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Beautiful Santa Cruz 2-story Home - Spectacular Lake & Mtn Views & Large Garden

Beautiful Santa Cruz 2-story Home - Spectacular Lake & Mtn Views & Large Garden

Photo gallery for Beautiful Santa Cruz 2-story Home - Spectacular Lake & Mtn Views & Large Garden

kitchen
Sunset view from Master Bedroom
kitchen
view from lower garden
Front of the house,and master bedroom balcony

Overview of Beautiful Santa Cruz 2-story Home - Spectacular Lake & Mtn Views & Large Garden

Reviews
10 out of 10 Exceptional
2 bedrooms1 bathroomSleeps 6130 sq m

Popular amenities

  • FireplaceFireplaceFireplace
  • Free WiFiFree WiFiFree WiFi
  • WasherWasherWasher
  • KitchenKitchenKitchen
  • Outdoor spaceOutdoor spaceOutdoor space
  • Mountain viewMountain viewMountain view

Check out the area

Map
Santa Cruz la Laguna, Solola
  • Popular LocationMultiple Use Area Lake Atitlan Basin1 min walk
  • Popular LocationPanajachel Municipal Market20 min drive
  • Popular LocationLos Elementos Day Spa25 min drive

Rooms & beds

2 bedrooms (sleeps 6)

Bedroom 1

Bedroom 2

Common area 1

1 bathroom

Bathroom 1

Toilet · Shower only

Spaces

Deck or patio
Porch or lanai
Kitchen
Balcony
Garden
Dining Area

About this property

Beautiful Santa Cruz 2-story Home - Spectacular Lake & Mtn Views & Large Garden

Beautiful Atitlan Retreat Home - Spectacular Garden w/ Lake & Mountain views.

Just 5 minute’s walk (160 meters) to the lake shore and 12 minutes walk up the mountain to the village of Santa Cruz la Laguna. The house is in a large private, enclosed, well-maintained tropical garden w/ avocado, mango, lemon, mandarin & banana trees. Access to the house is from a set of circular steps up to a large terrace with a quiet seating area. French doors lead into the main open plan area. The living area with a stone fireplace is two stories high with the fully-equipped kitchen and dining area off to the right. At the back of the room is a large beautiful stone bathroom with a shower, gas hot water and a separate room with a washing machine. There is also an office with a 6 foot long desk and a twin bed. Up a wooden staircase is a bedroom with a queen bed & its own private terrace facing the mountains. Then along the galley is the beautiful and spacious Master Bedroom with queen bed, large closet and French doors leading to another private porch with a lake view'.

This is a home-from-home providing a perfect base to explore the wonders of Lake Atitlan as well as a quiet and private place for romantics & adventurers seeking rest, reflection & inspiration.

Access to Santa Cruz is by boat. However in Santa Cruz all five, nearby hotels have restaurants and bars. You can also take advantage of, scuba diving, yoga, Spanish lessons, kayak and paddle board rental, hiking and guided tours of the lake. For a writer or artist focusing on a project, for a spiritual retreat, or a vacation in the heart of the Maya's Land of Eternal Spring, this house is ideal.

Lake Atitlan has a temperate climate at 1,500 meters or 5,000 feet above sea-level - "the land of eternal spring"! Surrounded by three sentinel volcanoes, Lake Atitlan is one of the natural wonders of the world. Hence why Aldus Huxley referred to it as "really too much of a good thing"! Be warned - once you arrive, you will never want to leave!

The area of Santa Cruz is among the quietest around the lake, and boasts the most spectacular views of the sunrise, sunset, AND views of all three volcanoes across the lake! Santa Cruz is the closest village to Panajachel, the main transport hub and commercial center on the Lake. Panajachel is where you find banks, ATMs, grocery stores, cafes, pharmacies, restaurants, bars, and the wonderful local market overflowing with fresh fruit and vegetables. Every Saturday morning there is a small farmer's market in Santa Cruz. The village can be reached from the Santa Cruz dock by tuk tuks or by a steep 15 minute walk. Here you can visit CECAP, a vocational center for young people from around the lake, where they learn a multitude of things like cooking, sewing, computer skills, and carpentry. Be sure to check out their café/restaurant with quite possibly the best food and the best view of the Lake. The small catholic village church is one of the oldest around the lake. The rest of Santa Cruz runs along the shore, where the five hotels are (Isla Verde, Arca de Noe, La Iguana Perdida, Villa Sumaya & Laguna Lodge). All the hotels provide restaurant meals. The tranquil Paxanax Bay lies about a 15 min walk to the east of the main public dock along a series of paths and boardwalks.

