Because earthquakes have devastated the ctiy of Antigua, there are many fascinating ruins, which can be toured for a small charge.

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For longer trips take a shuttle. The chicken buses, while cheap and colorful, are not the safest. Drivers tend to pass on blind curves and will sometimes race other buses.

All units at Villa Antigua have fireplaces. The kitchens feature a cook top but no oven, mini-fridge (but larger than a dorm fridge), microwave, toaster, coffee maker, filled salt and pepper shakers, cooler-size bottle of water, and the usual pots, pans, and dishes. There is a breakfast bar but no dining table. The resort supplies the first bottle of water, and there’s a sticker on the dispenser saying additional bottles cost 30 Q (7.81 quetzales to the dollar from the ATM at the time of our trip), but we weren’t charged. All the one and two bedrooms with kitchens, which the resort calls Las Cabanas, are in one building . The hotel units are in another, bigger building, on the other side of the resort. The cabanas do not have heat or air conditioning but do have hot water 24 hours a day, which is not the case for many hotels in Guatemala.

Daily housekeeping is included, and the housekeepers even wash, dry, and put away the dishes. Towels and sheets are changed daily. One of the housekeepers told me that all the employees are being required to learn English.

We had a one bedroom, unit 406. We asked to be on the side of the building away from the road (a main highway in and out of Antigua) because I was worried about the noise and fumes from the buses. The living room looked out over an attractive courtyard. The fountain in the courtyard wasn’t running, but the first week it was decorated with flowers. The courtyard has several benches. The grounds are nicely landscaped. From our bedroom we could see the tennis courts and one of the two pools. Our unit was attractive and in good condition.

The hot tubs, along with lockers, saunas, showers, and massage rooms, are in the dressing rooms. It's unfortunate because Antigua's climate is perfect for an outdoor soak. Massages cost about half of what one would cost in the U.S. (175 Q). The two pools are not heated, and since it never gets really hot in Antigua, I would expect the pools to be on the cold side year round. Towels are provided for the pool and the gym. There are also tennis courts.

When we went into the central part of Antigua we often took a local bus (called chicken buses) just for the few blocks in order to avoid the horrible fumes from the trucks and buses. The chicken bus costs only 1 Q. Just walk out of the resort and wave down a bus. A cab to and from the central area costs 20 Q.

My husband took the hotel’s airport shuttle and it cost $6. If you have a family or a small group you might want to arrange to take a private car to the airport, which is what we did when my son and I left. It costs about $25. We made the arrangements with the travel agent in the courtyard of Cafe Riviera.

• Unit Type: 1 Bedroom
• Activities: Very Good
• Amenities: Very Good
• Unit Satisfaction: Very Good
• Family Friendliness: Very Good
• Service: Very Good

Typical of Guatemalan restaurants, although less so in tourist-conscious Antigua, the service can be painfully slow. But the staff is friendly, and the Italian owner/chef speaks English.

However, if you like nachos and pina coladas and typical U.S. tex-mex fare, this is the place to come. The guacamole and salsa are fresh and satisfying. The chips are a bit heftier than what you would find in the U.S. but certainly acceptable. And the usual tacos, burritos, and enchiladas are available. On my first visit I made the mistake of ordering the vegetarian tacos expecting the usual tacos made of refried beans. Instead I was served red onion salsa and stir-fried snow peas on small corn tortillas. On my second visit, having wised up, I ordered chips, salsa, guacamole, and a side order of beans and had a perfect vegetarian dinner.

The Japanese-owned Cafe Masala, in admirable pan-asian fashion, also serves sushi and tempura as well as several Chinese and Thai dishes. The vegetable tempura, fresh and light, is highly recommended.