Over the last three years I have stayed at Santa Catalina Hotel a number of times and eaten at the restaurant. I have also read a number of reviews about this property on tripadvisor so here is my take on the hotel.

This is a very old building in the heart of Antigua Guatemala so location is excellent you are staying almost under the famed arch of Antigua. If you are looking for a 4 star hotel this is not it. I mean in my mind it is but, for some travelers they just don't get it.

Some noise exists around the rooms cannot be helped, part of the charm is the bells toll on the famed arch and you may have a room facing the arch. Yes you will here them. Other rooms surround the court yard and restaurant yes you may hear some noise. After 10:00 you only hear the Arch Bells.

The rooms are basic with lots of little things, some have a 2 burner stove and small fridge. All have TV, Cable, Free Internet, Shower, Nice beds, Bottled Water, very clean. But older. For the price you cannot beat it. If you pay cash they will even squeeze a little more of the rate for you.

Location is everything, you are under the Arch and the bells at night, a few blocks from Central Park, could not be better.

Now the staff as I started this review is a 5 star group. I have stayed at or eaten at this Hotel over the last three years a number of times yet never did a review, not sure why. This visit was caused by our home in Antigua was not finished and we needed a place to stay for a few days.

Flying in with six months clothing and all the stuff for our winter in Antigua you understand lots of luggage and no reservation on a Friday afternoon. As always the staff took care of everything for us. The kindness goes past the required. As one of the waiters told me that evening "you are without a home for a few days now this is your home we will take care of you".

He did. Not just hotel related issues, I needed to find a USB internet model for my computer. House Internet was not ready. They took care of that.

The next morning we are up early, you get free breakfast with your room. We have all had those free breakfasts at hotels that range from bad to worse. That is not the case here, you get plates of fresh fruit, eggs anyway you want them, meat, sausage all served to you. You are not standing in line. And yes the cafe, you hear that machine fire up and real cafe not that other stuff.

Then we leave, it is like a family all saying good buy.

I stayed here for 5 nights. The hotel staff are really great! They are very warm, friendly and helpful. That compensates for other drawbacks of this hotel.
The rooms are very cold, humid and dark. It's a bit over-priced. Due to its ultra-high ceilings, the small electric heater is not very useful. So it's very cold at night.
The worst thing is the big clock right outside the gate that chimes every 15 minutes, 24 hours a day! Really annoying! If you are not a sound sleeper, you should think twice before choosing this hotel.

The best part of this hotel, by far, is its staff. My friend and I arrived late for a tour, and the gentleman who helped us park literally ran with us to show us the tour office! What service. The concierge was very nice and friendly and everyone was pleasant overall.

The rooms were a bit disappointing. There were a few bugs (looked like a cockroach and something similar) in the bath of the shower. In the US that would be unacceptable, but I got used to seeing a lot of bugs in Guate. Still, you'd think a nice hotel in Antigua would find a way to keep them from gathering.

Room comfort was okay. The beds were fine. My only complaint was the noise in the morning. These birds in the courtyard made a ton of noise and sounds echo off the courtyard.

Overall, worth staying in and definitely has a nice feel, being a former convent. And the staff is truly great and helpful. Just don't expect a luxurious experience. There are plenty of nicer hotels in Antigua but this one has charm, friendly staff, and decent accommodations. Just don't expect too much in the way of luxury.

We were probably not the easiest guests to deal with - we lost our key, came in late every night (after the main doors were closed), and giggled a lot. But the staff here were wonderfully accomodating, and a few hours into the trip started calling us "Caliente" and "Picante" because they couldn't remember our names. Our maid made us "patos" (ducks) out of our towels - cruise ship style. The chef brought by (free) snacks to go with the glasses of wine we ordered to the room.

As a water conservation freak, it did bother me that the faucet in the shower dripped constantly. I did notice bells but only in the morning - maybe I'm a heavy sleeper.

There is free internet and breakfast with omelets made to order. Plus a location that can't be beat. If you like nightlife, at least three very fun bar/restaurants right across the street (Reilly's was our favorite - they encourage dancing on the bar).