Always bring a flashlight/torch for night time wanders. Please be assured Santa Cruz is extremely safe and secure.

Prices are for 2 guests. Any additional guests from 3-5 will be charged at a rate of $8.00 per night.
Min 5 night stay.
No Pets

Property manager

Richard Johnson

Languages

English, Spanish

Amenities

Kitchen
Washer
Free WiFi
Outdoor space
Mountain view
Fireplace

House Rules

Check in after 2:30 PM
Minimum age to rent: 21
Check out before 11:00 AM

Children

Children allowed: ages 0-17

Events

No events allowed

Pets

No pets allowed

Smoking

Smoking is not permitted
please do not put toilet paper in the toilet. Put it in the wastebasket next to the toilet to be burned. .

Damage and incidentals

You will be responsible for any damage to the rental property caused by you or your party during your stay.

Important information

You need to know

Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card, or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
Onsite parties or group events are strictly prohibited
Host has not indicated whether there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property; consider bringing a portable detector with you on the trip
Host has not indicated whether there is a smoke detector on the property
Safety features at this property include a first aid kit

We should mention

A car is not required for transportation to and from this property

About the area

Santa Cruz La Laguna

This vacation home is located in Santa Cruz La Laguna. The area's natural beauty can be seen at Tzantizotz Nature Reserve and Atitlan Nature Reserve, while La Galeria and CHIYA Art Gallery are cultural highlights. Be sure to check out the area's animals with activities such as game walks and birdwatching.
Map
Santa Cruz la Laguna, Solola

What's nearby

  • Multiple Use Area Lake Atitlan Basin - 1 min walk
  • Tzantizotz Nature Reserve - 1 min walk
  • Panajachel Municipal Market - 20 min drive
  • Los Elementos Day Spa - 25 min drive
  • Cerro Tzankujil - 117 min drive

Getting around

  • Quetzaltenango (AAZ-Los Altos) - 87 min drive

Restaurants

  • Delhi 6 - 20 min drive
  • Sunset Bar - 21 min drive
  • Restaurante el chaparral - 20 min drive
  • The Little Spoon - 21 min drive
  • Cafe Asawa-ko - 21 min drive

Reviews

10

Exceptional

Reviews are presented in chronological order, subject to a moderation process, and verified unless otherwise labelled.
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Rating 10 - Excellent. 17 out of 17 reviews" "
Rating 8 - Good. 0 out of 17 reviews" "
Rating 6 - Okay. 0 out of 17 reviews" "
Rating 4 - Poor. 0 out of 17 reviews" "
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 17 reviews" "

10/10

Cleanliness

10/10

Check-in

10/10

Communication

10/10

Location

10/10

Listing accuracy

Reviews

10/10 Excellent

Alberto V.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Relax and enjoy, life is too short.
This house was exactly as stated. Fully furnished, so we got to relaxing upon arrival. The house keeper helped arrange transport from Panajachel. We chose to use the private transport for both the arrival and departure (5 suitcases is a bit much for my family to carry). Afterwards, the public transport at the public dock was good ($10Q). We ate a few times at the Lost Iguana and restaurant next to it. They accept credit cards over $100Q. The rest of the time it was like cooking at home. We went to the Chi-Chi market on Thursday. An experience of Guatemalan culture. I had a beautiful run from Santa Cruz dock to Panajachel dock. 13 miles of vistas. Even had a few young kids clap me on as I ran ;-). The vista from the house's decks are gorgeous. The birds, butterflies, avocado trees, and multitude of flowers made my heart feel warm and peaceful. I played my ukulele out front a few times. Found a nice coffee spot all the way down the shoreline that made espresso and various coffee drinks. My #2 son enjoyed the Frappuccino. Santa Cruz is not a loud and boisterous place. Would stay again 100%!
Stayed 4 nights in Jul 2019
This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Donna B.

