One of the "must see" places in the beautiful Antigua, Guatemala is the five-star hotel, Casa Santo Domingo. It is actually one of the grandest monasteries from the 16th century colonial period of the Americas and it has been converted to a luxury hotel, complete with all the amenities and conveniences of the 21st century. The gardens are exquisite with a vast array of tropical foliage and perched macaws, and the artwork on display in the lobby and the many passageways makes for a museum-like experience. In addition, there is an actual museum beyond the ruins of the original structure and also a unique open-air church.
The lobby of Casa Santo Domingo.
The church is beyond the ruins seen in this picture.
The macaws are colorful and charming. It's almost as if they know you are watching because they perform silly "tricks" like hanging upside down.
You can see the macaws in the gardens.
Our group enjoyed the "all you can eat" Sunday brunch, reasonable at ~$20 per person, considering the vast array of food and drink available. The food truly defies description... one can choose from typical "American-style" breakfast fare such as waffles, pancakes, sausage and eggs to personally prepared omelets and crepes. Then there is the typical Guatemalan food such as tamales, beans, cheeses, enchiladas, exquisite tropical fruit and much more. The students were in heaven, sampling the many dishes. I chose the typical food, including some Salvadoran pupusas (stuffed tortillas) that are my favorite.
The experience was all the more special because my cousin, ML and her husband, were here from El Salvador for the weekend. And, no, they did not stay at Casa Santo Domingo. They stayed at the posada with us, where a small but clean and comfortable room is ~$40 a night compared to ~$250 or more at Casa Santo Domingo. In our travels, we rarely, if ever, stay at such expensive digs, but we know can still get the flavor of a place by dining, having a drink, or just visiting the public areas and gardens of interesting and unique places like Casa Santo Domingo.
Casa Santo Domingo
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PUPUSAS ROCK!!!
May 27th, 2009 at 02:53 am 1243392832