Hotel Casa Perico — Hotel in Lívingston

I almost never write reviews. However I just left Casa Perico and I have to say that staying there was one of the most incredible travel experiences I’ve had the opportunity to enjoy in my life.

First of all, the place itself is completely charming, well maintained, and equipped with everything you need to spend just a night or even a whole week alternating between relaxing in the jungle and exploring Rio Dulce and the surrounding area. It’s impressively built in the middle of a swamp with a series of wooden boardwalks connecting all of the buildings and various other areas. I stayed in a private bungalow with a private bathroom my first four nights; it was incredibly spacious (even larger than what one might think from the pics online!) and had two beds in it, and the bathroom was equally big. My last night there I transferred to a private room that had a shared bathroom. This room also had two beds and would have been more than adequate for most backpackers. (Btw, the only reason I had to switch rooms was that I had extended my original stay of 3 nights to 5 when I realized what an amazing place I had found!) And both bedrooms had plenty of storage space, netting to cover the beds (if you even need it—I didn’t encounter many bugs my whole time there), curtains, and electric outlets. Plus they both had lovely patios right outside where you can chill and enjoy the jungle.

Equally impressive was the level of service. From what I was told, the owner Jonathan had discovered the area when he was backpacking across Guatemala as a young man and given the opportunity to purchase the land and develop what is now IMHO a world class ecolodge. It’s obvious that he has put plenty of blood, sweat, and tears to build both the physical infrastructure and management systems to provide a near perfect lodging experience for travelers. He now runs it with his son Cristóbal and together they, along with the rest of their staff, are literally at the ready to help in any way one needs. Using their advice I was able to plan several days of sightseeing on my own, including the not-to-be missed Finca El Paraiso, and Quiriguá; they also arranged my day trip to Livingston. Each time I was in Rio Dulce and needed to get back to the hotel, they sent their lancha within minutes. And of course they secured my shuttle on to Flores. Plus, on top of all this, they were super friendly and fun to talk with.

Before arriving to Rio Dulce, a common complaint I read in some of the travel blogs was that when staying in ecolodges along the river, one is basically held hostage to eat at your place of lodging, whatever the price and/or level of quality. However, I must tell you that for me, staying at Casa Perico, this was never a concern. The food there was terrific and a great value for the money. For example, I ate breakfast there everyday; most of the time I choose their traditional Guatemalan breakfast that includes portions of eggs, beans, cheese, plátanos, and cream, and is served with tortillas and coffee. It was super filling and usually lasted me until late afternoon. However, know that that have a pretty large menu, which even includes some German and Swiss specialty items (reflecting Jonathan’s background). Other items I tried, including the gulash, pasta with pesto sauce, and bruschetta, were also equally yummy.

If I’m ever back in Rio Dulce, I will definitely stay there again. Jonathan and Cristóbal, thank you again for being such...

Free kayaks to swimming spot. Nice and knowledgeable owner. Food was good and often better value than in town. 10 minute boat ride to Rio Dulce town. No personal food allowed at the restaurant area, but there are tables near the rooms where you can eat your leftovers or snacks. Saw some small turtles in the mangroves and bigger ones at the swimming spot!

It was not easy to relax here for various reasons that I would think I was unlucky with the days I stayed:

While I was resting around 9am, one of the housekeepers came in to change the beds of the 2 others who checked out, sprayed, and mopped the floor. The fumes from the cleaning chemicals were so strong that could not relax and sleep in. I had to get out of the room and wait for it to air out. I spoke to the owner about this and he promised they wouldn't come so early again.

There was a child next door screaming, stomping, slamming doors, biting her mom, hitting her mom and other guests. The staff did nothing about it, except one staff talked to her and we think got scared away. This continued my entire stay except the last night. Many guests got involved, dragging her away from her mom and trying other methods to calm the kid down. She rarely stayed calm for more than an hour or so. I wish they got kicked out for disturbing all the guests during the day and especially late at night. The worst night, she had us awake until nearly 1am (that's the night many guests got involved). Very difficult to have a relaxing stay in the middle of mangroves when there's no enforcing guests to respect other guests.

Could feel some springs in my mattress when I'd lie certain ways, so kept all the bedding over it and used my scarf blanket as my blanket. Another guy said his was fine. Another girl had hers replaced because she felt too many springs and think was better after that, so at least the staff helped with that.

I thought the food was great. I felt full. The prices are a bit higher than other places in Guatemala, but I still found it cheaper than or comparable to many places in...

Exactly what I needed.

After rushing through the Highlands for 3 days to visit Semuc Champey, this piece of heaven was a much welcomed stop.

The area makes your want to slow down and enjoy the sounds of nature, the views surrounding the property and everything else in it. The people are really nice and honesty is key here.

The rooms/houses are super cozy and nice. There is no AC or heat, this is pure Guatemala relaxation, not a super 8. The the second level of the houses is open to nature on the side to let you be one with nature. The showers are nice and warm and a laundry service is offered.

The common area fills up in the evening until about 10pm but yet stays really quiet as this is not a place to party.

You get get the people from Sun Dog cafe to call their boat to come pick you up and the boat is usually there within half hour. The ride is approximately ten minutes. The trip to and from is free but any extra trip to town is an extra 25Q.

I would highly recommend this place if you're wanting to relax, disconnect, take in the sounds of nature and live in the moment, without stress.

I would not recommend of you're looking for a party, want "first world" accommodations or the freedom of walking freely on the...