Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
international chain hotels and resorts. It's possible to tour the country entirely on either
end of the budget spectrum. There are certainly plenty of options in between, as well as
the more recent development of attractive ecolodges in areas adjacent to pristine natural
areas.Campingisalsoanotherfairlycommonalternative,particularlyatthenationalparks,
thoughRVhookupsarestillvirtuallynonexistent.Thegovernmentleviesa12percentsales
tax in addition to a 10 percent tax that goes to INGUAT (Guatemala Tourist Commission),
bringing the total to a whopping 22 percent. Most of the budget and many of the midrange
hotels include these taxes in the prices they'll quote you, but this is not the case in higher-
end accommodations.
Inpopulartouristareas,you'lloftenbeapproachedby
comisionistas
offeringtofindyou
aplacetostay.Thesepeopleworkwithlocalhotelsandarepaidcommissionsforeachper-
son they bring to a particular property. Usually, the places they work with aren't the best
deals in town since they have to pay these people, an expense that simply gets added to the
room rates. Also, more reputable hotels with good clientele and favorable word of mouth
are rarely the kinds of places that would need the services of these freelancers.
Guatemala is a major stop along the Central American backpacking circuit, so it's no sur-
prise that there are a plethora of low-budgethotels to choose from. Many of these are
hos-
pedajes
or
pensiones
with very basic rooms run by local families. The rooms at the most
basic places may all be on a shared-bath
(baño compartido)
basis. This is particularly the
case in some of the very remote mountain villages in the Western Highlands region. The
next-highest level in comfort consists of rooms with private bath
(baño privado).
A re-
cent trend in areas with heavy tourist presence is the establishment of excellent
hostales
(hostels), where several travelers share dormitory-type bedrooms and bathrooms. Antigua,
Copán, Guatemala City, Flores, and Cobán, to name a few, have some excellent hostels.
Thekeythingtolookforwhenscopingouthotelswithbargain-basementpricesisclean-
liness. All of the hotels recommended in this guidebook pass the cleanliness standard, as
there are some budget hotels that are truly filthy. I'm all about making my dollar go as far
as possible, but I draw the line here. If you do end up staying in a hotel room of question-
able cleanliness, break out the sleeping bag. It's always a good idea to pack one along if
you're traveling on a budget. Rooms in the highlands tend to suffer from mold problems,
so keep this in mind if you're susceptible to this. For rooms in tropical areas, make sure
there is a fan, preferably a ceiling fan, as this will make for a much more restful night's
sleep.
Another consideration in budget hotels is the quality of the mattresses. Definitely check
this out, as the quality of beds varies widely. In some tropical areas beds might consist of a
