Owner of Casa Palopo in Guatemala Talks Resort Plans

Located on the edge of Santa Catarina Palopo, one of twelve Mayan towns dotting the shore of Lake Atitlan, Casa Palopo recently unveiled six new rooms and suites, bringing the total room count at this boutique hotel to 15.

TravelPulse recently spoke with hotelier Claudia Bosch, owner of Casa Palopo in Lake Atitlan, Guatemala, about the details behind her luxury resort's new rooms and suites, as well as other future plans for the property.

"The planning process started when I bought the hotel in 2010," said Bosch. "From the beginning, I knew we could accommodate more guests, but I wanted to wait for the right time to make it happen the right way."

Once a private home, the original building housed seven rooms prior to the expansion, in addition to a separate three-bedroom villa located 150 steps above the main hotel.

To create space for a new wellness and relaxation area that will serve as an option for spa treatments, one of the existing rooms in the main hotel was moved to the new wing and is among the six rooms added. Bosch said the modest spa will include just one treatment room and should be completed in about two months.

"We are a relatively small property," said Bosch, "and have limited space to work with, so figuring out how we could best work with the existing space was really important, and again, making sure we took the right approach so that the new rooms would be in line with the hotel's charm and cozy feel."

The new rooms and suites were built into a newly expanded wing of the main hotel, overlooking the pool deck with views of the surrounding greenery, lake, and volcanoes just beyond. The new accommodations include one Superior Queen room, two Deluxe King rooms, two King Junior Suites and one King Suite.

Each of the new rooms feature color palettes that range from soft yellows, blues and reds, lavender, and neutral tones. Additional features include modern bathrooms with glass-cased rainfall showers, stand-alone bathtubs in some of the rooms and high-end supersonic limited edition hair dryers by Dyson, now available in all 15 rooms.

"The approach and design were centered around local artisanship in order to continue to bring Guatemala's colorful culture into the hotel," said Bosch. "This was a key focus from the beginning, integrating a bit of a more modern look with the beautiful indigenous products that are handmade in our local communities."

"We also put a big focus on maintaining the same quality, sense of character and intimacy that Casa Palopo is known for, not wanting the expansion to compromise the experience. I am really happy with the outcome and feel we achieved all of this, while now being able to welcome more guests."

So, who is the typical Casa Palopo guest?

"Our clients are those travelers who want that connection with the local beat and culture of a destination," said Bosch. "They want to travel to lesser-known places, perhaps seek out a bit of adventure and the unknown. They also look forward to a comfortable, cozy retreat to indulge in a good gourmet meal and wine and a delicious nights' sleep at the end of the day. We have a lot of couples, honeymooners, families with older children and even solo travelers."

And as far as the draw to the destination in general goes, Bosch told TravelPulse all things local is trending high in Guatemala.

"There is a huge draw towards all things local and artisan-made," said Bosch, "which was a huge inspiration for our new rooms and suites, as well as the local food culture which has become very intriguing to visitors."

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