We loved our week at Hotel Aaculaax and loved San Marcos. AACULAAX is a majical place, nestled into the "New Agey" town of San Marcos on Lake Atitlan. The hotel is a work of art, bejeweled with stain glass sculptures that adorn every light fixutre and every wall. This is the only hotelin the town that takes advantage of the views of the lake , which for us , coming from Manhattan,was of great importance. The lake views provided the setting for slowing down and doing almost notering each day. And the view from the bedroom and the comfy bed, wiht the wram down comforter was great, with huge floor to ceiling window at the foot of the bed. Each day we sat on the poorch, read a good book, (EAT, PRAY, LOVE) looked at the trees and water and sky ( SO NOT NEW YORK!) . Each moring new characters arrived for breakfast and we enjoyed getting to know the people of the town and vacationing and learning about life at Lake Atitlan. We enjoyed an hour for coffee ( GREAT IN GUATEMALA) and herbal tea, made from real herbs from the Aaculaax garden brewed fresh for me ( I AM SPOILED FOR LIFE)!!! And then an hour for the yummy food. REALLY YUMMY!!!!!
Then perhaps a massage -$28 FOR AN HOUR AND A HALF - or a boat ride to another village, or a walk on the beach,or just more chatting with the bery friendly people of San Marcos. LOVED the consciousness of the Hotel and the whole town. NO BOTTLED WATER so as not to create lots of plastic polution. They offer filered water to refil your bottle all day long.
EVENING DINING WAS A REAL TREAT. LILI CAN COOK! AND MOSTLY ORGANIC VEGGIES AND SMALL PLATES OF ASSORTED TREATS. A VERY SPECIAL PLACE ON PLANET EARTH. AND TO ADD SPOTLESSLY CLEAN AND JUST SIMPLY GREAT! LILI AND NEILS ARE WONDERFUL HOSTS AND MOST HEPFUL IN MAKING OUR STAY PERFECT!
Try 5:00 meditition at Las Primemides or Yoga at La Paz as well.

We stayed at Aaculaax for four days in February. My room was Sonrisa (I say room.....really apartment).....and with the exception of the lack of hot water one morning we loved it. The bed was wonderful, crisp clean sheets and great pillows......lack of reading light would be my only lack.... The food in the restaurant was great and we loved San Marcos! We found the staff very friendly and accomodating.

The hotel is cool -- the decorations, etc. But the staff (with the exception of Helmut and Santos who worked the restaurant) were not friendly at all. The owner was also not overly friendly. Our room, Sonrisa was beautiful except for: a lack of hot water at times, the garbage dump directly below our balcony, and the infestation of ants and bugs in the bathroom. I don't recommend this hotel -- especially not for the price!!

Try to get Mirador. It is the highest room and has a most romantic outdoor bathroom with a bathtub you can soak in while looking at the stars. Aside from the barking dogs, it is very peaceful. The staff was great, the food was great, the surroundings are exquisite, the local people are so peaceful.