Hotel Ixbalanque — Hotel in Guatemala City

The hotel I'd originally reserved for last night didn't have my reservation, and the only room near the airport was at this hotel. Check in was fine, but the room had only one outside outside window which actually looked out into a tiny area, and two other windows in the lobby could see into my room if it weren't for the blinds. The room smelled so strongly of cleaning solvents (everything was still soaked with it) that my throat closed up and I started coughing uncontrollably. I had to put a face mask on and open the room door, and turn on the fan to try to air out the room while I repacked my bags. 90 min's later it was a little better. When I returned later that afternoon, I had to once again prop open my room door and turn on the fan. There was no air circulation in the room. The one little outside window didn't have a screen so I couldn't open it. I had to give up my privacy for three more hours just so I could breathe without a face mask. The worst part was the next morning, at 4:50 a.m., when I had told the clerk I'd be checking out and would need the suitcase he was storing for me, I had to ring the doorbell three times over the course of five minutes to try to wake him up. I finally had to knock hard on the door. After he gave me my suitcase, he then told me THREE TIMES to go wait OUTSIDE for my ride. The first time he said it, I told him I was waiting for my driver. He still insisted I wait OUTSIDE. There is no way in holy hell I'm going to wait on the street in Guatemala City at 5:00 a.m. It was infuriating and a completely unsafe instruction. This was an awful experience from the first moment to the last. It doesn't even...

You really can walk to the airport from this location!||All of the rooms are different, not every room has a computer but at least one does. The internet was fast and free. I stayed in the small room in the courtyard and loved it. Instant coffee is available in the dining room, 24 hours. One employee speaks a little English. No shuttle to the airport, but it's easy to walk out to the gate and catch a taxi.||Location cuts both ways -- it is close to the airport -- but that's it. No restaurants, no shops, no grocery. There is a small bakery just outside the gate to the Colonia Aurora but if you turn right, go to the corner, turn right, walk to the end of that block and take another right there are two bakeries...much more selection! A small Tienda just inside the colonia gate offers cold soft drinks, snacks, and some of the basics.||What makes this hotel stand out though is the staff! Front desk was always very helpful; ask for the book of menus and they will call for you to arrange food delivery. The kitchen staff was very good...even the reconstituted milk and juice were acceptable...but I loved the eggs, pancakes, and even the cold cereal and toast were better than usual. ||If you are walking from the hotel, instead of turning left toward the gate, take a right and walk a block or two and you'll see a really nice craft shop, good prices and some beautiful wood work!||Don't miss Rex! Rex is a 3-foot long iguana who lives in the shrubbery in the courtyard. He absolutely loves...

I have nothing negative to say about this place EXCEPT, despite what their desk staff and website indicate, they are NOT pet friendly. When we arrived in Guatemala, the van driver picked us up on time, our reservation was there and we paid what we were told we were going to have to pay when we first booked (which is always a nice surprise while traveling in Latin America) Our room was super clean (not very spacious) and the place has couches. ||||Unfortunately, upon arrival, it was discovered that the staff expected our cats to stay in their carriers the entire time. I explained to the day manager that the carriers are intended for temporary transport, and cats need to get out and stretch like any other animal (!). She said okay so long as they stay off the bed. My husband and I laid our sleeping bags on the bed so as to prevent fur from getting on the covers as our cats are used to sleeping with us. Thus ensuring they did not get on top of the bed was not a possibility. It was just a very frustrating experience because despite their insistence that they accept pets, their understanding of animal needs is ill-informed thus creating unrealistic...