The 8 BEST Hostels In Lake Atitlan: My Favorites (2025)

Come find out my best hostels in Lake Atitlan for the perfect lakeside stay. This place is such as backpacker paradise, though surprisingly, there aren’t too many options in terms of dorms.

Welcome to the budget friendly and beautiful area of Lake Atitlan. Seriously this place is perfect for travelers looking to chill out and embrace the surrounding nature.

However, you need to know not all hostels here are created equal. This is because some of the villages don’t have the amenities you may be used to, such as consistent electricity, Wi-Fi, heating, water, and even flushing toilets.

I know, but seriously it is still worth visiting, and the affected hostels have found ways to work around them.

Now, you will come across various hostels here, from glamping style to homestays, digital nomad hangouts, and party spots.

I traveled Guatemala for a month and spent a good portion of that in Lake Atitlan, but I easily could have stayed longer, especially at the beautiful Free Cerveza.

So, let’s finally get into the details of the best hostels. This way, you can make sure you book the perfect stay in an awesome location and within your budget.

Overall Best Hostel: Free Cerveza

⭐️ Rating: 9.2 out of 10 Stars | 📍 Location: Santa Cruz La Laguna, Lake Atitlan | 🏩 Check Rates and Availability

Now, when you are traveling Guatemala and Central America, there are a handful of hostels’ names that get thrown around as THE place to stay, and Free Cerveza is one of these. I can confidently say it is not overrated and well worth the hype.

It is located in Santa Cruz La Laguna, which is one of the smaller villages. As a result, there are limited things to do here in the evening and even throughout the day unless you are planning to travel around Lake Atitlan.

Luckily Free Cerveza has solved this issue and more by providing anything and everything that you could ever want. A fellow traveler described it as a summer camp for adults, and I could not agree more.

They offer plenty of activities like games throughout the day, group hikes, kayaking, and paddle boarding, and there is an epic dock down at the lakefront where you can tan or swim. Plus, the kayaks and paddleboards are free!

When I booked this place, I didn’t really look into what I was actually booking and was pleasantly surprised to find the dorm rooms are actually in tipi tents. There are 4 mattresses on the floor for guests, with plenty of warm blankets and decent pillows.

There is also electricity inside the tent if you need to charge your phone. There were big storms every evening when I stayed, to the point where the staircase leading to the common area became a literal waterfall, and no one I heard of had any issues whatsoever with leaky tents.

Cannot say enough good things about this hostal. Location, social atmosphere, daily activities, facilities, and most of all the Staff made it one of my most memorable and favorite hostal experiences to date.

-ALLIE (SEE MORE REVIEWS)

Free Cerveza also offers a family dinner each evening. The price of dinner is $10.00 and includes three yummy courses, the first which is usually a soup, a main, and of course, dessert. When you sign up for dinner you can participate in the free cerveza time from 5 pm to 7 pm, where you can have free beer.

Seriously. This and the dinner are undoubtedly the best opportunities to meet people while you stay here, as everyone is in good spirits and ready to socialize.

Now just a few things to be aware of if you want to stay here. The first is that they use composting toilets, but they were kept extremely clean throughout my stay and very rarely smelled.

Next up is a mixed-sex shower area. This is something I wasn’t prepared for and wasn’t 100% comfortable with.

There aren’t lockers in the tent, instead, they are against the shower building so you will be separated from your valuables. Lastly, I found their menu offerings for breakfast and lunch to be a bit average, so I would eat offsite, though their family dinner is the best around!

• $$$
• Private Dock
• Hikes & Activities During The Week
• Family Dinners

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Best Hostel For Solo Travelers: Mr. Mullets

⭐️ Rating: 8.1 out of 10 Stars | 📍 Location: San Pedro La Laguna, Lake Atitlan | 🏩 Check Rates and Availability

Now, this is another hostel whose name always gets dropped in the backpacker community as THE party place in Central America. If you are traveling solo, then you won’t be alone for long, though you will need to be prepared to get involved in the crazy.

