Laguna Lodge Eco-Resort & Nature Reserve

The Laguna Lodge is on the lakeshore of the legendary Lake Atitlan and exclusively nestled in its own nature reserve. Entry into this Mayan world begins by boat. In a privileged setting our luxuriously natural boutique hotel commands sweeping views over azure waters to a trio of dramatic volcanoes.

Inspired by nature and created from volcanic stone, adobe and palm our spacious lakeside suites are individually appointed with comfortable hand hewn king beds, fine linens, intricate woven textiles and indigenous antiques.

In the evenings our award winning Zotz restaurant is bathed in golden hues from a large stone fireplace and antique candelabras, a romantic ambience for a fine dining experience.

After the days tours and adventures enjoy a dip in the hot river rock spa pool and be pampered with a relaxing body treatment offered at our Hummingbird spa. Relax at the lava bar or lakeside pavilion and watch the surreal sunset turn into a star studded night.

The Mayan highlands are rich in culture and the lodge’s indigenous staff look forward to offering you a unique and memorable experience! – Utz Ipetik! Welcome!

The Jaguar Suite

The Jaguar suite with adobe walls and wood floor is individually decorated with a four poster king bed, large wrought iron chandelier and a high exposed pole ceiling.

Adorned with fine linens, intricate woven textiles, artifacts and artwork this suite has spectacular views from the bedroom, en-suite and balcony. Among the furnishings is a lounge chair with ottoman, marble topped night tables, carved bedside lamps and indigenous antiques.

The terracotta en-suite features green marble in the double shower and vanity with hand painted twin artisan basins. Botanical toiletries, oversized towels and bath robes are provided.

Sliding glass doors maximize views and join the room to a large private balcony with slate floor and a palm roof, lounging furniture, stone writing desk and a coffee tree. The mini bar offers organic wines, chocolates and nuts. Enjoy complimentary drinking water, fresh floral arrangements and our nightly turndown service.

The Tecun Uman Suite

The Tecun Uman suite with adobe walls and wood floor is individually decorated with a hand hewn wooden king bed, wrought iron wall sconces and an exposed pole ceiling. Adorned with fine linens, intricate woven textiles, artifacts and artwork this suite has spectacular views from the bedroom, en-suite and balcony.

Among the furnishings is a lounge chair with ottoman, marble topped night tables, carved bedside lamps and indigenous antiques. The terracotta en-suite features green marble in the double shower and vanity with hand painted twin artisan basins.

Botanical toiletries, oversized towels and bath robes are provided. Sliding glass doors maximize views and join the room to a large private balcony with slate floor and exposed pole ceiling, lounging furniture, stone writing desk and a coffee tree.

The mini bar offers organic wines, chocolates and nuts. Enjoy complimentary drinking water, fresh floral arrangements and our nightly turndown service.

The Kucumatz Villa

The Kucumatz Villa is 1500 sq/ft and has an adobe finish with wooden floors and exposed beam ceilings. Individually decorated its decor includes indigenous antiques, wrought iron and crystal chandeliers, weaving and artwork.

The first level has a king bed and the second level has a king bed and double bed. It has spectacular views of the lake to the volcanoes from both levels.

Two en-suites feature Guatemalan marble and hand painted artisan basins. Botanical toiletries and organic cotton bath robes are provided. The mini bar offers wines, chocolates and nuts. Enjoy complimentary drinking water, fresh floral arrangements and our nightly turndown service.

Dining at Zotz

Zotz is a full service international lakefront restaurant which serves fine Eco-Cuisine with distinctive flavor and quality from natural foods. Our award winning culinary team constructs rich, delicious and flavorful meat-free cuisine with exotic pizzazz.

Fresh organic vegetables, greens, herbs and eggs are harvested daily from our gardens or are procured from local farmers. Succulent fruits come from the nearby Pacific Coast. Each season nature offers a new palette to create dishes. Native herbs and flowers are foraged from the mountains of our reserve.

Candle-light dining with sweeping lake and volcano views create a surreal ambience. Cooler evenings are warmed by a large river stone and jasper fire place.
The stage is set – the lake amphitheater is in surround 3D – the sun descends to the underworld – a celebration of the night begins at the Lava Bar!

A fine selection of imported wine, beer and spirits from Guatemala and around the world are served with a smile! Try the house special, the Molten Lava cocktail made with Guatemalan rum, organic carrot and apple juice while relaxing in the lakeside sunset pavilion.

Local fishermen in hand made wooden canoes can be seen on most days. We also offer alfresco dining in one of the outdoor pavilions or private dining on your balcony.

Particular attention is given to dietary requests. We roast our own famous organic shade grown highland coffee, picked from the lodge’s gardens. Selections of breads are baked in house daily.

Restaurant review from Explore Magazine: The resort’s Zotz restaurant offers haute organic cuisine and the lava bar serves exquisite cocktails made with the freshest ingredients. First class facilities and top of the line services come together at Laguna Lodge

The Spa

• Massages – In the Hummingbird spa using pure essential organic and natural oils. Blissful treatments include Swiss, Thai, Deep Tissue, Hot Stone, and Reflexology
• Manicure and pedicure – Using effective and luxurious botanical products with natural, organic and wild crafted ingredients
• Fitness – Work out in our mini gym. Water activities include kayaking, canoeing and swimming. Walk and jog on the hotel’s mountain trails
• Adventure – Hike a volcano, scuba dive, paraglide and jump off a cliff into beautiful Lake Atitlan
• Yoga & Pilates – With our private instructor, to nurture body, mind and spirit in our palm thatched pavilion overlooking the lake
• Meditation – Peaceful and nurturing contemplation with our private instructor

Native health and adventure spa treatments are carefully selected to maximize your wellbeing, lulled by the sound of the lake’s waves you will enter a universe of peace and harmony. Situated in the tropics at 1,565m (5135ft) above sea level the highland climate is temperate and healthful. The land of eternal spring!

