Vacation rentals in Guatemala

“Karsten’s place is amazing. Not only does it offer an immense amount of privacy, it also carries with it a peaceful vibe and everything you need to enjoy your stay in San Marcos / Pasajcap. Karsten’s place is very open. It has a large studio feel to it. The bedroom is connected to the living room / kitchen, which is connected to the balcony, so everything flows very nicely (especially when the balcony doors are open to let in that cool lake breeze). If you’d like extra privacy, a beautiful curtain can be rolled down to separate the bedroom from the other living spaces. The large glass balcony doors, windows throughout the kitchen, and small translucent roof covers, allow lots of natural sunlight to penetrate the space. This makes for an awesome opportunity to connect with mother Earth and make your circadian rhythm really happy. The natural light also helps the place heat up and remain insulated at night when the temperature drops. Karsten has done an immaculate job with retrofitting this property with small touches that really made it feel luxurious. For example, the dimmable living room globe lights, super large and comfy couch, and balcony with gorgeous views. He’s also included lots of things you might find at home: lots of kitchen supplies, cookware, silverware, cups, generic sauces/spices, and some of his homegrown bananas and lemons! This way, you can have guests over to share a home-cooked meal, some drinks, or simply prepare anything you’d like. Some other things I felt made this home away from home very enjoyable were the hammock and garden just outside the cabin, high-speed wifi, closets for your clothes and belongings, large desk space to work or organize things, lock-safe for your valuables, and mosquito/bug netting for your bed. Oh, and the bathtub/shower... As long as there was sunlight, I had hot water all day/night. And it got VERY hot, so I never had to worry about potentially taking a cold shower. This allowed me to take showers during the day as the lake was waking up or at night with the chirping of the crickets. Both equally relaxing. If sunlight is not available, you can simply turn on the water heater (takes anywhere from 45min - 1.5hrs to heat up I was told). As far as location goes, Karsten’s place is great. It’s a 15-20 minute stroll / 5 minute Tuk-Tuk to the center of San Marcos. This ensures you’re not kept awake at night by local commotion or woken up by the bustling of the city. And as I mentioned earlier, this also provides you with a lot of privacy. Karsten’s place is close enough to the lake and main road that you may hear the sounds of boat engines whip across the lake, Tuk-Tuks driving by, and light conversation from local hostels throughout the day. But at night, all you hear is crickets, owls, and every now and then, dogs barking. I think the noise level I experienced at Karsten’s place was great. It made me feel like I was never too close or too far from everyone else. Just right. Karsten was a great host as well. He quickly responded to any questions I had, greeted me when I arrived, gave me a tour of the space, provided me with recommendations for things to do, and checked up on me during my stay. One last thing I’ll mention is... if you’re terribly afraid of spiders or scorpions, I would think-twice before booking this place. For the most part, the home is well secured and you will not see many creepy critters. You might catch a spider or two hanging around your ceiling, but they’re harmless and there to protect you from mosquitos and flies. However, in the case that you see a scorpion, you might have a heart attack. I experienced this first-hand during my stay, when I, for the first time in my life, saw a pitch-black scorpion, crawling on one of the bathroom walls. I could have left it alone (they’re relatively harmless too) but I couldn’t live with the fact that there’d be a scorpion crawling around my living space. So I decided to grab my shoe and obliterate it. This left me with slight paranoia throughout my stay; slowly entering rooms, checking my bed before going to sleep, shaking my clothes before putting them on, etc. This may sound like a negative experience, but it truly made me appreciate some of the luxuries I have back home. And it definitely made me feel much closer to nature. Being on my toes was fun, exhilarating, and made me feel alive. Of course, this may not be everyone’s experience, so just take this into consideration! Anyway... Sleeping in a cabin tucked into the Pasajcap wilderness, waking up to natural sunlight cast by beautiful sunrises over Lake Atitlán, hearing the colorful morning songs of the native birds, relaxing in a hammock with ultimate privacy, and watching the sun set over volcanic mountain ranges is an experience I will forever cherish. I think Karsten’s place is a great spot to make your San Marcos / Pasajcap experience worthwhile. If you enjoy open, liberating living spaces with small touches, insanely gorgeous views, and privacy, then this is the place for you.”

“Super relaxing with an amazing view! It's a bit of hike to get up there, but so worth it (you can also take a 5Q taxi instead)! The cabin is just rustic enough but with all the comforting amenities you want. It's very well appointed and thought out...kind of like a ship. I recommend bringing food up for at least one dinner and breakfast because you're just going to want to hang out and chill in the cool space and deck!”

“Great place to stay - much bigger and nicer than expected. Great view, for which there are a few steps to climb - but it was also possible for us as two girls with suitcases. In a few minutes you are on foot in the "city". The living unit itself extends over three floors and is largely open, the bedroom itself is lockable and you have a great view of the lake from your bed. However, you should not be afraid of insects. The facility is well maintained and safe. We enjoyed the stay very much and we would come back anytime.”