The Intercontinental, usually thought to be #2 in Guatemala City to the Westin Camino Real, is actually better in some respects: Rooms on high floors on the back side of the hotel are much quieter that most rooms in the Westin, the hotel's physical plant is newer, and its lay-out is simpler -- all pluses for business travelers. A recent stay revealed only one problem: To clean the air ducts in one area of the hotel, a slight amount of natural gas was pumped through -- leading to a gassy smell in the rooms if the a/c was turned on. This might be a decontamination method that's acceptable for industrial properties, but not for hotels!

My mother and I stayed there from Jan. 26-28. It was a very nice experience. Definitely luxury in the middle of a third world country. There is a shopping center two blocks in either direction and a wide selection of restaurants all around. Try Cebollines or Casa de los Sanchez for great meals. The buffet breakfast was excellent and the service amazing. The stores in the lobby are rather expensive so try buying your things somewhere else. I plan on returning in July with my family.

We ended our ten day trip of Guatemala with a stay at this great hotel. After seeing the poverty of the Mayan population in the highlands, it was really weird to be staying in a 5-star hotel complete with lush robes, feather beds, and marble counters... but I loved it! We paid $85 plus a 22% tax for one night. It was well worth it. The same room at home in San Francisco would easily be $250 night.

The location is awesome and there is a ton of nightlife right outside your door. Good restuarants and bars. Try Taconento for a cheap Mexican feed. We had Sunday brunch in the lobby restaurant and it rivaled any buffet I've had in the USA... great food at a killer price, only Q60 ($8) per person. How the heck can they serve food that cheap?

The next morning we took a private hotel shuttle to the airport for free. It was a 5 minute ride. If you feel like some luxury, spend a night here!

WONDERFUL hotel - new, clean, nice, beautiful. Cannot say enough great things about the service, accommadations, etc. Rooms are impressive. Service is outstanding. Plenty of options for dining too. LOVE THIS PLACE!