to him.
Our guide Willy was great and has so much knowledge. Our driver Antonio took us safely between the different cities/ villages we visited , always on time. Guatemala is a beautiful country and there is so much fun to do and see, highly recommend.

Our driver/guide Esteban did a great job bringing us safely from destination to destination while explaining what we would do and see at the various places we visited. Highlights of our trip were:
Semuc Champey
Tikal
Rio Dulce
Antigua
Pacaya Volcano
Lake Atitlan
All in all it was a great vacation, We did a lot of walking hiking and sightseeing. Getting to understand the Mayan culture is something we really appreciated. We were happy to see how weaving is still very much part of the Guatemalan culture. As my wife is an amateur ceramist, she was very happy to visit a Ceramic production studio in the Lake Atitlan area.

Hotel Reviews

Casa Q'eqchi'

Cobán

We had a fabulous experience at this hotel. We were greeted by the owner who was very kind and made sure we had a great experience. The room was very clean and comfortable. Breakfast was great - we felt like we were at a friends house on vacation.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Santo Tomás

Chichicastenango

our room facing the courtyard was a bit humid and dark. Not a great experience for us.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Pensión Bonifaz

Quetzaltenango

Hotel is in a great location, comfortable and clean.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hyatt Centric Guatemala City

Ciudad de Guatemala

Modern hotel in a good, safe location.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Candelaria Lodge

Coban

Beautiful property with excellent location near caves. One of the hotel gardeners served as our guide to the caves we were able to walk to from the hotel. The caves were quite impressive and definitely worth visiting. As many other places we visited in Guatemala we were the only tourists doing the tour and had the place to ourselves. Staff were all very friendly and food was good. Room was adequate.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Jungle Lodge Tikal

Peten

Food was very good as well as the service and staff. We were quite comfortable considering you are in the jungle.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Nanajuana

Rio Dulce

Very nice property but a bit dated. Staff was very friendly and food was good.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Casa Encantada

Antiigua

We had a very nice room and staff was excellent but we ended up asking to move to a sister hotel because the room we were given was facing the street and too noisy for our liking. We moved to the Pensativo Hotel as an upgrade which was around the corner from the Casa Encantada. We were very happy there.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Casa Palopo

Panajachel

Very nice hotel with great staff and very good food. The only problem we found was that the price was excessive for Guatemala.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Casa del Mundo

Lake Atitlán

This was a great hotel with an impressive location, great staff and good food. You need to be in decent shape to handle all the stairs at this hotel built on a cliff. Lots of character and great atmosphere.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Guatemala City Tour

Guatemala

We visited several parts of the city and got a good feel of its character.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Ram Tzul Trekking

Guatemala

We enjoyed having a chance to get out and hike to a very nice waterfall. I would recommend this hike.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Semuc Champey

Guatemala

This is a beautiful location and well worth the visit. We brought our bathing suits and enjoyed the water.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Aguateca Mayan Site

Sayaxché

This is a nice site but maintenance could be better. It was a hard trek to get there. We did the longer harder round trip from the river, but saw that other people used a more simple route.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tikal Maya Ruin

Guatemala

Site was very well maintained and impressive.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Uaxactún

Guatemala

After seeing Tikal we were surprised to see the lack of tourists here. Certainly not as impressive in size or maintenance but nonetheless worthwhile seeing. Near the Uaxactun site we visited a small village which was interesting to see.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Rio Dulce Boat Tour

Guatemala

We enjoyed this boat tour. Spectacular nature and lots of birds.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Quiriguá Archaeological Site

Guatemala

Very interesting site to visit.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Leisure Time in Antigua Guatemala

Antigua

We liked the feel and character of Antigua. Safe walking around. We visited local markets and had a nice lunch at a cafe.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

As this was our own leisure time, there was no guide, drivers or staff.

Transport

Actually we walked on our own.

Walk Antigua Like a Local

Antigua

Antigua is a charming, clean and safe city with lots of character. Our guide gave us a great tour by foot.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Pacaya Volcano Hike & Picnic

Guatemala

Hiking to the volcano was a lot of fun and impressive as the site and views keep changing as you get closer. Amazing to see all the lava rivers and stone formations.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Natural Hot Springs Santa Teresita

Guatemala

We enjoyed the spa, massage and sauna and pools. Great experience.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tecpán Trekking Downhill

Guatemala

Our guide Alex was great. We visited his family and enjoyed his grandmothers baked buns. We also got a chance to watch local women weaving. This hike is a spectacular way to see the magnificent Lake Atitlan.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Villages Around Lake Atitlán by Boat

Guatemala

We enjoyed seeing San Juan La Laguna with its colourful arts scene. We walked up to the viewing platform with impressive views. Lots of tourists and locals visiting here. We then went to San Pedro La Laguna where we had a nice lunch.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Kayaking in Lake Atitlán

Guatemala

It was fun kayaking on Lake Atitlan. It was a relatively calm day and we enjoyed the experience paddling around the lake for an hour.

