Frequently Asked Questions

Travel & Arrival

  • Going through Immigration and Customs at Aurora Airport in Guatemala City typically takes 30 minutes to an hour. If you booked transportation through our trusted partners at Kan Tours, refer to the details they sent you via email. The drive from the airport to Panajachel takes about 3.5 hours, followed by a 10-15 minute private boat ride to our private dock. text goes here

  • Public boat taxis run from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., leaving every half hour. Be sure to ask in advance to be taken to the Villa Sumaya dock. The cost is Q25 per person on public boats.

  • We do not recommend traveling by chicken bus.

  • Our center is not accessible by car, only by boat. You may drive to Panajachel and park your car there. We suggest Kayucos private dock, where you can board a pre-arranged private boat to Villa Sumaya’s dock.

  • The drive from the airport (code: GUA) in Guatemala City to Lake Atitlan, takes about 3.5 hours. A swift boat ride will bring you from Panajachel to our private dock. Ask the boat driver to drop you off at the Villa Sumaya dock, otherwise you will have a 20-minute walk from the public Santa Cruz dock.

    Villa Sumaya works exclusively with our trusted transportation company, Kan Tours. Contact them to arrange private shuttles or boats for your convenience, 24 hours a day. Private boat and shuttle fees can be added to your hotel bill.

Safety & Health

  • Yes! Villa Sumaya is located in a remote, rural and beautiful area near the village of Santa Cruz La Laguna, Guatemala. Our landscape is quiet and pristine, and our village has virtually no crime. Since 2004, we’ve ushered hundreds of groups to and from our oasis without incident. Our guests are picked up in private shuttles operated by an excellent shuttle company that handles most of our groups’ transport. We do our best to make the journey to our center smooth and pleasant and have created a safe, effective transport system that enables you to land in this inspiring piece of paradise! Of course, everyone needs to make the decisions that feel right to them. We hope you’ll choose to join us for an unforgettable week of adventure and insight.

  • Yes, we suggest getting a travel insurance policy for your time in Guatemala.

  • There are lockboxes in all guest rooms to store your devices and passport. We do not recommend walking around with valuables visible. Leave expensive jewelry at home.

  • Of course! They can contact the center via info@villasumaya.com or by calling the hotel: +502 4026 1455 (front desk)

Costs

  • There are ATM machines (“cajeros”) in towns around the lake, including one in our closest village, Santa Cruz.  We recommend that you bring $250-300 cash to cover incidentals or withdraw this amount at the airport ATM for your convenience. We cannot change money at Villa Sumaya. All purchases at Villa Sumaya are added to your personal guest bill. We accept US checks, Visa/Mastercard, PayPal, Zelle transfers, and cash (USD or Guatemalan Q).

  • Some places accept US dollars, but we recommend that you have Quetzales for excursions and shopping.

  • If you enjoy the services you receive, we recommend tipping the hotel staff $7-10 per day ($50-70 for the week). These tips will be divided among the staff. For spa treatments, a 10-20% tip is typical. If you had an outstanding adventure, $5-10 per person is a nice tip for your tour guide or driver. Most restaurants include a 10% service fee on the bill.

  • If you are coming on personal retreat or as a hotel guest, see our cancellation policy. If you are coming on a group retreat, please contact your group leader.

  • One hour  $85

    1.5 hours  $115

    Two hours  $145

Food & Drink

  • Yes!  Our center can accommodate common dietary restrictions like vegan and non-gluten diets.  We serve wholesome, fresh, meals. Retreat groups are served buffet style. We post a daily menu card that lists the dishes on the buffet and indicates if they are vegan or gluten-free. Our menu is vegetarian, but guests can order fish or chicken at an additional cost.

  • You must drink purified water, never from the tap. We provide unlimited filtered water. Bring your water bottle or buy a Villa Sumaya glass bottle as a souvenir. We do not sell plastic water bottles.

  • All meals have a protein source (eggs, beans, cheese, nuts, etc.). If you are on a high protein diet, it may be a good idea to bring a protein bar per day. You can also order chicken or fish as a supplement for buffet meals ($9.00 per portion).

  • Meals at Villa Sumaya are abundant and well-balanced. We also sell exotic smoothies, raw cacao and granola treats, chocolates, kombucha and other delights between meals. If folks have severe allergies or special dietary requirements, we suggest they bring along a few of their favorite snack items to ensure they have all they need. (Specialty foods that are readily available in the USA are often not available here.)

  • We have a small bar in our courtyard, and the menu includes smoothies, kombucha, lemonade, sodas, specialty coffees, hot chocolate, etc. as well as local beer, wine and mixed drinks.  All of personal and group packages have 24/7 access to our self-serve tea and coffee bar as a complimentary service.

Hotel Services

  • We would be happy to set up private yoga/meditation sessions for you ($60/class for 1-2 people). We do not offer community yoga classes; most of our group retreats have their own class schedule for group members.

  • We have mats and props for you. Some guests choose to bring their own props. We appreciate mat and prop donations.

  • Same as the United States.

  • We offer laundry service for a set rate per pound. Please allow for a 24-hour turnaround.

  • We include basic internet service for our guests through Starlink. The signal strength varies depending on your location with the strongest signal in the dining room. Service may be less reliable during the rainy season due to cloud cover. Please ask our front desk staff to set up your device for Wi-Fi access.

  • We provide soap, shampoo and conditioner. Please bring your own lotion and hair dryers. We provide bathing towels and beach towels.

  • We have a complementary pool and solar hot tub available for guest use. Additionally, our electric sauna is $30 for a 1-hour sweat with space for up to 5 people. Our lakefront hot tub is available for gas-powered evening soaks (the rate for 2 hours is $40). Please let us know at least 6 hours in advance if you’d like an after-dinner hot tub, so that we can prepare the space for you. Our Sacred Sweat Lodge is available for guided ceremony with groups of 8-10 participants. 


  • We can most likely accommodate guests with slight mobility issues. Getting off boats and onto docks, walking on stone paths and stairs can be challenging for those with moderate or severe issues. Regretfully, Villa Sumaya is too rustic to accommodate wheelchair access. 

Miscellaneous

  • If you are a part of a group and want to come early or stay after your group retreat, please contact us by email: reservations@villasumaya.com.

  • For later flight arrival times, we suggest arriving one day early and spending the first night in Guatemala City or Antigua.

    Suggested Hotels in Guatemala City:

    Suggested Hotels in Antigua: 

  • Spanish is the primary language spoken. Many Mayan people speak Spanish as a second language, and there are 22 dialects of the Mayan language. It’s a great place to practice your Spanish since it is spoken more simply and slowly here. Our managers and the majority of our guests speak English.

  • We offer 7-night guided personal retreat packages for individual guests (depending on rooms available). Buffet meals are served at certain times when we are hosting group retreats. If you are looking for alone time, there is space for quiet and solitude.

  • Villa Sumaya is designed as a peaceful retreat center, and we welcome guests aged 12 and older. Children 12 and up are considered adults and pay the same rates. Thank you for understanding and helping us maintain a tranquil atmosphere for all our guests.