We drove into Chichicastenango on a Wednesday afternoon to spend the night and get an early start at the Thursday market. The drive from Antigua was beautiful. As we got closer to Chichi, the traffic got worse. By the time we hit town, the car was barely moving. Libby jumped out a few times to check out hotels. We needed enclosed parking, but nowhere seemed to offer it. We finally made it to the main intersection in town. The street toward the plaza was barricaded for the market to set up. As I waited in the traffic, Libby checked out the Hotel Chigüilà. They had parking. Libby inspected the room and checked in. I was still stuck on the corner. A hotel employee came to the corner and had the police move the barricade. I got through and parked but was informed that I couldn’t get the car out until the next afternoon. That was fine; the town is small, so we had no use for the car.
In the hotel are two courtyards to park in, with rooms surrounding them. There is also a maze of hallways and rooms towards the back of the property. Our room was somewhere in the maze. We peeked into a few rooms along the way. They were all different in size, furnishings, and decor. We went upstairs and downstairs and up some more and twisted and turned along hallways before finally coming to our room. Later, we found our way around by landmarks… right at the green marimba, left at the broken marimba (I think the owner collects marimbas).
Our room was medium sized, dark, and cozy. There were two soft double beds piled high with blankets and three nightstands. At the other end of the room were the small fireplace and a comfy armchair. We had our own bathroom, which was rather shabby but not dirty.
The shower had hot water, but it was not quite hot enough considering how cold the weather was. The water pressure was adequate. Above the toilet a large piece of ceiling was missing. We never caught anyone peeking in, and when it sprinkled later that evening, no water came in. The room was actually quite comfortable, and there wasn’t a lot of noise. We were too tired when we got in later that night to build a fire, and the piles of blankets were enough to keep us warm. We had a very good night’s sleep.
The best thing about the Hotel Chigüilà is its location. It is almost on the corner of Calle 5 (the main trafficked road through town) and Avenida 5 (the road that heads to the plaza). There are various restaurants within a block, the bank is a step away, and the market starts right outside the hotel’s door.
The room prices vary as much as the styles. Our room was about US$30. Credit cards are accepted. Our room didn’t have a TV or telephone, but some rooms might. Not all rooms have fireplaces.