Hotel Y Restaurante Las Gardenias

I have not traveled extensively, but this was my favorite hotel I have ever stayed at. It is nestled in the village of El Remate along the main road to Tikal. The rooms are arrayed around a central courtyard, with a few more rooms in the rear. The room itself was small, but well appointed, and perfect for my needs. It was clean, with fresh linens, and featured aircon and hot water. The main building features a convenience store and ice cream shop on the ground floor and with a restaurant above. The restaurant is the gem of Las Gardenias in my opinion and I spent a lot of time there eating, drinking coffee, and just sitting: enjoying the spectacular view of the lake and chatting with my friendly waiter, Bagner. WiFi is available for your phone and computer, which I was grateful for. The food was excellent. Almost everything I tried off the menu was absolutamente delicioso: great coffee, homemade tortillas, fresh fried plantains, and the best avocados I have ever had in my life. The only thing I don't recommend is the cheeseburger, which was just OK, but you're in Guatemala, what are you doing eating cheeseburgers!? The staff also was amazing and very friendly. They are professionals in hospitality, and I could not have felt more welcome. La empresaria, Magda, works very hard to take excellent care of her guests and is generally just a very wonderful person. Although this was my first trip to Guatemala, I absolutely want to go back and I hope this time I can bring my daughter to see this little jewel and experience it for herself as well.