Colonial-Style Home Surrounded by Volcanoes and Lush Gardens

• Friends From Canada

  Friends From Canada

  • Guest Tom and Angela
  • Date of stay 02/07/13
  • Review Submitted 03/18/13
  My husband and I spent a month at this beautiful home in Guatemala. "Casa de los Colibri's" sits in a lovely gated subdivision surrounded by coffee farms, just outside Antigua. The house is very different from a typical Canadian home but exactly right for Guatemala. The house is decorated in a colonial style but still has all the modern necessities we would want. Rene was kind enough to met us at the airport, take us for groceries, and join us for lunch, all the while fascinating us with Antiguan history. It was very interesting and helpful. Later we met his lovely wife Elsie. Chusita, the house keeper, was wonderful. She kept the house clean and tidy everyday except Sunday (her day off). We practised speaking Spanish with her, and she offered advice on many occasions. Also, the day after we arrived she introduced us to the Chicken Buses and the Market. The garden was kept in order by a gardener. And, Oh, what a garden it was! There were many kinds of orchids growing, several other tropical flowers, ferns and even coffee trees. We enjoyed sitting on the patio watching our daily visitors: the hummingbirds, as they drank nectar from the bountiful garden. The house has WiFi which was great for keeping in touch with family. The TV had many English channels and we enjoyed watching movies with Spanish sub-titles. The gated community was near two small villages. We enjoyed visiting these two villages, walking on their cobbled stone streets and talking to the local people. This picturesque scene was complete with volcanos distant in the horizon, one of which billows smoke daily into the sky. We also enjoyed the unique Lenten festivities and processions from these villages. There was plenty to see and do in Antigua, and we never tired of visiting the town. It was a bit of a walk but there were plenty of Chicken Buses to ride in, at about 12 cents a ride. A taxi home at night was convenient and easy at about $4 a ride. There was a lot to see and do in La Antigua. The Mercado was huge and captivating. The ruins were awesome. We took a walking city tour and learned so much. Even the churches told a story of the heritage of the area and its people. We enjoyed trying a different restaurant almost every day. (We did have our favourites.) We hope to come back again and bring some friends to share this lovely home.

  Recommended for: Age 55+, people with disabilities, tourists without a car, romantic getaway, families with teenagers, girls getaway, sightseeing.

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• Doug and Sandy

  Doug and Sandy

  • Guest Doug
  • Date of stay 12/25/12
  • Review Submitted 01/14/13
  This house and the surrounding area provided the most enjoyable accomodation immagineable. It was much more wonderful than even the excellent photos and descriptions depicted. Sandy and I and our two young adult daughters were captivted by the architecture, gardens, art and artifacts, and beauty of the surrounding mountains/volcanos and landscapes. We never used the diningroom or livingroom as the outside patio became our meeting, eating, playing and relaxing area. The hummingbirds, ferns and orchids were just beyond our tables and chairs. This is truely an enchanting setting. We will not hesitate to return. Even though a relatively short distance from downtown Antigua we found transportation easily obtainable. Tuk-tuks were fun and inexpensive, about $2.50 each way, and taxis only a bit more. Most days when not in a hurry, we walked the 1 1/2 miles to town and rode home with service right through the guarded gates and to the front door. On three occassions we rented a van and made day-long excursions. Lake Atitlan, Monterrico, and Pacaya Volcano were all exceptional tours. So much to see and learn. All of the Guatemalan people in every setting were extremely kind, friendly, and helpful. Antigua is an amazing city to visit. It is like taking a journey back through history and Rene has a wealth of knowledge to share about Antigua's culture. We found the central park a fascinating place to watch people, visit historical buildings from the 16th and 17th centuries, partake from the many fine restaurants (and Sarita's ice cream), and book excursions. The chocolat museum and factory tour was one of our favourite surprises. During the 2 hour experience we got to make our own bars and retrieve them later after they had been refrigerated. Antigua is a UNESCO World Heritage Centre site for good reason. Even though there are many hotels and other types of accommodation in Antigua, we were very glad we rented Casa de los Colibris, away from the rush of the city. Colibris is an incredible place!

  Recommended for: Adventure seekers, age 55+, tourists without a car, romantic getaway, girls getaway, sightseeing.

