guatemala villas a maya

7/29/2019 Guatemala Villas a Maya

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Lake Atitlan, Guatemala

www.villasumaya.com

Contacting Us

Guest

Welcome Kit

Lizzy, our General Manager, willbe handling the preparationsfor your stay. Anything she cando to help make your trip moreenjoyable, would be herpleasure. Please write her withany questions you may have.mailto:[email protected]

Important Numbers:W en in Guatemala call ourcenter at: 4026 1390 OR

4026 1455Xocomil Shuttle: 7762 2005 OR

5710 3903

Bienvenidos

T ank you for c oosing Villa Sumaya Guest House and Retreat

Center for your stay on Lake Atitlan. We know you will enjoy thebeautiful surroundings of this natural setting, as well as ouramazing hotel. This package was designed to make your trip, aseasy as possible and give you some important information that willensure your stay with us is comfortable. Please read this packagecarefully.

Safety The Most Important ThingPlease read this entire package carefully. We, at the Villa Sumaya, are pleased to announce wehave never had any problems getting our guests from the airport to our hotel. Here, in SantaCruz, the local ex-pats all feel very safe. We walk around late at night, leave our doors unlockedetc but we are also aware of the news articles about Guatemala City and its dangers. Read thefollowing information to ensure your safe and smooth arrival to our center.

Once you arrive to Villa Sumaya, you can ask for a tour and ask any questions that will help youfamiliarize yourself with our center. For your convenience, we have a hotel safe, where you can

place your valuables.


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SPRING 2012THE LOREM IPSUMSWelcome Kit for Guests 2012/13

Guatemala City to Panajachel1- peop e 90U

peope eacpeop e 0 eacor more eac

Antigua to Panajachel1-3 peop e $80US4- peop e $907 or more $12 eac

Public Shuttles from Antigua are $12and leave at 8:30am, 12:30pm and4:00 pm

Please pay the shuttle driver. They

accept dollars or quetzals. No credit

cards. It is customary to offer a small

tip to your driver. $5 is adequate.

Shuttle PricesArriving to the Airport

W en you arrive at Aurora Airport (Guatemala City), you willfirst go through Immigration, then you will get your bags and

exit after customs. Do not leave your bags unattended inthe airport or at the curb or with someone who may say theywill watch them for you. Inside the airport there are men tohelp get your bags off the carousel. Depending on thenumber and weight of bags you can tip them in dollars ($1-2per bag). Sometimes, the men who carry your bags, handthem off at the curb, to another helper. If this happens splitthe tip between them. We

will ave your s uttlewaiting with the driverholding a sign with ourname Vil la Sumaya.T e drive to Panajac el isabout 3 hours (about 1 hour into the ride the roads get curvyand mountainous). If you have issues with carsickness, besure to bring a remedy that will help you.

Once you arrive in Panajachel you willtake a 15-minute private or public boatride, depending upon your preference,to our dock. Remember to let us know if

you would like a private boat before yourarrival.

If taking a public boat the cost is about$3 per person. You must pay the driver.For private boats - 1-4 people the cost is$20 and for each additional person, add$5. Private boats, if you have arrangedthem through Villa Sumaya, can be addedto your guest bill.

Boat Transfer to our CenterArriving in Panajachel

Your s uttle driver will drop you off at t e top of t e dockarea. If you need help with your bags- kids are there to helpabout 5 Quetzals per heavy bag (.80US) to the boat. If youare on a prearranged private boat, Xocomil, the shuttlecompany, will call ahead and your boat should be waiting. Ifyou plan to take a public boat, walk down to the dock andget a boat to our dock (just say Villa Sumaya in Santa

Cruz). T is is important to establis before youget on the boat ALL OTHER DOCKS

ARE TOO FAR TO CARRY YOURBAGS.


