A couple weeks ago my husband and I visted a small town in Guatemala called Panajachel. Panajachel lies on the banks of Lake Atitlan and serves as an entry point and boat launch to all other parts of the incredible lake. While exploring this town, we came upon a hotel called Hotel El Chaparral. I stopped in my tracks and thought perhaps we accidentally stumbled upon the inspiration for The Grand Budapest Hotel.
Hotel El Chaparral
The Grand Budapest Hotel
In my broken Spanish I asked the woman at the front desk if we could look around. To my surprise, there were so many architechtual details that were so similar to Wes Anderson's film. The arches? Check. Bathhouse? Check. Hand painted signage? Check. Color palette? Check.
The Grand Budapest Hotel
What a dream this hotel was! If you find yourself in the middle of Guatemala, check it out!