Eco Villa located on a mountain site, 10-15 min. walk from the center of San Marcos La Laguna, overlooking the lake and volcanos, with 2 stories - including large spacious circular lounge, master bedroom & bathroom, master guest room & bathroom, beautiful kitchen, panoramic terrace, refreshing plunge pool & outdoor heated Jacuzzi with hydrotherapy jets overlooking the lake and mountain scenery. This listing includes the entire property, garden & surroundings. NEW LISTING JUST OPENED UP! "Casa Julia" is perfect for guests looking for a stay in a unique, artistically decorated house, built with local, natural materials and a thatched roof blending in with the surrounding nature. You will find an unbeatable panorama lake view up here and you can relax tucked away from the hustle and bustle of the little town centre of San Marcos La Laguna. You may commute to restaurants, local and cultural attractions one or two times a day. Please be aware that to access this Villa you have to hike up 330 stairs. The first half of the stairs are concrete steps and the second half turns into a zigzag shape with wide, low, stone steps slowly taking you upwards. If you have walking disabilities this hike up may be a challenge. If you are ready for these stairs, do not worry about your luggage; the Tuc Tuc driver or the guardian can help you carry up your luggage. The breathtaking view from the Villa is beyond words. You have to experience it to really get it. The view and feeling of being "above" the rest of the world is worth the hike up. There are two orthopaedic kingsize beds - and two other beds in the circular lounge area with a fireplace in the middle. The guest room has dimmable lamps for cozy night scenes, a mosquito net, panorama windows - and located in a circular shaped bungalow with private entrance and connected with the Main House via a long white hallway and a wooden door leading into the large, open lounge with fireplace and office area. There is a Jacuzzi, large enough for four people, with 20 hydrotherapy jets, crystal clear water filtrated with UV-technology, and rainbow LED-colors at night. Soaking while stargazing, overlooking the lake, volcanoes and the valley is such a wonderful treat after a long day. The co-owner, Markus from Switzerland, lives in a small Casita behind the Main House - a little further up the mountain. He will help you if you have any questions throughout your stay. There are two friendly, educated dogs on the property, well supervised and cared for by Markus. They are called Milly and Kira, and might come to say Hello. Casa Julia is located in San Marcos La Laguna. A tiny village in the highlands of Guatemala. 3,000 indigenous Mayans and about 100 expatriates from around the world are living here. The house is 10-15 min. walk from the center of San Marcos, and 8-10 min. walk to the nearest lake shore. The guests have access to the entire property. Israel, the daytime guardian will work in the garden area during the week days. Sometimes his brother, Domingo, is there to assist him. When you arrive the owner or the manager will give you an introduction to the house and the area in general. We can also help you arranging a private shuttle from the Airport etc. You are alone on the property when you book this listing. Only the guardian/gardener will be around. SAN MARCOS LA LAGUNA is one of the most popular villages to visit around the lake and for foreigners to live in. It is known as the holistic centre of Lake Atitlán, possibly Guatemala! Here you can find a multitude of alternative therapy centers, massage therapist, as well as meditation and yoga centers. People come from all over the world to get treatments here and attend courses. It also boasts a wonderful array of restaurants, bars and cafes offering good food and company. Local bars and restaurants are a 10-15 minute walk away and there are lots of activities around the area to fill your days, including kayaks, swimming, bird watching, hiking, village tours and local markets. Alternatively, you can sit back, put your feet up, and read a book! Like everywhere in Guatemala, noise is unpredictable! Festivals and religious celebrations can mean fireworks, processions and marimba music but generally the town is a relaxed place that goes to bed early and rises early. The beauty of Lake Atitlán cannot be overstated. San Marcos La Laguna is magical, with incredible things happening behind every doorway. The perfect place to stay, and then visit other towns via boat. Each of the towns around this lake is characterized by their own individual vibe. Some are more party-oriented, some touristy, others more deeply ingrained in the cultural aspect of the indigenous peoples (nice vibrant clothing), another one is full of more shops/groceries and had a busy feel to it. In Panajachel you will find everything you need for grocery and market shopping along with banks and ATMs. Imported products, dry goods, fruit and veggies are also available in San Marcos as well as one ATM. Just a 15 min boat-ride away is San Pedro, where there are equally a large number of good restaurants & cafes and markets. Banks and ATMs too. Tuc Tucs are very convenient for getting around and over to the neighbor villages Tzununa or San Pablo or even San Pedro if you wish. For short rides they charge you 5-10Q per person. For longer/or with heavy luggage they charge you 10-20Q. per person. And from San Marcos to San Pedro they’ll charge you between 50 - 100Q. You can probably negotiate a group price. In general boats (lancha's) and tuc tucs are the main transportation easily accessible. Tourist shuttles run daily to a variety of key destinations in the country and private mini vans can be arranged easily. Parking is available in town. There is a road going through the village and to the neighbor villages, Tzununa, where you can go by car. You can reach the beginning of the stone staircase up to Casa Julia from that road just 2 min by car from the center of San Marcos. Remember you have to walk up the 330+ stairs from the road. Arriving by car: Casa Julia has no private parking area, but you can park in town. After receiving your reservation we will send you updated info about parking possibilities in the town centre. HOT WATER It’s an eco-friendly and environment friendly house and shower runs on solar power. On cloudy days in a row, the water is not as hot as on days when we have lots of sun. The sunny dry mornings would make for a super hot shower. STAIRS The stairs to the house is a hike up but worth it if you are happy to only mission to town once or twice a day. Remember to bring a flashlight at night. Stairs can be slippery in the rainy season. In Guatemala, many places become slippery -- especially in outdoor areas. Also, in my description of the house, I specify that there are more than 330 steps so visitors understand it's not easy to pop in and out of the house throughout the day. It takes more time to walk the steps, and it is part of the adventure of staying in a house tucked away on a mountain. If your goal is to pop in and out of the house many times throughout the day, a hotel or house in a central area, is probably more appropriate. This house is set up to be removed, so renters can rest and relax away from the hustle and bustle. CRITTERS & BUGS Some guests mention this in their reviews. And yes, you may see harmless spiders here. Sometimes ants. Rarely scorpions (also harmless). You will sometimes hear squirrels on the roof. This is part of living in the nature, and most houses here have spiders visiting. JACUZZI AND MUSIC We do not recommend that you use the jacuzzi if you intend to drink or get drunk. If you hear music with portable speakers in the garden area we kindly ask you to be mindful of neighbours and switch off music or lower volume at 10 pm. Please do not exceed the max. number of 4 in the jacuzzi. WEATHER Lake Atitlán really has the perfect weather with no need for air conditioning or heating. The dry (and high) season is from November to April and the wet season is from May to October, when it rains mostly in the afternoons and evenings. The elevation of this area is 1565 metres. It is usually far warmer than what the weather forecasts says. It is hot, but not humid, every day from November to January. It feels like temperature is in the late 20sºC during the day— you can wear a summer dress or shorts and sandals without being cold. The mornings and nights are cooler - you’ll need a jumper and long trousers. In the afternoons it can get windy, so swims and boat trips are best in the morning when the lake is calmer.