The InterCon is another hotel that attempts to wow guests with an over the top lobby when it should dedicate more attention to room amenities and services that Marriott Residence chains provide at half the price.

Summary: A+ service at lobby/room service; B rooms; C+ bath amenities; A+ hot water/pressure; B
Internet (very fast but $15 per day); C gym; A location; C- concierge floor (almost never manned); B- extra services (one shop, Japanese restaurant; awful service at Cafe de la Paix).

Up front: The service, with the exception of the Cafe de la Paix restaurant, was excellent. These people are so friendly and helpful that I feel guilty criticizing the hotel on other fronts.
I booked at the Real InterContinental because it was inauguration weekend, and beds were scarce. If you have never been to Guatemala City before, note that the only zone safe enough to stay in, and this is hugely qualified, is zone 10. At $200 plus a night, I got the "executive floor" -- my travel agent convinced the hotel to include breakfast. There is nothing special about the 14th floor: in fact, it's a pain in the neck because you check in at the 15th floor instead of the lobby and then go down a flight, again.

The room is small and faced multiple parking lots. I've been in and out of GC a lot in the last 30 years, so I didn't care about the view, but it was depressing nonetheless. Bed was okay; slippers were the greatest; room amenities also included laptop size safe (an essential); real hangers, sufficient lighting and 28" plasma t.v. Internet WiFi was $15 a day or $40 per week. It was very fast and you didn't have to re-register after the initial sign-in. (Camino Real, take note; the CR charges $10 day.)

Bathroom was two small rooms. Water pressure excellent; bathtub included rails, bath mat, etc. Bath products were risible: generic stuff except for what looked like a pirated Moulson conditioner thrown in among the riffraff of shampoo, bath gel, etc.

Concierge desk for 14th and 15th exec. floors was useless: it was never open when I needed it. When I wished to print out boarding passes, no one was manning the small biz center at 8am. I went down to 2nd floor Business Center and no print out either. I finally ended up emailing boarding pass through the helpful Concierge at front lobby.

The gym is functional, like what you'd find in a Marriott Courtyard. Gym rats, check out the Camino Real, which is full service.

Pool was fifth floor and ugly. CR better on this score.

Finally, the Café de la Paix has a wonderful buffet. Go here, not the CR, for a $20+ Sunday buffet: the food is way better and the hours of service are longer (the CR sweeps everything off the breakfast buffet before 11 (on Sunday!). That said, when I ordered a sandwich on a Sat. afternoon, when the CdlP was virtually empty, i ended up waiting 30 minutes -- and they lost the order.

Net net: The InterCon is more expensive than the CR, but it felt gloomier despite the excellent service. It's darker all around and it feels like a place that pays lip service to 5* amenities without having the resources to follow through

This is a typical business hotel in Latin America but was so far beyond my expectations with regard to service. Amilcar and, especially, Walfre went above and beyond and made my quick trip leaving me with a most favorable impression. Rooms are very nice (mine wasn't ready when I arrived but after a 20 min wait they upgraded me). The bar is a solid business-hotel bar. The breakfast was better than most. The location is excellent. Kudos.

The hotel does not have hot water, when making the reservation on the internet it says free continental breakfast and free internet, not true nothing was free not even the hot water. Because of my complaints the manager told me the rate for the last 2 days would be $99.00, not true, the rate was $139.00 per night. The cleaning service is terrible, the maids do not give you towels, for you to call them and give them a tip, they did not even changed my glasses, what a terrible experience.............

Stayed here two nights: one night on the way to Tikal, and one night on the way back. Danced with my wife at the bar lounge that had a great live band. On the same block as some good bars and restaurants. Wedding parties both nights. I like quiet hotels, but once in a while a like a fun time late into the night, and this worked great. The hotel service for airport transfer was great, which is key.