Laguna Nature Reserve

Where the limit is nature’s imagination. This beautiful and mountainous land begins at the lake front of Laguna Lodge and sprawls behind the lodge to escarpments and high altitude tropical dry forest.

Laguna Lodge is the gateway to 100 acres of safe walking on this bio diverse land. Situated in Tzantizotz which in local Kaqchikel is Point of Bats, it begins at the lakes edge at 1,565m (5135ft).

The top of the reserve is at 1,963m (6,440ft) with some of the last remaining primary forest on the lake. On some days the top is bathed in clouds. Well maintained paths for every fitness level traverse old Mayan trails. Palm thatched resting pavilions offer panoramic views of the entire lake.

The trails encompass large cliffs and ancient Mayan ceremonial rocks. To protect the biodiversity of this unique ecosystem native flora is replanted. Organic coffee is grown on the lower slopes of the reserve.

Bird watchers will see a plethora of birds many of them being endemic. For sports lovers there are rock cliffs for rappelling and cliff jumping. Swimming is safe and deep and the lake can be explored with kayaks, canoes, fins and masks.

An interpretation room may be visited before setting of on the trails. Private Nature Reserves of Guatemala have been documenting the flora and fauna on Laguna Reserve. The reserve is also home to the Belted Flycatcher which is Near Threatened.

Laguna Lodge’s Logo is the plumed serpent, called Quetzalcoatl in ancient Nahuatl and Q’ukumatz in Quiche. This represents the resplendent Quetzal which from a distance looks like a bright green snake flying through the air.

The feathers of the Quetzal were worn by the ruling elite as a sign of there association with the god Quetzalcoatl. In Mayan mythology Quetzalcoatl is the god of nature, life, light, maker, heart of the lake and sea.

The Quetzal was named a symbol of conservation by pioneer Guatemalan conservationist Professor Mario Dary Rivera. In 1979 he created the first quetzal reserve in the virgin cloud forest of Baja Verapaz. He was assassinated while protecting what was left of the nation’s natural habitat.

Activities & Tours

Discover the most beautiful lake in the world with our customized tours and activities.

Adventure

• Boating around the lake and visiting the villages
• Kayaking/Canoeing along the shores
• Paragliding from a mountain top
• Mountain biking from Tecpan to Panajachel
• Horseback riding through coffee and maize fields
• Hiking San Pedro volcano 3hrs up – 2hrs down
• Zip-lining from Panajachel or Santa Lucia
• High altitude Scuba diving in Santa Cruz
• Golf at La Reunion near Antigua.

Nature

• Birders will enjoy the abundant bird life and biodiversity of Lake Atitlan
• Visit Laguna Lodge nature reserve to see the Belted Flycatcher
• Tarrales nature reserve day trip for spectacular birding to see the Horned Guan
• Atitlan nature reserve with many hanging bridges and streams
• Hikes through the volcanic Sierra Madre mountains
• Guided walks around the lake shore
• Coffee plantations may be visited to see picking of the coffee fruit to processing and coffee sampling.

History & culture

• Santa Cruz Village – you can visit the oldest church on the lake, and see our local village just 20 minutes walk from the lodge
• Santiago Atitlan – This is the largest indigenous town, with its 500 year old church, and their unusual patron saint Maximón
• Archaeological museum Lustre in Panajachel displays ceramic pots and burial urns found below the lakes surface
• Ancient ruins of Iximche in Tecpan
• Colonial churches from the 17th Century may be visited in many of the villages
• Each of the 12 villages around the lake has its own unique dress, traditions and festivals
• Mayan rituals are performed by shamans
• La Antigua Guatemala – Day trip to the UNESCO protected colonial city and once a capital of Guatemala
• Learn Spanish and Kaqchikel.

Arts, crafts & collectibles

• Panajachel has a large range of highland handicrafts including jade jewellery
• Santiago has a wide range of weavings, paintings, beadwork and carvings
• Santa Catarina Palopó – Famous weaving on back strap looms and unique painting style
• San Juan La Laguna – Has a co-op making local handcraft and textiles using traditional techniques and natural vegetable dyes
• La Galeria, original artwork by well know local artists in Panajachel
• Chichicastenango – Well known for its colorful handicrafts at its Thursday and Sunday markets
• Solola market is a working traditional market. Tuesdays and Fridays
• Central markets in all villages have various crafts

Voluntourism

• Volunteers are welcomed in educational and medical projects

Conservation

To aid in the achieving of the United Nations Millennium and Sustainable Development Goals by protecting and conserving assets of nature and culture through sustainable tourism.

To provide a luxury, low volume authentic eco lodge which stewards cultural and biological diversity preservation by integrating sustainable, environmental and socially responsible development and management.

To promote tourism to our destination and maximize benefits to our Mayan community. To mitigate our effect on global warming and move further to becoming carbon neutral.

To convey a better understanding of climate change and individual carbon/water footprints. To inspire sustainable, healthy and peaceful lifestyles.

Website: www.thelagunalodge.com

Rooms: 8

Price: from 251 EUR per night