Best Cafes in San Marcos La Laguna for Laptops and Latte’s

Looking for the best cafes in San Marcos, Guatemala? This guide shares top coffee spots for digital nomads, remote workers, and latte lovers — all with great views and chill vibes.

San Marcos La Laguna is known for being a spiritual vortex – a town filled with healing experiences that people come to experience from around the world.

But it’s also becoming a great spot for nomads and expats alike to work remotely from! And while I’m not personally a coffee drinker, there’s nothing I love more than holding up at a great cafe with my laptop or journal.

While San Marcos itself is pretty tiny, there’s an abundance of great cafes with solid wifi for you to explore. In this post, I’m going to cover a few of my favorites for you to check out.

San Marcos La Laguna is situated on Lake Atitlan in Guatemala. This stunning lake is set against the backdrop of 2 volcanos and is surrounded by towns scattered around the shores of the lake.

Each town has its own personality, and San Marcos quickly became my favorite. Even if you’re not coming for a spiritual experience, this town is really perfect for working as a nomad, enjoying stunning lake views, and connecting with others in the community.

Each cafe has its own unique personality (and wifi strength) so keep reading for all the best insights on San Marcos cafes.

The best 6 cafes in San Marcos

1. Amo Atitlan

This is my new go-to spot. This cafe/restaurant is a part of Kula Maya–a beautiful boutique hotel right on the edge of the lake. Because of its affiliation with the hotel, you are guaranteed some of the best wifi in all of San Marcos. They also have a generator, so during power outages, you can still get your work done here!

You’ll also find some of the highest prices from the menu, but the food doesn’t disappoint! It has the most elevated dishes you’ll find in the area, also with some pricier health options. Grab a fresh cacao bowl or a tasty sandwich with fresh bread. And there are tons of veggie options (as there are in most places around the lake).

I don’t only love this spot because of the great wifi, but the vibes are amazing, the views are the best you’ll find for work, the chairs are comfy, there’s an abundance of outlets, and I guarantee you’ll be inspired by your surroundings.

• Perfect for: Creative work, biz bestie lunches, treating yourself to a matcha and a bowl
• Find it here

2. The Hidden Garden Atitlan

This cafe opened while I was in Guatemala for the first time in 2024 and it’s instantly become a town-wide favorite. It was right next to our airbnb this year, so I was here a few days a week!

Set off the main road, this really is a hidden garden. You can find tables scattered all throughout a beautiful garden so you can find your perfect spot. Order your drinks or food at the little bar up front, then find a comfy spot.

They also have amazing smoothie bowls, but don’t hesitate to ask the friendly staff for a recommendation. The only downside is that many of the tables throughout the garden don’t have outlets, and the farther you get from the entrance the weaker the wifi gets. But if you don’t mind sitting on the floor, there’s a comfy seating area with plugs and strong connection.

If you’re lucky, the cafe cat might even come and sit on your lap for a bit! They also host weekly events like vintage sales, tattoo party’s, and live music. While this can disrupt the workflow, I really do love the communal vibe you feel when you come to this place.

Another important note – they’re only open til 2, so come for some deep focus work in the morning and then relax in the afternoon! 

• Perfect for: Deep morning work, working outside in nature, connecting with the long term San Marcos residents 
• Find it here

3. Circles

This is one of the most well-known spots around the lake, and for good reason. They have AMAZING croissants–I’m talking matcha and strawberry flavored croissants. Along with banana bread and other delicious pastries. 

They also make fresh, homemade bread which means it is undoubtedly the best place to buy a loaf to take home. You can also grab some fresh granola or some tasty coffee creations.

Because it’s so popular, the wifi isn’t always the best here. It works for some projects, but isn’t great for more intensive projects like video editing. It is the most classic “cafe” vibe in town with indoor and outdoor covered spaces, so I’d still try it out and see how it goes! You can always grab a pastry to go and work from home instead (which we did a lot!)

• Perfect for: Breads! All the bread
• Find it here

4. Eagle’s Nest

Eagle’s Nest is a yoga retreat center (you can read more about my experience here!) but it’s also an amazing place to camp out for a day of work. They have the second best wifi in town, plus EPIC vibes and views.

I’ve spent many days and nights at Eagle’s Nest, but even if you don’t spend the night here, you’re always welcome to go up and enjoy the space. They serve incredibly delicious plant-based food, with a different menu every day.

You can pull your laptop out in the cafe area and work with the most epic backdrop of the volcanos and the lake, or you can find a cozy spot in many of the plush seating areas. You’ll usually be met with soft lake-vibes music and a couple cats (at least 7 live here!). It can be a bit busier with background noise since it’s not just a cafe, but that’s what I prefer for my working environment.

Eagle’s Nest is located far up a very steep hill, so it’s best to take a tuktuk up here and plan to spend your day just enjoying it. If you want to really take advantage of time up there, take a peek at what yoga classes and workshops they’re offering and plan to end your day with some self care.

• Perfect for: Amazing views, hippy vibes, and cats!
• Find it here

5. Maltiox Cafe

This was a spot I recently discovered, and I wish I knew about it sooner! Located on the side of a hill, you get some pretty nice lake views from this little spot.

They serve lots of delicious food, many of it veggie and plant based. The seats are bar stools overlooking the view, so it might not be comfortable for deep work or for sitting there all day, but it’s perfect for a couple hours.

The wifi was surprisingly strong, but it is right off the main road so it can be a little loud (but then again, all of Guatemala can be loud!).

• Perfect for: Nice views, off the beaten path, good healthy food 
• Find it here

6. ATI Hostel

This hostel (which used to be Hostel del Lago) recently reopened under a new name and new management. Because of this, I haven’t had a chance to experience their cafe space much myself, but my partner spent a few days working here.

They have a new hangout space down by the lake front where they serve pizza, wifi, and chill vibes. It’s not the most comfortable seating, but it is a solid place to get some work done.

Plus it’s nice to be by the water, and you can join some of their activities after work like yoga and aerial classes.

• Perfect for: Meeting other people, getting pizza
• Find it here

What to know about working in San Marcos

I love this town with my whole heart, but that doesn’t mean it’s always an easy place to be if you’re a remote worker. In all places in Guatemala, it’s common to experience power outages–sometimes even scheduled ones for the whole day. The only option if you need wifi during this time is to have your own portable wifi device or to visit Amo Atitlan since they have a generator. If you set your own hours and can be a bit flexible, you’ll be fine.

The wifi strength at the Lake is usually surprisingly good! I’ve had few issues connecting online and getting my work done. At the very least, any Airbnb you stay in should have a pretty strong connection, so if it’s not working at the cafe, you can head back home and finish your work from there.

Some of the cafes are only open in the morning. Hidden Garden closes at 2, for example, so make sure you check the opening times before you head out for the day.

Final thoughts

While it might not have been on your radar as a digital nomad hotspot, San Marcos really is a great place to camp out for a few weeks and get some work done. Not just because of the abundance of beautiful, vibey, and veggie-friendly cafes, but because of the inspiration you’ll undoubtedly feel here.

The town is filled with so many amazing creative people–artists and teachers and coaches and healers. No matter what  type of work you do, it’s hard to not feel inspired by the volcanic views and the creative energy that flows through here.

So hopefully you can add each of these cafes to your list when you visit San Marcos!