A beautiful stay in a lovely home with a fantastic view.
This is a well designed and well equipped house in a beautiful garden with a beautiful view in a wonderful pueblo. From the bed in the master bedroom, you look out on the volcanoes and the lake. You couldn't ask for a better way to wake up in the morning.
Stayed 61 nights in Jul 2017
This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Seth W., Piedmont of North Carolina

Outstanding Experience!
My wife and I stayed at Rico's for our honeymoon, we couldn't have had a better experience. First of all, we know very little Spanish and neither of us had been to the area. Rico was integral to giving us helpful details and preparing us for travel arrangements before we left. He was pleasant and did more than enough to make sure we arrived and enjoyed our stay. The same can be said of Carlos his housekeeper and gardener. He was easy to find and helped us with any request during our stay. Secondly, the property itself is stellar! It is well kept, clean, with stunning views both in the yard and across the lake. My wife particularly enjoyed the large bathroom and shower. The details given on the listing are accurate when we come back will probably contact Rico again. Also, the location is a perfect mix of seclusion and access to all the lake has to offer. We slept with the windows open and every morning awoke to the sounds of the Guatemalan highland coming alive. If you seek reflective peace and quiet or romantic privacy you'll receive both. At the same time, the public boat access is only a 10 minute walk along the lake shore. La Iguana Perdida and ATI Dive Center are conveniently right next to the boat launch. Having our language difficulties throughout the day as we toured the different cities around the lake, La Iguana was our respite to find some English camaraderie. We met travelers and heard stories from all over the world before we headed back to the Casa. Don't forget to bring light for those short walks along the lakeside at night. Another English speaking attraction nearby is Los Elementos Adventure Center. They helped us arrange a tour of San Pedro and San Juan. Only 10 minutes past the boat launch, it was a delightful walk along the lake with many snapshots along the way. In short, our days were filled with activity and culture, our afternoons were spent hashing out our adventures with new friends, and our evenings were spent relaxing with only the volcanoes as company.
This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Wonderful Retreat
I stayed here for several weeks with two other writers in February 2015. It was my first time staying at Rico's and I will surely return. The house was just a ten minute walk from the main dock at Santa Cruz and a 3 minute walk for a dip in the lake. I could either feel involved in the local community or be a complete hermit. I divided my time evenly between those two options. The house is clean (super clean!) with inspiring views of the lake. The kitchen is fully equipped for those who like to cook. If you aren't a cook, you can buy meals locally or amazingly, order take out meals from some the of best local cooks who even deliver. We were well cared for Carlos who maintains the property and helped us with all sorts of things like where to buy fresh eggs and how to stay supplied with bottled water. Truly a place to experience. Lovely!
This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Patricia L.

Casa Rico is fabulous!
This winter, for the fourth time, friends and I booked Casa de Rico, and it was even more wonderful than ever. We are writers who had just led a writing & yoga retreat at nearby Villa Sumaya and needed time to work on our own novels. What a special, private, beautiful place to work, rest, cook, wander, and visit with friends. We are especially fond of Carlos and his family, who care for Casa de Rico year-round. They bring an air of warmth and friendliness, as well as delicious meals prepared by Carlos's wife, Alicia. And we have become especially fond of Alicia's mother and sisters, for their weaving, their hugs and their delightful laughs. Somehow all of this comes with the casa, along with light-filled rooms, a well-equipped cook's kitchen, comfortable beds, a delicious stone-encircled shower, laundry room and best of all, gardens Eden would envy. And, did I mention, a gorgeous view of the lake and its volcanoes rising into the sun? We will surely return.

About the host

Hosted by Richard Johnson

Host profile image
My name is Richard, but at the lake I am known as Rico. My partner, Rae, and I spend approximately 7 months a year living in Santa Fe, NM and the other 5 months in Guatemala. This is a house that I designed and built in 2003. Since then I have upgraded many things in the house and developed a large enclosed flower garden with fruit trees (avocado, mandarin, lemon, mango and banana) and a corner for organic vegetables.
The garden is a great place for bird watchers and birds are attracted to the front yard with a bird feeder and natural rock bird bath. A river, providing natural habitat, is along the west side of the property. Everyone loves this place.

What makes this property unique

3 porches with views of the lake and the mountains.

Languages:

English, Spanish
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