CERTIFIED TEACHERS
Come and enjoy Spanish lessons in scenic classrooms. With experienced teachers, motivated to provide the highest standards of teaching.
WIDE VARIETY OF SPANISH COURSES
All levels, throughout the year and the opportunity to start your course any week of the year.
online classes
Follow our online program. Wherever and whenever you want.
Welcome to Guatemaya Spanish Academy
With more than twelve years of experience providing our students with the highest professional standards of teaching in an immersive environment.
Our school is located in San Pedro La Laguna on Lake Atitlan, which was described by Adolus Huxley as “The Most Beautiful Lake in the World”. Join us, be part of this family and enjoy Spanish lessons in scenic open air classrooms.
Stay with a Host Family
Since 2009 we have been offering an authentic Mayan experience. We highly recommend that our students spend some of their time here living with a local Mayan Tz’utijil family. Not only because immersion is the fastest and most effective way to learn Spanish, but also because it allows students to learn more about our Mayan culture. Just be ready to enjoy this amazing adventure!
For a better tomorrow plant more and let’s make our planet a better place to live.
Be a part of a different project! As an Academy we work on the preservation and rescue of ancestral practices that have been inherited from generation to generation.
We use an organic approach to agriculture and reforestation which is friendly to our families and our ecosystem.
You also don’t want to miss the oportunity to hike and camp in the mountains surrounding Lake Atitlan with our sister project Trek For Kids.
Fantastic activities to help you get the most out of your stay in San Pedro La Laguna, Lake Atitlan and make new friends from all over the world.
5/5
It's hard to overstate just how amazing my experience was here! The teachers are great, the format is great, and the incredible views from class are breathtaking! I did 2 weeks of classes, and improved my Spanish fluency so much! The one-on-one attention, combined with the skill of the teachers to recognize areas of weakness which require focus, a good sense of pacing tailored to my energy and capacity on any given day, and willingness to modify lesson plans to help me improve based on my personal goals (quite different to what a standard syllabus might contain) - was something I didn't think was realistic, but Guatemaya more than delivered. Eduardo is not only a gifted teacher, but he went above and beyond to truly create one of the best learning experiences of my life!
Thank you, Roxy and the Guatemala Spanish School team! We thoroughly enjoyed a week of learning Spanish with you. It never felt like "school." It was fun, we chatted, we learned more about the beautiful culture, and in the evenings, we realized we'd made significant progress!
It was the off-season during our stay, and it was very quiet at the lake. We lacked for nothing! We'll miss it here and will continue speaking Spanish with each other.
We're so grateful!
It was the off-season during our stay, and it was very quiet at the lake. We lacked for nothing! We'll miss it here and will continue speaking Spanish with each other.
We're so grateful!
Had so much fun during our 3 weeks at this school, and my Spanish improved more than I could’ve imagined! All the teachers are lovely as well. Would 100% recommend to anyone looking to improve their language skills and enjoy the process.
I couldn't wait to get home and write this review, so I am writing from the bed in my host family's house on my last night here in San Pedro.
I have had such a beautiful experience with this school. I only committed to one week in the beginning and ended up staying for three. I am so much more confident in speaking spanish since starting my classes.
My teacher’s name was Eduardo, and taught me based on my level. He talked to me with carefully chosen words so that I could fully understand directions, conversations, etc. He remembered the words I was having trouble with and used them in conversations the next day. He talked at the perfect speed. He really wanted to make sure I understood the material. There were many times he acted really excited when I nailed a concept, used new words, or finally grasped what he was telling me. He really enjoys teaching, and that was super clear. As a person with an attention deficit, I was fascinated by his ability to hold my attention span. I learned SO MUCH and applied all of it. I am ecstatic and overjoyed with my ability to hold basic conversations with people in spanish, all because of the three weeks that I studied here. I am so grateful.
You can tell the teachers here really enjoy their jobs. Everyone that works here was super kind, warm spirited, helpful, and genuine. I never want to leave!
My host family never failed to cook me awesome food and make me feel welcome. They were super kind and patient with me. Learning a language can be embarrassing and full of mistakes, but they were so kind through all of it. I will never forget them.
If you are considering this school, look no further. This is the best school in San Pedro. You will not regret it 🌎
I have had such a beautiful experience with this school. I only committed to one week in the beginning and ended up staying for three. I am so much more confident in speaking spanish since starting my classes.
My teacher’s name was Eduardo, and taught me based on my level. He talked to me with carefully chosen words so that I could fully understand directions, conversations, etc. He remembered the words I was having trouble with and used them in conversations the next day. He talked at the perfect speed. He really wanted to make sure I understood the material. There were many times he acted really excited when I nailed a concept, used new words, or finally grasped what he was telling me. He really enjoys teaching, and that was super clear. As a person with an attention deficit, I was fascinated by his ability to hold my attention span. I learned SO MUCH and applied all of it. I am ecstatic and overjoyed with my ability to hold basic conversations with people in spanish, all because of the three weeks that I studied here. I am so grateful.
You can tell the teachers here really enjoy their jobs. Everyone that works here was super kind, warm spirited, helpful, and genuine. I never want to leave!
My host family never failed to cook me awesome food and make me feel welcome. They were super kind and patient with me. Learning a language can be embarrassing and full of mistakes, but they were so kind through all of it. I will never forget them.
If you are considering this school, look no further. This is the best school in San Pedro. You will not regret it 🌎
I cannot recommend Guatemaya Spanish Academy enough. My boyfriend and I spent two weeks here and were blown away with how incredible the experience was.
My teacher Roxana was absolutely amazing, her lessons were well structured, varied and personalised to my level of knowledge. We did four hours a day and the time flew by because of how enjoyable the 1-1 lessons were.
