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Be-lavie

La Lancha: A Hideaeay on the banks of Lake Peten, Guatemala

LA LANCHA: A HIDEAWAY ON THE BANKS OF LAKE PETÉN, GUATEMALA

4th March 2019

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Down a long bumpy dirt track, behind big wooden shields on the banks of Lake Petén Itzá is the beautiful boutique hideaway known as La Lancha. It’s tucked high into the rain forest above Guatemala’s third largest Lake Petén Itzá, located an hours drive from the Belize border.

In This Article

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  • RESTAURANT & BAR
  • CIGAR LOUNGE & ROOFTOP BAR
  • LA MIRADOR
  • ABODES
  • JETTY
  •  ACTIVITIES
  • SUSTAINABILITY
    • PIN FOR LATER

La Lancha: A Hideaway on the banks of Lake Peten, Guatemala

If you’re like me, you’re fans of the movie classics such as Bram Stoker’s Dracula and the epic Godfather trilogy then you will be delighted to hear that their director, the legend that is, Mr Francis Ford Coppola owns this property along with his entourage of three other hideaways! Unfortunately he was not in residence, however I can say one thing, if I was a movie star then this is where I would stay 100% because it really is a hideaway in every sense of the word.

Set in the rain forest high above the shores of Lago Petén Itzá is La Lancha, a quaint, ten room lodge decorated with furniture, fabrics and carvings from Guatemala, personally selected by the Coppola family. Nearby is Tikal, the epicentre of Maya spirituality. Buried deep within the rain forest, the ruins include more than 3,000 structures where moss clings to the steps of ancient temples and plazas. I will uncover the great ancient city of Tikal in an upcoming post!

You enter this secret location hideaway either by boat onto its private jetty and then ride up to reception via a private funicular or as we did via the dirt track and through big wooden gates.

La Lancha: A Hideaway on the banks of Lake Peten, Guatemala

La Lancha: A Hideaway on the banks of Lake Peten, Guatemala

Friendly faces await you as you step into this haven and as you obliviously take a seat sipping on a strawberry and rum welcome drink, all your luggage and check in information is dealt with swiftly.

La Lancha: A Hideaway on the banks of Lake Peten, Guatemala

La Lancha: A Hideaway on the banks of Lake Peten, Guatemala

Just next to the reception and the top of the property is the open air restaurant with stunning views of Lake Petén and the stunning gardens and lush jungle that surrounds La Lancha.

La Lancha: A Hideaeay on the banks of Lake Peten, Guatemala

RESTAURANT & BAR

The open air restaurant and bar serves meals three times a day and is open for snack and drinks throughout the day. They serve locally sourced and traditional Guatemala dishes where each evening a variety of fresh fish or meat can be cooked on the barbecue.

La Lancha: A Hideaway on the banks of Lake Peten, Guatemala

La Lancha: A Hideaway on the banks of Lake Peten, Guatemala

La Lancha: A Hideaway on the banks of Lake Peten, Guatemala

La Lancha: A Hideaway on the banks of Lake Peten, Guatemala

La Lancha: A Hideaway on the banks of Lake Peten, Guatemala

Breakfast as well as snacks 24 hours a day can be enjoyed in your Casita if you should wish as I we did on one morning. A continental breakfast of tea or coffee, fresh fruit juice, fruit platter and some breads and pastries is included in room rates but additionally an a lá carte menu is available.La Lancha: A Hideaway on the banks of Lake Peten, Guatemala

La Lancha: A Hideaway on the banks of Lake Peten, Guatemala

La Lancha: A Hideaway on the banks of Lake Peten, Guatemala

La Lancha: A Hideaeay on the banks of Lake Peten, Guatemala

Sip on your morning coffee with the singing of parakeets in the background or the calls of the Howler monkeys, which come down to your verandas.

