La Iguana Perdida

It’s hard to find the words to express the gratitude I have for the La Fortuna staff, dogs and owners. My dad and I were traveling internationally for the first time to celebrate my birthday and Enrique made our stay absolutely perfect. His local tips and recommendations and his assistance in booking really turned this vacation into the trip of a lifetime (the ATV villages tour for sunset was by far the most fun we’ve had in so very long). The food was beyond our expectations and the service was above anything we have experienced in Guatemala. We stayed in Deluxe Suite 5 and it was spotless, comfortable and a total dream with the private pool and lakeside volcano views. And waking up each morning to Sanza, Biscuit, Nellie & Casino ready to greet us was just the icing on the cake. I could go on and on but you just need to experience the La Fortuna magic on your own. A friend told me Lago de Atitlan always gives you exactly what you need. And now I truly understand. Thank you Enrique, Isabel & Diego. We miss you all already! ❤️

The best time. I just got back from a trip with a group of friends and family and it could not have been better. The views, the dogs, the gardens, the accommodations and the staff were all terrific. Special shout out to Gabriel for being such a wonderful host. I can not wait to go back.

Where do I even begin?? This place is paradise. I traveled solo as a personal retreat, hoping to recharge and rebalance after a difficult year. The moment I arrived I knew I'd made the right decision. The staff are incredibly warm, friendly, and helpful. My Petit Bungalow #4 was perfect. It's very small but incredibly comfortable. The mattress is chef's kiss!! I loved the little porch and spent a good chunk of my time there. The staff was available via WhatsApp for any needs, including meal and wine requests. I was thrilled to discover their expansive onsite wine cellar! The cherry on top was the food. It was truly like dining in a high-end restaurant. Delicious, impeccable, good portions, and beautifully presented. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend La Fortuna! Now for some minor things to be aware of, to manage expectations: 1. The Petit Bungalows are indeed SMALL! Essentially they fit the bed and a small area for luggage. I enjoyed it (as a solo traveler) but it may be a tight fit for more than 2 people. 2. Be aware of the wood burning smell, which is consistent night and day. Since it's an eco lodge, the wood is burned for fuel and the sauna. I found it very strong the 2nd and 3rd nights. 3. The paths and cobblestones are very uneven and wet in the mornings due to sprinklers. Bring shoes that have excellent traction. 4. Bathrooms are aesthetically lovely and private but they're OUTSIDE the bungalows. This makes for a chilly late-night and early morning potty so bring something (like a robe) you can throw on. Overall, I really loved that La Fortuna was a perfect mix of rustic and luxurious. I applaud the owners and staff for what they've accomplished here and hope to return someday!

We had an amazing two days here. Isabel and the rest of the staff were fantastic! She emailed me on the day of our check in to see if we needed a boat/our ETA. You could easily take the public boat in but we chose the private boat. Isabel was waiting for us in the dock when we arrived and proceeded to give us a wonderful tour and welcome us to the eco lodge. We got welcome drinks, and some other drinks, and she gave us a tour of our room. There are 3 dogs on the property that roam around and hang out - it was great! We stayed in deluxe suite 5 and it was even better than the pictures. The outdoor bathroom with the big soaking tub was pretty neat. I loved the walls made out of glass bottles. I will say this resort is not friendly for those with bad knees and those with mobility issues as there were a lot of stairs. It was hard that the bathroom was on the bottom floor and the bed was on the 2nd. I wish suite 5 was like 50 more feet away from the main house, but with limited space, they did a great job. We enjoyed our pool and being able to sit inside with the doors open for the views. We took advantage of the sauna bus but never made it into the hot tub. In the morning we paddle boarded around the area. The first night we had a tilapia that was incredible! Breakfast and lunch were also delicious and I loved that it was brought to our room and coffee showed up at our door in the morning :) The bed was pretty comfy and we slept with the door slightly open so we could hear the lake and the birds. It was a great escape from our busy week touring the lake. Perfect place to relax and I love the intimate feeling of only 5 cabins. Would highly recommended!

We had a great stay here in January. The hotel, as shown in the photos, is beautiful. The location on the lake is idyllic. The staff is lovely and extremely accommodating. The owners were very helpful in helping me plan transportation from Guatemala City to Antigua to Lake Atitlan and back to Guatemala City. I really appreciated this as I was finding it difficult to pre-book transportation for our family of 5. They were responsive to all my questions I sent via email - thank you! The hotel staff were lovely - Enrique was our first welcome to the hotel and we had so much fun chatting with him. The staff were great at helping us plan boat transportation to visit Santiago, arrange massages on site, and work with food requirements (allergies, vegetarian) for 2 of our daughters. I loved the nightly Happy Hour and just hanging out in the bar/lounge/restaurant. We met some really nice people and had a lot of fun. There are so many places around the property to just sit and take in the view. There's also a short hike up to a viewpoint which we forgot to do! :) The VW bus sauna was fun. It was extremely windy when we visited due to a storm over the Pacific so it was too cold for the pool, but we enjoyed the sauna and hot tub. We had Deluxe Suite #5 and one of the Petite Bungalows. The Suite was stunning - very spacious, very clean. The open bathroom was gorgeous. Due to the crazy winds, we didn't have hot water one night (the pilot light had blown out) so that was a bit of a bummer. It was also a bit difficult to shower with the strong winds blowing - there is a privacy curtain that you can pull down but it didn't seem to stop the wind much. The Petite Bungalow is indeed petite, but the girls liked having their own space in the jungle. The bathroom was adorable. I read other reviews that complained about the steps. Yes, there are a lot of steps - the hotel is built into a hillside! I had read the hotel description, checked the website, and read reviews - so this wasn't a surprise to me. I was surprised though that the staircases don't have handrails. And some of the staircases were steep... so take that into consideration if you have mobility issues or are scared of heights. At 53 years old with a bad knee, I had to walk carefully but it didn't hold me back from doing anything I wanted to do on property. I even visited the super cute wine room in the basement of the lounge. I would definitely recommend this gorgeous property and I would love to come back again.

Fortuna Atitlan is a lovely place. The design is beautiful and the location great. The premises are beautiful but if you are a not fully mobile you should probably not come here because then it can be difficult and even dangerous no navigate. We had a ”petit” hut and it was indeed small but you are ”warned” in advance so no problems with that. The staff is lovely, service minded and kind. The cleaning of the hut outstanding. The only exception is Oscar who doesn’t seem to like his job, or the guests for that matter, as the others do. Breakfast was excellent, lunch good but dinner could be more innovative and of higher standard. Overall a very nice and relaxing stay.