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If You Go to Antigua or Guatemala City FirstSome guests decide to check out Antigua, a veryquaint Spanish Colonial city about 40 minutes fromthe airport. If you arrive very late and stay in the city,

we have some hotel suggestions in this package oryou can surf the net, for other options. Typically,whatever hotel you choose, will make airporttransport arrangements for you. If they do notprovide this service, we are happy to. We like tomake shuttle arrangements for your journey to LakeAtitlan, so we know where you are in-transit. Privateshuttle pricing is located on the previous page, along

with the shared shuttles times and prices. Werecommend that you arrive before 5pm, as it is nice toarrive in the daylight to become acquainted with ourcenter.

At your hotel in Antigua or Guatemala City, be sureto ask at the front desk about safety. We do notsuggest walking around either city past 9 at night.You may ask for a cab or Tuk Tuk if you plan to be

out late.Whether you are on a private or public shuttle, pleasebe sure to be waiting in front of your hotel ordesignated location on time. You may wanta snack and water for t e ride. Its about a2.5 -3 hour drive, but with traffic or roadconstruction it could be longer.

Welcome Kit for Guests 2012/13

Coming To a New World

Although Guatemala is only a couple hour flightfrom Florida and Texas, it is a different world. Ithink in most cases, you will be pleased with thisdifference.

Spanish is one of the main languages spoken here.Versions of Mayan dialects are also spoken by themajority of indigenous people. At our center, ourmanagers speak English and Spanish. They arehappy to do translations for housekeeping and thekitchen personnel.

Guatemala is a slower paced culture. Whichtranslates to single tasking, and efficiencymeaning, enjoying your life by slowing down.This heart centered perspective, for most people

coming to relax and unwind, is a relief. A fewtips; if you notice a staff member is dealing withanother guest and there is a small line comeback. Be patient, things take a bit more time andfeel free to ask again, if something did not getdone that you requested. And finally, our staffwant to please you so much, they will say Si(yes) when sometimes they cannot do it. We dotrain our staff to say, No, if something cannotbe done, but its a deep cultural tradition. A smileand a sense of humor go a long way towardsaccomplishing your goals. Our English speakingstaff will be close by to help.


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Traveling on Your Own

Welcome Kit for Guests

Some guests prefer to make their own

arrangements, which is fine for the experienced

third world traveler. If you have never

traveled in this way, please let us organize your

ground transportation. In either case, we

would like to know your plans, in the event of a

late arrival, we know where you are.

We do not recommend taking public chicken

buses (unless you are familiar with this type of

travel). In most cases, you will have to transfer

to different buses and the bus drivers and

helpers do not speak English. Chicken Buses

are notorious for theft. Keep valuables on your

lap and if a disturbance happens around you,hold on tight to your bag, as it may be a scam to

distract you. You want a bus that will take you

to Panajachel, and near the Tzanjuyu dock

(boats that go to Villa Sumaya in Santa Cruz).We honor and respect everyones decision as to

how they would like to get to Villa Sumaya.

GratuitiesIf you enjoy your stay, the staff andmanagement greatly appreciate it, if you wouldleave a tip at the end of your stay. We

recommend between $5-7 per day . This Dana(offering)goes to the entire staff; from thegardeners (who carry your bags), to kitchenstaff and housekeeping to the local managers.There is no need for additional tipping to ourstaff. This does not include body-workers.

Villa Sumaya Staff

Changing Dollars to QuetzalsIf you have a chance to exchange money in a U.S. airport, I would recommend getting $100.00 to start off. Inthe Guatemala City Airport there is also a chance to change money depending on the timing of your shuttle.Your shuttle driver, airport vendors, Villa Sumaya and many other places will accept dollars. Please do notworry if you do not get a chance to change money, Xocomil, the shuttle company, will accept US dollars foryour shuttle. Once you are near our center, there are banks and ATMs in Panajachel that would be happy tochange dollars or travelers checks. At Villa Sumaya, we are unable to change large amounts of money.