La Lancha: A Hideaway on the banks of Lake Peten, Guatemala

La Lancha: A Hideaway on the banks of Lake Peten, Guatemala

La Lancha: A Hideaway on the banks of Lake Peten, Guatemala

La Lancha: A Hideaway on the banks of Lake Peten, Guatemala

La Lancha: A Hideaway on the banks of Lake Peten, Guatemala

La Lancha: A Hideaway on the banks of Lake Peten, Guatemala

The Bar makes some of the best Rum based cocktails I have ever tasted but one of my favourites were the All spice Mojitos and Margheritas, which contained a dash of local special spice mix of cinnamon and cloves.

La Lancha: A Hideaway on the banks of Lake Peten, Guatemala

Unfortunately, there are no photos of the delicious dinners due to the minimal romnatic lighting in the open-air restaurant after dark.

CIGAR LOUNGE & ROOFTOP BAR

Above the dining area of the restaurant is the Cigar lounge, where one can choose from a selection of fine rolled cigars and the bar can provide the perfect tipple for your smoke companion, should you wish. Spirits and shorts galore to see the night through. 

La Lancha: A Hideaway on the banks of Lake Peten, Guatemala

La Lancha: A Hideaway on the banks of Lake Peten, Guatemala

There is also a small gift shop above the restaurant, which sells local Guatemalan arts and crafts made in the nearby communities.

LA MIRADOR

Just a short walk down from the reception area is the hotel’s very exclusive Mirador. This is essentially a private lookout where hotel guests can hangout and relax, enjoy a romantic meal or lie on the cabanas with sun downers. The most beautiful sun rises from the left to the most dreamy sunsets on the right can be observed here and the bar staff are always on hand to provide you with  a drink or two.

La Lancha: A Hideaway on the banks of Lake Peten, Guatemala

La Lancha: A Hideaway on the banks of Lake Peten, Guatemala

La Lancha: A Hideaway on the banks of Lake Peten, Guatemala

La Lancha: A Hideaway on the banks of Lake Peten, Guatemala

Our waiter, Oscar was the perfect Margarita maker come photographer for Dr C and I

La Lancha: A Hideaway on the banks of Lake Peten, Guatemala

La Lancha: A Hideaway on the banks of Lake Peten, Guatemala

ABODES

There are ten abodes at La Lancha Hideaway, there are Rainforest Casitas, Rainforest Junior Suites and two Rain forest Lake view Suites. Dr C and I were lucky enough to be gifted the Lakeview Suites by La Lancha during our three night stay.

La Lancha: A Hideaway on the banks of Lake Peten, Guatemala

La Lancha: A Hideaway on the banks of Lake Peten, Guatemala

The Lake view Suite is truly exquisite in every sense of the word. Its rustic, with traditional artefacts, furniture and linens and is a short trek from the main part of the hotel. It is buried deep into the rain forest and has the most stunning view of the lake.

La Lancha: A Hideaway on the banks of Lake Peten, Guatemala

La Lancha: A Hideaway on the banks of Lake Peten, Guatemala

La Lancha: A Hideaway on the banks of Lake Peten, Guatemala

La Lancha: A Hideaway on the banks of Lake Peten, Guatemala

The suite encompassed two rooms adjoined by a walkway of master bathroom and an additional bathroom. There are beautiful sofas and scatter cushions giving a laid back feel and the French doors allowed plenty of light to flood in with viewing of wildlife and the lake possible.

La Lancha: A Hideaway on the banks of Lake Peten, Guatemala

La Lancha: A Hideaway on the banks of Lake Peten, Guatemala

La Lancha: A Hideaway on the banks of Lake Peten, Guatemala

The suite had all the amenities that you would require, including a rain shower, handmade local toiletries, Espresso  machine, water, fridge, safe and it was fully air conditioned. A turn down service, which included the place being kitted out for mosquito protection overnight as well as stocked up  with robes, water and fluffy towels.

La Lancha: A Hideaway on the banks of Lake Peten, Guatemala

 

La Lancha: A Hideaway on the banks of Lake Peten, Guatemala

La Lancha: A Hideaway on the banks of Lake Peten, Guatemala

The large wood floored decks are quite the hub for wildlife and have some beautifully upholstered bamboo furniture as well as a hammock to relax on those balmy days in the rain forest. Panoramic views of Lake Petén ingests you from every side of the deck providing the perfect spot for private rain forest luxury.

