Las Lagunas Boutique Hotel — Hotel in Flores

Pros:

Staff (especially restaurant staff) was extremely kind and efficient. They always went out of their way to make sure we had a great meal. The hotel truly is beautiful and the setting is incredibly unique. The rooms, whenever the AC and internet were working, were very comfortable. If it weren't for the several AC and internet issues we had, this would have been a 5-star experience worthy of the price we paid.

Cons:

AC - Unfortunately, we checked in on what was likely one of the hottest days of the year in Flores, and neither of the two rooms we checked into had working air-conditioners. The area suffers from constant power outages (from the government energy provider), so the hotel has the back-up generators kick in to ensure no power interruption. So far, so good. The issue is that the hotel recently replaced many of its AC units with devices that will switch off for 10 minutes or longer each time there is a power outage. According to staff, this system was put in place to prevent the devices from burning after so many outages. The problem for guests is that this results in the AC effectively not functioning for the majority of the day. On a 110-degree weather day, this is simply unacceptable, especially for a hotel that presents itself as 5 stars. My family and I had to spend the entire first day of our stay reaching out multiple times to staff asking to fix the issue, after each instance where they claimed it had been resolved, only for us to find the AC switching off again. The staff also was clearly frustrated at our requests, rather than offering their deepest apologies and committing to having the problem fixed, which should have been their response the first time we reached out. Because we had no internet in our room either, we ended up having to walk to the front desk multiple times, including the last time at midnight, when the issue was finally fixed.

Internet - The second big source of frustration was the internet, which simply was not working at all in either of our rooms. Each of the many times we reached out to staff, their only response was that they had technicians looking into the issue, but this went on for the entire 3 nights we stayed there. Half of our group ended up opting to move to a different room where the internet was working. The lack of internet meant we could not use our hotel phones to call reception or use the TVs...

As a self proclaimed snob who works in the luxury travel industry I can say with 100% confidence that this place is a hidden gem in luxury travel. The could easily charge twice as much for the nightly rate and it would still be a steal. Me and 2 friends stayed in room 16. We enjoyed nightly sunsets, mornings listen to the howlers and only 1 other room was beyond ours an on a separate walkway so no one ever walk past our room. It easily slept 3 adults and we never want for a thing.

The ENTIRE staff memorized my name (I assume based on my passport photo but really I am not sure) by the first morning and asked my 2 friend’s name and never forgot them. Elmer, Alex, Minor, Evrit and all the staff in training and others I am forgetting to name are pros.

Some things not to miss which are included in the stay is 1) the monkey island tour. I live in Costa Rica and see monkeys on a daily basis but seeing how the staff know their names and their stories and how the monkeys wait for them at 10AM every day to deliver some fruit is really special 2) the museum is also free and really very nice. It is small but quite stunning for a personal collection 3) room service is included in your stay. Don’t feel like getting up for breakfast, they will bring it to your room. Want coffee in your room every morning? No problem. There are no absorbent room service fees. 4) free airport pickup and drop off but they also drop us off at our next hotel on Island Flores at no cost.

Beyond the free services, the food and wine are wonderfully curated and prices very fair. We stayed for 4 nights but could have easily spent a week eating only at the restaurant on site. DO NOT skip the French toast for breakfast. Best of my life!

We also did the Tikal tour through the hotel. It was very much worth it. Our guide was extremely knowledgeable and the driver was very safe, something you can’t say about many drivers in Guatemala.

I’ll be coming back...

My stay at Las Lagunas was spectacular. In addition to the beautiful premises and the complimentary Monos Island tour, I experienced the full-day guided visit to Tikal. You must ask for Sergio Raúl when you book your trip at the front desk. I learned so many fascinating facts with Sergio! Having visited Machu Picchu, Palenque and Chichén Itzá, Tikal surpassed all my previous encounters with pre-colonial American life. With lower crowds and a spread out surface, Tikal keeps giving: from its lush trees (ramón, chicle, ceiba, among others) to its ruins, temples and bunkers, the site must not be missed. Sergio made the visit so entertaining that I did not realize the hours spent at Tikal. We arrived with full sun and clear skies and departed with an epic heavy rain and thunderstorm, so be prepared and bring water-resistant shoes and a rain poncho. Even with the deluge, this was the highlight of my Flores visit. Giovanni was our driver. Thanks for your generosity, company and knowledge!! ||Back at the hotel, breakfast is abundant and solid. I enjoyed fresh papaya juice, local coffee, freshly baked sourdough bread and the local breakfast dish (eggs, fresh cheese, refrito and local sausage or chorizo). I also recommend the Petenero tropical (granola with fresh fruits- safe to eat) and the French toast. For dinner, I tried the Pipián, and the Blanco. Elmer, Alex, and Héctor at Las Lagunas Restaurant and Luis at the front desk treated me like a princess. Chela and Payaso are also on my mind. ||For those who are reluctant to travel to Guatemala due to media reports, be aware that you will be under the great care of Las Lagunas. My sunrise and sunset memories will remain an unforgettable souvenir of this heavenly land. I was really happy to visit Guatemala and do hope to come back....