It was late. I was hungry. We were leaving Guatemala early the next morning. I knew the hotel restaurant was booked for a birthday party so I went to the lobby to get a soda and some chips. The staff took pity on me. The party was over, and the kitchen staff offered to stay on a little while longer to serve me dinner.
The restaurant is just off the lobby, with a view of the pool and grounds. The walls were painted gold and rust and with very little adornment. There were about twenty tables with white tablecloths and a few plants scattered around. Overall, it was a very basic but comfortable place.
I sat at one of the few clean tables. Although the restaurant was still a mess from the party, I could tell it was usually kept clean. A waitress immediately came over, apologized for the state of the room, and gave me a pitcher of ice water.
The menu was a typical hotel restaurant menu with a little bit of everything and nothing too fancy or exotic. The prices were also moderate, as expected. A few items were offered in mini portions for children and light eaters. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are served. Because the restaurant remained open for me, I decided quickly, and the waitress was right there to take my order.
I started with the Consomè Costa Real, which was a wonderfully flavorful chicken broth served with rice and some veggies. As the main course, I had what I seemed to eat everywhere on this trip, the Plato Tìpico. It was a small tenderloin steak served with salad, rice, refried beans, and cheese. It was also supposed to come with fried bananas, but they had run out. Although disappointed by the bananas, I have to admit the food was pretty good. Not the best I had on this trip, but definitely recommendable.
By the time I finished dinner, the restaurant was tidy and ready for the next day's service. I asked for the bill, and it was promptly delivered, but when I paid, change couldn’t be made. The cash register had been locked ,and the front desk was short of change. I don’t know where the waitress went, but she reappeared with change about ten minutes later. I left and let them finally close for the night.
The restaurant is open daily from 9:30am to 10pm and accepts major credit cards. The hotel is located on the highway, one kilometer south of the downtown entrance.
Although I don’t recommend coming to the hotel just to eat, I do recommend eating here if you come to use the hotel facilities for the day or are staying here. The staff definitely goes out of their way to please.
sample menu
Cheeseburger: Q21
Club Sandwich: Q28
Shrimp Ceviche: Q45
Mixed Bar-B-Que: Q65
Spaghetti Bolognese: Q29
Peppered Chicken Breast: Q45
Seasonal Fresh Fruit Salad: Q25