Hotel Paraiso

The family running the hotel made me feel right at home, and I’d happily come back. It was one of our best stays in Guatemala so far. They cleaned every day, and you could ask to have your room cleaned without paying extra. Breakfast came with eggs, pancakes, and banana, and the shower always had hot water. We had a great stay!

We thought booking four beds together in a four-bed dorm meant we’d have the room to ourselves, so we could talk comfortably and keep our things secure. Instead, they split us between a two-bed room and a three-bed room with a stranger. There weren’t any lockers for our belongings either. When we pointed out that this wasn’t what we’d booked, the staff member said it “doesn’t matter,” since a dorm is a dorm no matter how many beds you reserve. He got aggressive and told us to either cancel or stay, then said he didn’t want bad reviews online. When we kept saying the booking was wrong, he even threatened to call the police if we didn’t cancel. Totally unacceptable. The rooms by the bathroom smelled, and if you’re upstairs you have to go outside and down the stairs in the rain to reach it. The staff weren’t friendly, and the stay wasn’t what we booked. Save your money and book somewhere else. Wouldn’t recommend.

The breakfast was great, and the room was fine for what it cost. Getting a good night’s sleep was hard, though, with fireworks going off much of the day nearby. The garden’s a nice place to relax, but stray animals come in and poop there, so watch where you step.

Basic and simple, with a small but tasty breakfast. The staff spent most of their time on their phones and didn’t seem too concerned about guests. In five months of travelling, this was the first hostel that wouldn’t give me a bucket when I asked so I could wash a few socks and a T-shirt.