Where to stay in Guatemala

Guatemala City

• The FCDO says no part of Guatemala City is free of crime, Zone 10 included. Zone 1, the historic centre, carries a particular risk to visitors, and Zones 6, 7, 8 and 18 to 25 warrant caution.
• If you must stay, stay in Zone 10 or 14 and use cars rather than walking after dark.
• Most people do not stay at all - they land and go straight to Antigua.

Where people actually stay

• Antigua - colonial, walkable, volcano views, the best range of accommodation in the country and a real tourist police presence. This is the default.
• Lake Atitlan - Panajachel is the transport hub, San Pedro the backpacker village, San Marcos the quiet one, Santa Cruz the one you can only reach by boat.
• Flores - the island town that is the base for Tikal, and pleasant in its own right.
• Semuc Champey and Lanquin - remote, basic, and reached by a road that is genuinely rough.

Practical

• Antigua is cold at night. It sits at over 1,500 m and few buildings have heating; ask for blankets rather than assuming.
• Book ahead around Semana Santa. Antigua's Holy Week is one of the biggest events in Latin America and the town sells out months in advance.
• Check the hot water actually exists in cheaper places, and how it is heated.