Isla de Flores Hotel

Flores is a good location for the hotel, right in the heart of town. For a visit to Tikal, though, I'd stay there instead since the drive from Flores takes over an hour. Breakfast was a bit disappointing: we ordered an extra portion of cheese, got a tiny piece, and were charged for it. The pool is very small, so I wouldn't factor it into the decision. The hotel itself is nice.

The staff who looked after us directly were kind, accommodating, and wonderful, and the rooms were beautiful with a good breakfast. It worked as a base for regional trips, but getting everything arranged was a strange and stressful process. We booked months ahead and got only a message saying the reservation was pending confirmation. We couldn't reach the hotel directly, and after many attempts the hotel group eventually confirmed it, but only after a delay. If you have questions, contact the group well in advance. We had also requested an airport shuttle when booking, then learned it needed 48 hours' notice. That's reasonable, but nobody had told us. We paid for a Tikal trip with our reservation, yet the hotel seemed surprised when we arrived. The woman at reception managed to book a tour for the next morning with less than 10 hours' notice. Rubén, our driver there, was incredible and gave us a great introduction to the region and its history. The driver back drove like a bat out of hell. We'd been told breakfast couldn't be booked through the hotel, but on arrival learned we could pay for it. Overall, it turned out fine, though the booking and arrangements were stressful and odd.

We paid $236 USD per night for a Junior Suite in Guatemala, on the first floor, March 2nd. When we switched off the lights, cockroaches came out. I found one sitting in the sink when I got up to use the bathroom and killed it. Two minutes later, another large one was moving along the bedroom wall, so it clearly wasn't a one-time sighting. Reception's response to our report was strangely casual, with no surprise, apology, or refund. They just said, “ok we'll move you.” We were moved to a second-floor room, but by then we barely slept and had to watch our belongings in case we carried the problem somewhere else or brought it home in our luggage. At that price, the roaches seemed to check in before we did.

The people working here were lovely and friendly, as were the Guatemaltecos we'd met elsewhere on our trip. Hotel Isla de Flores and Flores itself felt less warm than other parts of the country. Maybe it's because many tourists come from Belize and can be demanding or don't try to speak Spanish. I imagine I'd be fed up too if I worked in service here. We chose Hotel Isla de Flores for airport shuttles, easy tours to Tikal and Yaxha, breakfast, and the rooftop pool. For low-maintenance travelers without mobility needs, the hotel itself was mostly what we wanted, though I got the impression something was going wrong higher up in management. When booking, I couldn't arrange a Yaxha trip. I did book Tikal for $80 per person, not including the park entrance fee, and was offered breakfast for purchase, which was odd because the website said that wasn't possible. Two months later, our confirmation still said the reservation was pending. I tried calling using a Guatemala number and WhatsApp, and sent messages on WhatsApp and by email. After several hours and a lot of follow-up, we did get replies, but from the Anah hotel group rather than Hotel Isla de Flores. It made the trip feel stressful before we even arrived. If you stay here, follow up in advance, ideally a week before if you're unsure. The hotel group said the airport shuttle needed to be requested 24-48 hours ahead, while the website said 8 hours. The timing was given as a one-to-two-day range rather than a clear deadline, and we had no shuttle when we landed in Flores. They couldn't suggest another driver and told us to take a taxi at the airport. Since other travel advice in Guate warns against doing that, we booked ahead with Josanna at Taxi Flores Tikal and had a GREAT experience. It cost $10 per person. We arrived at 9pm and a very sweet young woman at the desk helped us, including booking a 7am shuttle and tour to Tikal for the next morning. It was surprising that a Tikal trip could be arranged at such short notice when the airport ride couldn't. I had to ask specifically about the tour and the breakfast we'd paid for earlier. She seemed surprised that both had been paid for but no booking details had been sent. That made me think the problem was with management rather than the front-line staff. I also noticed the same young woman working at 9:30pm and again when we got up at 6am. That's not unheard of, but might matter to anyone wondering how staff are treated or scheduled. Hotel Isla de Flores is an okay option, with easy arrangements for a Tikal tour as its main advantage. If you can stay in Tikal itself, do that. The pool is small but pleasant, probably the main draw for kids. Cafe Delirio is attached and has some excellent baked goods and breakfast items.