Hotel Backpackers

If you ever take a trip to Guatemala, go to Hotel Backpackers. Some of our readers are sailors, cruisers or just plain world travelers. So when I say if you ever get to Guatemala, I really mean when you get there!

Located on the Rio Dulce in El Relleno, Guatemala Hotel Backpackers is along the "Mayan Route" allowing visitors making their way through the popular spots to catch a glimpse of life on the river. This photo is taken at night just off the pier of the Hotel and captures the Restaurant lit up at night! Hotel Backpackers is the organization Casa Guatemala's way of supporting themselves by operating a beautiful restaurant with fantastic food at great prices and a hotel for, you guessed it, backpackers. Those are mainly people travelling through the country on a budget. Most times volunteers of Casa Guatemala stay at the hotel as well and ride in a launcha to the orphanage every morning. (Oh, how I miss the river.)

Heather @  Hotel Backpackers is a great voice on the river hosting the Cruiser's Net once a week. She has the most enthusiastic broadcast and announces specials & events the go on at the restaurant every day, even Sundays. My favorite was the Thai food, and Gia's was the Tortizza (mini pizza on a tortilla). The Casa also goes around to every marina on a launcha offering goods for sale, every Tuesday and Saturday. Now, this was a special treat! The boat would be filled with coolers carrying, delicious meats, cheeses and freshly baked breads! Boaters didn't even have to venture off the deck of their boat and you couldn't miss them because they would shout out, " Casa Guatemala" as they passed every boat at a slow drift!

Hotel Backpackers and Casa Guatemala are on Facebook, Like them!!

Casa Guatemala is a self funded organization so they get NO help from the government. Hotel Backpackers is solely run to support Casa Guatemala and often times the children that grow up at the Orphanage begin working at the Hotel and Restaurant as they come of age! Besides that only the help of supporters like you and me, and an extensive Canadian population as the founders of the Casa were originally from Canada.

I wrote last Sunday about Casa Guatemala and the good work that they do providing shelter, medical care and education for the desperately needy families in the surrounding areas. Several of you had more questions about Casa Guatemala and wanted more information. For more information email us @ MVFelicity at Gmail. Make a donation directly by clicking HERE.

Slideshow of the Hotel here.

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