Mr. Mullets has an awesome location just a couple minutes away from the main public dock in San Pedro. You can book a tourist shuttle from Antigua or simply jump on a water taxi from Panajachel to get here.

Mr Mullets has the vibes you didn’t even know you were missing your entire life. Great staff, location and facilities. You can go experience the wonders of atitlan and still return to solid wifi and scalding showers. Lots of great people coming around every day. Not sure how their bar is profitable with how many free shots I got. Do yourself a favor and post up here for a few nights minimum.

-BRANDON (SEE MORE REVIEWS)

You will be spoilt for choice in terms of nearby restaurants and bars. If you are into the foodie scene, you will love it here.

At Mr Mullets you will find 2 bars offering 2-for-1 drinks during happy hour each night from 4 pm to 6 pm. They also offer plenty of activities and hold themed parties, pool competitions, and, of course, beer pong tournaments. Make sure you do the Indian Nose hike for sunrise with these guys as well.

After a night of partying, you can rest up in their 4, 6, or 8-bed dorm rooms. They have lockers in the room, high-speed internet, decent mattresses, power sockets, and personal reading lights for each bed.

• $
• Super Social Atmosphere
• Awesome Wifi
• 2 Onsite Bars

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Best Hostel For Female Travelers – Selina Atitlan

⭐️ Rating: 8.2 out of 10 Stars | 📍 Location: Panajachel, Lake Atitlan | 🏩 Check Rates and Availability

Selina is well known throughout Central America for being a reliable option for digital nomads. You know when you book one what you will be getting, which is super good Wi-Fi, a decent onsite restaurant, and a comfortable bed.

The same thing goes here with Selina Hostel in Lake Atitlan. It is located in Panajachel, just a couple of minutes’ walk from the main water taxi pier.

I stayed in Selina as a solo female traveler and met so many others who were doing the same thing as me. It is a clean and modern accommodation option and is ideal if you aren’t really keen on roughing it.

You will have a good mattress, a decent pillow, flushing toilets, hot water, and high-speed Wi-Fi. There is also a nice pool area to hang out by and take a little dip.

Really friendly and helpful staff. Clean rooms, lots of things going on – excursions and trips. Comfortable beds and good food. Yoga in the morning on the lake side was a great way to start the day.

– ABIGAIL (SEE MORE REVIEWS)

Though I will say that Selina Atitlan does miss a bit on the social atmosphere a lot of the other hostels around the lake absolutely nail. For example, they don’t run any family dinners or activities.

However, I had no problem making friends here around the pool, in the dorm room, and cooking meals in the kitchen. Yup, Selina is one of the only hostels on the lake with a kitchen for guests to use. This is an excellent way to save money while traveling.

I stayed in the 8-bed female dorm here, though they also offer a mixed 8-bed dorm, as well as a 4-bed. They all have a nice spacious layout with plenty of room to lay out your luggage.

There are lockers in the room, personal reading lights and electrical sockets for each bed as well as a little shelf to put your personal items.

• $$$
• Female Only Dorms
• Incredible Pool
• Good Restaurant Onsite

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Best Cheap Hostel – La Iguana Perdida

⭐️ Rating: 8.2 out of 10 Stars | 📍 Location: Santa Cruz La Laguna, Lake Atitlan | 🏩 Check Rates and Availability

Next up, we have La Iguana Perida for the best cheap hostel. This is the perfect choice for travelers on a budget wanting to experience the lake and not stay in a big town.

Located in Santa Cruz La Laguna, literally right opposite the water taxi pier, you will find the homely spot of La Iguana Perdida.

They were the first hostel to open in Santa Cruz La Laguna and have been operating for over twenty years. Onsite, there is a beautiful open area with views out over the lake, and you can find plenty of places to chill out and relax.

There are plenty of board games around, puzzles, and, of course, hammocks. You can also find an onsite restaurant with more awesome views over the lake open from 8 am to 4 pm. It is the perfect place to grab breakfast and lunch, and the food they serve up is freakin delicious.

