There are several private operators at different villages around the lake renting a variety of recreational watercraft...we skipped the motorized options in favor of kayaks.







The patio for #3 is almostas large as the actual suite...very comfortable chairs and great views of the lake and the volcanos.




Message Edited by omegaet on 02-27-2009 04:29 PM

omegaet, we have been to Tikal and Antigua in Guatemala, but never to the Lake Atitlan area. The Casa Palopo appears to be a possible destination for the future. I will shop around here at luxurylink and see what comes up.



Nice posting.

kapper, there is another VIP Community member, bonniejoy03, who has also spent some time at Casa Palopo. She posted some comments in her blog on the property as well, if you care to learn more.



Getting to Casa Palopo is a bit of a challenge these days, since there is extensive work being done on the Pan American Highway (this can translate to long, long delays). The other option is to take the back roads.....which means adding additional driving time. We didn't mind the extra time.

dani...I had no idea my blog entry on Casa Palopo would even come up when googled! I will run the google search and see what I find....obviously, I my entry is not in the top five or ten. As you can tell from my blog remarks, we totally enjoyed out time at Casa Palopo....it is unusual for us to spend a full week at most destinations.



The Lake Atitlan areais a very unique region and offers a variety of possibilities to filla visitor's time and interests. You might ask your neighbors/friends to share their impressions of Panajachel, which is more or less the main town in the area....everyone passes through (and usually stops for at least a bite to eat or something to drink), not matter their destination in that region.



Thank you for visiting my blog.

dani, we stopped by the Atitlan Hotel one afternoon, with the intentions of having a snack and something cold to drink,on our way back from the local market in Solola. Unfortunately, the guard at the entrance wanted to charge us a fee for using the parking lot. Even after we explained we were going to the restaurant, he still insisted on a parking fee. We declined to pay and simply drove on back to Panajachel instead.



The Atitlan Hotel appeared to be nice, certainly had lovely grounds which led directly to the lakeside.



Well, Panajachel is more or less the main cross roads for almost everyone entering into the Lake Atitlan area. It tends to be a little congested at times with an assortment of characters/travelers...and I guess it is not really a very scenic town in the traditional sense.



Guatemala can be quite an "adventure" depending on your prior travel experience, but it is certainly an interesting country with very nice people. Maybe you can make a trip there and decided for yourself!

dani, your friends are correct about the presence of armed uniformed personnel.....they are right there in the luggage claim area when you arrived at the International Airport in Guatemala City and you can see them almost everywhere you go (typically two or more at most banks). Most shopping centers have armed guards in their parking lots and inside many of the stores in Guatemala City.

We had three armed escorts when we went up into the mountains on the zip lines at Filadelfia Coffee Resort (one of them rode across each line in advance of us - not sure if that was about secuirty or just the fact he wanted to ride the zip lines).

Many if not most foreign countries have an obvious presence of more armed security these days...either private or police or military. Maybe we're just "hardened" toward the fact there is more secuirty almost everywhere we travel.

We long ago resolved ourselves to the fact we would not stop our travels because of more violence in this world. At the same time, we have become more viligent regarding our surroundings and when necessary, we employ the services of trained private guides to help us better understand the environments in which we travel.

We are planning another trip to Guatemala either late Fall or early Spring and want to spend a few days at Lake Atitlan and Casa Palopo. Since C.P. is perched on the mountainside, we are concerned about climbing down (and then back up) the 100 steps to the lake shore. Both of us have bad knees. But, we enjoy adventure and the idea of boating across the lake to a local marketplace. Any comments or suggestions?

Recently returned from Antigua and the Filadelfia coffee plantation resort. What a lovely place to stay! Yes, some planning was a bit ragged, but you can seldom expect perfection in traveling. All in all, a most enjoyable and enlightening experience. Will definitely return.

showard1, let me assure a visit to or stay at Casa Palopo involves changes in elevation...steps, steps and more steps...as a matter of fact, almost every outdoor activity, including boat rides on Lake Atitlan will involve steps (walking to and from the docks). Most trekking along the paths surrounding Lake Atitlan will involve some steep points to negotiate as well. If you plan to visit the market at Solala, you will encounter some steep hills....not so many steps. Pana is fairly flat and easy to get around, just take care with the cobblestones!

All of that said, we did see a number of individuals using walking sticks and taking their time in their walks.

We both have good knees and still "noticed" the 100 steps each time we used the local boat docks at CP.....if the steps concern, you can always catch a hope to Santa Catarina and take a boat from their dock....a bit of a walk, but no steps.

I supposed you skipped the hike up Volcano Pacaya during your time in Antigua! It was long and hot trek....but very exciting to be some close to molten lava pouring out of the ground!

Thanks for the input -- I like the idea of shuttling to Santa Catarina and then hiring the boat.
Since emailing C.P. concerning the visit, Rudy (in reservations) has suggested we stay in a Deluxe room near the office (rather than in a Junior Suite) since there would be only a few steps involved. Do you know if the Deluxe rooms have the same amenities (and views) as the Suites? We can do some steps -- just not hundreds -- Ha!

Actually, my boy friend did take the Volcan Pacaya trek -- bad leg and all. However, it was such a thrilling experience that he hasn't stopped talking about it yet! Hot lava, fire and brimstone -- the works! He cheated a little bit and rode horseback part of the way. Fortunately, he is an excellent rider, and I think that saved the day. Afterwards, we met in town (Antigua) at La Fonda de la Calle Real for a true Guatemalan-style lunch. I didn't realize at the time that Salsa Jocon is incorporated in some Guatemalan recipes, and I could have ordered it at the restaurant. As I understand, it is made from green tomatoes and a certain spice (coriander?). Would love to try it. Maybe next time, huh?

