Piedraluna
Guatemala City, Guatemala
A friendly, family-run hotel with clean modernist furnishings, comfy beds and a rooftop restaurant, minutes from the heart of the city
'Get in and get out' seems to be the standard advice on Guatemala
City. True, it's not a particularly relaxing place to spend time,
and is visited primarily while in transit to and from other more
exotic parts of the country. Yet there's lots to see and do here,
so the vision of Piedraluna’s owner, Gabriela, makes sense: a
clean, calm base in the heart of the city’s uptown district,
from which exploring is easy.
A small hotel with only 6 rooms, Piedraluna’s
décor aims at being international and cosmopolitan - white,
modern and uncluttered with wooden floors. While lacking any
distinctive Guatemalan character, the atmosphere is welcoming and
the staff are friendly. Rooms are light, spacious and well-fitted,
with comfortable beds. A cosy balcony restaurant serves tasty
food,
and all the vegetables and coffee are supplied from the
family’s farm. Well located for key attractions such as the
National Archaeological Museum, and crucially just 4km from the
airport, Piedraluna is a relaxing base in Guatemala’s busy
and sometimes daunting capital.
Reviewed by Michael Buick
Last updated 15 December 2011
Highs
- It's close to the Zona Viva, which is the trendy area of the city and full of restaurants, bars and nightclubs
- There are kitchenettes in all rooms; most have balconies too
- Staff are happy to advise on the city's highlights
- The environmentally conscious owners have made a genuine attempt to create a low-impact hotel
Lows
- The international ‘furniture showroom’ modernism with little Guatemalan flavour may disappoint
- The food is on the pricey side