Quality of Experience

Cooking Class with Local Family

Guatemala

We had a great experience learning how to cook a traditional Mayan meal, called Pepian. This was done on a wood stove which brings added flavour to the food.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Maya Sauna

Guatemala

It was quite a different type of experience compared to a what you know of modern saunas. First a wood fire is started to heat the side wall and then once inside you add water to the hot surfaces to get the heat and steam going. Afterwards we got to use a shower which was next to the sauna. We were supplied with clean towels as well as soap.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit Chichicastenango Mayan Market

Chichicastenango

This is quite a colourful and very large market. Few tourists compared to all the locals shopping.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

San Francisco el Alto

Guatemala

This was a worthwhile market to visit. Interesting to see all the animals being sold. Also had many previously owned items as well as new items you would see in a local market.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Villages Around Quetzaltenango

Guatemala

Visited an interesting colourful cemetery where you can also see Mayan traditional ceremonies. We enjoyed walking around and seeing the sites.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Georginas Hot Springs

Guatemala

Site was very interesting to see and use the hot spring facilities. Main restaurant was under renovations but we were able to have a nice meal at the smaller cafeteria.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

San Andrés Xecúl

Guatemala

We walked from the town to the Church which is extremely interesting as it is unique being decorated on the exterior with naive art.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

They were simply amazing. What a great trip

I can't say enough positive things about our trip to Guatemala and Belize. Eduardo did a fantastic job organizing everything. We loved the itinerary he prepared which was a perfect mix of activity and relaxation. He came to meet us in person when we first arrived and was constantly in touch throughout our trip to ensure everything was running smoothly. Our local guides and drivers were wonderful. Esmeralda and Jonathan took amazing care of us in Guatemala. Two beautiful countries with so much to see and do and highly recommend Eduardo to anyone looking at planning a trip there. Lake Atitlan, Antigua, and Tikal were highlights of Guatemala. We also went to Semuc Champey which took some expert planning by Eduardo to make happen but we're so glad did. Travelling to the highlands of Guatemala we got to see a different side of the country and it is a spectacular place. The ATM caves in Belize was an experience I'll never forget and Caye Caulker was the perfect place for us to wind down after such an adventure!

I especially appreciated that Eduardo was able to make last minute changes for us. Due to the major storm in Dec 2022, our flight from the US to Belize City was delayed one day. Thus, we had to begin our trip on Day 2 of our itinerary, instead of Day 1. Eduardo arranged for us to be picked up a day late, and got us quickly caught up to our Day 2 itinerary, which required him to adjust the pick up time for 3 drivers. Had we booked this trip on our own... we would have had a problem rearranging our pick up times. We had Pablo as our guide for the half day bike ride in Antigua and Pablo has a wonderful personality and was patient with our 12 year old. We appreciated having Pablo. Our trip didn't have any hiccups. All the drivers/guides were either on time or early and we had maybe 10 different times/days to meet up. Don't be shy about getting Eduardo's WhatsApp chat info BEFORE you depart for your trip. He'll be super responsive on WhatsApp.

Hotel Reviews

Jungle Lodge Tikal

Peten

For some reason, our hotel room did not have hot water. And for the bed, we each got one sheet as the cover. And the windows actually didn't close all the way. It was December and we all had to sleep in our street clothes and I had to use my jacket as my cover. Just make sure you have warm PJs and a warm coat to cover yourself, and probably skip the shower until your next hotel.

Location

Cleanliness & Comfort

Having hot water in the shower. Having a bedcover on the bed, and not just one thin sheet as the cover.

Hotel San Jorge

Antigua

This one looked okay from the outside, but inside the room, it was really old. Bed was uncomfortable, sheets were clean, but the blanket and bed cover were old and worn. They need to replace all their beds and beddings. The towels were nice though. The location was very convenient. The breakfast was kinda sad. The staff were lovely, but the breakfast was just so so.

Location

Close to downtown.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

They should consider replacing all their beds and bed covers. When you go to a hotel, you just want to sleep comfortably.

Jan's Hotel

Caye Caulker

Surprisingly, this hotel was simple, yet just right. The beds were comfortable, the shower was strong and the staff was helpful. We got picked up by a staff from the Ferry and he was helpful.

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Ramon's Village Resort

San Pedro

This was a nice resort. There was a restaurant onsite, and there's also a pier onsite where you can book any water activities (fishing, snorkeling, scuba diving) when you are there so you don't have to worry about booking months in advance for the activities. We booked a half day fishing trip and a fisherman (Tino) picked us up in a boat and took us to maybe 4 spots to fish. We caught about 15 or 20 fish, and took 4 with us when we left. He gutted the 4 fish and we brought it to the resort restaurant where for $10 per person (there were 3 of us) they cooked the fish, and gave us rice/salad as sides. It was a wonderful experience to eat your own catch. The hotel will pick you up at the ferry and drop you off when you depart. We also rented a golf cart for 3 hours from the hotel to drive around the island. Beware, there were lots of mosquitos in our hotel room though! We had to kill about 3-4 mosquitos each night before we went to bed.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Explore Tikal National Park

San Ignacio

This was the jewel of the trip. Our guide was super knowledgeable.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Antigua Walking Tour

Guatemala

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The guide, Pablo was very patient and answered my many many questions.

Transport

Transport was via our foot!

Traditional Guatemalan Cooking Class

Antigua

This was a shared experience with another couple. We thoroughly enjoyed our cooking and eating experience.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Valley Ride - Bicycle Tour of Antigua's Villages, Farms, and Ruins

Antigua

We had a good time on this trip, though it got scary whenever we had to ride on the main roads with many trucks and cars.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Snorkeling Tour in the Belize Barrier Reef

Caye Caulker

This snorkel trip to the Hol Chan departed from Caye Caulker, which was pretty far. I think if the visitors are also saying in San Pedro, then it would be a shorter distance to travel from San Pedro to the Hol Chan reserve for snorkeling.

Quality of Experience

Catherina and her team were very welcoming, helpful, knowledgeable and accommodating. We had a fantastic time and felt completely at ease with their guidance. Every aspect of our trip exceeded our expectations! I would highly recommend Catherina and Columbus Guatemala Travel. They made our vacation run smoothly from transportation to guides, to tours, everything was perfect!