About this hotel
General information
Hotel Museo Spa Casa Santo Domingo is built into the excavated ruins and restored wings of the colonial Convent of Santo Domingo in the historic centre of Antigua Guatemala. A small door from the street opens onto stone arcades, courtyards and gardens, with the walls of the former church and cloister woven into the hotel itself. There are more than 130 rooms and suites, 26 of them SPA Living rooms with direct access to the spa, and every one is dressed with work by local artists and Guatemalan textiles.
The hotel doubles as a museum complex, with six permanent museums and two galleries of changing exhibitions set among the guest wings. Colonial paintings and sculpture from the 16th to the early 19th century, silverwork of the same era, Classic-period Maya pottery and stonework, contemporary art glass and an old Guatemalan pharmacy are open to guests every day, while the archaeological area leads through the nave of the former church and the cloister, with a replica of its original fountain. On a hillside outside town, the hotel’s Santo Domingo del Cerro park adds gardens with views of three volcanoes, more museums and galleries, and a restaurant.
Location
The hotel stands on 3a Calle Oriente in the historic centre of Antigua Guatemala, a colonial city on the UNESCO World Heritage list, 25 km west of Guatemala City. Santo Domingo del Cerro park lies 1.5 km from the main building. A daily scheduled shuttle bus, at an extra charge, runs between the hotel and Guatemala City’s international airport.
Spa
The spa spreads across indoor and outdoor spaces, with a sun terrace, a relaxation pool, jacuzzis, wet and dry saunas and a beauty salon; meals from the restaurant are served here and in the SPA Living rooms. Massages include holistic and deep-tissue work, reflexology, lymphatic massage with an exfoliation, a prenatal massage with cacao butter, a chocolate massage with a brown-sugar scrub, warm jade stones, a four-hands massage and a couples’ massage finished with a soak in a hot tub of salts. Body treatments run to a honey, sesame and milk massage with a milk bath, a sea-sand scrub with a ginger and white-clay wrap, a banana-leaf wrap and exfoliations; facials include a classic European facial, a collagen mask and a back cleanse with steam. The spa and its services are for guests aged 18 and over.
Sports & leisure
Much begins within the hotel walls, and the tour desk at reception arranges the rest.
- The museums, galleries and archaeological area of the convent, explored at one’s own pace; part of the route is open-air.
- Santo Domingo del Cerro park: gardens looking out to Volcán de Agua, Volcán de Fuego and Acatenango, museums and galleries of Guatemalan artists, and the Circo del Aire zipline.
- Guided walks through old Antigua Guatemala: the Central Park and its colonial palaces, the cathedral ruins, the street of the Santa Catalina Arch, and the façades and interiors of the old churches.
- A hike up Pacaya volcano (about three hours on foot) and a demanding full-day climb of Acatenango through farmland, cloud forest and alpine forest.
- Guided trips to the archaeological site of Iximché and to Tikal, the Maya city in the forests of the Petén department.
Restaurants & bars
Breakfast, lunch and dinner are served daily; the kitchens work with local produce, and sommeliers choose the wines, sparkling wines and cocktails.
- El Refectorio — the main restaurant: signature international cooking with Guatemalan touches and meat and fish from a Josper charcoal oven, plus a Sunday brunch of international and Guatemalan dishes and a weekend afternoon buffet of Guatemalan cooking
- Bar Cabildo — a cocktail bar for classic, modern and house cocktails
- El Tenedor Del Cerro — the restaurant at Santo Domingo del Cerro park: international dishes with a Guatemalan accent, a Josper grill, a wood-fired oven, fresh pasta and a broad wine list
Swimming
The hotel’s heated main pool and jacuzzi lie open to the sky among palm trees and are lit up in the evening; guests who arrive before check-in can leave their luggage and freshen up at the pool. A separate relaxation pool is part of the spa, alongside the jacuzzis and the sun terrace; like the rest of the spa, it is open to guests aged 18 and over.
Pets
According to the hotel’s website, dogs are welcome in line with current public-safety rules; the conditions are best confirmed with the hotel in advance.
Rooms
More than 130 rooms and suites occupy the former convent wings on the ground and first floors; most have a fireplace and a terrace or balcony. The 26 SPA Living rooms have direct access to the spa and are for guests aged 18 and over.
Every room has work by local artists and Guatemalan weavings, Wi-Fi, a TV with cable or satellite channels and room service; most also have a fireplace.
Estancia Tradicional (Standard)
A ground- or first-floor room with a fireplace and a terrace or balcony, usually with two double beds. For two adults, or two adults and two children aged 13 or under.
Estancia Tradicional With Jacuzzi (Standard with Jacuzzi)
A first-floor room with a king-size bed, fireplace, jacuzzi and a terrace or balcony. For two adults.
Estancia Ejecutiva (165) Standard Executive
A one-of-a-kind ground-floor room: a bedroom with a king-size bed under a low vaulted ceiling, a fireplace and a spacious bathroom with a jetted tub and shower; it has no terrace, balcony or window. For two adults.
Estancia Ejecutiva (267) Standard Executive
A one-of-a-kind room on two levels: the entrance and a living room with fireplace above, and a spiral staircase down to a bedroom with a king-size bed. For two adults.
Standard Executive (223)
A one-of-a-kind room on two levels: the entrance and a jacuzzi above, and below a bedroom with a king-size bed, a sitting area with sofa, a fireplace and a balcony overlooking the archaeological area. For two adults.
Estancia Conventual (Junior Suite)
A ground- or first-floor junior suite in two parts: a sitting room with a small dining table and a terrace or balcony, and a bedroom with a fireplace and either a king-size bed or two double beds. For two adults, or two adults and two children aged 13 or under.
Estancia Conventual de Lujo (Suite Deluxe)
A ground- or first-floor suite with a spacious sitting room and small dining table, and a bedroom with a fireplace and one or two beds; some have a terrace or balcony and a jetted tub or jacuzzi. For two adults, or two adults and two children aged 13 or under.
Estancia (One King Bed & Jacuzzi)
A suite with one generous space taking in a bedroom with a king-size bed, a living room, a small dining area and a fireplace, plus a jacuzzi; each has its own character. For two adults.
Estancia (Sauna & Jacuzzi)
A first-floor suite with a bedroom with a king-size bed, living room, small dining area and fireplace, a jacuzzi, wet and dry saunas and a terrace with sun loungers. For two adults.
Estancia (Two Beds & Jacuzzi)
A first-floor suite in two parts: a sitting room with a small dining table and a jacuzzi, and a bedroom with two double beds and a fireplace. For two adults, or two adults and two children aged 13 or under.
Spa Living - Estancia Tradicional (Standard)
A ground- or first-floor room with direct access to the spa, a fireplace and a terrace or balcony. For two adults aged 18 and over.
Spa Living - Estancia Conventual (Junior Suite)
A junior suite linked to the spa by a small bridge, with a sitting room and a bedroom with two beds and a fireplace, on the ground or first floor. For two adults aged 18 and over.
Spa Living - Estancia Conventual Deluxe
A ground-floor suite with direct access to the spa: a sitting room with a small dining table and a bedroom with a king-size bed, fireplace and jacuzzi. For two adults aged 18 and over.
Spa Living - Estancia (Suite)
A spacious ground- or first-floor suite with direct access to the spa: a bedroom with a king-size bed, a living room and a fireplace, each suite with its own character. For two adults aged 18 and over.
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.