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The Best Hotels to Book Near Tikal National Park, Guatemala

Enjoy tropical vibes at the Hotel Villa Maya near Tikal National Park, Guatemala
Enjoy tropical vibes at the Hotel Villa Maya near Tikal National Park, Guatemala | Courtesy of Hotel Villa Maya / Expedia.com

Exploring Mayan ruins in Guatemala? These boutique hotels and chic ecolodges will make sure you sleep like the king of the jungle. Book your stay now with Culture Trip.

All who come to this part of Central America aim for mesmerizing Tikal National Park, home to an ancient Mayan citadel, with its towering, steep-sided temples among a lush jungle setting. Stay right up close to the entrance or further afield in a combination of low-key, lakeside lodges, rustic dormitories or finer hotels with filmmaker connections.

Hotel Jaguar Inn Tikal

Hotel

Hotel Jaguar Inn Tikal
Courtesy of Hotel Jaguar Inn Tikal / Expedia.com

You’ll find this collection of minimalistic, wooden-ceilinged 1960s bungalows tucked just inside Tikal National Park, surrounded by dense jungle. Each bungalow sleeps up to five, but, if you’re happy to swing yourself to sleep in a hammock to the sound of night creatures making their rounds, they’ll accommodate a couple more. In the morning, you’re just a 10-minute walk from the Tikal Mayan Ruins. We’d recommend the hotel’s own archaeological and adventure tours if you’re interested in the local history.

Las Lagunas Boutique Hotel

Boutique Hotel

Las Lagunas Boutique Hotel
Courtesy of Las Lagunas Boutique Hotel / Expedia.com

This high-end eco-hideaway in a private nature reserve, an hour’s drive from Tikal, cocoons guests in luxurious bungalows with vaulted, beamed ceilings. And, if you’re into the outdoors, you’ll love the patio hot tubs surrounded by tropical foliage and wildlife. Walkways connect them to the main hotel, where the Shultún Restaurant serves up locally sourced dishes such as blanco fish, fresh from the nearby Quixel Lagoon, and healthy, energy-packed breakfasts consisting of eggs, ranchero sauce, refried beans, chorizo and plantain.

Hotel Gringo Perdido

Lodge

Hotel Gringo Perdido
Courtesy of Hotel Gringo Perdido / Expedia.com

This beachfront, surf-style jungle lodge 3km (1.9mi) north of El Remate, hugging the shores of Lake Petén Itzá and situated just steps from the Maya Biosphere Reserve, is a paradise for nature lovers. Shaded hillside gardens are an oasis of peace if you’re bunking in one of the rustic dorms – hammocks are slung close to the lake as well as by the breezy open-air restaurant. Happy to spend a bit more? Book one of the slightly more comfortable private bungalows.

Hotel Villa Maya

Hotel

Hotel Villa Maya 1
Courtesy of Hotel Villa Maya / Expedia.com

As you wander around this tropical wonderland, on the edge of the Petenchel and Monifa Lagoons, look out for the white-tailed deer and peccary pigs, which are bred on the grounds. Rooms are dressed in local wood and Guatemalan textiles and open out onto balconies with garden, forest and lagoon views. Make sure your stay overlaps with at least one Sunday so you don’t miss the exceptional BBQ that the hotel puts on!

Hotel Jungle Lodge Tikal

Hotel

Hotel Jungle Lodge Tikal
Courtesy of Hotel Jungle Lodge Tikal / Expedia.com

They’re not over-promising with the name of this hotel. Covered in a blanket of lush rainforest in the archaeological park, it’s a Mayan-themed masterpiece. After a day exploring the Tikal pyramids, dive into the jungle-surrounded outdoor pool before slinking back to your fan-cooled suite housed in a pretty whitewashed cottage. Evenings are best spent with a fruity cocktail in hand, tuning in to the chatter of the monkeys and rainbow-billed toucans hopping about in the trees.

Ecolodge El Sombrero

Eco-Lodge

Ecolodge El Sombrero
Courtesy of Ecolodge El Sombrero / Expedia.com

This simple but refined hotel was one of the first true ecolodges in Guatemala, built on the doorstep of the Yaxhá-Nakum-Naranjo Park, a one-and-a-half-hour drive from Tikal. Rooms are pared-back, but elegant, with poured concrete floors, and guano palm or sheet metal roofs supported by aged wooden beams. Softness comes from layers of white curtains, which cleverly diffuse the sunlight, and colorful textiles on the beds.

La Lancha

Hotel

La Lancha
Courtesy of La Lancha / Expedia.com

It’s not quite as fancy as you might imagine legendary director Francis Ford Coppola’s Guatemalan outpost near Tikal might be, but, hidden by rainforest on the shores of Lake Petén Itzá, the natural beauty here speaks for itself. The ten casitas overlooking the clear waters pamper guests in a subtle, ecofriendly way, with carved furniture, colored textiles and two lakeside suites for the ultimate view. After a peaceful night’s sleep, you’re set for exploring the Mayan ruins of Tikal, a 45-minute drive away.

Posada del Cerro

Hotel

Posada del Cerro
Courtesy of Posada del Cerro / Booking.com

This simply styled, jungle-clad spot in El Remate, 30km (18.6mi) from Tikal, makes the most of its assets, giving every rustic, thatched room its own little patio furnished with wooden chairs so you can enjoy the lush garden views in peace. Don’t expect much in the way of interior embellishments beyond what’s necessary: wooden-framed beds, mosquito nets on the windows and a small kitchenette with dining furniture is what you get. This is a place to let nature do the entertaining – particularly the very vocal howler monkeys that reside nearby.

For more stays to extend your Guatemalan holidays, book one of the best bed and breakfasts or one of the best spa hotels in the country now with Culture Trip.

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