Paying your Bill at Villa Sumaya

At t e end of your retreat, you will pay for any incidentals youhave incurred. We prefer if you use: U.S dollars, Quetzals, orU.S. personal checks or Travelers checks (2% charage will beadded). We accept credit cards, but we add an 8% fee to coverour costs for processing credit cards (customary inGuatemala). There are ATMs in Panajachel so you accessyour funds or you may want to bring a few undred dollars foryour incidentals.


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Activities

During your stay, most guests go onat least one tour. This really

depends on the nature and length ofyour vacation. We have a bigselection of tours and activities toc oose from and for 1-2 people mosttours will be about $60 for a guideplus transportation. Hikes wit aguide run $55 per person dependingupon the hike. This would include transportation and

permits. We are happy to arrange for tours and activitiesand give you accurate pricing depending on the number ofguests. You can also go out exploring on your own. Thereare public boats, going to most of the villages easily, fromour dock. Visiting Santiago, it is best to get a private boat,as it would be about an hour and a half each way on publicboats.

Tours and Activities

Tours and Hikes:!Santa Cruz (our village)!Santiago (largest village)!San Juan/San Pedro (Crafts)!Santa Catarina/San Antonio

(walking tour of 2 villages)!Chi Chi Market (one hour drive)!Kayak/Hike to San Marcos!Climb San Pedro Volcano (must

be in excellent physical condition)!Hike to El Pico de Cielo!Bird Watching Tour!Eco Sumaya Tour

Activities:!Shaman Protection Ceremony!Re-birthing Workshop!Photography Workshop!Art and Meditation Workshop!Sustainable Living Workshops!Weaving Demonstration

Activities Around Villa Sumaya:!Renting Kayaks!Swimming in lake or pool!Hiking!Artisan Market (one day only)!Spa Services

So many wonderful options!

Miscellaneous Information

1. Electricity is 110, just like in the U.S.2. We do not ave air dryers3. The Weather here is typically cool 55-60

Fahrenheit,(sweater weather) in the earlymornings and evenings. During the day its usuallybetween 70-90 Fahrenheit. Air conditioning andheat are not necessary. May, June, Septemberand October are the rainy times. During most of

the rainy season there will be a hard rain in theafternoons and late at night.

4. We do offer laundry service for our guests by thepound.

5. We provide unlimited purified drinking water.6. We do make available our yoga props. This

includes mats, straps, blankets and blocks. Pleasecheck to be sure studios are available.


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SPRING 2012THE LOREM IPSUMSAt Villa Sumaya

Spa TreatmentsEco Sumaya TourPool, Hot Tub & Sauna

KayakingShopping

Harmony Spa

Our on-site spa offers delightful, renewing and therapeutictreatments. We have an extensive menu of services that will

help your students to relax and center themselves in their new

surroundings, provided by kind and skillful therapists. Pleaseallow time in your schedule to accommodate these services.

MassageSwedishThaiDeep TissueReflexologyCranial SacralSportsWatsu ***

SpaFacialsManicuresHair CutsFoot BathsHot Tub *Sauna **

EnergyIntuitive Energy WorkReiki

ReadingsClairvoyant ReadingShamanic Egg Clearing

OtherFeldenkrais

Wellness Counseling

Pool, Sauna and Hot TubMost of our guests deeplyenjoy our solar heated pooland hot tub and wood-burningsauna. Mornings are best forswimming in the lake and pooland in the late afternoon ourtub is ready and steaming hot fora soothing soak. Late

afternoons and evenings are theperfect time to benefit from acleansing sweat in oursauna.

Kayak Rentals

Our wonderful neighbor and friend,offers daily kayak rentals. He will dropkayaks at our dock in the morning, whichis the best time for a paddle unless youare adventurous and want to ride theafternoon waves.Single - $20 per dayDoubles - $28 per day

Spirit Dog Boutique

Our store offers an eclecticselection of handicrafts, Eco

Sumaya Designs and manytreasures you may want asmementos from your stay withus.