La Lancha: A Hideaway on the banks of Lake Peten, Guatemala

La Lancha: A Hideaway on the banks of Lake Peten, Guatemala

La Lancha: A Hideaway on the banks of Lake Peten, Guatemala

La Lancha: A Hideaway on the banks of Lake Peten, Guatemala

La Lancha: A Hideaway on the banks of Lake Peten, Guatemala

JETTY

The jetty at the bottom of the resort, which gives access to the lake can be reached by the resorts private funicular.

La Lancha: A Hideaeay on the banks of Lake Peten, Guatemala
La Lancha Funicular
La Lancha: A Hideaeay on the banks of Lake Peten, Guatemala
La Lancha Funicular
La Lancha: A Hideaeay on the banks of Lake Peten, Guatemala
La Lancha Funicular

La Lancha: A Hideaeay on the banks of Lake Peten, Guatemala
La Lancha Funicular

You can swim in the lake, take some canoes out or simply sit and relax and have a drink at the lakeside bar.

La Lancha: A Hideaway on the banks of Lake Peten, Guatemala

La Lancha: A Hideaway on the banks of Lake Peten, Guatemala

La Lancha: A Hideaway on the banks of Lake Peten, Guatemala

There is also a sauna at the bottom of the resort, which can be booked by guests.

La Lancha: A Hideaway on the banks of Lake Peten, Guatemala

 ACTIVITIES

Many activities can be organised from La Lancha Hideaway included trips to the Mayan ruins such as Tikal or boat rides on the lake, the nearby town of Flores as well as Spanish classes or horseback riding or even a suspension bridge sky walk at Ixpanpajul via boat.

La Lancha: A Hideaway on the banks of Lake Peten, Guatemala

Your stay at La Lancha Hideaway can be as active or as relaxing as you’d like and that is the beauty of this little rustic boutique style hideaway.

There is also a massage service to help you relax and ease your way into the surroundings, which can be booked via the hideaway reception.

La Lancha: A Hideaway on the banks of Lake Peten, Guatemala

If you prefer to swim in a pool, then the hotel has a fully manned pool just below the restaurant and main communal areas where you get fantastic lake views and can relax after a days sight seeing or jungle trekking.

La Lancha: A Hideaway on the banks of Lake Peten, Guatemala

La Lancha: A Hideaway on the banks of Lake Peten, Guatemala

La Lancha: A Hideaway on the banks of Lake Peten, Guatemala

La Lancha: A Hideaway on the banks of Lake Peten, Guatemala

SUSTAINABILITY

I was pleased to see La Lancha had a fantastic sustainability policy, which included a water purification system on-site therefore water could be drunk directly from the taps. They endeavour to recycle almost everything and as many vegetable as possible are bought over from their other Hideaway property in Belize, which has a vegetable garden. Additionally, La Lancha gives employment opportunities to the locals in this area, which enables them to work on a shift basis and gives jobs to the community and sustains the surrounding towns.

La Lancha: A Hideaway on the banks of Lake Peten, Guatemala

La Lancha: A Hideaway on the banks of Lake Peten, Guatemala

Pure Unadulterated Perfection for

Honeymoons, special occasions, anniversaries, small weddings, families, and

celebrities of course!

La Lancha: A Hideaway on the banks of Lake Peten, Guatemala

La Lancha: A Hideaeay on the banks of Lake Peten, Guatemala

Disclaimer: We were gifted the Lakeview Suite in exchange for this review however all opinions, views and photography are my own and remain a  copyright of be-lavie.

