So far, there are only a few luxury hotels in Guatemala that will please picky international travelers used to the best facilities and service. The nascent Guatemalan tourism industry is just finding its feet. The bulk of the places to stay are interesting converted mansions with a strong sense of place, so you'll seldom be slumming it no matter where you go, but it's not so easy to find superlative hotels at any price.

Surprisingly, the tourist magnets of Tikal and Lake Atitlan have not attracted an investor willing to swing for the fences and build an impressive hotel that would stand on a level with those getting all the attention in Mexico and Costa Rica. We have reviewed the best inn close to Tikal, Francis Ford Coppola's La Lancha, on the shore of Lake Peten. We're still waiting for the right one to come along at Lago de Atitlan.

The Spanish colonial city of Antigua is where all the action is now. The traditional upscale choice of Casa Santa Domingo is joined by two smaller hotels that have moved the bar higher: Panza Verde and Posada de Los Leones. With new visitors streaming in by the planeload these days, we expect them to get some company in the coming years.

We are not including a hotel from the capital of Guatemala City. It is simply a transit stop for most visitors and the routine international chain hotels located there do not do anything to rise above the expected.

Antigua Luxury Hotels

Guatemala City Luxury Hotels

Tikal Luxury Hotels