AC Hotel by Marriott Guatemala City

The top floor lounge has spectacular daytime views, and breakfast was delicious, especially the traditional chuchitos and plantains. Cayala is a lovely, safe district, nicer than most parts of Europe to me, though this is the only hotel in the area. Even so, I would look elsewhere for a trip to Guatemala. From the outside AC Hotel Guatemala City looks new and clean, but the interior lets it down. Reception is oddly on the sixth floor while the rooms are below. The staff were very friendly, though not very helpful, and there was nobody to assist with luggage or parking. The elevators were slow and unkempt. Room corridors were dark, ugly, and musty, worse than a motel hallway and in need of attention. The room itself was clean, more or less, with hardwood floors and no unpleasant smell, but it was very small, with little space to move around or pack. It was clean, but nothing special.

Cayala is a nice area, with plenty of restaurants and shops nearby, and the staff were pleasant. But there were several problems even during our one-night stay. On the day we arrived, the key system was down, so they couldn't program keys. My first room smelled of cigarettes, and I had to ask to move. The replacement room was better, but at 7:30 PM I found that neither the TV nor the phone worked. Other guests on my floor were complaining too. Maintenance worked on it for a couple of hours without fixing it. My understanding is that the hotel has a lot of internet trouble, which is why the room TVs and phones don't work. Management needs to address this. The sixth floor and the elevator were extremely dirty.

The staff made a real effort to make our stay enjoyable, and the General Manager was visible and checked in with us to see how things were going. We had an amazing time at AC Hotel Cayala. The property has exceptional views, especially from the bar's outdoor deck, where we enjoyed coffee or drinks. Being right in the heart of Cayala made dining and shopping easy, and the beautiful church was nearby. The one thing I missed was having a SPA onsite.

Having reception on the top floor, with nobody at street level to help with luggage, felt odd. The room setup probably works for a solo business traveller, but I can't see many couples liking the barn door or the opaque glass around the shower and toilet. The sink and vanity area also has a strange, very open layout.