Amazing location overlooking the Santa Cruz docks. Very relaxing with plenty of places to chill and watch the boats. Loved having the yoga studio on site. Staff were the absolute best, it felt like a home, I really enjoyed the family style dinners. Would recommend staying here!

– PAUL (SEE MORE REVIEWS)

Of course, they also offer up a family dinner in the evenings. However, I found their one to be more typical mass catering food, rather than Free Cerveza, which was more flavorsome. On Saturday, make sure to check out their dress-up party and BBQ buffet.

They have 3 different dormitories available for budget travelers. Though the cheapest option is their tree house dorm, this is open-air style and with no electricity. You can charge your devices in common areas.

Alternatively, there is also a 7-bed mixed dorm or an 8-bed mixed dorm which only cost a couple of dollars more.

If you prefer a private room, you will find many options here for all budgets. However, I will say that I did find things more on the dusty side, which did affect my allergies quite badly.

• $
• Super Affordable
• Homely Vibes
• Restaurant Onsite

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Best Cheap Private Room – Hotel Y Restaurante Playa Linda

⭐️ Rating: 7.9 out of 10 Stars | 📍 Location: San Pedro La Laguna, Lake Atitlan | 🏩 Check Rates and Availability

If you are looking for a super cute but affordable private room, it is definitely worth checking out Hotel Y Restaurante Playa Linda. This is a perfect choice if you are simply wanting to relax.

It is located in San Pedro, about a 15-minute walk out of the main center. Luckily, it is easy enough to walk along the lake shore, and you will soon find yourself in the action again.

Very nice hotel! For the price it’s the best you can get. Bathroom and room were clean, bed was comfortable, the breakfast which is included was amazing and the staff super friendly!! :) had a great stay and would recommend, if you’re looking for something cheap and simple :)

– FAHNERT (SEE MORE REVIEWS)

Hotel Y Restaurante Playa Linda also has basic rooms with a shared bathroom that won’t put a dent in your budget, as well as single rooms available for solo travelers who aren’t keen on a dorm.

• $
• Super Affordable
• Set Away From The Noisy Hostels
• Cute Bamboo Bungalows

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Hotel Posada Don Carlos

⭐️ Rating: 7.9 out of 10 Stars | 📍 Location: Panajachel, Lake Atitlan | 🏩 Check Rates and Availability

Now, for another affordable private room, Hotel Posada Don Carlos is an excellent option. You will find it in Panajachel, just at the end of the main shopping street, Calle Santander.

Cozy little place right in the center of town, easy to walk everywhere with a supermarket right on the corner. The hotel also includes breakfast – eggs, beans, bread, and plantain, with coffee. Good value for money.

– CHRIS (SEE MORE REVIEWS)

It is a super easy walk to get around, including to the water taxi pier, so you can explore the villages further afield. The most affordable room here is the shared bathroom queen bedroom.

• $
• Great Location
• Homely Feel
• Close To Supermarket

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Casa Ahau

⭐️ Rating: 9.2 out of 10 Stars | 📍 Location: San Marcos La Laguna, Lake Atitlan | 🏩 Check Rates and Availability

Another spot to check out is called Casa Ahau. This is one of the few hostels located in San Marcos La Laguna, which is the yogi/hippie place around the lake.

I loved my stay at Casa AHAU. This hostel has a community esque vibe where everyone eats a delicious breakfast together in the morning and gets the opportunity to connect. The roof top is perfect for hanging out and practicing yoga and the rooms are comfortable, clean and cosy. Facilities are fairly basic but all you need and there are so many nice little touches to the place. Above everything the owner and staff are lovely and really made my stay special.

– ALICE (SEE MORE REVIEWS)

Casa Ahau is located in a gorgeous jungle-like location in an incredible building. They have a 10-bed dorm room available, which only has single beds and no bunk beds in sight, which will be very appreciated by some travelers.

• $$
• Located Among Nature
• Affordable Option In San Marcos

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Chirris Hostel

Rating: 9.4 out of 10 Stars | 📍 Location: San Juan La Laguna, Lake Atitlan | 🏩 Check Rates and Availability

Another excellent choice is Chirris Hostel which is located right in the center of San Juan La Laguna.

