Hostales del IRTRA: High Quality Lodging and Guatemalan Hospitality

Just across the road from the two theme parks Xocomil and Xetulul that we just visited, are Hostales del IRTRA, a beautiful and functional complex that encompass a virtual leisure city with various lodges, restaurants, bars, swimming pools, spa, and a mini-golf course. There are four separate lodging concepts ranging in price for visitors with no IRTRA ID, from $40 a night in a standard room for up two adults and two children to $300 a night for a luxurious suite.

The first hotel built within this complex is Hostal San Martin with 192 rooms, which was inspired by the Colonial architecture and resembles the Spanish government buildings of Antigua Guatemala. It consists of four separated buildings with long covered passageways with arches, and a spacious central plaza featuring a large fountain in the middle.

Hostal Santa Cruz was inspired by the Mediterranean-style architecture and offers 151 rooms elegantly decorated and distributed in 10 buildings.

Hostal La Rancheria consists of individual rustic yet comfortable and elegant cabanas designed for large parties. Every one of the 48 cabanas has 2 double bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, dining/living room, and fully equipped kitchenette.

Hostal Palajunol, the newest and most spectacular, was inspired by the cultures inhabiting the world’s tropical rain forests and has become the favorite. The buildings housing a total of 212 rooms at Palajunoj are worth a look for their unique architecture, since each one of the five buildings in this complex represents a different culture.

Nakuru - Africa

Papeete - Polinesia

Mandalay - Thailand

 Kalimantan - Indonesia

Uaxactun - Maya

At Hostales del IRTRA, all the rooms are equipped with private bathroom, cable TV and telephone. Air Conditioning is available in most of the accommodations, with the exception of the initial 92 rooms located on the first floor in the San Martin buildings that  have ceiling fans.

This beautiful hotel complex also offers a variety of leisure facilities, three splendid restaurants inside its premises, bars and snack bars, beautiful gardens and of course, complimentary transportation to the Xocomil and Xetulul theme parks.
Definitely, even though today is only a wishful thinking, I am ready to start packing!

Xetulul: The Amusement and Cultural Park

The most recent theme park created by IRTRA, Xetulul, features 7 plazas (pavillions or squares) that represent a similar number of different cultures. Xetulul takes its name from a Mayan voice that translates as “under the trees”.

Three of the plazas are dedicated to Guatemala: the Plaza Chapina welcomes the visitors with replicas of historic buildings, such as the Railroad Station (the original in downtown Guatemala City, is now a beautiful museum), the Royal Palace (the original building was destroyed by an earthquake in 1917, and in its place we find the Centennial Park, which was built in 1921 to commemorate the first centennial of the Central America Independence), the Palace of the Noble Town Council (the original and well preserved in Antigua Guatemala still can be admired), and the Church at San Agustin Acasaguastlan (in the Department of El Progreso, still in our list to visit). Every building has an utilitarian purpose, such as restaurant, souvenirs shop, jewelry gallery, among others.

The Mayan Plaza features an impressive 112 feet-high recreation of the iconic Mayan temple Gran Jaguar (the original is in Tikal), painted in the colors archaeologists believe the original Mayan cities were decorated. The third plaza dedicated to Guatemala is the Guatemalan Town, which brings together several picturesque towns into one harmonic and charming plaza. Among other services and attractions, in this plaza we will find a seafood restaurant.

The Italy Pavilion features several buildings inspired in the Florentine and Venetian architecture, including recreations of the Ufizzi Gallery, the Palazzo Vecchio and a wonderful replica of the Fontana di Trevi. In addition to two Italian-style restaurants, in this area there is a Gelateria.

The France Pavilion includes recreations of the Moulin Rouge and the spectacular Grand Theater where magic shows are presented regularly. The Germany Pavilion is designed to look like a true German town and the Spain Pavilion features a replica of the Alhambra and houses with architecture from different regions of Spain. All the pavilions include several attractions, special services, and restaurants where food representative of the different countries is served.

