My brother and I spent New Years at Casa Bellona and could not have asked for a better experience. I will begin by saying that this place is a bit far from the park, which our first night we thought was a problem, but once we knew where we were going we realized that it was completely safe to get to Casa Bellona and it was really only a 10 minute walk to the park.

Casa Bellona is small. It has four private rooms and one dorm. But all of the rooms are based around a courtyard that has three hammocks and a table with chairs, which encouraged a very social atmosphere. Additionally they have a great kitchen and TV room with computer which make it feel like home.

The owners of Casa Bellona also own Villa Esthela, which is a slightly larger hostle about two blocks away. All guests at Bellona are given free drink tickets to the roof top bar at Villa Esthela. in addition to being a great place to grab a drink, Esthela had amazing views of the entire city, and was hands down one of the best places i could imagine to watch all the fireworks for New Years.

As for the comments made by others about the showers. You just have to know how to use them and then they are actually really good. As with many places in Guatemala the showers are heated by electricity rather than gas. So the more you turn the shower on the less heat you get. So when you turn the shower on just a little bit you have a completely hot shower.

the biggest advantage of this place is how quiet it is at night. no clubs or bars nearby. another plus is the shared kitchen where guests can store and prepare their own meals.

negatives were the lukewarm showers and minimal breakfasts (fruit, toast and jam). if you want to be closer to the center, enjoy full breakfasts and hot showers, you should stay at El Hostal. if you want peace and quiet and don't mind walking 10 minutes to the center and to all restaurants/bars, you should stay at casa bellona.

i'm also concerned that the owner doesn't have enough help, her only employee seems to be a cleaning woman who only cleans the bathrooms once a day (that i was aware of).

This is a small nice and charming place in Antigua.
Very quiet. The owner Danielle is sweet and friendly. The place is a bit far from the centre about 10 minutes walk, but that is a blessing as it gets really loud on weekends in Antigua in the center. The breakfast is simple and good. and the rooms are comfortable and the place is quite cheap :)

Very happy to have found this hostel, and the welcome there will make me return there again. A great place if you want somewhere quiet but within walking distance of the very centre of town, VERY helpful and friendly owners, a nice courtyard area with hammocks to relax in and overall, a very friendly place to stay.

The owners give the hostel such a personal touch that it is like staying with family and they are great with their advice. DVD collection, internet and a light breakfast as well, and also numerous cups of coffee. A great place to stay if you are looking for somewhere small, quiet and friendly.