The Best Hotels to Book Near Tikal National Park, Guatemala

You’ll find this collection of minimalistic, wooden-ceilinged 1960s bungalows tucked just inside Tikal National Park, surrounded by dense jungle. Each bungalow sleeps up to five, but, if you’re happy to swing yourself to sleep in a hammock to the sound of night creatures making their rounds, they’ll accommodate a couple more. In the morning, you’re just a 10-minute walk from the Tikal Mayan Ruins. We’d recommend the hotel’s own archaeological and adventure tours if you’re interested in the local history.

This high-end eco-hideaway in a private nature reserve, an hour’s drive from Tikal, cocoons guests in luxurious bungalows with vaulted, beamed ceilings. And, if you’re into the outdoors, you’ll love the patio hot tubs surrounded by tropical foliage and wildlife. Walkways connect them to the main hotel, where the Shultún Restaurant serves up locally sourced dishes such as blanco fish, fresh from the nearby Quixel Lagoon, and healthy, energy-packed breakfasts consisting of eggs, ranchero sauce, refried beans, chorizo and plantain.

This beachfront, surf-style jungle lodge 3km (1.9mi) north of El Remate, hugging the shores of Lake Petén Itzá and situated just steps from the Maya Biosphere Reserve, is a paradise for nature lovers. Shaded hillside gardens are an oasis of peace if you’re bunking in one of the rustic dorms – hammocks are slung close to the lake as well as by the breezy open-air restaurant. Happy to spend a bit more? Book one of the slightly more comfortable private bungalows.

As you wander around this tropical wonderland, on the edge of the Petenchel and Monifa Lagoons, look out for the white-tailed deer and peccary pigs, which are bred on the grounds. Rooms are dressed in local wood and Guatemalan textiles and open out onto balconies with garden, forest and lagoon views. Make sure your stay overlaps with at least one Sunday so you don’t miss the exceptional BBQ that the hotel puts on!

They’re not over-promising with the name of this hotel. Covered in a blanket of lush rainforest in the archaeological park, it’s a Mayan-themed masterpiece. After a day exploring the Tikal pyramids, dive into the jungle-surrounded outdoor pool before slinking back to your fan-cooled suite housed in a pretty whitewashed cottage. Evenings are best spent with a fruity cocktail in hand, tuning in to the chatter of the monkeys and rainbow-billed toucans hopping about in the trees.

This simple but refined hotel was one of the first true ecolodges in Guatemala, built on the doorstep of the Yaxhá-Nakum-Naranjo Park, a one-and-a-half-hour drive from Tikal. Rooms are pared-back, but elegant, with poured concrete floors, and guano palm or sheet metal roofs supported by aged wooden beams. Softness comes from layers of white curtains, which cleverly diffuse the sunlight, and colorful textiles on the beds.

It’s not quite as fancy as you might imagine legendary director Francis Ford Coppola’s Guatemalan outpost near Tikal might be, but, hidden by rainforest on the shores of Lake Petén Itzá, the natural beauty here speaks for itself. The ten casitas overlooking the clear waters pamper guests in a subtle, ecofriendly way, with carved furniture, colored textiles and two lakeside suites for the ultimate view. After a peaceful night’s sleep, you’re set for exploring the Mayan ruins of Tikal, a 45-minute drive away.

This simply styled, jungle-clad spot in El Remate, 30km (18.6mi) from Tikal, makes the most of its assets, giving every rustic, thatched room its own little patio furnished with wooden chairs so you can enjoy the lush garden views in peace. Don’t expect much in the way of interior embellishments beyond what’s necessary: wooden-framed beds, mosquito nets on the windows and a small kitchenette with dining furniture is what you get. This is a place to let nature do the entertaining – particularly the very vocal howler monkeys that reside nearby.