But definitely the most exciting part of Xetulul are the rides and entertainment attractions. From thrilling roller coasters and chair-o-planes to bumper cars, carousels and screaming swings. You will certainly be able to experience an adrenaline rush if you’re up to the challenge. My inner child is already telling me, let's go! What about yours?

Xocomil: The Water Park

Honestly, I didn't think that an attraction like this could be of interest but to my surprise, I was wrong. Since the website I used as reference is in Spanish, a couple of our travel companions asked for details and I just can't say no. All the images I am posting today are from the IRTRA Website and I hope that they won't mind because I didn't have enough time to request them their authorization.

The park Xocomil takes its name from the Tz'utujil and K'aqchikel voice that translates as "strong wind blowing over the water", actually a phenomenon observed every day around 5 p.m. in the Lake Atitlan.

Xocomil is not only the biggest water-park of Guatemala, it’s also the most visited and complete. Designed around a Mayan pyramid, this fantastic 77,300 square meters amusement park features a full day of fun for the entire family.

The park features four different pools, two of them with waves, one for children and one for adults; one flowing river that provides a fun way to get around the park floating on a tube while passing through gigantic replicas of Mayan masks with waterfalls, water cannons, and a replica of a Mayan tomb.

Xocomil also includes seven options of water rides, which will thrill you to the core. From high speed slides in a 148 meters ride, five-people tubes riding through a series of curves and steep drops, floating rides through a dark tunnel that propels riders into a big funnel, to exhilarating vertical high speed rides, this park certainly has everything anyone can expect in a world-class water park.

So much fun couldn't be complete without something to eat, right? Well, while enjoying at the park, you will find at least six different snack bars and several ice cream stands, and in case you forgot your sun blocker lotion or need a swimming suit, don't worry, there are three shops inside the park where you can find almost everything you need, from disposable cameras to souvenirs.

The park opens regularly from Thursday to Sunday, from 9 am to 5 pm, and during certain holidays opens daily. The entrance fee for visitors with a valid IRTRA ID and up to 5 guests, is free of charge. For the rest of visitors, the entrance fees are (as of today's US currency exchange rate):  Adults, $12; Kids (up to 1.20m height), $6; Seniors (older than 60), $6. Isn't it great? I think it is, I am truly proud of this genuine Guatemalan accomplishment, as encourages me to think that projects like this somehow contributes to clear the misconception that some people may have about my motherland.

IRTRA Theme Parks and Hotels: A Self Contained Destination

Let me start by explaining that IRTRA are the initials in Spanish for Workers' Recreation Institute, which was created in the early 1960s to provide low cost and high quality entertainment and recreational spaces to the Guatemalan working class. I don't know where else in the world you can find an institution like this; what I do know is that in Guatemala IRTRA is synonymous of an extraordinary and visionary concept, which is now available to everybody.

The theme parks in Retalhuleu, Xocomil (water park) and Xetulul (amusement park), are so beautifully designed that so far, they been awarded several national and international prizes. In 1998, the World Water Park Association awarded the park Xocomil as best water park in the world in the category Innovation; in 2008, this park was designated as Park of the Year by the Amusement Today magazine and received the Golden Ticket award; the same year, 2008, the park Xetulul won the Applause Award; and in 2009, the IRTRA creator, Ricardo Castillo Sinibaldi, was recognized as Industry Leader and entered the IAAPA Hall of Fame Awards. 

Hostales del IRTRA is a modern and beautiful complex of 4 hotels with almost 700 rooms which makes it the biggest hotel in Guatemala. The hotels were inspired in 4 different themes: Guatemalan Colonial architecture, Mediterranean culture, the wetlands and rain forests of  Polinesia, Indonesia, Thailand, Africa, and Guatemala, and country-style bungalows.

Probably you have never thought of Guatemala as an amusement park destination; however, due to the geographical location of Retalhuleu and its natural and archaeological attractions, a visit to at least one of the IRTRA facilities or staying at one of the hotels while exploring the surroundings, can be a joyful and rewarding experience.