Planning a trip to Lake Atitlan? Thinking about which towns and hotels you should stay in? Welcome to your guide to where to stay in Lake Atitlan! Lake Atitlan is one of my favorite destinations for so many reasons. It’s beautiful, safe and there’s so much to do. Around Lake Atitlan, there are also so many beautiful towns, hotels and hostels that appeal to all types of travelers.
Let’s get right into the guide to where to stay in Lake Atitlan, Guatemala!
Where is Lake Atitlan?
Lake Atitlan is located about three hours from Guatemala City or two and a half hours from the popular city of Antigua. There are both public and private transportation options to get from these cities to the lake. Both private and shared transfers are relatively affordable. If you’re traveling with a group of friends, splitting a private transfer is a very affordable option.
When visiting the lake, I recommend staying for at least 4 days. This will allow you to explore the towns, go on some great hikes and take part in some of the many activities that are available – like visiting a chocolate factory, going ATVing and kayaking on the lake.
Private + Shared Transfers to/from Lake Atitlan from Guatemala City
- Guatemala City Airport to/from Lake Atitlan PRIVATE Transfer
- Guatemala City Shared Transfer to Panajachel
Private + Shared Transfers to/from Lake Atitlan from Antigua
How Many Towns are on Lake Atitlan?
There are 11 towns and villages around Lake Atitlan and they are all unique. While each of these towns is beautiful, some offer more accommodations and things to do than others. Two of the biggest tourist towns are Panajachel and San Pedro. Many travelers choose to stay in one of these two towns as they’re home to a wide variety of hotels and activities for travelers. They’re also very walkable without needing to traverse large hills or forest paths.
While you can certainly switch it up and stay in different towns for different parts of your trip, I would recommend choosing one hotel for the duration of your trip. This way, you don’t have to worry about constantly moving your luggage.
Larger Towns to Stay In
Panajachel
Panajachel is, likely, the first town you’ll come to when visiting Lake Atitlan. Usually, travelers will arrive in Panajachel and then take a water taxi to their accommodations in other towns. Water taxis tend to be faster than driving (once on the lake) and some accommodations are only accessible by boat. Many travelers also choose to stay in Panajachel due to its central location, large restaurant selection, great accommodation choices and plethora of things to do. While Panajachel isn’t the cutest town on the lake, it’s certainly convenient.
Hotels + Hostels in Panajachel
- Porta Hotel del Lago ($$)
- Regis Hotel Spa ($$)
- Selina Atitlan ($ – $$ Shared and Private Rooms)
- Dreamboat Hostal ($ Shared and Private Rooms)
Pros of staying in Panajachel:
- Easily accessible from Antigua/Guatemala City and easy access to other towns on the lake
- Great waterfront views
- Great hotel selection
- Good shopping
- Lots of restaurants and cafes
- Access to supermarkets
- Lively, but not a huge party town
Cons of staying in Panajachel:
- Not as quaint as many nearby villages
San Pedro
San Pedro is another large town on the lake that is a favorite with tourists. Like Panajachel, San Pedro has great accommodations, restaurants and offers a variety of things to do.
In many of the small towns, you’ll often need to take a boat from Panajachel to access your accommodations, however, to get to San Pedro you’ll have other options. From both Antigua and Guatemala City, there are public and private transfers that will bring you right to the center of town. This means you won’t need to take a water taxi or private boat to access the town.
In addition to fun daytime activities, San Pedro is known for having great nightlife. Some locals and travelers call it a party town, but in San Pedro you can definitely party as much or as little as you want.
Hotels and Hostels in San Pedro
- Mikaso Hotel ($)
- Sababa Resort ($$ Shared and Private Rooms)
- Luxury Atitlan Suites ($$)
- Amigos ($ Shared and Private Rooms)
- Some say it can be loud at night, due to the location on a busy street.
Pros of staying in San Pedro:
- Easily accessible – direct transfers from Antigua and Guatemala City
- Great hotel and hostel selection
- Great for backpackers
- Great shopping and local activities
- Lots of restaurants and cafes
- Access to supermarkets
Cons of staying in San Pedro:
- Considered to me more of a party town (this can be a pro or a con, depending on your travel style)
- Not as cute and colorful as some other nearby towns
Smaller Towns to Stay In
Many of the towns on Lake Atitlan are small and some are less touristy than others. While all of the towns on the lake are beautiful, staying in a small town is an entirely different experience than staying in a larger, more touristy one. To start, many of the small towns will have fewer restaurant options, there may not be grocery stores, and, of course, there will also be less to do.
However, some of the small towns offer it all – they’re beautifully decorated and offer a lot to do. The most notable town that checks all these boxes is definitely San Juan La Laguna.
In terms of other small towns on the lake, there are also stunning accommodations. However, in towns like Santa Cruz, these hotels are often very secluded and not easily accessible to a town center. Therefore, every time you want to leave your hotel, you’ll need to take a water taxi or private boat.
While for some people this isn’t an issue, I didn’t love staying in hotels in Santa Cruz. I’ve stayed at three, and while they were all beautiful, every time I felt a little isolated and trapped. I definitely prefer to stay somewhere where I can easily walk into town for dinner, coffee or for a fun activity or experience.
If you do want to stay in one of the smaller towns, I recommend San Juan La Laguna or San Marcos.
San Juan La Laguna
San Juan la Laguna is so cute and colorful and it has a great selection of restaurants, shops and things to do. It’s not as large as San Pedro or Panajachel, but it definitely offers more for tourists than most of the smaller towns on the lake.
San Juan La Laguna is one of my top favorite towns on the lake and one I definitely recommend. You can visit women’s weaving cooperatives, art galleries, shop for local products, hike and also eat at a variety of local restaurants.