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• Peaceful Getaway

  Peaceful Getaway

  • Guest Kat
  • Date of stay 04/08/12
  • Review Submitted 05/23/12
  The house is in a beautiful quiet gated community on the outskirts of Antigua. Rene picked us up from the airport and started our trip off on a good note. We stayed during Easter week and the town was full of people but we felt like we were in the middle of a beautiful resort. Easy to get to the center of town on the Chicken bus and return by tuk tuk. We explored Antigua for several days and also travelled to the Chi-Chi market and to Lake Atitlan. We would absolutely recommend this property and hope to return soon.

  Recommended for: Adventure seekers, age 55+, tourists without a car, romantic getaway, families with teenagers, girls getaway, sightseeing.

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• Beautiful place to stay!

  Beautiful place to stay!

  • Guest H.O.
  • Date of stay 03/08/12
  • Review Submitted 04/12/12
  We stayed at this house for a week with our 3 kids ages 18,15 and 7. The house was beautiful as well as the surroundings. The owner is such a nice man and very friendly and helpful. It was also a blessing to have the houseworker come every day to keep everything clean. The house has Wi-Fi which for our teenagers was absolutely fantastic. The house is in a beautiful quiet gated community just outside Antigua. It is very easy to get to and from Antigua though with taxi, bus or tuk tuk and only takes a few minutes. We explored Antigua for several days and also travelled to lake Atitlan as well as Monterrico on the coast. We would absolutely recommend this property to anyone unless to those who don't like peace and quiet.

  Recommended for: Age 55+, tourists without a car, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

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• Casa de los Colibris in Antigua: Wonderful!

  Casa de los Colibris in Antigua: Wonderful!

  • Guest Yaya
  • Date of stay 02/04/12
  • Review Submitted 03/21/12
  We stayed for two weeks in la Casa de los Colibris during a business trip in Antigua, Guatemala, in February 2012. It was wonderful. The owner welcomed us at the airport one hour away and gave us a tour of Antigua before driving us to the house. Very clean property and very private, in a wonderful, exclusive and safe neighborhood just outside of the town. It has a beautiful, shaded garden which is a haven for hummingbirds and where multicolored orchids are in abundance. The house is spacious and can accommodate easily six people. It is beautiful, with typical, antique furniture and is artfully decorated. It is perfect for entertaining if need be. As an added benefit, a maid was there almost every day to clean the house which made our stay quite comfortable. The staff and owner were extraordinarily helpful, helping us make arrangements to get into town and providing us with a local cell phone which was very useful. We spent a lot of time on the terrace, resting, listening to the fountain in the middle of the property and watching for the hummingbirds. We had most of our meals there. The weather was pleasant, though the evenings can get cooler necessitating a light sweater. We would gladly consider staying again in la Casa de los Colibris at our next stay in Antigua.

  Recommended for: Age 55+, tourists without a car, romantic getaway, families with teenagers, families with young children, sightseeing.

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• Beautiful Home and Property!

  Beautiful Home and Property!

  • Guest Marc D.
  • Date of stay 08/23/10
  • Review Submitted 09/21/10
  Although it was just the two of us, we decided to rent this beautiful, large home for our vacation in Antigua. We have no regrets. This home is nestled at the foot of a volcano, with lush, beautiful jungle views. We enjoyed mornings with coffee and evenings with wine at the outdoor dining area. Listening to the fountain that is perched in the very middle of the property/home, was an added perk. The huge, comfortable bed in the Master Bedroom meant great nights of sleep. We loved watching the humming birds, squirrels, and butterflies meander through the coffee trees and breathtaking flowers that proliferate this beautiful property. Chusita, the maid is a very charming, endearing person that we very quickly become very fond of! If the home isn’t beautiful enough, there is Rene, who is a beautiful person that we hope to remain in touch with for many years to come. Rene picked us up at the airport after a long day of flying, and drove us to his home in Antigua. It felt like having family pick us up and it was very comforting seeing his smiling face waiting for us at the airport after such a long travel! Rene is a wealth of information about the area, and a very wonderful person that we were delighted to be able to meet. Rene also loaned us a local cell phone that I am not sure we could have done without while there. This is a safe, clean, beautiful property to rent while in Antigua. Thank you, Rene, for everything that you did for us to make sure that we had a wonderful vacation in Antigua! We’ll be back should we return to Antigua. In the meantime, we really do hope to keep in touch with you. You were wonderful! Marc and Angel, Colorado

  Recommended for: Adventure seekers, age 55+, romantic getaway, families with teenagers, families with young children, sightseeing.