 

La Lancha Hideaway

Lake Petén Itzá

Peten District, Guatemala 

Tel. +502 3045 0817

 

You can book directly via La Lancha’s website here: https://www.thefamilycoppolahideaways.com/en/la-lancha

 

Á Bientôt…

 

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PIN FOR LATER

La Lancha: A Hideaway on the banks of Lake Peten, Guatemala

 

12 Comments
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Bejal

I’m Bejal aka Be, an ex-scientist turned travel writer and digital content creator. I have travelled to 6 continents, visited 70 plus countries, including an around the world trip, making me quite the expert in crafting intricate itineraries. I love to discover some of the world's more remote destinations and stay in some incredible hidden location eco-hotels. My aim is to transport you, my audience, to inspirational and cultural global spots that are less visited and allow you to see the 'real' and authentic side of destinations through detailed guides with a sprinkling of luxury. The spotlight is on eco-friendly responsible experiential travel with lifelong memories.

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  • Cristina - Memories of the Pacific
    4th March 2019

    What a beautiful place! You stay at the most wonderful hotels, Bejal. I love reading your posts because I always lean something new. I know the Coppola family has several hotels, wineries and restaurants but I didn’t know about this one. My husband and I went to his restaurant in San Francisco because we are big fans of the Godfather and it did not disappoint. It was so good!

    Reply
    • Bejal
      Cristina – Memories of the Pacific
      4th March 2019

      Thanks Cristina! It truly is stunning! The Coppola’s do have exquisite taste and love how they have chosen specific pieces to fir into La Lancha! I can only imagine what the restaurant’s are like if the hideaway’s are so supreme!

      Reply
  • louiseloveslondon
    4th March 2019

    HOW do you find these places, Bejal? Every time I go to your blog, I am blown away! I would probably never be afford these amazing trips, but one can dream! Your photos are as always stunning! A shame you didn’t get one of mr Coppola 😀
    Louise x

    Reply
    • Bejal
      louiseloveslondon
      4th March 2019

      Hey Louise! Well how I find these hotels is the secret of be-lavie!! Luckily I find them for you guys so you don’t need to spend hours searching for them! It’s actually not as badly priced as you may think. Thanks so much as always for your lovely comment, unfortunately Mr Coppola wasn’t in residence=he lives in the Napa Valley! xx

      Reply
  • Rasha
    4th March 2019

    Oh wow it looks like the perfect hideaway Be! I think I could lay on that hammock for days on end…gorgeous views and the sunset looks breath taking!

    Reply
    • Bejal
      Rasha
      5th March 2019

      It is such an amazing place Rasha! If you ever get a chance to go, you have too! Perfection!

      Reply
  • Mostlyfoodandtravel
    4th March 2019

    What a beautiful picturesque place. Sounds like you had an amazing time and the sustainability makes it even better. You sure pick good hotels and have amazing breaks

    Reply
    • Bejal
      Mostlyfoodandtravel
      5th March 2019

      It really is stunning right?! I always opt for sustainability, such an important aspect for me. Thankyou, I love sourcing hotels and finding hidden gems!

      Reply
  • the Curious Pixie
    5th March 2019

    I would go gaga if I ever saw Francis Ford Coppola. Such an incredible looking hotel. I’d definitely stay here after reading this review if I ever go to Guatemala.

    Reply
    • Bejal
      the Curious Pixie
      5th March 2019

      Haha, I think I would but unfortunately he was in the Napa Valley!! You should look at his other hideaways Sima, they are definitely our kind a place! I’ll give you all the low down if you go to Guatemala!

      Reply
  • thetravelsofmrsb
    9th March 2019

    What a stunning and unique place to stay! It looks magical!

    Reply
    • Bejal
      thetravelsofmrsb
      9th March 2019

      It really is utterly beautiful Laura! A hidden gem for sure!

      Reply

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Hi, I'm Bejal aka Be
Lets get acquainted

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Hello, I'm Be, an ex-scientist turned travel writer and digital content creator having travelled to 70 plus countries, all over the globe. My aim is to transport you to less visited inspirational and cultural global spots showing off the 'real' authentic side of destinations through detailed guides with a sprinkling of luxury. The spotlight is on eco-friendly responsible travel with lots of coffee spots and veggie food thrown in!

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