Possibly the most captivating and best preserved colonial town in Central America, Antigua Guatemala is a must-see for any travel lovers. Plus, its central location between vast volcanos and gorgeous lakes make Antigua the best ‘base camp’ in the area. But with dozens of amazing hotels, how do you choose where you want to stay?
Having stayed in a few hotels in Antigua over the years, I’ve compiled a list of my absolute favorites. Caution: some of the reasons may surprise you. Stay tuned.
Here are the factors you should consider before picking your hotel in Antigua Guatemala:
- Location – Though Antigua isn’t big, you should aim to stay in the central, historic part of the city. There is where you will find most of the awesome food, cute shops, historic streets, and fun that Antigua has to offer.
- Price – Central America is typically very cheap, but Antigua Guatemala is well-known and therefore places tend to be a little more expensive. They’re still overall affordable compared to most hotels in the US or Western Europe.
- Amenities – Most hotels in Antigua include free breakfast, but food in Antigua is very good and tends to be cheap anyways. I’ve had variable experience with the WiFi across different hotels in Antigua.
- Staff – Throughout my two month trip this year across Central America, I always experienced incredible hospitality and genuinely friendly people here. Although every place had great staff, there was one hotel in particular that exceled.
For those looking to save time, here’s a short list of the best hotels and hostels in Antigua Guatemala:
Best Hostel for Budget Travelers: Somos
Best Hostel for Digital Nomads: The Purpose Hostel
Best Hotel for Families: Porta Hotel
Best Budget Hotel for Solo Female Travelers: Barbara’s Boutique Hostel
Best Hostel for Partying: Tropicana Hostel
Best Luxury Hotel: Hotel Casa Santo Domingo
Best Overall Hotel: Good Hotel
For avid readers, here is the comprehensive list of the best hotels in Antigua Guatemala. Here you’ll find all the details you were yearning for and everything you need to ensure an amazing stay in this beautiful city.
Top 7 Hotels in Antigua Guatemala
1) Good Hotel
When we were looking for an affordable, but comfortable hotel after our strenuous 6-hour hike to see the flaming Acatenango Volcano, the Good Hotel didn’t rank particularly high on search sites – despite great reviews all around.
When we arrived, we were in for a shock. As we discovered when we entered out rooms, Good Hotel is more than just a hotel; it’s also a nonprofit. Good Hotel donates its profits to local schools to make sure Guatemalan girls can get an education. This fact immediately beamed Good Hotel to the top of our list.
Good Hotel has simple, modern, and elegant rooms. It was just what we needed. And the attached restaurant had some of the best food we delighted ourselves on in Antigua.
To summarize:
- Location: very central and ideal
- Price: $$
- Amenities: free delicious breakfast, super fast WiFi
- Staff: extremely friendly, great community feel
- Extras: philanthropy, amazing food next door, great beds, and excellent showers
2) Porta Hotel
Though the Porta Hotel is a larger and less ‘quaint’ place to stay, the superb staff are able to retain that friendly, welcoming feel that you would expect at a smaller hotel. There’s a pretty decent restaurant on site where you can get free breakfast, but we enjoyed walking across to Artista de Café for even better food and the best coffee in town.
The rooms are particular charming and fit the antique, colonial feel that Antigua exuberates. As such, we were fully able to unwind and relax, and it was one of our more pleasant stays during our 2-month central America trip.
To summarize:
- Location: only a couple blocks south of the main square
- Price: $$$
- Amenities: free breakfast, fast WiFi
- Staff: amicable and lovely
- Extras: rooms are spacious, cozy, and relaxing
3) Pensativo House Hotel
Pensativo House Hotel is a 4-star, elegant hotel that you can enjoy without having to pay 4-star prices. It’s elegant without being pretentious, has excellent rooftop views on the volcanos, an onsite restaurant with wonderful food, and spectacular rooms. Plus, breakfast is free.
To summarize:
- Location: a little longer walk to the main square
- Price: $$$
- Amenities: free breakfast, fast WiFi
- Staff: very hospitable
- Extras: wonderful rooftop views, gorgeous pools, wonderful architecture and landscaping
4) Adra Hostel
One word: vibes. The Adra Hostel is just a wonderful place to unwind. Occupying an 18th-century Colonial-era house, Adra Hostel is nicely appointed and is phenomenally cute. The onsite restaurant is very hip and serves EXCELLENT food. Plus it has a rooftop!
Great attentional to detail, wonderful design, and the feel of Adra make it stand out as one of the top hotels/hostels in Antigua Guatemala.
To summarize:
- Location: excellent
- Price: $
- Amenities: free breakfast, fast WiFi, rooftop area, incredible food
- Staff: very lovely
- Extras: wonderful rooftop views, very flexible rooms for varying numbers of people
5) Hotel Casa Santo Domingo
Set in a former convent, this grand, Colonial-style hotel is historic in its own. No need to leave the property to learn about the intriguing history of Antigua Guatemala.
Hotel Casa Santo Domingo is a bit pricier than the others, but it’s 100% worth it. You’ll enjoy world class dining, exceptional rooms with incredible views, and true relaxation. There’s even a spa!
To summarize:
- Location: historic on its own, and not far from the main tourist areas
- Price: $$$$
- Amenities: fast WiFi, ruins onsite
- Staff: friendly and welcoming
- Extras: some rooms have balconies/patios with great views, a spa onsite, and excellent restaurant
6) Somos Hotel Antigua
This is the place to go if you’re looking to meet like-minded fellow travel adventurers. It’s truly a no-judgement zone. We’re all just here to have fun! There’s even a hot tub onsite.
To summarize:
- Location: center of town
- Price: $
- Amenities: fast WiFi, full kitchen, hot tub
- Staff: fun, friendly, and awesome
- Extras: yoga, a great place to start activities, an even better place to make new friends
7) Camino Real Antigua Guatemala
Certainly the least expensive 5-star you can stay at, Camino Real combines that wonderful colonial feel with lovely staff, excellent food, a hot tub, and super comfortable rooms.
The only downside is that it’s just a touch far from the main square. By far, I mean about a 15-minute walk. That’s easily made about by all the amenities available on site, including a spa!
To summarize:
- Location: a little further
- Price: $$$ (great value!)
- Amenities: fast WiFi, restaurant, hot tub and pool
- Staff: very friendly
- Extras: a spa, cozy bar area
Here are some awesome articles you should read before heading to Guatemala this year:
10 Reasons I Loved Traveling to Guatemala in 2021
The Ultimate 2-Month Central America 2021 Itinerary
16 Ultimate Tips for Your Next Rental Car in Guatemala
Disclosure: I participate in Expedia’s affiliate program, which means I may receive commissions on bookings made after clicking one of the above links. This is what enables me to keep the website running.