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• Quiet and Peaceful Home Base

  Quiet and Peaceful Home Base

  • Guest Ginette
  • Date of stay 06/08/10
  • Review Submitted 07/07/10
  Our family of 5 stayed at this home for 2 weeks. It was very comfortable with a lovely garden on a beautiful cobblestone street. You would never guess that this development is new with all the mature trees and beautiful flowers everywhere. We enjoyed the outdoor dining area, the kids loved sattelite tv since we don't even have cable at our house. We also enjoyed sitting out on the front street and meeting the interesting neighbours from all over the world. This is a wonderful home base for studying Spanish in Antigua. It was very easy to walk out of the gate and catch a "chicken bus" to town. Fresh tortillas were delivered in the morning on request which were delicious! Rene was a gracious host who even picked us up at the airport and delivered us to Antigua. He is a wealth of information on the history of Guatemala and he is very happy to provide information on where to go and what to see. Thank you for a wonderful stay!

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• • Guest Buzz & Patty
  • Date of stay 03/01/10
  • Review Submitted 03/01/10
  We came to Antigua to escape winter in Minnesota. Not only did we soak up the sunshine, we studied Spanish, spent time wandering through central park and the whole colorful town, observed and participated in life in Antigua, took a side trip to Tikal, hiked up a volcano, and simply fell in love with the Guatemalan people. What a pleasure it was to wake up every morning at Casa de Colibris, eat breakfast on the patio, listen to the birds, and gaze out at lush green plants and flowering orchids. Of course we enjoyed all the conveniences of the casa: the dishwasher, laundry, cable TV, cell phone, and wi-fi, but we also appreciated being able to escape the noise of the town everyday and fall asleep to the gentle sound of crickets. Our hosts, Rene and Elsie, were very friendly, helpful, and genuinely nice people. We are extremely grateful to them for sharing their casa. We give Casa de Colibris four out of four thumbs up. If you're considering a trip to Antigua, we heartily recommend that you stay at Casa de Colibris! (Buzz & Patty)

  Owner response: Buzz and Patty stayed at our house nine weeks. We were very happy to see them enjoy Antigua the way they did. We really appreciate their comments about us, especially since they are such a fine, highly educated and widely-traveled couple who really enjoyed the cultural and historic richness of our lovely city.

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• • Guest John King1
  • Date of stay 01/21/10
  • Review Submitted 01/21/10
  My family and I had a wonderful time at Casa de los Colibris. The house is situated minutes from Antigua and the view of the volcanos is mystical. We are a family of 6 - husband and wife and 4 daughters. The house was beautifully decorated with all the conveniences of home- washer and drier, large kitchen, multiple bathrooms, wifi and a cell phone for our use. This phone came in very handy when one rainy evening I needed to contact Rene because I locked everyone out of the house. Within a few minutes, Rene had the housekeeper come and open the house, Rene and his wife were wonderful hosts and we have passed along information concerning Casa de Colibris to our friends in Santa Fe.

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• • Guest Christina
  • Date of stay 09/16/09
  • Review Submitted 09/16/09
  My sister and I had the good fortune to stay at this exceptionally beautiful home for a week in August. The house is amazing and Rene is an excellent and considerate host! If you are interested in visiting Antigua, this home is an absolutely perfect place to start!

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Fees:

• Refundable Damage Deposit: $500
• Taxes Included

Cancellation policy:

Casa de Los Colibris Antigua Guatemala, Guatemala. Phone: +(502) 2364-1561; cell +(502) 30336692; Syype renejohnstonaguilar Email: contact@casadeloscolibris.com Our webpage: www.casadeloscolibris.com USA mailing address: Casa de los Colibris (812) P.O. box 661447, Miami Springs, Fl 33266 Name: Date: Address: Telephone #: Email address: Thank you for choosing to stay with us. We are sure that you will have a very pleasant stay in our vacation home. We are eager to make you feel as comfortable as possible while staying with us. This house is a private vacation home which we are proud of and cherish. Staying in our house requires that you follow certain rules. Please read the following contract carefully and, if you agreed with its contents, please mail it (preferably by email) simultaneously with your reservation deposit. 1. CHECK-IN TIME IS AFTER 3 P.M. EST AND CHECK OUT IS 10 A.M. EST. Although, if we can, we´ll accommodate to your particular airplane arrival and departure timetable. 2. This is a NON SMOKING house. A $500 fine will be charged to the renters if there is any evidence of smoking in the house. 3. Pets are NOT permitted in this house. 4. DAMAGE/RESERVATION DEPOSIT- A damage/reservation deposit of $500 for short stays and $1000 for longer stays is required. This must be received within two (2) days of booking the reservation. The deposit automatically converts to a security/damage deposit upon arrival. The deposit is NOT applied toward rent; however, it is fully refundable within (14) days of departure, provided the following provisions are met. a. No damage is done to home or its contents, beyond normal wear and tear. b. All debris, rubbish and discards are placed in refuse containers outside and soiled dishes are placed in the dishwasher and cleaned. c. All charges accrued during the stay are paid prior to departure. d. No housewares or linens are lost or damaged. e. The non-smoking rule is obeyed. f. Locked cabinets and closets are not opened 5. PAYMENT – An advance payment equal to 50% of the rental rate is required 60 days before arrival. The advance payment will be applied toward house rent. Please make payments through bank-to-bank wire transfers, traveler's checks or Visa Credit card. The advance payment is not a damage deposit. The BALANCE OF RENT is due thirty (30) days before your arrival date. 6. CANCELLATIONS: A sixty (60) day notice is required for cancellation. Cancellations that are made more than sixty (60) days prior to the arrival date are subject to a 5% Cancellation fee or $50 whichever is greater. Cancellations or changes that result in a shortened stay or that are made within 60 days of the arrival date; forfeit the full advance payment and damage/reservation deposit. Cancellation or early departure does not warrant any refund of rent or deposit. You may choose to purchase travel insurance separately. 7. MONTHLY RESERVATION CANCELLATIONS – Monthly renters must cancel one hundred twenty (120) days prior to check-in. Monthly renters who make a change that results in a shortened stay must made such change at least ninety (90) days prior to check-in 8. OCCUPANCY- - The maximum number of guests in the home is limited to six (6) persons. An additional charge or $50.00 per person per night for guests in addition to six (6) and up to eight (8) will be assessed. - The number of people occupying the house cannot be greater than those included in the original reservation. Our guests are not authorized to invite people to stay at our home. If so, you will be charged the normal per day fee. -The house cannot be used for private parties. 9. THIS PROPERTY REQUIRES A MINIMUM STAY OF THREE DAYS. Longer minimum stays may be required for some holiday periods. If a rental is taken for less than three days, the guest will be charged the three-night rate. 10. THERE IS A $50 CLEANING FEE. 11. INCLUSIVE FEES – Rates and rent for short term stays include a one-time linen-towel setup utilities, linens, but not for long distance calls. We suggest you bring your own beach towels. We do not permit towels or linens to be taken from the house. 12. RATE CHANGES – Until confirmation, rates subject to change without notice. 13. RESERVATIONS – Any reservation obtained under false pretense will be subject to forfeiture of advance payment, deposit and/or rental money, and the party will not be permitted to check in. 14. WRITTEN EXCEPTIONS – Any exceptions to the above mentioned policies must be approved in writing in advance. 15. HYGENE- For your and our protection we hold the highest standards of hygiene and cleanliness. Since this is our private home, we have two sets of linen, silverware, dishes, etc. One for the guests and another for our private use. We will indicate which is for you to use, as our own is separated in different locked cabinets and closets. You will receive and sign an inventory for such articles. Opening and using our private articles will forfeit your reservation deposit. 16. STORM POLICY: No refunds will be given for storms or an Act of God. 17. TRAVEL INSURANCE: We highly recommend that you purchase travel insurance. If you wish to purchase travel insurance, go to www.InsureMyTrip.com for details and to purchase it. 18. The property is located in a private gated community and everyone must abide by minimum rules of conduct established by the Neighbors Association. 19. Consumption of drugs and the excessive use of alcoholic beverages are not allowed. The inobservance of this clause will forfeit reimbursement of the Damage/reservation deposit. 20. OUR ENVIROMENTALLY FRIENDLY HOME. To inflict minimal or no harm on the environment we encourage our guests to protect our gardens (community parks and at our house) and to save in the consumption of water and energy (local electricity is generated by fossil fuel plants, so to encourage it, we pay a max monthly electricity consumption bill equal to Q1000 about $130). I agree to the above rules and hereby give permission to charge my credit card for the amounts above. I agree that all rental monies are non-refundable per cancellation policy above. I have read my rights to purchase travel insurance. By Signing Below, I agree to all terms and conditions of this agreement. Your signature: Your name: Your address: Date signed:

If you have any questions please contact the owner.