LAKE ATITLAN / PANAJACHEL AREA, GUATEMALA
In Lake Atitlan: Hotel Atitlan is a 61-room Hotel and Botanical Garden set on a former coffee plantation next to Lake Atitlán. It is 1 km from the main Panajachel water taxi terminal and 2 km from the Museo Lacustre Atitlán. The Hotel is located at the northern edge of Lake Atitlan on Finca San Buenaventura, near Panajachel in the Guatemalan highlands. It has a full-service restaurant and bar offering international cuisine prepared from fresh produce purchased in local markets. The Hotel design is patterned after Spanish-Colonial haciendas favored by Guatemala plantation owners in the 18th Century. It is accented by hand-crafted furniture and hand-woven fabrics. The Hotel was built over a 21-year period by skilled, local laborers and craftsmen. The garden is a collection of different gardens, each with their own identity. They are broadly divided into luscious tropical gardens, formal rose gardens and a mixture of Hibiscus, Heliconias, Passion Flower and Bougainvillea. The garden has more than 500 different species representing 250 plant families.
Featuring local art and terracotta tile floors, the refined, eclectic rooms include free Wi-Fi, cable TV and balconies with lake or garden views. Suites add fireplaces and room service. Breakfast is served in a casual restaurant with colorful, Mayan-style tablecloths and a striking mahogany bar. The grounds feature botanical gardens, along with an infinity pool, a hot tub and private beach access. Other amenities include a fitness center and free outdoor parking.
