FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Welcome to our FAQ page, if you are considering visiting as a guest or applying for one of our retreats or events, please read through this page carefully as we will do our best to address the most common questions we get!

For general information about our family run organization, including our mission, values and priorities, please click here.

Travel

What airport do I fly to in Guatemala?

La Aurora Airport. Guatemala City.

How long is my tourist visa good for in Guatemala?

Guatemala offers a 90 day tourist visa, please note that if you are planning to head to El Salvador, Honduras, or Nicaragua on the same trip this 90 days applies to all countries as a block.

How many hours drive is it from Guatemala City to Lake Atitlan?

The drive takes anywhere between 3-4.5 hours depending on traffic.

How far is Guatemala City to Antigua?

Guatemala City is a 1.25 hour drive from Antigua

What kind of travel insurance do you recommend?

Because every family and individual is different, we recommend you do your own due diligence on what your insurance needs are when choosing a plan. Ask yourself how often you have needed to visit your GP, consider your age, mental and physical health history and current state.

Are the shuttles from the airport to your accommodations included in your retreat prices?

For most of our retreats, we include shuttle transportation. If you would like to book a private ride and driver the cost is usually about 100USD.

What time does the shuttle leave from the airport on the first day of the event?

Each retreat will vary but we generally have our shuttles leave around 11:00am to give those that travelled the day before time to recover from the international flight, while still arriving in time to enjoy the afternoon in San Juan and settle in. Check your specific travel itinerary for departure details.

What happens if my flight is delayed and I don't make it in time for the shuttle?

Unfortunately we cannot assume this liability but if you are late we will gladly book you a private ride at cost.

Do you recommend arriving the day before the retreat starts, if so where should I stay?

We do recommend arriving to Guatemala City one day before, hotel recommendations are the Hyatt or In and Out Hotel.

Diet and Health

Do you accommodate gluten free guests?

We do! Guatemala in general, due to corn being the main staple vs wheat, is quite "Gluten-free-friendly"

Is there Vegetarian and Vegan options?

We do our best to offer delicious meals for everyone, Guatemala has incredibly delicious and fresh fruit and veg and we want our menu options to reflect that directly.

Is there a clinic nearby in case of a medical emergency?

There is a clinic 5 minutes away from the Hotel in San Juan and a hospital 35 minutes away in Santiago in the case of a severe emergency.

Does travel to Guatemala call for any special vaccinations?

No, but please do your own research according to your own comfort levels.

What is the food like in Guatemala?

Guatemala has great stews, great caldo (Chicken and Beef soups), fresh fruit and veggies, tamales, tostadas for snacks and, of course, fresh corn tortillas with every meal.

Should I bring snacks?

We always recommend snacks! Why not? Bring some comfort snacks like your favorite granola bars, chocolate, etc. Guatemala has a beautiful variety of fresh nuts of all sorts that you can pick up here.

I'm a light sleeper, are the rooms quiet at night?

Guatemala is loud in general. People don't seem to care at all about noise here: loud music in the streets, dogs barking, roosters crowing, fireworks going off literally at all times of the day and night. Come to be festive and don't sweat it, if you can't stand "lively", this country may not be for you. (Generally speaking, if you bring earplugs and turn on the fan for some white noise, you probably won't notice anything.)

What is your policy around alcohol and marijuana at the hotel?

Unfortunately we have had a few guests in the past make us and others uncomfortable with their alcohol and marijuana consumption, this is not a party place and we ask guests to NOT come here with the intention of getting drunk or high. We are highly involved with our community and want to maintain an environment of respect and safety for all guests and neighbors. For this reason, if your group must party, please do so off premises.

Ethics

I'm concerned with the negative impacts of tourism, how is your place contributing to your community?

We feel ya! As a Canadian family that lives in Guatemala we fully support our local economy and families in our neighborhood. What is more, it's what we are all about as a family run organization. Please take a look at our "ABOUT" page here. The workshops, guides and classes we offer are locally run and organized with the very intention of having a direct and positive social impact. We do not profit from workshops, ceremonies, classes offered by our neighbors: we are proud to enhance their lives by funneling guests to their doorsteps and appreciate the value they bring to our service as a hotel. Building community is extremely important to us.

Safety

Isn't Guatemala Dangerous?

This is by far the question we get most. For us, our answer must be personal based on OUR experience. As a family that arrived with 5 small children from Canada, we can homestly say that we have never felt safer than we currently do living on the shores of Lake Atitlan, Guatemala. There is a tremendous sense of community here and people really do look out for one another. Safety concerns that are real: when you come, be aware of traffic, stray dogs at night if walking around after dark and advisable not to come to party. Stay away from trouble and you will be totally fine.

Car seats? What happens if we are travelling with small children?

This is the question that always reminds us that we are truly living in a different world. There are no laws surrounding car seats or even how many babies a family can fit onto a motorbike here. If you are not comfortable travelling with your child on your lap, by all means, you can bring a car seat if you want to. However, we have yet to see or hear of an incident and are happy with the laws of common sense being what govern these areas of life here.

What about sicknesses, Dengue in particular?

