Lakeside Yoga and Wellness Retreat at Casa Paloma, Lake Atitlán

Casa Paloma is a private retreat centre on the shores of Lake Atitlán, just outside San Marcos la Laguna. The property has been developed over more than twenty years specifically for groups — yoga retreats, writing workshops, breathwork retreats, family reunions and girlfriend weeks. It is not a hotel with a yoga room bolted on; the whole place is set up for groups who want to practise together, eat together and swim in the lake.

A typical day depends on the group. Yoga groups often hold two sessions a day, morning and late afternoon, on the deck or in the main space. Between sessions there is time for a swim — the lake is warm and clean, and you can jump in straight from the property. Kayaks are available. The village of San Marcos is a ten-minute walk along the shore and has restaurants, cafes, a small nature preserve and a range of healing practitioners.

Meals are cooked on site and served lakeside. The food is fresh, largely local, and the kitchen can work around dietary needs if told in advance. Guests eat together at a long table with the volcanoes in view.

The property is full of Guatemalan art and design — textiles, ceramics, carved stone. The gardens are dense with plants and attract butterflies and hummingbirds all day. Stone steps lead down through the garden to the lake. There is a dedicated space for yoga and workshops, and plenty of quiet corners for reading or writing.

What makes Casa Paloma different from a generic lakeside hotel is that it exists for groups. Teachers who have run retreats here for fifteen years keep coming back, and the property is set up to support that: flexible spaces, a kitchen that feeds groups, and staff who know how retreats work. If you are booking as an individual, you would normally join a group that has already reserved the property rather than booking a room on your own.

What's included

- Accommodation at Casa Paloma on the shores of Lake Atitlán - Meals served lakeside (number of meals depends on the group package) - Use of the property's gardens, lakeside deck and yoga/workshop spaces - Kayaks for use on the lake - Access to stone steps and lakeside swimming spots - Wifi in communal areas (not confirmed for rooms)

What's not included

- International flights - Travel insurance - Airport transfers (can be arranged at extra cost) - Personal expenses - Optional excursions and boat trips - Spa or healing treatments in San Marcos la Laguna - Alcohol