They have a lovely homely atmosphere, and if you want somewhere with a more relaxed vibe, and not so much of a party scene you will find in many of the other hostels, this is the choice for you.

Andrea, the owner, was exceptionally attentive, helpful and conscientious. In addition to being an amazingly cozy and inviting atmosphere, she also explained her larger vision of reducing environmental impact (particularly on trash and water usage) and training local women as employees at a fair wage. Could not give a stronger recommendation for this hostel!

– TREINEN (SEE MORE REVIEWS)

Chirris Hostel has an onsite kitchen that is fully equipped that guests can use. This can help you save money as, in my opinion, eating out at restaurants in Guatemala is actually quite pricey.

They also have sturdy wooden bunk beds and lockers where you can keep your valuables.

• $
• Only Hostel In San Juan
• Communal Kitchen

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Zoola San Pedro Atitlan

⭐️ Rating: 7.8 out of 10 Stars | 📍 Location: San Pedro La Laguna, Lake Atitlan | 🏩 Check Rates and Availability

Located in San Pedro La Laguna, you will find Zoola San Pedro Atitlan. It is an absolutely gorgeous property surrounded by nature. You will be spoilt for choice as to where to hang out. They have a pool, plenty of hammocks, and a restaurant.

Property is super cozy, staff really friendly and helpful. The included breakfast is super good and available all day. The ”Cinema Zone” with a tv and video games are great when you’re hungover! Pool is also a plus, altough we mainly hung out in the cozy restaurant part of Zoola.

– OSKAR (SEE MORE REVIEWS)

They offer a 6-bed mixed dormitory, which is all single beds, rather than bunks, as well as an assortment of private rooms.

• $
• Surrounded By Nature
• Pool

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Eagle’s Nest

⭐️ Rating: 8.2 out of 10 Stars | 📍 Location: San Marcos La Laguna, Lake Atitlan | 🏩 Check Rates and Availability

Now, this is in no way a cheap option, but while we are talking about dorm rooms at least I do need to mention Eagle’s Nest. It is located in San Marcos La Laguna and is famous. They have incredible views over the lake and definitely cater to the more free-spirited crowd.

I really liked the vibe here. If you’re looking for a yoga style retreat, you’ve come to the best place in Lake Atitlan.

– ROISIN (SEE MORE REVIEWS)

Eagle’s Nest has gorgeous common areas with no doubt the best views of any accommodation. They offer a 4-bed mixed dorm room, a 4-bed male dorm room, or a 6-bed female room.

There is also an assortment of private rooms available. Even though this is definitely the most expensive option, their rates are all-inclusive.

• $$$
• Instagramable Spot
• Incredible Views

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Dreamboat Hostel

⭐️ Rating: 8.2 out of 10 Stars | 📍 Location: Panajachel, Lake Atitlan | 🏩 Check Rates and Availability

Last but not least is Dreamboat Hostel. It is in an excellent location in Panajachel, right off the main shopping street. However, what people travel and stay here for is the social atmosphere. Yes, this is your main party hostel in Panajachel.

Dreamboat was an amazing hostel. From the second you walked in to check out all the staff and volunteers were friendly. The facilities were great and the dorm and bathrooms were very clean. Be prepared to drink many beer bongs! Even though there is a party or event every night, quiet hours are enforced at 10 pm which makes it a perfect mixture for people who wants a early night and people who wants to have a fun time.

– LOUISE (SEE MORE REVIEWS)

Hang out at the bar (claimed to be the cheapest hostel bar in the country), enjoy the views from the rooftop terrace, and grab a delicious meal at the affordable family dinners they hold. Dreamboat Hostel holds daily activities giving travelers the chance to make friends and create memories.

They offer 4-bed or 6-bed mixed dorm rooms with wooden bunk beds, each with an electrical socket to charge your devices.

• $
• Restaurant & Bar Onsite
• Communal Kitchen

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