Hotels in San Juan La Laguna:
Pros of staying in San Juan La Laguna:
- This town is so beautiful and colorful
- Great shopping for artisan items
- Lots of things to do
- Great cafes and restaurants
- Walkable
Cons of staying in San Juan La Laguna:
- You’ll likely need to take a water taxi from San Pedro or Panajachel
- Most private and shared transfers pick up from those towns and not San Juan La Laguna
- Not as many hotel options
- Specifically, there’s not a good selection of nicer hotels
San Marcos
San Marcos is much loved by the expat community and is considered by many to be a “hippie-town.” While this town is very small, there are hotels located in the town itself, therefore you can walk to restaurants, coffee shops, yoga classes, etc. San Marcos is known for its spiritual retreats and these attract many travelers to the town. From Antigua there is a direct transfer to San Marcos. From Guatemala City, you’ll need to take a transfer to Panajachel (or San Pedro) and then take a boat to San Marcos.
Transparently, San Marcos is not the town I would choose to base myself in, but I also am not a huge fan of yoga or wellness retreats. However, just because this town isn’t the best for me, doesn’t mean that it’s not a great option! I will say, San Marcos has some of the most beautiful (and most expensive), accommodations on the lake.
Hotels in San Marcos:
- Lush Atitlan ($$)
- El Dragon Hotel ($-$$)
- Kula Maya Boutique Hotel and Spa ($$$$)
Pros of staying in San Marcos:
- Great accommodations
- Luxury options
- Great for those seeking a relaxing retreat
- Access to cafes and restaurants
- Walkable
- Direct transfers from Antigua
Cons of staying in San Marcos:
- Accommodations tend to be more expensive
- Less to do
- Popular with the US expat community
- This can be a pro or a con (prices are typically higher)
Santa Cruz
Finally, for those who really want to get off the beaten path, choose one of the stunning hotels in Santa Cruz la Laguna. Some of the most luxury accommodations in Santa Cruz are only accessible by boat – or walking on a path through the woods (this is true!). I recommend doing this just for a night or two, as it does limit your access to the other towns on the lake, unless you have a private boat driver lined up.
Hotels and Hostels in Santa Cruz:
- Hotel La Casa del Mundo ($$)
- In the nearby town of El Jaibalito.
- Lake Front Suite at Los Elementos
- Laguna Lodge ($$$$)
- This hotel is seriously gorgeous – but definitely pricey.
Pros of staying in Santa Cruz:
- A few beautiful accommodations
- There are some activities in town
- Kayaking
- Weaving workshop
Cons of staying in Santa Cruz:
- Very steep hill to access the town from the boat dock
- You can take a TukTuk for an adorable price
- Few restaurants
- Less to do
- You can see the whole town very quickly
- No supermarket
- More isolated
Fun Things to do in Lake Atitlan
Be sure to check out my post all about the best things to do in Lake Atitlan, but while you’re here, these are some tours and experiences that I absolutely recommend!
Fun tours in Lake Atitlan
- Guided Sunrise Hike of Indian Nose (starting point: San Pedro La Laguna, San Juan La Laguna or San Marcos La Laguna)
- Coffee Tour (starting point: San Pedro La Laguna, San Juan La Laguna or San Marcos La Laguna)
- Lake Atitlán Sunset ATV Tour (starting point: Panajachel)
- Lake Atitlan ATV Villages Tour (starting point: Panajachel)
- Lake Atitlan Two Town Tour by Boat with a Guide (starting point: Panajachel)
FAQ: Where to Stay in Lake Atitlan?
- Which Lake Atitlan town to stay in?
- San Juan La Laguna is my favorite town on the lake. It’s walkable, quaint, beautiful and offers a lot to do. However, there are limited options for higher-end, or mid-range hotels in the area. Because of this, I recommend staying in San Pedro. It’s a larger town that offers a lot to do, great access to other towns and a good selection of accommodations.
- Where to base in Lake Atitlan?
- Both San Pedro and Panajachel are larger towns with direct transfers from Antigua and Guatemala City. In this towns, you’ll be able to easily take boats to nearby villages, partake in great activities, enjoy local shopping and eat at great restaurants and cafes. These towns also have a great selection of hotels.
- How many days do you need at Lake Atitlan?
- Four days, in my experience, is the perfect amount of time to spend exploring Lake Atitlan. In this amount of time, you should be able to do and see most of the major activities/attractions on the lake.
- Is it OK to swim in Lake Atitlan?
- Generally, yes. I’ve been told the water quality is “safer” near the smaller towns due to less pollution. The lake is usually around 70 degrees and often you’ll see people swimming, paddle boarding and enjoying water activities on the lake.
- Is Lake Atitlan safe?
- Generally, Lake Atitlan is considered to be very safe and one of the safest places in Guatemala. You’ll be totally safe walking around the towns, taking part in activities and exploring the lake. That being said, use common sense. For early morning or isolated hikes, always go with a guide. After dark, walking in populated areas is safe, but avoid isolated areas or walking alone very late at night. Don’t bring/wear anything very flashy or extremely valuable.
In Conclusion…Book Your Trip!
So there you have it! When thinking about where to stay in Lake Atitlan, think about the size of town you want and what you’d like to have close by. For a larger town with a lot to do, San Pedro or Panajachel are great options!
For a smaller, colorful town that’s very tourist friendly and packed with activities, San Juan la Laguna is a great way to go! Or, if you’re looking for a spiritual retreat in an expat friendly small town setting, San Marcos is likely the best spot for you.
If you have any questions please leave a comment below or DM us on Instagram, @twosistersabroad. Thanks so much for reading and enjoy your trip to Lake Atitlan!
Other Lake Atitlan Posts to check out:
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♡Kate
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