Hotel Casa Santo Domingo
Antigua, Guatemala
Hotel and Spa
Hotel Casa Santo Domingo in Antigua, Guatemala, is one of the most interesting hotels I’ve been to in a while. Formerly a convent, the unassuming entrance from the street hastens you away from the bustling streets of Antigua. It boasts a hotel, a pool, multiple museums, a restaurant, plus a luxurious spa. I actually felt like I had found a little oasis just a few blocks from downtown but tucked far enough away to remove any excessive city noise and pollution.
In addition, it is a relatively affordable five-star hotel. I’ve seen prices range from the low-$100s to mid-$200s for the standard room with one person occupancy in the off season. While that is not cheap, it is hard to find a hotel of this quality for this price range anywhere in the world. My room was very spacious and had a private second floor terrace.
When it comes to the museums, I had no expectations going in and thought it would take me an hour or two to visit. Turns out, the museums were quite extensive and I could have spent much more time there due to the large collection of pre-Columbian art. Any history or art lover would enjoy an afternoon stroll through museums. Overall, the museums were free for hotel guests and incredibly quiet (no music or distractions).
Now, for the best part, the day spa. When I stayed there, guests could use the day spa during the duration of their stay without an extra fee. Any spa services (massage, facial, etc.) and meals at the spa restaurant were extra. One day, I had a delightful body massage and relaxed in the lounge chairs. Another day, I spent an hour or two in the jacuzzis and saunas. It was very quiet most of the time and I could have spent my entire vacation there. Pure bliss.
So, how can you affordably visit and soak in the serenity while there? Here are my suggestions:
Flight - I personally used around 30K Delta points to fly for free. I would research the airlines that fly to Guatemala City from your local airport and see what options you have to accumulate points (like applying for an airline credit card after doing your own due diligence). Alternatively, look for affordable flights during the off season that you can afford.
Hotel - Look for prices at different times of the year to find an option that meets your budget. Also, if you have any existing points from a booking website, see if they could be applied to your stay.
Airport <> Hotel Transport - The ride is anywhere from 1 hour to a few hours from Guatemala City depending on traffic. I used a local taxi service that I booked in advance and paid for in cash. The taxi ended up being rather stressful because it didn’t have air conditioning (I later learned that is the case for a lot of cars in Guatemala) and I had to keep the window open during rush hour traffic. However, I later found out that the hotel has a shuttle bus transfer that you can book for a fee by contacting the concierge (this would be my choice for my next stay).
Treat yourself to room service - I couldn’t believe my eyes when I first saw how affordable it would be to get room service. I ordered multiple meals (with plenty of desserts) through room service over the course of a week and only spent around $150 USD.
Bring a book - There were countless quiet spots where I cozied up with my books. The pools were practically empty, so I changed lounge chairs to my heart’s content. There were even shaded nooks with spa beds throughout the resort.
Spend time at the spa and museum - both of these were free to hotel guests. Spa services were an added cost, but if all you want to do is relax at the day spa or stroll through the museum, have at it.
My only other note is most of the staff only speaks Spanish, but they will get one of their English speaking staff members if you need assistance.
Check out the hotel for yourself on their website.
Note: this is not a paid review and I covered all hotel expenses myself.