7 Best Hotels in Guatemala City, Guatemala

This quiet hotel has been popular with budget travelers for more than 40 years. An attractive, light-filled central courtyard behind the reception area is a nice place to relax. The rooms, all of which face the patio, are quite basic. The staff is friendly and will happily store your extra luggage while you travel around the country.

This hotel has succeeded where few others have by offering comfortable accommodations for a reasonable rate, making it a favorite of Central American business travelers who don't have big expense accounts. From the small reception area you climb a steep staircase to the pleasant but plain rooms, which are fitted out with tile floors and pale-green bedspreads.

It occupies a lovely 19th-century house, but this hotel isn't quite as charming inside. However, the reception area overlooks an enclosed patio overflowing with potted plants, and the lounge is furnished with reproductions of antiques. The rooms all have colonial-style furnishings; some of the larger ones have very nice views.

In a lovely old building, this hotel is a welcome retreat from the frantic pace of the streets outside. The large, elegant lobby has an antique chandelier and a sweeping staircase. The high-ceilinged rooms, though a bit plain, are nevertheless comfortable. If you don't mind the noise, ask for one with a view of 6 Avenida—it's a great way to view the action without having to fight the crowds.

Most rooms here face a peaceful courtyard with cast-iron tables and chairs and lots of greenery. Several on the second floor share a balcony that overlooks the avenue. A small café behind the courtyard is a great place to relax after a day of exploring the city.

The grande dame of downtown hotels, the Pan American opened in 1942, and was for many years the most luxurious lodging in town. To step into the dark-wood lobby of this former mansion is to leave the confusion of the city behind. A covered courtyard with attractive wrought-iron chandeliers spills out from the restaurant, whose servers wear traditional highland dress. The rooms are small but attractive, with tile floors, handmade rugs and bedspreads, and walls adorned with traditional paintings. The restaurant, known for its brunches and its coconut cream pie, is one of the few dining options left in the Old City.

This little jewel of an inn on a quiet side street is exceptional, thanks to the couple that runs it. Built in 1873, the family's former home has been renovated just enough to combine quirky Old World charm with basic comforts. Rooms have tile floors, handwoven bedspreads, and walls decorated with Guatemalan paintings and weavings. Turtles roam the tiny garden, and a small but impressive collection of Mayan artifacts graces the dining room, where meals are served family style. The owners are also a great source of information about the city.