GUATEMALA CITY - Guatemala - page 78

Fri., $90 weekends and holidays). Offering many of the same services as its pricier sister
hotels under the management of the Camino Real chain, Biltmore Express (15 Calle 0-31
Zona 10, tel. [phone], www.caminoreal.com.gt ) offers corporate rates for $65 d, includ-
ing continental breakfast, and has comfortable rooms with broadband Internet. Guests can
enjoy use of the nearby Westin Camino Real's swimming pool, whirlpool tub, and tennis
and racquetball courts for an additional $10 a day.
$100-200
Guatemala City's hippest digs are at Otelito (12 Calle 4-51 Zona 10, tel. [phone],
www.otelito.com , $120-160 d), with 12 rooms all named after local produce housed in a
modern home turned upscale hotel. The decor is minimalist with a different color scheme
in evidence during each of the year's four seasons. It offers chill-out music playing on
the speakers throughout the property, wireless Internet throughout, a business center, and
a book exchange. Movies are shown nightly. A hip, frosted-glass lounge and restaurant
(lunchanddinnerdaily,$7-12)meanyoudon'tevenhavetoleaveyourhoteltoenjoysome
of Zona Viva's best food in a delightful atmosphere.
Roomsfeatureniceartwork,300-thread-countEgyptiancottonsheets,downpillows,air-
conditioning, flat-screen cable TV, hardwood floors, and in-room chill-out music. Some
haveaminifridge.Showersfeaturetemperedglassinlieuofshowercurtains.CheckforIn-
ternet specials on room rates, which include a continental breakfast and transfer to or from
the airport.
Another top choice is the fabulous, 239-room Real InterContinental Guatemala
(14 Calle 2-51 Zona 10, tel. [phone] or 888/424-6835 toll-free U.S.,
www.intercontinental.com , $125-485 d) with a wonderful lobby featuring Guatemalan
paintings and sculpture, a new sushi restaurant, a French café, and boulangerie/ patisserie.
The comfortable, stylish rooms feature in-room Internet access, down pillows, Egyptian
cotton sheets, and flat-screen cable TV. Bathrooms have rain showerheads and the safety
deposit boxes are large enough to accommodate a laptop. Guests have use of an in-room
iPod. There are free airport shuttles and a pleasant swimming pool on a deck overlooking
the city. President George W. Bush and his wife, Laura, spent the night here during their
24-hour visit to Guatemala in March 2007.
French chain Accor Hotels unveiled its Guatemala City property in March 2007. Mer-
cure Casa Veranda (12 Calle 1-24 Zona 10, tel. [phone], www.mercure.com , $100-
150 d) features all the amenities you'd come to expect from a reputable international hotel
chain. Amongtheuniquefeatures oftheproperty's99spacious suites arehardwoodfloors,
Persian rugs, wireless Internet and balconies with fantastic city views; some suites have
full kitchens. The restaurant and bar are top-notch.