Central Hostel

Simple, basic, and clean, with a quiet, calm feel that still made it easy to meet other travelers. The staff were kind and helpful. I arrived very early after a 5am bus from the lake, and they gave me breakfast and coffee before check-in. The same-day laundry was handy before Acatenango, and since it was done in-house, I didn’t worry about anything getting lost. My whole backpack fit in the locker.

My favorite part of Central Hostel was its partnership with Barco Expeditions, which runs the Acatenango hike. I booked the tour through the hostel, and it was the best price I found. The tour was incredible, and after talking with people who booked elsewhere, I felt ours was better as well as cheaper. The dorms were comfortable, and I had some of my best nights of sleep in Guatemala. The price was great for the accommodations, towel service, fast internet, and delicious free breakfast. It also had a good balance of social time and privacy. The location was ideal, with the whole town and the lookout hike just a short walk away. The staff were amazing, friendly, and genuinely excited to have us there. The front desk was helpful, everyone spoke English and Spanish, and they did what they could to make the stay a great experience. Central Hostel is the best place to stay in Antigua.

The friendly staff are what make Central Hostel. Sandra, who runs it, was so lovely and helpful, and arranged Colombian sweet cinnamon tea and pastries in the evening. Along with breakfast, that gave us a nice chance to chat with other guests, and I met some really great people. I stayed at a few hostels in Antigua, and this was easily the best, and one of the nicest I’ve stayed in Guatemala. I checked in three separate times after trips to Lake Atitlan and Acetenango, and they kindly stored my bag while I was away. The location is a short stroll from Antigua’s historic center. Facilities were great and clean, including sturdy, comfortable pod beds with privacy curtains, sockets, lights, and lockers. There’s a great kitchen, hot showers with good pressure, a sunny, peaceful courtyard, and generous breakfasts with pancakes, cereal, fruit, tea, and coffee. I understand they can arrange tours and shuttles, though I didn’t need those. It’s good value and feels like a calm home away from home for enjoying beautiful Antigua and nearby activities. I hope I can come back one day.

We’d been walking around looking for our next place after a disappointing hostel when the kind staff welcomed us, showed us the clean, beautiful hostel, and answered all our questions. That was enough for us, we booked right there. Each time we came in, we were greeted with smiles. The rooms and kitchen were clean, and there was a lovely covered patio and courtyard for reading or meeting people. Breakfast was a tasty buffet with pancakes, fruit, cereal, and coffee. They stored our bags while we hiked Acetenango, and after checkout they let us keep our bags there and use the kitchen before our night bus. It’s a little farther from central Antigua, but still accessible. I’d absolutely recommend it and stay again.