On top of this, the school organised plenty of activities to do as well, from visiting a honey farm to watching traditional weaving, and learning about the Mayan language or seeing a local cocoa factory (plus loads more). This was a brilliant addition and gave us opportunity to connect with other students studying too.
We also stayed with a local family for two weeks which was great, thanks so much Delfino and Norma, plus the rest of the family! This really gave us an authentic experience regarding traditional Guatemalan life which was so important to us. The family were so accommodating (despite our lack of Spanish skills initially) and we experienced delicious food and gained insight into daily life, it was super special. Anyone who is thinking about doing Spanish school I would 100% recommended staying with a host family to fully immerse yourself, it helped massively being able to practice our Spanish outside of lessons!
Again a huge thank you to my amazing teacher Roxana, also to Juanita, Ryan’s teacher, but also to Eduardo who helped organise everything. This truly was an outstanding experience during our year of travel!
My teacher Roxana was absolutely amazing, her lessons were well structured, varied and personalised to my level of knowledge. We did four hours a day and the time flew by because of how enjoyable the 1-1 lessons were.
On top of this, the school organised plenty of activities to do as well, from visiting a honey farm to watching traditional weaving, and learning about the Mayan language or seeing a local cocoa factory (plus loads more). This was a brilliant addition and gave us opportunity to connect with other students studying too.
We also stayed with a local family for two weeks which was great, thanks so much Delfino and Norma, plus the rest of the family! This really gave us an authentic experience regarding traditional Guatemalan life which was so important to us. The family were so accommodating (despite our lack of Spanish skills initially) and we experienced delicious food and gained insight into daily life, it was super special. Anyone who is thinking about doing Spanish school I would 100% recommended staying with a host family to fully immerse yourself, it helped massively being able to practice our Spanish outside of lessons!
Again a huge thank you to my amazing teacher Roxana, also to Juanita, Ryan’s teacher, but also to Eduardo who helped organise everything. This truly was an outstanding experience during our year of travel!
With excellent teachers and excellent methods, all with a great sense of humor, this school gives you the chance to learn well and quickly. I was lucky enough to have three teachers who all impressed me with their expertise and dedication.
In addition to learning Spanish, this school immerses you in Mayan culture (through its culinary dishes and rich cultural activities).
It was an unforgettable experience.
In addition to learning Spanish, this school immerses you in Mayan culture (through its culinary dishes and rich cultural activities).
It was an unforgettable experience.
I studied at the school for two weeks and I feel like my Spanish has improved a bit! The teachers are super patient and the homestay with a local family was incredible from not only a Spanish speaking standpoint, but also a cultural experience. Eduardo does a phenomenal job coordinating everything making sure everything runs smooth and he’s there to answer your every question. The views aren’t half bad too! Would definitely take classes here again.
Amazing week spent at this Spanish school - outstanding because of the boss Eduardo's hands-on approach and detailed organisation of everything.
1)Not only are the Spanish lessons of high quality, but they are also able to tailor the timings to suit your other activities around lake Atitlan. These classes take place with flowing coffee and overlooks the scenic lake. They provide local snacks during the breaks (see image)
2)They also organised multiple activities for us students during our week such as visiting a Mayan Textile cooperative, visiting a honey bee farm, visiting a chocolate artisan, kayaking the lake, and also hiking up Rostro Maya Indian Nose for the Sunrise.
3) The homestay with a Mayan family was also a very good experience and adds to everything mentioned above to give you a basic sense of how people live and interact in the Tzʼutujil community.
I literally reached out to Eduardo on a Sunday morning. By Sunday noon we had already exchanged more than 10 emails and everything was arranged for my arrival to stay with my homestay family the very next day, with lessons beginning on the Tuesday.
Eduardo can even link you up with his partner company for shuttle transfers between places like Antigua or Guatemala city, for slightly cheaper prices than other companies.
If you are visiting Lake Atitlan / San Pedro I wholeheartedly recommend this company for their detailed and personal touch
1)Not only are the Spanish lessons of high quality, but they are also able to tailor the timings to suit your other activities around lake Atitlan. These classes take place with flowing coffee and overlooks the scenic lake. They provide local snacks during the breaks (see image)
2)They also organised multiple activities for us students during our week such as visiting a Mayan Textile cooperative, visiting a honey bee farm, visiting a chocolate artisan, kayaking the lake, and also hiking up Rostro Maya Indian Nose for the Sunrise.
3) The homestay with a Mayan family was also a very good experience and adds to everything mentioned above to give you a basic sense of how people live and interact in the Tzʼutujil community.
I literally reached out to Eduardo on a Sunday morning. By Sunday noon we had already exchanged more than 10 emails and everything was arranged for my arrival to stay with my homestay family the very next day, with lessons beginning on the Tuesday.
Eduardo can even link you up with his partner company for shuttle transfers between places like Antigua or Guatemala city, for slightly cheaper prices than other companies.
If you are visiting Lake Atitlan / San Pedro I wholeheartedly recommend this company for their detailed and personal touch
Response from the owner 18:19 11 Jul 25
Muchas gracias por ser parte de nuestra familia Jing, fue bueno poder ayudarte con tu español y esperamos verte una vez mas en el futuro. 
I really enjoyed studying here! From the teachers to the food to the view - it was absolutely amazing. My Spanish improved so much (thank you Jimena). If I could’ve stayed longer I really would’ve! Such incredible people. Do yourself a favour and study at Guatemaya Academy!
Response from the owner 17:13 30 Jun 25
Muchas gracias por ser parte de nuestra familia Guatemaya Summer, te deseamos lo mejor en el resto de tu viaje. 