Eco Sumaya Tour & Works ops

At Villa Sumaya, we have manysustainable projects in the works, aswell as, herb gardens and a 15 acre food

forest that we love to share with ourguests. Hour and a half educationaltours are available, but need to be pre-arranged with our in-house guide..Tours - $ 10 per person, 2 minimum and24-hour cancellation.

We do not want to overlook, resting,reading, meditating, or just hanging outand integrating all these newexperiences. There are lush gardens,with hammocks and lounge chairs foryour pleasure.

Session Pricing

One hour - $65One and half hour- $85Two hour - $105

* Daily hot tubs in late afternoons(sun permitting) complimentary

** Group Saunas $25 per 2 hoursession

*** Watsu is available on Wednesdays(sun and groups permitting)

Some treatments are seasonal, checkbeforeyour stay.


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Yoga or Meditation Props:! yoga mats and props only if you want your

own special ones! zafus for meditation, (ask group leader if

necessary we do have some)! eye pillows for savasana

Food and other comforts! decaf coffee or -decaf black tea or other

special teas WE DO NOT HAVE ANYDECAF COFFEE AVAILABLE INGUATEMALA

! clocks and hair dryers! laptops we have wireless in our

courtyard for emails only for $20.00 perweek. No up or downloading, skyping,youtubing etc allowed.

! any other items that will make you feel athome, ie ipod..headphones

! snack for airplane and shuttle ride to hote(3 hours)

! books and magazines! PASSPORT and a copy of it, Airplane

Tickets and other form of ID! Personal checks, cash or travelers checks

to pay for incidentals and spa treatmentsare preferred. Credit cards we must addon 8% fee.

! Vi l la Sumaya Wish List if you have amat that is in good condition and wouldlike to donate it, we would be grateful, as itis very hard for us to ship things here.

List of Items to Bring Clothing :! hat for sun and for chilly nights (We are at

high altitudes- 5000ft)

! bathing suit, cover-up or sarong! sunglasses! windbreaker or raincoat! layers for cool mornings and evenings! sunny and warm weather clothing! shawl , sweatshirt, poncho or fleece (one

warm thing for cold mornings and evenings)For getting around :! sunscreen and lip balm! as ig t (we ave eco as ig ts in store)! insect repellent! walking shoes or sport sandals

Health! homeopathic remedies! Hig y recommen e Nutri iotic (grape ruit

seed extract) tablets-that can really help badtravelers stomachs (we have remedies for badtummies)

! vitamins/energy drinks! Dramamine (car sickness) Winding roads to

Panajac e ! any prescriptions! eye glasses


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Hotels in AntiguaYou can google hotels in Antigua or GuatemalaCity. We have listed 4 hotels in Antigua for yourconvenience, but would recommend surfing theweb for new and wonderful places. We are alwaysinterested in hearing about your experiences inlocal hotels. We are not prepared to act as yourbooking agent for other hotels. All prices areapproximations.Meson Panza Verdewww.PanzaVerde.com

Rates:Double: $100Suites: $165 -$300Very special place *****Casa Christ inaTe ; (502) 7832 0623

Rates: Double Room: $30.00We have heard the rooms are cute. Good pricevalue.Hotel Real PlazaE-mail: [email protected]

Te . (502) 7832 2239Rates /Taxes includedSingle Room: $55.00Double Room: $65.00

Triple Room: $75.00

Thank - You

Hotels in Guatemala City

If you arrive super late at night and wouldlike to stay in Guatemala City werecommend hotels in Zone 10 orHotelTikal Futura $110.00 (which is attachedto a mall) www.grandtikalfutura.com.gt/The Best Western, Stofella , in Zone10 it is fine, the cost around $70 and alsoOtelito [email protected] is in Zone 10,about $100.All hotels in Guatemala are required to charge

a 22% hotel tax.

Posada Los Bucaros, (they have fourdifferent locations in Antigua)E-mail: [email protected] Tels. (502) 7832 2346Rates/Taxes Included

Single Room: $35.00Double Room: $45.00Triple Room: $50.00

guatemala villas a maya

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