Zephyr River Lodge

The views were breathtaking, and the Semuc Champey tour was excellent. Ellie, Victoria, and Laura really made the stay, though. Their energy brought so much to the lodge, and they were outstanding volunteers. The cocktails they made were a highlight too. Class girls!

The scenery is incredible, and the daytime atmosphere is great. We also had a fun tour, run by locals. Zephyr has the potential to be a really good hostel, but it falls short on some basics. The music was awful and so loud that meeting people was hard. They said there’d be a party, but it was the lamest thing ever, with music nobody could sing or dance to, and it was too loud to play games. There’s a perfect area around the pool for daytime activities, but nothing happens there apart from drinking games. Yoga on the deck would be easy to arrange, and for the price I’d expect a few more things to be included. I found the bar staff and volunteers weird. The bar manager came across as self-absorbed and made several insensitive comments about alcohol poisoning in SE Asia.

The dogs at the hostel were lovely and very chill. I had a good stay, with beautiful views from the pool, common area, and my room. The showers were nice and hot, and I liked using the hot tub in the afternoon and evening. I tried the food and liked all of it, though there’s no kitchen and you can’t bring outside food into the hostel. I also booked tubing and the Semuc Champey trip through the hostel.

Jose was a great guide on the Semuc tour, which was absolutely amazing. The location, pool, and views were amazing too. The beds and pillows felt very stiff and uncomfortable. Tours aren’t guaranteed, which caused a hassle with tubing. I was first told 11:30, then that there weren’t enough people and I’d have to go with another hostel at 2. No big deal, these things happen, but then the 2 o’clock tour was cancelled too. I wish they’d told me earlier so I could’ve arranged something else. You can’t bring outside food, so you’re kind of forced to buy the hostel’s food. It was very good, but a bit pricey.