Don Ismael is great, so is his staff. A cute, basic, home style hotel on a quite (dead-end) street so it is not noisy from the street. Nice breakfast and coffee included in our rate. They picked up us at the airport for an extra fee, highly suggested if it's your first time going to GUA.

Found the previous comments right here at this web site and upon arrival in Antigua Guatemala, spoke directly with Don Ismael.
The Hotel is part of the whole experience. It is right next to everything and just a short walk out the door takes you back five or six hundred years in time.
The rooms are clean, the beds comfortable and the sorroundings are quiet and maintained in such a way as to make you feel like you are staying over at your favorite uncles' house.
Don Ismael himself will cater to your every need and a perpetual and sincere smile always goes with the man.
Would you like to have some breakfast? It is provided for you.
Would you like your clothes washed? He will arrange it for you as well ( I myself, just went upstairs to the terrace, and used a "pila", just like my grandmother used to do, and did it myself with the provided soap and available clotheslines ).
Want to have a quiet relaxing time? Just stay in your room, go upstairs to the terrace and take in the amazing view of town as well as the Agua Volcano ( chairs and tables are always neatly arranged there ).
Want to stay "in touch"? A computer with internet access is at your fingertips ( I however do not recommend this; you are after all, in colonial times here and on vacation ).
STAY HERE AND YOU RUN THE RISK OF FALLING IN LOVE WITH THE HOTEL, THE TOWN AND THE PEOPLE.
A warm hug is only a blink of an eye away.
Many happy returns fellow traveler.
I will see you here in November.

Ok, here is the deal; the rooms are a tad musty, there is a lot of Jesus around in the form of statues, pictures, etc., the price is cheap, beds ok, breakfast just fine, but the real winner here is the Don himself. This man is a bona fide good guy; his eyes just spill good will. He arranged an airport shuttle for me that was due to pick me up at 3am; not only did he wake up at 2:30 am to see me off, he STAYED awake until the shuttle came and actually got me to make sure everything was ok. Sure, there may be prettier hotels in Antigua, but I have yet to stay any place in the world with this much soul!

This is my third or maybe forth stay at la Casa de Don Ismael, and clearly I am a fan. For a little context, I am an Asian American world traveller (shoes off in the house, you guys know what I mean) with neat-freak parents. Despite finishing college and getting my life in order, when I really want to please my folks I tell them I cleaned the kitchen. Having said that, I have been known to stay in thatched huts with rats (India), freight containers in sheep fields (Scotland), and barns with--or above--turkeys (Kazakstan), so you know that I am not looking for the Ritz. For me, Don Ismael is the place where cheap meets really, really clean. For example, when the staff has time they clean the shared bathrooms after _every_single_shower_. At the very least, they get a complete scrubbing daily. In addition, the bathrooms are much bigger and better ventilated than your typical budget hotel WC. I am not a fan of showering almost on top of the toilet. The second floor bathroom even has a huge window--with frosted glass. The electric heaters have always worked well, and the soap dispensers are never empty. The towels (included in the price, which is not always the case for budget options) are clean, and thus far the sheets have never smelled moldy.

Apart from these things, the hotel has a great roof top for sunning, hanging out clothes, and eating breakfast. Breakfast is cooked fresh daily--pancakes, frijoles y huevos, or cornflakes with coffee or tea--and included in the price. The price gets discounted in the off season. The location is also great (Av 7 norte, Calle 3 poniente), as it is only 3 blocks to the main square (tourist central), the main bus terminal, or the main outdoor market.

The downsides are two-fold. First, the hotel is putting money where it counts--eg. cleaning the sheets--and so they have not spent a lot of money making the rooms quaint. No handwoven, local bedspreads here. And, as with many Antiguan hostels built within walled compounds, not all of the rooms get a lot of natural light. (This is greatly alleviated by the rooftop, garden, and patio sitting areas.) Second, it is not as quiet as it used to be. This is not their fault. The Antigua hotel boom has led to the construction of some typical, big dorm-style hostels nearby, and now there is sometimes really loud rock music nearby in the evenings. Despite all this, it remains my homebase of choice in Antigua and if I ever come back to Antigua I will definitely stay with Don Ismael.