Great eco-ho(s)tel in a beautiful garden: Eco-hotel MayAchik
MayAchik is an eco ho(s)tel located in San Juan La Laguna, Atitlan where you can enjoy a peaceful retreat in a natural environment. Are you looking to escape the hustle and bustle of the cities and popular tourist destinations around lake Atitlan and prefer the simple beauty of nature? Then MayAchik is the place to overnight. This post will tell you why.
Location of Eco-Hotel MayAchik
Eco-hotel MayAchik is located in San Juan La Laguna, one of the cleanest towns around lake Atitlan, famous for its artists and murals that can be admired all over town. The hotel is located outside of San Juan’s centre. It is a perfect location where you won’t get disturbed by noisy chicken busses or other traffic. From the boat dock, it is only a short walk of approximately 15 minutes to the hotel, or a Q5 tuk-tuk ride if you are feeling lazy.
About Eco-Hotel MayAchik
MayAchik’ means “Mayan Magical Dream” in Tz’utujil. The hotel is an ecologically constructed natural place, enjoyed by people from all over the world. Different local natural materials such as adobe, stone, wood, and palm leaves are used in the construction. As part of the aim of self-sustainability the hotel is not only using solar panels to supply energy and hot water, but is also reducing the water consumption by using dry compost toilets, that were surprisingly not as smelly as expected and very well maintained. Eco-hotel MayAchik is a place where you can appreciate full contact with nature.
Rooms of Eco-Hotel MayAchik
Eco-hotel MayAchik offers 6 different room types, all built from ecologic materials; a private bungalow with 3 double beds, a private bungalow with 2 double beds, a private bungalow with 1 double bed and 1 single bed, a small round bungalow with a double bed, 2 private garden rooms with a double bed, and a shared dormitory with bunk beds, a double bed, and a single bed.
I was spending the weekend in a private garden room with double bed, called Libelula.With the check-in you pay a Q 50 key deposit. The room was clean and pleasant with a comfortable bed with mosquito net, wardrobe, table, chairs, and complimentary strong WiFi. There is no television.
If you are afraid of insects, this is not the place to be. Since all rooms are built from ecological materials, you will meet some spiders and other small creatures. Also in your room… but it is nice that a mosquito net accompanies the bed, so you can sleep without any concerns about the insects entering your bed. The shared bathroom was outside, just around the corner of the room. The decent compost toilet in the bathroom was surprisingly not as smelly as expected and very well maintained. The hot shower, using water saving systems and solar energy, was also surprisingly warm and nice to use. Just outside the room, in the lovely garden, were several hammocks where you could relax.
Facilities of Eco-Hotel MayAchik
The garden of eco-hotel Mayachik is great. You can find fragrant and flavorsome herbs and vegetables, that are used in the restaurant menu, several fruit trees, and lots of flowers. Some of them are accompanied by a Spanish and English description.
Throughout the garden, you can find plenty of hammocks to relax and a traditional Mayan sauna (temazcal) to sooth your body with aromatic and curative herbs. The sauna only costs Q 50 per group (maximum 10 people) or you can use their special deal on Sunday, where you can enjoy the sauna including pizza for only Q 10! (visit eco-hotel MayAchik’s Facebook page for the current offers).
There is also a shared kitchen on the property available where you can prepare your own dishes or make a coffee in the morning. The kitchen is equipped with all cooking materials and complimentary water.
The hotel also offers different options to explore the local culture of San Juan or to explore the nearby nature. You can for instance go on a coffee or birdwatching tour, learn about the local crafts, medical plants, and weaving, or hike to the Indian Nose or San Pedro volcano. Next to these ‘general’ tours, MayAchik also works closely together with a poor community that needs your help. As a guest, you can get involved by donating, volunteering your time and skills, or participate in a guided hike to visit this community.
Food of Eco-Hotel MayAchik
MayAchik’s restaurant offers a wide range of delicious vegetarian and vegan dishes for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and dessert. The breakfast includes lots of fresh fruits and the local hot chocolate is a true recommendation. The restaurant is cosy and features some local products for sale. It sometimes just gets a bit chilly in the evenings, because the shutters are usually open. Keep in mind that the restaurants precisely close at 20.00, so be in time if you want to enjoy your dish without rushing. While there might not be many guests, you don’t have to be afraid to sit alone in the restaurant. On the property, you can find 4 very sweet cats and 2 friendly dogs, that sometimes walk by the restaurant.
Prices of Eco-Hotel MayAchik
Hotel MayAchik is a good place for travelers with a small to customary budget. Rates differ between 70 Q (around € 8,00) and 300 Q (around € 34,00) per room/bed, per night. Prices are excluding breakfast. You can book via Booking.com.
Overview of Eco-Hotel MayAchik
This overview provides a summary of my stay at eco-ho(s)tel MayAchik. The different aspects are ranked with stars. One star is very bad and five stars is very good.
Location: **** (4)
Room size: *** (3)
Room attributes: *** (3)
Bathroom: *** (3)
Breakfast: **** (4)
Facilities: *** (3)
Price – quality: **** (4)
Address and contact details of Eco-Hotel MayAchik
Eco-Hotel MayAchik
Colonia La Esperanza
San Juan La Laguna
07017 Solola, Guatemala
(+502) 4218-4675 / Contact@mayachik.com
https://www.mayachik.com
Follow eco-hotel MayAchik on Instagram!
Summary of my stay at Eco-Hotel MayAchik
Eco-hotel MayAchik is a great place to escape the hustle and bustle of the cities and popular tourist destinations around lake Atitlan. It is ecologically constructed and surrounded by a lovely garden where you can relax in hammocks. As part of the aim of self-sustainability the hotel is not only using solar panels to supply energy and hot water, but is also reducing the water consumption by using dry compost toilets. MayAchik’s restaurant offers a wide range of delicious vegetarian and vegan dishes for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and desserts. It is a place where you can appreciate for a good price full contact with nature! If you want to know more details about my stay, please leave a comment.
NOTE: This post is sponsored, but contains my personal and honest experience!
Author: Daphne
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