Reserva Natural Ranchitos del Quetzal (Hospedaje, Restaurante, Tours) — Hotel in Baja Verapaz

This is the place to see the resplendent Quetzal and an absolute heaven for birders and nature lovers. It is very hard to see the quetzal at the Biotopo del Quetzal, and going to Ranchitos del Quetzal is a much better option. But there is so much more to this natural reserve than seeing the quetzal. The Guatemalan cloud forest is a truly magical place and there is an easy and great hiking trail at the reserve that takes you through the cloud forest along a river with various pools and small waterfalls where you can take a dip (if you don't mind super cold water). Here you can see beautiful flora and wildlife from frogs and coatis to orchids and so many birds!||||Staying at Ranchitos allowed us to get up early and really take advantage of the gorgeous trails and birding opportunities. I visited with my dad and my son, and this was such an amazing experience that allowed us to really immerse ourselves in nature. It was also a great bonding experience for my son and dad as they hiked and explored together. ||||The rooms were comfortable and clean, and the bathroom had a shower with hot water, which is a real luxury in a reserve in this area. The staff was so, so nice and made us feel quite welcome and the guide was so knowledgeable and made our birding tour interesting and fun. ||||I highly recommend taking the birding tour early in the morning. The night tour is also a great way to see different wildlife that comes out only at night. We saw many different birds, frogs, and a coati. For a small fee (about US $6) you can plant a tree. We loved being able to plant a tree that feeds the quetzals and is planning to come back in a few years and see how our trees are doing. It felt really special to contribute to conserving the quetzal's natural habitat in such a personal way by planting a tree ourselves.||||If you are not staying at the hotel, Ranchitos del Quetzal is on the road from Guatemala City to Coban and only about an hour from Coban, so it's the perfect place to make a stop or a day trip. Be sure to take the birding tour and have lunch at the restaurant.||||The food at the restaurant is authentic and feels like a home-cooked meal. The prices are very affordable, and the portions are good. |||| Some reviewers have noted that similar accommodations can be found at lower prices in Coban. However, the value of staying at Ranchitos del Quetzal lies in the chance to immerse oneself in the natural beauty of the cloud forest. Remember that staying at Ranchitos del Quetzal, eating at the restaurant, or taking one of their tours supports conservation efforts. There are very few places left where the resplendent Quetzal is safe in his habitat, and this is one of them. ||||Note that quetzals are easier to view during certain times of the year but even if you do not see one visiting or staying at Ranchitos del Quetzal is...

This is the place to see the resplendent Quetzal and an absolute heaven for birders and nature lovers. It is very hard to see the quetzal at the Biotopo del Quetzal, and going to Ranchitos del Quetzal is a much better option. But there is so much more to this natural reserve than seeing the quetzal. The Guatemalan cloud forest is a truly magical place and there is an easy and great hiking trail at the reserve that takes you through the cloud forest along a river with various pools and small waterfalls where you can take a dip (if you don't mind super cold water). Here you can see beautiful flora and wildlife from frogs and coatis to orchids and so many birds!

Staying at Ranchitos allowed us to get up early and really take advantage of the gorgeous trails and birding opportunities. I visited with my dad and my son, and this was such an amazing experience that allowed us to really immerse ourselves in nature. It was also a great bonding experience for my son and dad as they hiked and explored together.

The rooms were comfortable and clean, and the bathroom had a shower with hot water, which is a real luxury in a reserve in this area. The staff was so, so nice and made us feel quite welcome and the guide was so knowledgeable and made our birding tour interesting and fun.

I highly recommend taking the birding tour early in the morning. The night tour is also a great way to see different wildlife that comes out only at night. We saw many different birds, frogs, and a coati. For a small fee (about US $6) you can plant a tree. We loved being able to plant a tree that feeds the quetzals and is planning to come back in a few years and see how our trees are doing. It felt really special to contribute to conserving the quetzal's natural habitat in such a personal way by planting a tree ourselves.

If you are not staying at the hotel, Ranchitos del Quetzal is on the road from Guatemala City to Coban and only about an hour from Coban, so it's the perfect place to make a stop or a day trip. Be sure to take the birding tour and have lunch at the restaurant.

The food at the restaurant is authentic and feels like a home-cooked meal. The prices are very affordable, and the portions are good.

Staying at Ranchitos del Quetzal, eating at the restaurant, or taking one of their tours supports conservation efforts. There are very few places left where the resplendent Quetzal is safe in his habitat, and this is one of them.

Note that quetzals are easier to view during certain times of the year but even if you do not see one visiting or staying at Ranchitos del Quetzal is...

Really a mixed bag unfortunately. It started off very poorly but got better. When I arrived there told me that they didn’t have a reservation for me and I could only stay for one night even though I was promised two. After much confusion and back-in-forth basically there was a miscommunication over what’s app and they had put me down for the next month. Eventually the situation was resolved somehow and they let me stay for two nights which I greatly appreciate. Overall it was handled very well and an honest mistake in both of our sides. This could have been avoided though if they had some way to book online or use a third party website. For international travelers who may not speak Spanish well, communicating on what’s app is challenging.

I arrived later than I expected due to the bus at around 6 but by the time I was settled and read to eat around 7 I was told the restaurant was closed and I could not use the kitchen. I then asked for hot water and they provided it and had to eat ramen I had brought for dinner after a very long travel day. I admit again this may have not been their fault but the restaurant hours are listed nowhere. The next day the restaurant was open passed 8 pm so i am not sure what happened but I could help but be frustrated.

Second biggest issue is the WiFi and service. Somehow my room is the only place in the whole property without service (yes even deep in the forest) obviously they can’t control that but they could have provided wifi in the rooms not just the reception area.

Another thing they can’t control but is a con is that the highway is SO loud and 24/7. Maybe plant more large trees between the rooms and the road??

Other than that the people were very nice and the area is beautiful. I saw several quetzals and enjoyed the stay. The food was very good and well priced. I never leave bad reviews and feel bad to do so but some things should be fixed. If they address them I will change the review

Also as a bird biologist it made me cringe a bit that they were feeding the unicolored jays and coati tortillas. That many carbohydrates are not good for wild animals. Maybe just stick to bananas and other foods that are more similar to what they eat in the wild. The coati...