Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
erty offering rooms with all the standard amenities as well as fully equipped suites. There
are a restaurant and a swimming pool.
Food
Turning right after the Chiquimulilla Canal bridge (coming from the mainland) into the
beachfront part of town, you'll find
Rancho Costa Grande,
a popular place with a varied
menu that is predictably heavy on seafood. All of the other recommended places to eat
are in the hotel properties. The best restaurant in town is hands-down that of
Turicentro
Martita
(tel. 7888-4848).
Getting There
Buses to Puerto San José leave Guatemala City's bus terminal every half hour or so. It's
also possible to arrange a private transfer with almost any travel agency in Antigua.
Chulamar
West of Puerto San José, Chulamar is home to many of the weekend vacation homes of
wealthyfolksfromGuatemalaCity.Hereyou'llfindoneofthePacificCoast'smostluxuri-
ouslodgingoptions,builttosatisfythedemandsoftheGuatemalanelite.The
Villas del
Pacífico
(tel. 2277-7777,
www.villasdelpacifico.com
), formerly a Radisson property, is a
huge all-inclusive resort complex on a clean private beach with all the feel of an Acapulco
beachside megaresort. Although it's popular on weekends, you may just have the place all
to yourself if you visit during the middle of the week. There are two swimming pools and
a variety of dining options. Double rooms start at $160 per room per night, all-inclusive,
Sunday- Thursday or $200 on weekends. There are also deluxe suites and bungalows for
$300 and $400 a night, respectively. You can get a day pass to enjoy the swimming pool
and the hotel grounds for $50 per person, a popular option with cruise-ship passengers.
Many of the sailfishing outfits also accommodate their clients here. Transport to the hotel
isavailable fromGuatemala City andAntigua with priorarrangement. Itssister hotel isthe
Villa Antigua.
Juan Gaviota
Juan Gaviota, a huge planned community spanning 15 kilometers of beachfront located 12
kilometers west of Puerto San José, is the newest enclave of Guatemala's elite and has all
the feel of a Miami subdivision. The first of several construction phases encompassing this
ambitious project is Marina del Sur, which features a central clubhouse with a restaurant
fronting the Pacific Ocean, in addition to swimming pools, tennis courts, soccer fields, and
beach volleyball courts. Juan Gaviota is equipped with a boat marina, and future plans call
for a golf course, timeshare condos, and hotels. A few homes are available for rent. The
best place to look for beach villa rentals in this neck of the woods is on the website of
