The Best Hotels in Panajachel, Guatemala, for Every Traveler

Take in sweeping views of Lake Atitlán and meet like-minded travelers at Selina Atitlán
Take in sweeping views of Lake Atitlán and meet like-minded travelers at Selina Atitlán | Courtesy of Selina Atitlán / Expedia
Alex Robinson

For those who want to be close to Lake Atitlán’s main Mayan village, these waterside hotels in Panajachel are the perfect pit stops in Guatemala.

From space, Lake Atitlán looks like a blue drop set in the ancient, wrinkled folds of Guatemala’s Sierra Madre mountain range. From the ground, it shimmers sapphire blue, the sun rippling off its tiny wavelets, silhouetting the cones of the many volcanoes that line its shore. The Maya have lived along the shoreline villages for millennia, the largest being Panajachel. As the closest thing that Atitlán has to a resort town, it has a variety of places to stay – some with those all-important lakeside views.

Selina Atitlán

Hotel

Room at Selina Atitlán with wood beam ceiling and funky decor including retro seats
Courtesy of Selina Atitlán / Expedia

This flashpacker hostel has a range of brightly colored spaces and accommodation options that are adorned with indigenous art and woven wall hangings. It offers dorms (also known as community rooms), twins, triples and airy doubles with balconies – there’s even a suite. Amenities include a yoga deck with sweeping views of Lake Atitlán and a co-working area.

Hotel San Buenaventura de Atitlán

Hotel

Hotel San Buenaventura de Atitlán room with blue bedspread, tile floor and brick ceiling
Courtesy of Hotel San Buenaventura de Atitlán / Expedia

With a kid-friendly menu in the restaurant, cottages big enough for families and a broad spread of Lake Atitlán activities for all ages, this lakeshore hotel is a good option for groups with children in tow. There’s a tropical garden with lawns and a pool, and a beautiful view at every corner. The restaurants, shops and bustling souvenir markets of downtown Panajachel are a 10-minute walk away.

Regis Hotel and Spa

Spa Hotel

Regis Hotel & Spa room with tile floor, three small windows and wooden bed frame
Courtesy of Regis Hotel and Spa / Expedia

The locally owned and run Regis is one of Panajachel’s oldest hotels. Fully renovated for the wellbeing age, with a spa offering modish Mayan treatments, it also has a decent restaurant serving local food at an excellent price. Its simple but attractively decorated rooms, complete with artsy terracotta floor tiles, wood parquet and scatterings of Mayan textiles on the walls, sit around a flower-filled courtyard garden.

Posada Don Rodrigo

Hotel

Posada Don Rodrigo room with wood beam ceiling, tile floor and rustic vibe throughout
© Posada Don Rodrigo

Right on the water, with easy access to the ferry, souvenir shops and markets, this welcoming, ranch-style hotel has Hobbit-like stone rooms clustered together in a tropical garden. The Lakeshore rooms have windows framing Lake Atitlán’s fabulous water-and-volcano view, and there’s a pool sitting in an attractive garden, scattered with flower-filled horse-drawn carts. The friendly staff are helpful with tours.

Porta Hotel del Lago

Hotel

Porta Hotel del Lago pool with view over the lake and loungers, gardens and bar
Courtesy of Porta Hotel del Lago / Expedia

The bright, refurbished rooms with private balconies and lake views at this Niemeyer-esque hotel are excellent value – you’ll want to upgrade to a suite for the best panorama. The hotel has a jacuzzi, extensive tropical gardens and Panajachel’s largest pool – for those who don’t want to fight over their sun loungers – and spectacular lakeside views.

Hospedaje El Viajero

Hotel

Room at Hospedaje El Viajero with orange paint, tile floors and pattern bedsheets
Courtesy of Hospedaje El Viajero / Expedia

This old traveler hangout, a few blocks from the lakeshore, has simple, no-frills rooms in warm oranges and soft browns, with splashes of vivid color from Mayan textiles and scatter cushions. Public terraces and balconies feature hanging vines and colorful roses and orchids, and there are restaurants and shops on the doorstep. The hotel can organize tours and lake activities, too.

Hotel Villa Santa Catarina

Hotel

Hotel Villa Santa Catarina pool with gardens and cacti overlooked by balconies
Courtesy of Hotel Villa Santa Catarina / Expedia

This oche-hued, colonial-style hotel, with its cloisters of rooms overlooking the lake and large central swimming pool, is simple. However, there are wonderful views from the rooms, which are large and refitted in a contemporary style, with off whites and muted beiges, exposed beams, colorful Mayan bedspreads and art. For a hotel on the lake, it’s exceptionally good value for money.

Hotel Playa Linda

Hotel

Rooms with balconies at Hotel Playa Linda
Courtesy of Hotel Playa Linda / Expedia

This small hotel has a pool, big rooms and an excellent location – on the lakeshore, by the ferry port in central Panajachel. Offering a good-value overnight stay, the Hotel Playa Linda is an ideal spot for those arriving late or catching that crack-of-dawn bus or boat.

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