My recent trip to Guatemala was the result of my not wanting to be in the US all summer (I had two events that were two months apart) combined with visiting places I had never traveled to before in the country.
One of those destinations was El Paredon, a cute surf town located on the Pacific coast.
While the trip to Guatemala did not go as planned (the rainy season was on steroids when I was there!), it actually put me in El Paredon for a lot longer than originally planned.
This meant that I had the fortunate chance to get to know the town pretty well and stay at a variety of places (or at least visit them).
This is a guide to where to stay in El Paredon, Guatemala. It will be my favorite El Paredon hotels, guesthouses, villas, and more! There is a range of options that will suit any type of traveler, including what I consider to be one of the most beautiful hostels I have ever seen!
I stayed in three of the four places in this guide and visited the other one for a bit.
Before I dive into the El Paredon accommodation picks I included in the guide, I will give a quick overview of the types of lodging available in the town, as well as a glance at which places I chose and who they may be best suited for (in case you’re in a hurry and don’t have time to dive too deep into this guide).
Please note that I went to El Paredon to work remotely and had no intention of writing about the town until I received a lot of questions about my TikTok and Instagram videos.
Had I intended to write about my Guatemala trip more in-depth, I would have tried to stay at a larger number of places rather than the few in the guide. Let me know if you have any questions. Thanks!
In this post...
Where to Stay in El Paredon, Guatemala (Overview)
El Paredon is a somewhat sleepy, somewhat active surf town on Guatemala’s Pacific coast. The town is pretty small but has a variety of places to eat, drink, and sleep!
You will find cheap hostels (ranging from $12/night) to luxurious villas with some of the most beautiful pools I’ve ever seen. There are a few motel-style options (none included in this guide) as well as apartments (there is one in this guide).
One thing to know is that is it rare to find hot water in El Paredon. So, prepare yourself for a cold shower, even in some of the most luxurious accommodation in town.
Most of the showers I took were never that cold though as the water sits in a tank where it gets heated a bit by the sun throughout the day. El Paredon is one of the hottest places in Guatemala, so it may be more of a relief than a hassle.
I would also recommend to get an air-conditioned room if at all possible! I stayed in one that was not air-conditioned (by choice) and while it was fine during the rainy season with the storm and wind, I don’t think I would have survived during the hot and dry season.
Here is a quick comparison of the accommodation listed in this guide:
🥇 My favorite place to stay in El Paredon: Swell Surf & Lifestyle Hotel (has a restaurant and is more social) and Casa Zala (great for a more intimate stay)
🎒 Cheapest place to stay in El Paredon: Cocori Lodge (it starts at $12/night per person for a dorm)
🌊 Best oceanfront hotel in El Paredon: Cocori Lodge (has budget and mid-range options) and Cascada del Pacifico (has a beautiful infinity pool against the ocean)
💕 Best place to stay for couples: Casa Zala (offered an intimate setting but there may be a few other guests around)
👙 Best pool in El Paredon: Pretty much every property on this list had an incredible pool! I will include photos of all within the descriptions below.
Best El Paredon Hotels, Villas, & More
1. Swell Surf & Lifestyle Hotel
Swell Surf & Lifestyle Hotel was actually my top choice for a place to stay in El Paredon, but I axed the idea as I was making my bookings because I was there for an entire week and the price was a little steeper for the whole week than I had planned on paying for accommodation.
Well, I ended up leaving San Marcos (Lake Atitlan area) early and it gave me two extra days in El Paredon so I instantly booked those two days at Swell! And I am SO glad that I did!
Swell Surf & Lifestyle Hotel is a beautiful property located close to the beach that has a variety of different rooms.
There were air-conditioned rooms near the pool or spacious, open-air rooms without A/C that had a small glimpse of the sea. I opted for the non-A/C room as it was huge and I thought it would be a cool experience for two nights.
I loved this style of room, but if I was not visiting during the rainy season (which I was), I would book an air-conditioned room. I was also only there for two nights, so I didn’t mind this type of room.
At Swell, I had a separate bathroom and shower, a large couch, a hammock, and a mosquito net. Since I visited during the rainy season, I had a lot of breeze during the evening storms and I was never too warm.
There was a ceiling fan above. Do note that this room is open-air and while there is a roof, bugs can come into your space (hence the mosquito net). I never felt it was that buggy though.
My room was upstairs, so this is not the ideal space for someone who can’t climb stairs with ease. Swell has the following room options available for guests:
- The Loft (where I stayed; no A/C and max of 3 people)
- The Bungalow (no A/C and max of 5 people – their largest room)
- La Cabanita (no A/C and max of 2 people)
- Uluwatu Suite (A/C and max of 2 people)
- Swim-up Suite (A/C and poolside swim-up; max of 2 people)
- Koko Suite (A/C and max of 2 people)
- El Nido (spacious studio for a max of 4 people; no A/C)
- Surfer’s Villa (is an entire villa for a max of 2 people; no A/C)
At Swell, you will have one of the prettiest pools in El Paredon! There is also a restaurant where you can order breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I had an Asian salad for lunch and homemade guacamole for dinner and both were incredibly delicious!