Also, we took a day trip to el mercado Chichicastenango on a Sunday. Must admit, the taxi ride was not for the feint of heart. Having lived in India and Southeast Asia, though, I wasn't freaked out --
It really was an interesting ride in light of the fact that most people (certainly the Mayans) travel by large, brightly-colored, recycled buses (including U.S. school buses put out to pasture) that belch clouds of thick black smoke upon starting up again at the bus stops. I found this to be a minor annoyance compared with the opportunity to be a part of the Guatemalan scene and witness to the progress that is being made there, certainly in constructing the ambitious road-building project. Patience is definitely required in that regard for several years to come, I think.

The market itself was a bit disappointing. I wasn't prepared to be hounded not only by the Mayan children, but also by some of the women who were aggressively hawking their goods. It became such a bother that we weren't able to fully explore the market and actually, would have purchased more if given the chance. Ended up leaving early. However, the few items I did find -- some beautiful, hand-woven textiles -- are greatly treasured and have been incorporated into my home decor. Would like to seek out other market areas around Lake Atitlan which might be a little less frantic. Suggestions?

Best get back to work now. Maybe more later. Do appreciate your ideas.

showard1, since more than a week at CP, we investigated most of the suites and rooms. As I recall, all of them have views of the lake and the volcanos....we stayed in a Jr. Suite, which was one level below the main lobby (which involved a couple of flights of steps and a landing or two). Even the rooms off of the lobby level involve the use of steps...so be prepared to do some moderate steps (not a big deal).

You might even consider walking down the 100 or so steps to the private boat pier, at least once....you can take you time and there are a numbers of landings along the way and even a couple of benches to rest, if you need or choose to do so. The walk up the steps requires a bit more effort.

The mercado at ChiChi is a real tourist trap....although we did visit and managed to wind our way back into the areas primarily frequented by the locals rather than day tourists. We hired a driver and visted the mercado at Solala one morning.....we utilized our driver as a "guide" and made a couple of textile buys....unique, primative and quite reaonably..... compared to ChiChi prices. There are local markets in each of the villages around the lake....almost no tourists visit them. You can speak with the CP front office personnel and they will be able to direct you to specific villages on certain days. The textiles available in these markets are basically for use by the locals....so there are some very interesting items available at rock bottom prices.

We used only the "collectivos" (small pick up trucks) for transportation during our time at CP...except a couple of days when we hired the driver and van for longer distances. The weather was nice....no rain...so it was fun to ride with 12 or 15 locals in the back of a truck from village to village. We felt no safety issues and really enjoyed the opportunity to "fracture" our Spanish and pose for "post card" tourist shots!

Jennifer, the manage of CP, is an American and has lived in Central America for years. She is a lot of fun and will also be a huge assets for information and suggestions.

The chef at CP is classically trained (also serves of the personal chef for the owner) and enjoys preparing special treats for the guests. His name is Mario and you should enjoy food.....the meal prices are somewhat upscale for the general area, but were always pleased with the total experience.

There is another member here in the community, by the name of bonniejoy03, who also visited CP and will be pleased to share her observations and experiences as well. Just post in the General Q & A section, if you want to communicate with her.

Hola, Omega,

Am zeroing in on another trip to Guatemala, maybe Casa Palopo.

Question to you (or any other CP visitors): The trip from the airport in Guatemala City to CP is reported to be long, bumpy, dusty, etc. Having gone from el mercado in Chichicastenango to Panajachel via taxi, I do believe it would be (or could be) a rather frustrating experience getting to CP.

That having been said, which travel mode would you recommend? Is there another road? Or only the major highway that is currently under construction? Is the transportation provided by CP reliable?

Of course, a helicopter ride would be nice; however, I feel it would be frightfully expensive, yes? And just think of all the fun we'd miss sightseeing along the way?

Input appreciated.

showard1, because we were aware of the on-going reconstruction work and inordinate delays along the PanAmerican Highway, we arranged for a private van transfer from the GUA airport using the alternative secondary road. Although the drive can take about four hours, depending on traffic, we stopped a couple of times for "comidos y baos." The road is narrow, undulating and filled with blind curves, but we felt comfortable with our driver.....and we made it without a scratch.

We scheduled our van through Carlos, whose contact info is outlined in our initial posting here. You can also have CP arrange for a van as well.....which might cost an extra few dollars more than dealing directly with Carlos.

A van is really the best surface alternative, rather than a taxi sedan....you will appreciate the extra space during the drive.

We did investigate taking a chopper (about $750US - one way), but decided not to spring for all the extra cash. CP does have a landing pad on the property, if you choose to use a chopper.

At the end of the day.....it is a "long drive" to get to CP....but if you are aware of the time involved, before making the drive, it's just a matter of ticking of the hours as you observe the passing countryside and people.

showard1, sorry to taken so long to answer your post. We hired a driver and van to take us from GUA to CP.....we had a choice of using the Pan American Highway (which has been undergoing construction for several years and will likely take several more years) of taking back roads. There is a lot of dust and delays associated with the PA.....while the back roads can get a little "hairy" at times with swithback curves and speeding trucks and other vehicles. We took he back road and made several stops along the way.....about three and ne half hours of driving....no problems.

We used the same driver and van to visit ChiChi and Solola....more comfortable riding than in a taxi.

Jennifer, the MGR at CP can suggest several affordable driver and van options. Chopper is pretty pricey.