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22 beds and rooms with or without private bathroom. Electricity was finally installed after
years of making do without it and I am happy to report there are now hot showers and In-
ternet access available. Still, the electricity can be spotty and kerosene lamps are on hand
to provide agreeable ambient lighting after dark. Breakfast and lunch are served 8 A.M.-3
P.M.andconsistofdelicious sandwiches, salads,crepes,andotheryummydishesprepared
byastaffofindigenouswomen.Dinnerisafamily-styleaffairandisathree-coursespread,
including soup and homemade bread, a main course, and dessert. Vegetarian options are
always available. The dinner atmosphere is lively and it makes a great place to meet fel-
low travelers. The crowd is decidedly young. In addition to scuba diving, there are Span-
ish lessons available for $150 per week with dorm accommodations (upgrades available),
a tandem kayak and snorkeling equipment for rent, waterskiing, and tons of board games.
On Saturdays, there's a fun dress-up dinner party where you can eat chicken or veggie bur-
gers and jam to a guitar and drums. If you get bored here, you should probably check your
pulse.
Farther along the lakeshore heading back east toward Panajachel is
La Casa Rosa
(tel.
5803-2531,
www.atitlanlacasarosa.com
,
$22- 35), with modern, clean, and comfortable
rooms with shared or private hot-water bath in addition to two suites housed in bungalows.
An apartment with kitchen is available for rent for $120/week or $350/month. There are
homemade jams and bread in addition to Guatemalan, international, and vegetarian dishes
served inthe main floordining room.Spanish classes are also available for$150perweek.
You might stumble upon a few private villas as you make your way farther east a
few hundred meters to the lovely, American-owned
Villa Sumaya
(tel. 4026-1390,
www.villasumaya.com
,
$60-100 d). There are 16 beautiful rooms, all named after jungle
animals. Some are housed in a thatched-roof complex; others are farther up the hill in sep-
arate cabins. All of the spacious rooms have private hot-water bathroom, warm Guatem-
alan wool blankets, and patios with furniture and lovely hammocks. The rooms up the hill
have mosquito netting and larger bathrooms with tubs, one of which is impressively built
into the side of the mountain with lava rock adorning the semioutdoor shower. There's an
impressive, hardwood-floor and thatched-roof yoga center, which is often booked months
in advance by groups from the United States. Other amenities include a massage parlor,
library, and two hot tubs. The restaurant here is correspondingly excellent, consisting of
vegetarian selections as well as fish, meat, and chicken dishes prepared by two talented
chefs. Delicious baked goods are also produced daily. Breakfast and lunch are à la carte.
Dinner is a set menu served family-style. The outdoor café is housed in a pretty wooden
patio overlooking the lake.
A fabulous addition to Santa Cruz's hotel offerings is
Laguna Lodge
(tel.
7823-2529,
www.lagunalodgeatitlan.com
,
$225-290 d), built in eco-friendly style on the
lakeshore and on its very own 100-acre nature preserve. The beautiful suites feature
