Location
San Marcos is a tiny little village perched above the rising waters of Lake Atitlan (Lago de Atitlan). As well as the pristine vista’s many visitors come here for spiritual experiences including meditation, yoga, astrology, Mayan ceremonies etc.
Buildings in the village are connected by a series of small garden paths, so it is useful to have a torch at night.
To get to the hostel, disembark the boat at San Marcos, walk 20 metres up the path and take the first left hand path with the signs for the pyramids. Follow the path through the trees and it will take a sharp left directly to the hostel.
To lay your head
The hostel is made up of a series of brand new brightly, coloured cabins with twin or double beds. The beds are comfortable and the rooms are very cute and adorned with local art, there is also a house in the back that is available by the room.
Eating
The hostel has a full restaurant and bar in front with 2 menus packed full of healthy and delicious options. There is an extensive tapas menu and surprisingly a huge gas fired pizza oven, the pizzas are divine and there are plenty of options for vegetarians.
Make sure you try the Kombucha a fermented drink that is great for detoxification and the elimination of parasites. As well as the health benefits it tastes pretty good too!
The owner also has a more upmarket (yet surprisingly cheap) restaurant “Fe” a 5 minute walk from the hostel into the village. The meals here are large, delicious and great value and the breakfasts are excellent.
Activities
San Marcos is a place to relax and soak up the beauty of the natural surroundings. Many come here for spiritual awakenings in the form of retreats, courses and meditation. In the high season yoga classes, massage, sauna’s, psychedelic cookies, metaphysical discussions are all on the cards. Donations and volunteers are welcome to assist in the soup kitchen that feeds 60 people 5 days a week.
Rock jumping
Walk 10 minutes around the lakefront from the hostel and you will find a quiet park (cost?) with plenty of places to sit and ponder the beauty of the lake. If you are feeling a little more adventurous try jumping from the “trampolin” which is a wooden platform about 12 metres above the cool clear waters of the lake.
Wifi
The Wifi was due to be installed at time of print although Wifi in the area is slow and limited. An Internet café is only 5 minutes walk away with reasonable access (unless it rains!).
We say
Brand new, with great and friendly management, this is the best budget option in San Marcos La Laguna. The cabins are comfortable and custom built and extremely good value at $15 a night for 2 people.
Many people head straight to San Pedro, but if you are looking to avoid the touristic experience and relax this is definitely away the place to be.
The facts
Accommodation type: Private cabins for 2
Price: $5 to $12 per night per person
Web Address: www.hostelsanmarcos.com
Phone Number: (+502) 3009 5537
Email: hostelsanmarcos@gmail.com
Want more from Guatemala?
- Video review: La Iguana Perdida, Lake Atitlan
- Who we meet at Lake Atitlan
- Who we meet: Tikal and Flores
As well as capturing stories of inspiring people who are making a difference to their communities, her passion is to help people find a way to do the things they love for a living.
- The Ultimate Barcelona Travel Guide – Discover Barcelona Like a Local! - October 17, 2017
- Travel Tips: How to find Vegetarian Restaurants - October 26, 2015
- Dealing With Car Trouble In the Middle of Nowhere… - September 8, 2015
Great report on this new hotel.. I love the La Fe Restaurant.. Paul has great breakfast but I prefer Sol y Tul , run by a mix couple French-Guatemalan, on the waterfront with great views and did you try his cacao made truffles?
Thanks for stopping by Armand, we didn’t try Sol u Tul – thanks for the recommendation, something for next time!