Glass House ~ Lakefront Studio

Wake up in your king-sized bed to one of the most amazing views in the world. Enjoy a swim “beneath” the volcanoes and hang out on the dock. Relax and enjoy the tranquility or get out and explore. Take a walk to one of the neighboring villages or explore the lake by boat. At the end of the day settle back with a glass of wine as you watch the sunset. The studio, newly completed in July 2019, is an open-plan, modern-style, lakefront apartment. The hardwood floors and ceiling, together with the floor-to-ceiling windows, make the most of the magnificent views we have of the lake and the volcanoes. At the front of the open-plan, split-level space, is a king-size bed, glass-encased shower, and bathroom. An accordian-style door, at the front of the studio, can be completely opened to remove all barriers between you and the landscape outside. The kitchen and living area is located towards the back of the studio: perfect for meals, relaxing, or office-style work. When needed, semi-transparent roller blinds can be lowered to provide privacy and/or darken the space. All windows, and the front door, have mosquito screens to keep any mosquitos at bay while still allowing airflow. Wake up, make a cup of local coffee, open the accordion doors, and head back to bed to enjoy your coffee, the sunrise, and perhaps even a few extra hours of sleep. Please note: the studio (and our house also) has a modern ecological dry toilet (see photo #12). Waste is stored in a chamber that will be removed and thoroughly cleaned before you arrive and after you leave. It will be like using a newly installed toilet. The toilet is connected directly to an extractor fan, located outside the studio, to ensure that there is no odor. The Property Make use of our private dock to swim, hang out, and pat our puppy dog. Use the wifi coverage at the dock to relax and listen to music. The dock is also where you will take public or private boats to other villages around the lake, to explore or eat at restaurants. The public footpath that connects our neighboring villages also runs through our property. If you are adventurous, you can walk to Jaibalito along one of the most scenic trails in this area of Lake Atitlan. Location We are located between the villages of Jaibalito and Tzununá, on one of the most remote and quiet shorelines of Lake Atitlan. The property is accessible via boat or the public footpath (there is no road access). It is a 5-minute boat ride to these two neighboring villages, or a 30-minute walk to Jaibalito, and a 60-minute walk to Tzununá, but we don't recommend guests walk to Tzununá. During daylight hours, public boats pass our dock every 20 minutes. These boats can be flagged down as they pass our dock and they stop at all the villages along the northern shore of Lake Atitlan. If traveling by public boat is not your style, private boats are available to take you anywhere on the lake. We are happy to provide you with contact information, so you can organize your travel to our property via a private or public shuttle and/or a boat (fares are additional). There is NO ROAD access to the property. To reach the property you take a boat, either public or private. The boat drivers are familiar with our house, and as it is located between Jaibalito and Tzununa, boats are passing the house multiple times per hour during daylight hours. If you choose to book with us, we provide a detailed explanation of how to reach us by boat. And we promise, it is not that difficult! If you are planning to arrive by car, we suggest you park it in Panajachel. We will provide you with information on paid parking locations in Panajachel. And then from Panajachel (or another village), you can take a boat, public or private, to the house. Again, we provide lots of details on how to do this should you book with us. The interior of the studio apartment is your private space. You're welcome to spend time on the dock as well as the shoreline. You'll have access to the stairs that go up through our property to the property's gate and the walking trail beyond. Matthew and I are normally at home. Our house is located adjacent to the studio guest house. Guests are welcome to ask us questions. As we'll be providing guests with an information-filled manual, we request that they first consult the manual. "Casa de Cristal," the name of the property, is located on Lago Atitlan between the villages of Jaibalito and Tzununa. As it is a remote location, the predominant sound is that of the lake. Expect to enjoy trees, rocks, birds, and unobstructed views of Atitlan's three volcanoes. The private dock offers space for sitting and relaxing or swimming. Our wifi extends to the dock as well. Matthew and I live on this property, so you might see us out and about during your stay. Our property is only accessible by boat or a walking path. There is a private dock that public and private boats stop at. Because of its isolation, it's important that you prepare beforehand with sufficient food, cash for boats, and such. Please don't expect grocery stores and restaurants at this location. It is only a casita and our house. Food, food, food! There are no stores or restaurants nearby, so please bring food with you or plan to eat at the restaurants in the neighboring villages. The house is located about 45 feet (15 meters) above lake level. The climb is not particularly steep, but if you have any mobility issues, please take this into consideration or ask for further information. Toilet: the studio (and our house also) has a new ecological dry toilet (imported from Australia) to reduce contamination of the Lake. Waste is stored in a chamber that will be removed and thoroughly cleaned before you arrive and after you leave. It will be like using a newly installed toilet. The toilet is connected directly to an extractor fan, located outside the studio, to ensure that there is no odor. Dogs: we have a puppy dog that sleeps indoors with us at night. She likes to be petted but is not allowed into the studio. If you’re not a puppy dog person, please consider if this the right Airbnb for you. Pests: our property is located in a rural area and along with the beautiful birds and lizards, there are some insects. The Atitlan area is home to a harmless flat spider and a non-lethal scorpion. We do our best to keep these out of the studio, but it is not uncommon to see one or both of these. Again, this isn't unique to our property. These pests are common in the whole Atitlan area. They are party of life here. Access: there is NO ROAD ACCESS. If you are planning to arrive by car we suggest you park it in Panajachel. We will provide you with information on paid parking locations in Panajachel. Travel to Casa de Cristal: this is a two-part process: first getting to Panajachel by car/shuttle and then traveling by boat to Casa de Cristal. Shared spaces: as there are 2 houses located on the property and they sit adjacent to one another, expect to see us, or perhaps one or two other airbnb guests renting the other house, out and about on the property, walking the stairs and using the dock. Please note that the small porch area behind the house is in occasional use by our gardener. This is minimal. Smoking: there is NO SMOKING inside the house, if you smoke please smoke outside and very far away from the house, so the smoke will not drift inside the house. Pets: no pets allowed. Our dog isn't always friendly with other animals. Quiet hours: our quiet hours are from 9:00 pm to 7:00 am, during this time we like to keep noise to a minimum. Please no parties or fireworks.