Valid question as the internet is full of stories of Dengue. As hosts of over 1000 guests this year, we have seen a small handful of guests get Dengue and recover within 4-6 days. There are clinics close by and, in the rare case of it happening, the local medical staff is experienced in treating patients not feeling well with the virus. Please do your own research, however, coming from us, we wouldn't ever want the fears of getting something rare yet very beatable to get in the way of a fantastic experience. Bring repellent for peace of mind but some more good news is that the mosquitos are rarely bad here in our area.

Are there areas we should avoid?

Yes. As in all countries and cities, there are always areas to avoid. Guatemala City is particularly dangerous for extortion and gangs, we do not recommend hanging out in the City unless for a night or two in the safer zones of the City. Again, stay out of trouble, be smart/modest and you are good!

For the HIKING RETREATS, as rooms are shared, if I am travelling solo, what is the process for roommate pairings?

Our application process includes vetting on our part to ensure your security. You will always be paired with a guest of the same sex. During the group chat phase leading up to the hike, you are welcome to ask for a specific roommate you feel you'd jive with. Otherwise, your pairing will be random but will be announced a few weeks after spots are secured and registration closed. You are welcome to reach out to the person you are paired with and if you feel uncomfortable with the match, you can always let us know so we can re-arrange.

Electronics

Is it easy to get a SIM card for my phone in Guatemala?

Yes, there are kiosks in the airport. The companies Claro and Tigo have great reception nation-wide and are very affordable to get set up with. (10-15$) for a SIM card AND about 13gigs of data.

Do I need to bring a power adapter?

Outlet voltage is 110v here. That means travelers coming from USA and Canada will not need to bring anything special.

How is the Wifi at your accommodations?

We have Starlink! This means anywhere from 70-140mbps. Great for digital nomads or individuals that will need to work or do some video calls during their stay.

Finances

What is your refund policy?

There is much complexity in planning and running an international retreat. Based on this, we have set the following cancellation policy:

We strongly encourage everyone to take personal responsibility for their own wellness and safety.

It is also highly recommended to obtain travel and health insurance to support this investment in your wellness. There are policies available with 'Cancel for Any Reason' clauses.

If a participant requires cancellation of their participation, the effective date is the date we receive the request.
- Request received more than 90 days from the start of the retreat, 100% of any payments made after the deposit are refundable.
- Request received 90 to 61 days from the start of the retreat, 50% of any payments made after the deposit are refundable.
- Request received 60 days or less from the start of the retreat, no payments are refundable.

If a participant has to leave the retreat early, no refund will be made.

Deposits and payments can be transferred to another participant if proper notice (email and discussion) is given to us.

Refunds will be made up to 30 days after the end of the retreat.

We may cancel the retreat up to 30 days prior to the start of the retreat. If we cancel the retreat, you will receive 100% of all monies paid to date, including your deposit.

We may cancel the retreat for any reason, including conditions at the destination and changes in local or US law.
While we maintain the right to follow all of the above points, we are certainly not in the business of profiting from other’s misfortunes. If anything unforeseen were to happen that were to lead to a forced cancelation, what we have done in the past is done everything in our power, and succeeded, in reselling the trip to another person. In the case that we succeed, 90% of the full value of the trip will be refunded.

What is the currency and what is the best way to bring money?

Guatemala's currency is the Guatemalan Quetzal and you can click here to find out about current conversion rates. We suggest opening a Wise account, which is an online bank that has the lowest conversion rates we have found. It is also our preferred method of payment. To learn more or open an account please support us by using our referral link HERE.

ATMs are available throughout the country and withdrawing once you arrive is a great way to avoid carrying around a bunch of cash.

Finances (Continued)

Do you offer payment plans for the retreats?

Yes we do. The booking process begins with an application form link that can be found on your trip's itinerary page. Once we receive your application, for the safety of you and others on the trip, we will reach out to greet you personally and will set up a WhatsApp call to answer your personal questions. If a payment plan is needed, we can help! We usually will break up the trip's cost into 3 payments with an initial deposit needed to reserve your place.

Christina, Owen, and Simon were exceptional hosts. They were immediately welcoming and Owen was helpful with logistics for money exchange and booking shuttles. Simon led a group of us on a sunrise hike and made pancakes, which were amazing. Christina provided lots of activities that she coordinates with locals in the community. The tortilla class I did with Concepcion and Josefa was the best experience I had on the lake. San Juan is the perfect town to use as a base for exploring Lake Atitlan and I wouldn't stay with anyone else!

Erin

-Canada

..Christine & Owen go above and beyond for their guests from arranging private transport from the airport, arranging tours, hosting community dinners, the list goes on & on!..

Deidre

-United States

My favourite thing about the stay was the view of the lake every morning, I really loved waking up to that amazing view, ensured a good start to each day. My other favourite thing about the stay was meeting Christina and Owen and their beautiful family. I like how they try to bridge the gap between tourists and locals and work very closely with their neighbourhood, I very much enjoyed taking Spanish classes with their neighbour Dorly and spending time with Conception and their families, truly some amazing women, I loved learning about their culture and I'm ever so grateful to Christina and Owen for their amazing hospitality and the opportunities they suggested that allowed me to immerse myself in the local culture here!

Yara

-United Kingdom