[mindy41065]

Does anyone know if the La Casa Grande has air conditioning. I would hate to be there in 90 degree humid weather with no AC. Or does it get cool at night down there? I also heard they have terrible cribs and no rugs on the floors is that true? Thanks Mindy

[hunter02]

I would also like to know. Since my agency requests that we stay here.

[Mary Mulcahy]

La Casa Grande does not have air or a pool, I've stayed there 4 times and did not need air. THe cribs are older but okay and the floors are tiled. Its like staying at Grandma house (old and comfortable). The staff is very nice and the food is good. Ask to stay on the second floor near the terrace. You will meet a lot of adoptive families.
Mary, mom to Danny and Ricco

[Devora]

There is absolutely no reason to be concerned about 90 degree weather. Although the weather varies from one region of Guatemala to another, it's known as the Land of Eternal Spring for a good reason...the average highs by month in Guatemala City range from 72 - 78 (check out weather.com). The humidity is also fairly low -- at the moment it's only 20% (compared to 72% here in Chicago right now). So I don't think heat and humidity are something to be concerned about.

Enjoy your trip!
Devora

[kady2004]

FWIW the owners of La Casa Grande are re-modelling... they have already started on the kitchen and when I was there for dinner the first week of May - I was told that they are thinking of installing air conditioning in some of the rooms... maybe you could ask if any of the rooms have got it yet... its actually a nice hotel, not as modern as the Marriott but still a cute, homey, older, local type place to stay... we stay at both the Marriott and La Casa Grande - both have different things to offer.. hope that helps

[Janette Monteil]

Originally Posted by mindy41065

Does anyone know if the La Casa Grande has air conditioning. I would hate to be there in 90 degree humid weather with no AC. Or does it get cool at night down there? I also heard they have terrible cribs and no rugs on the floors is that true? Thanks Mindy

The cribs are very bad and unsafe (at least the 4 times I was there with 2 different babies they were) No they dont' have carpet or air. But as for the carpet I didn't feel I needed it as the baby was not crawling around. I brought an infant seat he sat in that most of the time. It's cooler downstairs in the back. It is VERY VERY NOISEY in the front. First trip we got stuck in room #1 and asked to be moved. We ended up in room 25 or 26. Up stairs in the back corner which overlooks an inside courtyard, so we were able to open a window and put on a fan and by the middle of the night we were freezing. Pretty much like California weather. Maybe try to stay in rooms 11-14 I think which is down a hall in the back with a private courtyard which backs up to the embassy's wall. Seemed very nice. Upstairs is hotter than downstairs. Try to stay in rooms that don't surround the restaurant as that is very noisey in the morning. Bring a "poof" or a washcloth as they dont' use them there and how does one wash her face?? I also brought my own TP as I didn't like theirs. Water is free, and they have satellite TV which is acceptable. Go to PATSIES Coffee shop or the steak house very good food. Yah it's boring but it's clean and safe and except for the street noise very quiet.

good luck

[lisam951]

We stayed there for our visit and pickup trips. The visit was in March and the pickup in August. We didn't really notice a difference in the weather and didn't need air. The people are very nice, the food was not too bad. We wanted pizza one night so they took our order and called Dominoes for us. They were very good about washing Marisol's bottles for us. Anything we needed, all we had to do was ask for it. We did not use the crib because we had Marisol sleep with me while we were there. We felt very safe there since it is next door to the US Embassy and is gated. I would stay there again.

[Tina021994]

We stayed for our pickup trip in Dec. We ask for a larger room when we got there and got a room with a small living room and a king bed. Our ten year old slept in the livingroom on a sofa. They were very nice! We hired one of there drivers who took us to the zoo downtown and to the craft market (very expensive) but my son loved the zoo. We felt the hotel was park of the experience. We got a little warm during the day but never cut on the fan and the night time you do need a jacket, they gave us water daily and washed the bottles for us. Also if you are going to have a short trip you can walk to the embassy from there and beside the embassy is a nice resturant that you can eat at or do takeout. If you run short on time for shopping there is a older woman who sells things in the lobby each afternoon handmade stuffed animals, dolls, bags, etc., if you don't see her ask up front because the day we left we wanted to get some more things and they keep all of her crafts in a cabinet in the lobby so they opened it up for me and let me get some more things. My largest problem was no bathtub but they did give us a baby bath, the crib was old but worked fine.
Bottom line I would stay there again for a shorter trip you can get some beautiful pictures there outside, really all you are going to see once you get there is your beautiful child. Have a great trip!!!!
Tina