Viñas Hotel

Thursday is market day for the surrounding area, and the town was especially lively and colorful. I enjoyed trying local dishes that weren’t available in or near Semuc. Having the town right outside made it easy to wander and take in the local scene. I stayed three nights. The atmosphere was casual and clean, and the staff were helpful. They also answered my questions quickly before I arrived. I have no trouble recommending it.

We took the tubing trip on a particularly hot day, and Solomon from reception came along, so we got to spend the day together. Juan was a great guide and kept my friend and me on track down the river. Tubing was so relaxing, and we stopped to hang out at another hotel or resort at the end. Talking with Solomon gave us a local’s perspective on Guatemala, which we really enjoyed. Vinas was very organized, with great air-conditioned rooms, top-notch service, and an excellent restaurant called Zamat Kitchen. It was the busiest restaurant in town, and the food was delicious. We also did the hike to Vinas’ lookout. The view was worth the 20-minute climb. They were friendly, arranged transportation and guided tours, and made our time in Lanquin and Semuc Champey really memorable.

A good place to meet people. The locals at the bar were around and happy to help anytime, and I had a lot of fun with them playing FIFA and chess and putting on music.

There are a few shops nearby, though they’re uphill, and we ate at the hotel restaurant. The private room was nice, and the AC worked fine. For a place in the middle of the jungle, it was about as good as you can get. But the shower had no hot or even warm water. It was raining, so a hot shower would have been welcome. The water heater control kept making a very loud beep every couple of minutes throughout our stay. Staff couldn’t do anything about it when we asked. I think there might have been a way to mute it, but who knows. We slept with earplugs.