Best of Guatemala

Constructed in harmony with the colonial style and beauty of La Antigua Guatemala, The hotel is located in the heart of La Antigua Guatemala, just a few steps from the Calle del Arco, which is the Main Street, just 150 meters from the Main Plaza. You can enjoy the sound of the water fountain while walking through the beautiful corridors where you can admire the decoration of the rooms. On the third floor there is a roof top terrace with the best view of the Agua, Fuego and Acatenango Volcanoes which surround the valley.

You will be met at your hotel reception by your private guide to begin your half day walking tour of Antigua. Your tour will cover the cultural, historical and social highlights of this colonial city with a behind-the-scenes look at some of the many ruined churches, convents, and cathedrals. Entrances are included to the Church San Francisco, the Cathedral and La Merced Church. This tour is flexible and if you have specific sites that you wish to see please notify your guide. If you wish to visit other monuments you will need to pay the entrances directly. At the end of the tour your guide can accompany you back to your hotel or take you to a place of your choosing.

Santo Tomas Hotel has the best location - just 2 blocks from the central plaza and market - and is easily the top choice in Chichicastenango. The colonial-era mansion has expanded to a sprawling operation, but still maintains its style and ambience. Several large interior courtyards, common verandas, garden fountains, and assorted nooks tie the whole thing together. The rooms are all fairly large and are outfitted with two queen-size beds, wood furnishings, and a fireplace. There's a large terrace with a pool and separate Jacuzzi, and a gym with steam bath and sauna. The restaurant and bar are both stately and popular. There's a fabulous panoramic view of all of Chichi from the hotel's rooftop terrace.

After breakfast you will be met by your guide who will give you a brief overview of the history of the market. You are then ''let loose'' to shop till you drop. An amazing centre of colours, smells and diversity of locals and shoppers, hours can be spent just taking photos. Be sure to visit the fruit and vegetable market and have a coffee from one of the balcony cafes where great view points are on offer for people watching and photography! At a set time, you will meet with your guide for short walking tour of the historic sites of the town.

Vendors begin setting up portable booths in the main plaza and adjacent streets of ''Chichi'' the night before and set-up continues in the early daylight hours. Outstanding items offered are textiles, particularly the women's blouses. The manufacture of masks, used by dancers in traditional dances has also made this city famous for woodcarving. Much of what is sold is of good quality, but there are also products in Chichi's many factories for the not-so-discerning foreign companies.

Posada de Don Rodrigo Panajachel is located one hour and forty five minutes from Antigua, Guatemala. With a beautiful lake-front view, a stay here will not be soon forgotten.

When English novelist Aldous Huxley visited Guatemala, he referred to Lake Atitlan as "the most beautiful lake in the world". The beautiful lake, as it is seen from Panajachel, Santa Catarina and San Antonio Palopo, has three volcanoes (Toliman, Atitlan and San Pedro), as its backdrop.

Lake Atitlan is volcanic in origin. Its surface is 1562 meters above sea level, although this figure varies somewhat from year to year as the lake rises and falls. The maximum recorded depth is 324 meters but the lake is probably somewhat deeper in parts. It is 12 miles long and between 4.4 and 7.5 miles wide. The total surface area of the lake is 81.25 square miles.

Visits to the Mayan villages of Santiago and San Juan. Afternoon return to Panajachel for a short walking tour.

This eco-friendly hotel offers a restaurant and a bar/lounge. Complimentary wireless and wired high-speed Internet access is available in public areas and an Internet point is located on site. Business amenities include small meeting rooms and audiovisual equipment. Additional amenities include an outdoor pool, a terrace, and multilingual staff.

Tikal National park is a UNESCO protected site. Huge Mayan temples rise above the jungle canopy and monkeys and tropical birds are abundant in the surrounding rainforest. Tikal is among the world's travel wonders, many calling Tikal one of the most spiritually powerful spots on earth. The monumental site with its towering pyramids looms out of the thick jungle canopy like stoic sentinels of ancient mysteries.

Tikal was once a wealthy metropolis of 100, 000 inhabitants and the seat of power for the great Jaguar clan lords. Today, Tikal attracts archaeologists from all around the globe and the wild-life surrounding the ruins makes it a naturalist's dream.

Your tour takes you through the heart of the more than 3, 000 structures extending over six square miles including palaces, temples, ceremonial platforms, ball courts, terraces, plazas, avenues and steam baths.

The Tikal National Park is not only home to an ancient Mayan City. Screeching howler monkeys and squawking parrots provide nature's soundtrack to all visitors in the area. From monkeys to white lipped peccary, brocket deer, coati-mundis, toucans, scarlet macaws, parrots, ocelots; even the seldom jaguar can occasionally be spotted. Along with many vegetation and spices there is also an abundance of tropical flowers.

After the guided tour you have time to explore on your own, possibly summit one of the tall temples or simply reflect on what was once the grand Mayan civilization.