The staff was nice and can also set you up with activities, including surf lessons. Above the reception area is an open-air space for yoga, quiet reading, and other types of activities.
I felt the hotel was social enough that people spoke to others, but not a party-zone which was perfect for me (I am 41). It is friendly for couples, families, and solo travelers.
Moody (cat) and Nala (dog) also reside at Swell Surf & Lifestyle Hotel, and that was a huge plus for me.
2. Casa Zala
My other favorite place I stayed in El Paredon was Casa Zala. It was another place I didn’t have on my itinerary but I decided to leave my accommodation at Cascada del Pacifico a day early and book a night at Casa Zala to see if it was as beautiful in person as it was in photos.
Spoiler alert: it was. And then some. It was one of the most impeccably-designed properties I have ever stayed in.
Casa Zala’s owners had built two parts to the property: their own home as well as the rental space. Since they are living in Antigua, I stayed in their ‘La Casita’ but had full access to the rest of the property, including the gorgeous pool.
The rooms they have available at Casa Zala are:
- La Casita (where I stayed; a separate building with bathroom, kitchen, sofa, and more; has A/C)
- Two Queens Loft (no A/C, spacious room with balcony for up to 4 people)
- King Suites (all have A/C and are perfect for 2 people max)
You will also find a living room area (perfect for yoga and relaxation), a kitchen (fully equipped), and their famous saltwater pool. The staff was so friendly and kind.
I had the place all to myself when there so it was nice to see familiar faces whenever I returned from being out and exploring El Paredon!
Casa Zala is off the beach a few blocks (like a 5-10 minute walk maximum) but it is nice because it is in a very quiet part of El Paredon. You also have fantastic volcano views from this area!
Fuego and Rayo (cats) are also permanent residents at the property. They are far less fiery (and way sweeter) than their names suggest.
3. Cocori Lodge
While I didn’t stay at Cocori Lodge, I did go there to check things out and I was planning to go back for a beach cleanup, but it ended up canceled due to the incessant tropical storms we had when I was there.
Cocori Lodge may be known as a great place to stay in El Paredon for budget travelers, but they have more than just hostel dorms there. Cocori has plenty of room options, including the following:
- Female dorm (max 8 people)
- Mixed dorm (max 14 people)
- Bungalows (open-air and max of 3 people)
- Mini rooms (have A/C and max of 2 people)
- Suites (have A/C and max of 4 people)
- Container/Bus (have A/C and max of 2 people)
- Safari Village (tiny 2-story house with A/C and max of 3 people)
At Cocori Lodge, you will have plenty of activities like surf lessons, wakeboarding, and SUP… and they also have a restaurant on-site.
Tuesdays are beach cleanup days where you can exchange a bag of trash for a cold Corona (or a natural drink). They also have Taco Tuesdays and trivia nights. Honestly, this is a social traveler’s dream place.
They also have one of the most beautiful pools in El Paredon and are located oceanfront.
4. Cascada del Pacifico
The last place I stayed at and recommend in El Paredon is Cascada del Pacifico.
While this was not my favorite of the three places I stayed, I do highly recommend it for those visiting El Paredon for a week or longer and those who want oceanfront accommodation where you can hear the sea as you sleep!
I saw Cascada del Pacifico on a TikTok and I booked it because the pool looked incredible. And it truly is mind-blowing!
There are a few options at Cascada del Pacifico and I booked one of their rental units that was an open floor plan with the most beautiful view of the sea (my balcony was huge, too).
They offer the following types of units:
- 1 room apartment with a bathroom (there are two of these units and both have sea views, A/C, and max of 2 people)
- 3 bedroom apartment (A/C/ sea views, and has 4 beds and 3 baths and can fit up to 7 guests)
While I loved my time at Cascada del Pacifico, my only complaint (and it is barely a complaint) is that the unit felt a bit ‘bare bones’. I have stayed in rental properties in so many places and this was the first of its kind I encountered.
There was also a bit of rust inside the unit, which is completely understandable as the salty air blows in from the balcony and is more destructive than we realize.
The owners, Brant and Paola were so kind and helpful throughout the stay and while the property is newer, they are making upgrades and renovations to it regularly to take care of things.
The place was very clean and the infinity pool was so dreamy (it even had a waterfall in it). I also got to check out the 3 bedroom property and it felt fully finished and nice!
Another reason I liked Cascada del Pacifico is that it was not in the center of town, but was still very walkable. It made it quiet and relaxing.
It was also the property that had the least amount of bugs that I stayed at. You’re so high off the ground that the mosquitoes and sandflies don’t get to you like other places, which was SO nice.
Do you have any questions about where to stay in El Paredon, Guatemala? Let me know in the comments. Thanks!
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Megan is a travel blogger and writer with a background in digital marketing. Originally from Richmond, VA, she now lives in Finnish Lapland after previous stints in Norway, Germany, Armenia, and Kazakhstan. She has a passion for winter travel, as well as the Nordic countries, but you can also find her eating her way through Italy, perusing perfume stores in Paris, or taking road trips through the USA. Megan has written for or been featured by National Geographic, Forbes, Lonely Planet, the New York Times, and more. She co-authored Fodor’s Travel ‘Essential Norway’ (2020) and has visited 45 US states and 100+ countries.