Where to stay in Lake Atitlán: The BEST towns & lodging options!

The top activities you want to do

One of the top things to consider when choosing where to stay in Lake Atitlán are the specific activities you want to do the most. 

If getting out on the water is a top priority, you may want to stay at a place with water access. Want access to lots of restaurants and cafes? Make sure to choose a slightly larger town with more options to choose from. Prefer to relax? Pick a spot with nice hangout areas (and views) to enjoy. 

Also, some activities, like sunrise tours up Indian Nose, only pick up from San Juan, San Marcos, and San Pedro. While it is possible to do this tour from Panajachel, you’ll have to take a 3 AM lancha ride. So if doing this hike is a top priority, we suggest choosing one of the pick up towns.

What vibes you’re looking for

Every town around Lake Atitlán has its own personality and vibe. Some cater to the backpacking and partier crowd. While others are havens for yogis and hippies or offer a more local experience. This can really make or break your experience if you end up in a spot you don’t click with.

Time spent traveling around

Lake Atitlán has 51 miles of shoreline and not all towns are connected by roads. So getting around the lake can take a good amount of time! There are two main ways to get around, tuk tuks and lanchas (boats). You can only take tuk tuks between some destinations, while lanchas can be used to get to anywhere along the lake. The length of time and pricing for these varies, depending on how far you’re going and what method you choose.

So as you plan your time in Lake Atitlán, it’s important to keep in mind how often you’ll need to take transportation. This will impact your schedule (and budget). For example, if you choose a town with less activities and places to eat, you may have to travel to other towns to get food. While other towns, like San Pedro, offer just about everything you need within 10 minutes.

A+K Tip: For safety reasons, we suggest avoiding walking the trails between towns. These have been hotspots for robberies in the past. We hear that the stretch from San Marcos to Tzununa can particularly be risky. But we’d suggest asking your lodging for specific advice for your area!

Good for: Those who enjoy yoga, meditation, and healthier living.

Pros: It’s a small town, yet offers quite a few restaurants, cafes, and shops. We loved the more laid back, nature-y vibe. And it’s a bit more central to all of the best towns on the lake. Plus there are tons of very beautiful places to stay!

Cons: If you’re not into the hippie vibe, you may feel a bit out of place here. Plus it’s a bit hard to stomach the gentrification that has harmed locals. 

Located on the northwest side of the lake, San Marcos La Laguna is known as the hippie town of Lake Atitlán. As you walk the streets you’ll notice a strong whiff of incense, many vegetarian eateries, and businesses offering yoga, meditation, massages, and reiki. 

For some, this environment will be right up their alley and they’ll love it. But if we’re being honest, San Marcos isn’t really our vibe. We aren’t yogis, so the hippie nature of the town isn’t something we personally gel with. And we also struggled a bit with the fact that the gentrification has hurt the local Maya community.

However, it’s not all bad! The town itself has a cool walkway with shops, plus has some great spots to eat, some of which directly support the locals, like Konojel. It also has amazing volcano views and offers great access to the lake at Reserva Natural Cerro Tzankujil. 

Compared to some of the other towns on this list, San Marcos felt the most laid back and relaxing to us. It’s a bit quieter and you’ll have more nature surrounding you. And in our opinion, it’s home to some of the BEST lodging around the lake! You’ll find a good mix of places to stay, from hostels to some very trendy and aesthetic lodges and Airbnbs.

This is where we ultimately decided to stay. And despite it not really being our vibe, we are still glad we stayed here! Our Airbnb was a short tuk tuk ride outside of town, so we were able to quickly hop into town as needed, but also have some space from the hippie vibes. Plus we could easily get to the other towns for day trips!

Hostels

Casa AHAU: This hostel is located near the town of San Marcos itself, making it walkable to cafes and the lancha dock. It features both a dorm, plus a private room (all have a shared shower). As well as free breakfast and a rooftop perfect for hanging out.

