*groups over 8 people please contact me before booking* Semana Santa 4 nights min*
Thank you for your interest in my listing! I love sharing my special place in beautiful Guatemala. I have a house on the beach, 20 miles away from Flores and 30 from Tikal (Tikal to Flores is 40m, so your drive to Tikal will be the same). Over the past few years, we restored an old house, and built a couple of new units with more privacy.
In a nutshell:
Perfect for families and groups of friends. Two separate rooms with complete privacy, two more rooms next to one another. Young kids can sleep with parents with a mattress on the floor, or in separate unit in their own room.
Clean rustic house with comfortable beds, bathrooms, and fully equipped kitchen.
There are about 20 steps to go down to the house from the parking, and 30 steps to go down to the beach. No wheelchair access.
Right on the lake, for people who enjoy relaxing in nature. Party animals, bring the party with you :)
Fully paved road from Flores. Bus stops in front of the house.
Internet can be a bit slow as we don't have a landline nearby. Bring your movies and entertainment.
1 mile from stores with drinks and chips, 20 miles from supermarket, BRING ALL YOUR FOOD if you want to cook.
PROPERTY DESCRIPTION:
Welcome to San Damiano! I bought this place in 2012 and since then, have been adding to it bit by bit, to turn it into a cosy home with a beautiful lush garden. Being a world traveler myself, I try to offer guests the things I am happy to get during my travels: comfortable beds and sheets, a fully equipped kitchen with sharp knives and non stick pans, and an overall clean and welcoming place. I hope you love it as much as I do.
San Damiano is a special place where you can watch both the sunrise and sunset from your own private deck, have a meal al fresco overlooking lake Petén Itzá, and wake up to the sound of hawler monkeys.
Yes, we are in the jungle, and while the house is pretty much free of critters (they’ll come around if you leave food outside, so please leave it in the fridge!), we are still surrounded by wildlife. There are monkeys, toucans, and many other animals inhabiting the jungle. You will seldom see them, and regarding insects, we take every precaution to make sure the house is free of them. There are mosquito nets on the windows and we regularly inspect the place for nests.
We take pride in offering this place to guests, and hope you will love your stay. If anything is not up to your standards, please let the staff know and they will do their very best to make you happy. I am usually just a text message or email away.
The house is a group of three units, one with two bedrooms (with fans), a shared bathroom and a kitchen, and two units with larger bedrooms, their private bath, and air conditioning. We mostly host families and groups of friends who enjoy the privacy of separate sleeping units, while sharing social areas and the beach.
You can self check in at any time after 2pm, The area is very safe and the lake is clean and safe too. This part of Lake Petén Itzá is still wild and quiet, at night you will hear hawler monkeys and frogs, you can fish, hike in the jungle, etc.
Most groups come for two or three nights, wake up early to visit Tikal the next day (one hour ride, paved), and come back to a refreshing swim in the lake and sunset. You are a mile away from the village, so the place is pretty quiet, and you should bring all your foods and drinks from Flores. See below for details about buses and logistics, although for groups over 3 people, it really makes sense to rent a car to explore the area, whether you stay with me or not.
ROOM 1:
Room 1 is called The Cave, because it is partially buried, making it cool most of the year, and also because of its stone walls. It is a unique piece of architecture and the first room we built. The big windows with lake views make it feel like you are on a boat when you’re in bed. It stands in a separate unit and has its own en-suite bathroom with hot shower, and an AC unit.
Room 1 is about 20sqm 220sqft, plus en-suite bath. It features a comfy queen size bed, bedside tables and lots of space to store your things, plenty of plugs to charge your laptops and phones.
The bathroom has a closet, and the shower has hot water via an electric system, meaning the water is hot but not boiling hot.
This room has huge 8 sqm French door that offers a gorgeous view over the lake. This is also the room with the most privacy of the property. The doors are polarized for extra privacy.
ROOM 2:
Room 2 and 3 are in the main house and share a bathroom. Room 2 is a medium room, about 12 sqm, 125 sqft, with two single beds, and a bedside table. It has a partial lake view and you see the garden as well. The room has a fan if nights are hot, but most nights natural air flow is enough. We have comforters if nights are cool too. All the windows are closed by mosquito nets.
It is a simple, clean room with a couple of plugs too if you need to charge things.
The room shares a bathroom with room 3, and is close to it so it works well for parents and smaller kids to be close by.
The bathroom has an electric shower, meaning the water is hot but not super hot. It is quite simple by Western standards.
ROOM 3:
Room 2 and 3 are in the main house and share a bathroom.
Room 3 is a small room, about 8sqm, 80sqft, with a queen bed, a dresser and a couple of bedside tables. It has no view, because its two windows that are mosquito nets are over the corridor that leads to room 2, so you can see partially the lake and garden but through that double mosquito net from the room’s windows and the corridor.
It has weaved traditional mats on the ceiling to keep it cool and it has a fan as well should you need it. It has a couple of plugs for your things.
ROOM 4:
It is in a separate unit like room 1.
Room 4 is called The Little Cave, as it is also half buried, with thick stone walls to keep it cool. It is very private and perfect for couples who want to have their own space.
Room 4 is around 12sqm, 125sqft, has a queen size bed, AC unit, and its own bathroom with hot shower. Room 4 has the same large French doors as room 1 that will make you feel like you are sleeping on a boat. The doors are polarized for privacy.
This room also has a sitting area in front, with an L shaped sofa, a hammock and a table.
KITCHEN:
The main house has a fully equipped kitchen to prepare meals for your group.
The kitchen is spacious and has a big gas oven with six burners. There is a fridge and freezer, enough pots, pans, plates and cutlery to accommodate your group, gas stove and oven.
The kitchen has a coffee maker, an Oster blender that can crush ice, sharp knives and non stick pans. There is a vegetable peeler, ice trays, wine and beer opener, and most things you would need to prepare a nice meal.
You will also find a 5 gallon water filter for drinking.
PANORAMIC TERRACE:
We have a nice panoramic terrace overlooking the lake, where you will love to rest after a day exploring Mayan ruins. It is generally cool during the day thanks to big trees casting their shade over it. It is fully roofed, so that is where you will sit down for meals too.
The terrace has a table big enough to sit 12 people and a sitting area with a coffee table. There is also a bar area with stools, and we have a barbecue (bring charcoal) if you want to grill.
BEACH AND DECK:
The private beach is 30 meters /100ft wide, it has a deck with a couple of hammocks, and the water is generally crystal clear, it gets a bit muddy on the rainy days. The best sunsets are from October to February. The lake is around 30C /80F degrees year round so you can swim at any time. It is safe for kids.
STAFF:
Before you arrive, the housekeeper does a deep cleaning of the house. If anything is not up to your standards please ask my staff.
She can answer your questions and help you with anything you need.
You will be alone at night, she can be reached by text or phone in case of an emergency. The area is very safe so you can leave all doors open at night and enjoy the breeze.
she is very hard working, patient, and eager to help. She does not speak English but will understand most problems if you point, or go online for automatic translation.
GETTING THERE / AMENITIES
It is better if you have your own vehicle, but you can also come by bus. Buses stop in front of the house 6am to 245pm to go to Flores and the last bus back is at 6pm from Flores.
