About this hotel
General information
Casa Palopó occupies a former private villa on the hillside above Lake Atitlán, just outside Santa Catarina Palopó. Its terraces, pool and wide windows face the water and three volcanoes – Tolimán, Atitlán and San Pedro. There are only fifteen rooms, set in the main house and around the pool, with a separate three-suite villa and its own pool on the hill above.
No two rooms are alike: walls in deep blue, terracotta, yellow or lavender, hand-woven Guatemalan textiles, restored antique furniture, paintings and murals. The main house keeps a library and terraces with loungers, and the kitchens cook largely with produce from nearby farms and the hotel’s own greenhouse and gardens.
Location
The hotel sits at kilometre 6.8 on the road from Santa Catarina Palopó to San Antonio Palopó, above Lake Atitlán, about 5 km from Panajachel. Guatemala City’s international airport is 3–3.5 hours away by car, and the hotel arranges private transfers on request. There is a helipad on the property.
Spa
Saq’Ya’ is a small spa on the hillside above the lake with two private treatment cabins. The menu covers relaxation and deep-tissue massages, a hot obsidian stone massage, a hot herbal compress massage, a massage combining tui na, shiatsu, acupressure and stretching, a body scrub with a volcanic clay wrap, a facial, and a face and scalp treatment with gua sha. Rooms with a bathtub can order a prepared bath at a time of their choosing.
Sports & leisure
Most of what there is to do revolves around the lake and the hotel’s gardens.
- Kayaks and stand-up paddleboards, plus foil boarding guided by the hotel team.
- Yoga by the lake with local teachers.
- Birdwatching, either on your own with binoculars or with a guide.
- A sunrise hike up one of the peaks above the lake.
- Stargazing evenings with the hotel’s telescope.
- A tortilla-making session, Guatemalan afternoon tea with pastries, and private candlelit dinners.
- An in-room painting kit, and breakfast made with eggs gathered from the hotel’s own coop.
Restaurants & bars
Two restaurants take different routes to contemporary Guatemalan cooking, alongside an honesty bar by the pool and an open-air bar at the villa.
- Palopó 6.8 – an intimate dining room in the main house looking over the hills and the lake; seasonal menus built on local produce for breakfast, lunch and dinner, with room service
- Kinnik – a lakeside restaurant cooking over open fire, with dishes served family-style for sharing; brunch on Sundays
- Pool bar – a self-service honesty bar with lake views
Swimming
The outdoor infinity pool, lined with loungers, is solar-heated, so the water runs cooler in the colder months. Villa Palopó has its own infinity pool built in volcanic stone.
Pets
Pets are not accepted.
Rooms
Fifteen rooms and suites of 15–48 m² are spread between the main house, the pool area and the villa above; each has its own name and decor, and almost all look out over the lake. Rooms are for guests aged 10 and over.
Each room has an en-suite bathroom, hairdryer, bathrobes and slippers, free Wi-Fi, a telephone, minibar and safe, and most also have a sitting area and desk.
San Lucas Deluxe
A sunny room in the main house with yellow walls and hand-painted tiles, a queen bed plus a single bed, a sitting area and a terrace facing the lake; shower. For two guests.
San Juan Deluxe
A terracotta-toned room in the main house with a queen bed, local artwork and a terrace looking at the lake and volcanoes, complete with an open-air bathtub; bath and shower inside. For two guests.
San Marcos Deluxe
A terracotta room in the main house with a king bed, fine wooden furniture and a private terrace over the lake; shower. For two guests.
San Andrés Deluxe
A bright, pale-blue room by the pool with a floor-to-ceiling glass wall, a king bed and a balcony with a wide built-in bench looking over the volcanoes, lake and garden; double vanity. For two guests.
San Rafael Deluxe
A sky-blue room by the pool with a king bed, a large sliding door and a mountain-view balcony that connects to San Andrés; double vanity and separate WC. For two guests.
San Francisco Superior
A garden room by the pool in warm yellow under a dark wood ceiling, with a queen bed and a lake-view balcony; separate WC. For two guests.
Santa Catarina Master Suite
A suite in the main house with deep-blue walls, antiques and Guatemalan art, a king bed and a large terrace with a sofa and sun loungers above the lake and volcanoes. Up to three guests with an extra bed.
San Antonio Suite
A suite in the main house with yellow walls, period furniture and a king bed; the large terrace faces the lake and volcanoes, and the shower has a lake view too. Up to three guests.
San Pablo Junior Suite
A junior suite in the main house with bold blue walls, original paintings, an armchair, writing desk and king bed, and a generous terrace with a table above the lake. Up to three guests with an extra bed.
Santa Clara Suite
A lavender-toned suite with warm wood, a king bed facing the lake, a living room with sofa and a balcony; a sliding door opens to a bathroom with bath, shower, double vanity and separate WC. Up to three guests with an extra bed.
San Pedro Junior Suite
An open-plan junior suite by the pool in soft pink and orange, with a king bed, sitting area and lake-view balcony; separate WC. For two guests.
Santiago Junior Suite
A junior suite by the pool with teal walls and blue tiles, a king bed facing floor-to-ceiling windows and a balcony turned towards the volcanoes; separate WC. For two guests.
Tolimán Suite
A mustard-toned suite on the villa’s upper level with marble floors, a king bed, a lake-view terrace and a bathroom with bath, shower and a mural of flowers and hummingbirds. Up to three guests with an extra bed.
Atitlán Master Suite
A villa suite with deep-blue walls, restored vintage furniture, murals, a king bed and a terrace; the bathroom leads out to an open-air tub facing the lake. Up to three guests with an extra bed.
Cerro de Oro Master Suite
An expansive villa suite with burgundy walls, carved antique furniture, a king bed, a separate sitting room, two terraces and a freestanding tub facing the lake. Up to three guests with an extra bed.
Villa Palopó
The whole hilltop villa, 150 steps up a stone path from the main house: the Tolimán, Atitlán and Cerro de Oro suites with king beds and lake-view tubs, a lounge with dining area and kitchen that the chef and butler can serve, an open-air bar, a gazebo with a fireplace and a volcanic-stone infinity pool. For six guests, or up to nine with three extra beds.
Photos are for illustrative purposes only. Actual room layout, furnishings, décor, views and amenities may differ from those shown and may vary between rooms of the same category. Hotel and room descriptions are based on information provided by the property and are believed to be accurate at the time of publication, but are not guaranteed. The hotel may renovate or change its rooms, facilities, restaurants and services at any time without notice. The final details of your stay are confirmed at the time of booking. See our Terms of Use.