Hotels

Eagle’s Nest: This eco resort is one of the most popular places to stay in San Marcos, especially for yogis. It offers an all-inclusive experience, with vegetarian meals and two yoga classes per day included. And amazing volcano views! It does not have water access and requires an uphill walk to get to.

Fuego Atitlán Eco Hotel: For more of a glamping experience, stay at Fuego Atitlán Eco Hotel! The property is located a bit out of the San Marcos town center, making it a more peaceful escape. It features a chalet, cabin, and a handful of canvas tents. All with amazing lake views, as well as access to a kitchen! Most units have shared bathrooms, which feature compost toilets, so it’s a bit more on the rustic side.

Lush Atitlán: Lush is one of the most beautiful properties in San Marcos! Located within walking distance to town, but overlooking the lake, this property has stunning views and very lush terrain. They have some rooms with shared showers, plus more expensive suites with their own full bathrooms. All of the rooms are beautiful, many with wood, brick, and stone accents. There’s also a delicious restaurant if you don’t want to walk into town! The only downside is that there isn’t water access, but you can quickly get to Reserva Natural Cerro Tzankujil.

Good for: Those who want to visit Spanish immersion schools, enjoy partying, or just want to be close to the action. 

Pros: It’s a larger town, so you’ll find more lodging, restaurants, and ATMs here. It’s close to our favorite town, San Juan, as well as some of our other favorite activities. And you can take a shuttle here, which makes it easier to get to.

Cons: It doesn’t have volcano views, which may be a dealbreaker for some. There is also a much bigger party vibe and we hear it can be very loud at night!

San Pedro La Laguna is one of the largest towns along the lake and is known for its backpacker party-vibes. But it’s much more than that! Here you can experience the Mayan culture, spend weeks studying at a Spanish immersion school (you can stay there too!), soak in hot tubs, and hike to Indian Nose.

It is a busier area to stay and the lodging isn’t as garden-like as the spots in San Marcos. But its size does come with a lot of conveniences. You’ll have easy access to tons of great cafes (Tornado’s Coffee) and restaurants (Pita Sabij). Plus lots of tour providers and transportation, with tuk tuks and lanchas to get you around. Just keep in mind that it may be louder at night (music usually stops around 11 PM). So bring ear plugs or try to stay a little further out of town.

We personally liked San Juan La Laguna, which is just down the street, better, as it’s smaller. But San Pedro is, in our opinion, a better spot to stay in, as it has a lot more options. And it still has some of the charm of San Juan, with fun alleyways and colorful murals around town!

Hostels

Mr. Mullet’s: If you want to party, this is your spot. With a bar, different events and parties, the largest boat party in Central America on Thursday’s, plus pub crawls twice a week, you won’t get bored here. And you’ll meet lots of new people! But if you’re like us and not into partying, plus want to relax a bit, this is not the spot for you.

Amigos: For a hostel stay that isn’t as party focused, check out Amigos. While it is in town and there will still be noise, it’s a bit calmer of an experience. They offer both private rooms (with private bathrooms) and dorms, plus a couple communal hang out spaces.

Hotels

Mikaso Hotel: Tucked a bit away from the hustle and bustle of town, Mikaso is a good spot if you want convenience, but a bit more quiet of an experience. The rooms themselves are pretty simple. But the property is very nice and there’s a great terrace to soak up the views! 

Sababa Resort: For more of a resort-vibe, stay at Sababa! This beautiful property is full of tropical plants and truly has a paradise vibe, with an incredible pool. As for the lodging, you can choose one of their private hotel rooms or dorms. Or you can just visit for the day (for a fee) and hang at their pool, plus visit their restaurant, bar, and coffee shop.

Good for: Those who want the most convenience, as it’s a great hub for tours and day trips to the rest of the lake. It’s also great for backpackers, with many hostels and nightlife options. 

Pros: Being the main tourist town on the lake you’ll find lots of amenities, like a good grocery store, plus tons of restaurants and cafes. It’s also where many shuttles drop off, so it’s the easiest area to get to.

