Cozy Room in Colorful Rustic Home with Soul & Volcano Views,Santa Cruz La Laguna

The space

The guest room is a separate construction at the back of the property, slightly elevated above the main house — which means the little porch in front of it has a lovely view over the lake and the volcanoes. It's a big room with a queen bed that comfortably fits two. I use it as a storage space and sometimes as an office, so it has a bit of my life in it, but when guests are here, it's entirely yours — fully private.

The main house, where my bedroom and kitchen are, is just steps away. Guests have access to everything except my bedroom: the kitchen, the living area, the garden, the covered terrace with hammock and seating, the outdoor dry bathroom and the open-air shower with volcano view.

We're up in the village, in a quiet and safe neighborhood close to the Amigos de Santa Cruz office. Right nearby is the path that winds down through the valley to the lake, and the only road in and out of town — so you're well connected to everything on foot, which is pretty much how life works up here.

The kitchen

The kitchen is small but well equipped — everything you need to cook a proper meal is there. It opens onto the covered terrace where the main dining table is, so eating outside with a view is very much on the table (pun intended). If you prefer cozier, there's also a little table by the sofa and a breakfast bar inside.

One Guatemalan detail worth knowing: the pila — the main sink for washing up — is outside, as is traditional in most homes here. You'll get used to it quickly and might even grow to love it.

I am gluten free (not celiac, but I'd rather keep the kitchen mostly gluten light), so I'd appreciate it if guests were mindful of that.

Other things to note

Bee and Cometa, my two dogs, live on the property. They're friendly and will probably appoint themselves your welcoming committee.

Getting here: I'd strongly recommend arriving by boat — it's the most practical and honestly the most beautiful way to reach Santa Cruz. There is a road, but it's brutally steep and strictly 4x4 territory, so unless you have one, stick to the lake.

WiFi is decent and there's a router in the guest room, so you'll have a good signal throughout the house — working remotely is perfectly doable.

As mentioned, the neighborhood is generally quiet, especially at night. Expect some morning and evening village sounds — chickens, kids, neighbors going about their day — but nothing that should keep you up.