Hotel Santana

I was sick with a fever and had to shower in cold water, which was miserable. I couldn't find a hot shower, and it seemed that was as warm as the water gets. The breakfast didn't help much either: very few choices, mostly the same eggs and avocado served in different ways. During my 15 days traveling in Guatemala and Belize, even hostels with shared rooms and bathrooms felt more comfortable than Hotel Santana. The rooms here are basic and smelled strongly of cleaning products, perhaps to cover a moldy smell. Staff had trouble helping me and didn't speak English. I tried my best in Spanish, but it felt like they weren't making an effort to be understood. If you're after a relaxing stay with hotel comforts, I definitely wouldn't recommend it.

Watch out for bedbugs. We stayed in a triple room in August 2025, and both of my friends were badly bitten overnight. We even found a large bug, full of blood, on one of the beds. We left right away. The hotel never offered compensation, an official apology, or a follow-up check.

We spent hours at the restaurant and café. Both were lovely, and the staff were very understanding when someone in my group felt unwell, letting us stay as long as we needed. There are two menus, so ask for the local one if you'd like more choices. The prices are the same on both.

The disco nearby made the whole hotel shake, walls included, from 8pm to 1am. I recommend staying in town instead of on the island. I speak Spanish, but communication was still difficult, and the Guatemalan accent could be hard to follow. It may be especially tough if you don't speak Spanish. The free breakfast was good and came with coffee, but there was no juice. They charged 20 pesos for two small bottles of Coke, and the room Wi-Fi kept dropping out.