Cons: Pana is a lot busier and will have a more urban feel than other places to stay in Lake Atitlán. It is also not a pickup location for Indian Nose, which is one of the best things to do in Lake Atitlán.

Panajachel, also known as just “Pana,” is the main tourist town on Lake Atitlán. Located on the north side of the lake, this is where most shuttles will drop off tourists, marking the beginning of their Lake Atitlán adventure. And while some continue on to other villages, many do stay here, as it offers the most amenities.

Here you’ll find a larger grocery store, coffee shops (we love Café Loco), and plenty of restaurants, including Dao Thai. It also caters a lot to backpackers, so you’ll find a good amount of hostel options.

While there is some nature near town (like Reserva Natural Atitlán), overall Pana is a bit busier and louder. So it doesn’t have the tranquil vibes that some of the other places to stay in Lake Atitlán have. 

But if you’re fine traveling to other towns everyday, it’s still heavily worth considering. Or you could just stay here for your first night, as it’s the easiest to get to from the airport or Antigua. And then head to another village for the rest of your time at the lake!

Hostels

Socialtel Atitlán: In our opinion, this is the best hostel in Pana! The property is very nice, with hang out spaces (great for remote working too!), a nice pool, and a colorful design. They also have a beach bar just a short walk away! You can choose from either private rooms or dorms. But we will say, prices are a tad higher than you’d expect for a hostel, especially if you want breakfast added.

Hotels

Porto Hotel del Lago: This is the largest hotel option in Pana. It has more of a large hotel feel vs. the boutique vibes some other places offer. But if you want to be right in town, have hotel amenities (including a pool), all with a view, this is a solid spot.

Reserva Natural Atitlán: Not only is the Reserva Natural Atitlán an incredible place to walk around, but you can also stay here! They offer a few different rooms, all tucked into nature, giving you quite possibly the most peaceful experience in Pana. The only downside is that it is a tuk tuk ride (or decent walk) from town. And their restaurant isn’t open for dinner, so you will have to head into town for some meals.

Hotel Atitlán: If you want a more natural experience like Reserva Natural Atitlán, but with more amenities, Hotel Atitlán is a great choice! Located close to the reserve, it offers a more traditional hotel experience, with well appointed rooms, plus a pool with a killer view!

Good for: Those who want to experience the most iconic hotel on the lake and plan to spend a good amount of time just relaxing at their lodging of choice.

Pros: The scenery is fantastic, the architecture and grounds are gorgeous, and it’s extremely photogenic.

Cons: You can only reach this hotel by foot or boat, which makes it a lot more limiting to explore. There is also an extra fee to use some of the amenities, which makes the overall cost pricier. And not all of the rooms have private bathrooms, so make sure to book one that does if that’s a priority.

La Casa del Mundo is said to be the most magical hotel on Lake Atitlán. And while it’s not located in the towns above (it’s in El Jaibalito), we couldn’t share about where to stay in Lake Atitlán and not mention it.

What makes La Casa del Mundo stand out is that it’s built into a cliff and is only accessible by boat or on foot. But not only that, the grounds are like a garden, the mixed-material architecture is jaw dropping, plus there is a dreamy hot tub that you can soak in (for an extra fee). It’s picture perfect!

When it comes to the lodging itself, there are quite a few options for rooms. And they are all uniquely designed! Some offer private bathrooms, while others are shared, so keep this in mind as you browse the options. But make sure to book early, as it’s super popular and fills up quickly!

After chatting with friends who stayed here, the biggest complaint is that the costs add up when staying here. While the rooms aren’t overly expensive, you will have to pay for meals, kayak rentals, and using the hot tub. And since it’s in a more remote and difficult to access spot, it’s harder to leave to go get meals or do activities elsewhere. 

But for a night or two, it’s a fun spot to truly soak up the lake’s beauty and relax!