La Lancha

Francis Ford Coppola's favorite eco lodge

La Lancha is the tiniest and latest of the 3 properties of film director Francis Ford Coppola and the only one based in Guatemala (the other two are located in Belize). It is said to be the owner's favorite thanks to its simplicity, its rustic charm, and the panoramic views of Lake Petén Itzá.

The team of La Lancha is continuously enhancing the eco lodge to make it more luxurious whilst always preserving the surrounding nature.

La Lancha boutique hotel is situated just off the craggy coast of Lake Petén Itzá, as stone-throw away from the UNESCO world heritage Mayan site of Tikal. It sits eye level with the tree tops and offers breathtaking panoramic views of the lake, the tropical jungle, and the western frontier of Belize.

10 small « casitas » between simmering lake and lush forest

La Lancha is a charming 10-room eco lodge situated in the middle of the jungle. Whilst each casitas each host 2 rooms, the separations and duplex layout ensures total intimacy.

All rooms are air-conditioned to remove the humidity of the tropical surroundings. All casitas have a balcony or garden with hammocks and deckchairs to relax whilst enjoying the rich surrounding nature. If you are lucky, especially at early dawn, you may see the famous howler monkeys.

The lake-side rooms are large and feature a king-size bed, a sofa-bed, and a spacious bathroom. They are decorated with Balinese antiques and Guatemalan craftwork. On the jungle-side, the rooms are ornamented with local sculptures, a double bed, and a beautiful bathroom.

The Tempting Experience: meet the howler monkeys

When he stays at La Lancha, Francis Ford Coppola likes to look out for the troop of howler monkeys that often traverse the trees at dawn, awakening the jungle with their cacophony. "This is MY jungle they scream-you're just visiting."

These gentle monkeys that live in the jungle are among the largest of the New World monkeys. Their tail is like a fifth hand and helps them move from a branch to the other. Their howl can, according to Guinness Book of World Records, be heard clearly for about 3 miles (5 km).

Services and amenities: Lake Petén Itzá

If you feel courageous, you can use one of the lodge's mountain bikes to explore the mountain paths. You can also choose a day excursion with the local guide and meet the fauna and flora of the jungle: he will make you see and experience the jungle like no other.

There is a small swimming pool at la Lancha but it is much nicer and extraordinary to swim in the crystalline waters of the simmering lake Petén Itzá. This beautiful lake is an endless source of activities: explore the surroundings with the eco-loge's small motor-boat, hop into a kayak and peddle away, or try-out some fishing.

You can of course simply relax, enjoy the beautiful views and surrounding nature, and the peacefulness of the lake's waters from a comfortable deck-chair or from your casita's hammock.

The Maya region

La Lancha immerses you in the surrounding Mayan civilization.

• Tikal: one of the most important and most famous Mayan sites. Tikal is also the area where George Lucas filmed "Star Wars".
• Uaxactún: this is renowned to be the most ancient Mayan city, where Mayas evolved their writing and developed their calendar based on the observation of the stars.
• Dos Pilas: this Mayan city broke away from Tikal in 648 A.D., became a vassal state of Calakmul, and named itself the new Tikal. You will find an underground city, sacred caves, ceramics, and a human skeleton surrounded by jade stones and pearls ...
• Also nearby are the sites of Ceibal, Topoxte, Aguateca, and Yaxhá.
• The Mayan site Yaxhá is situated on the shore of the Yaxhá Lake (literally "green water" in Mayan) and which is the place of the shooting of the film-series "Survivor".

Good to know

La Lancha actively contributes to the NGO working on the preservation of Petén.