Sustainability
How MayAchik Actually Works
Sustainability is not an extra feature at MayAchik. It is part of how the hotel was built and how it works every day.
Our Vision
To prove — one guest, one season, one small decision at a time — that a place of beauty can also do right by the people and the land it depends on.
Our Approach
MayAchik was not built from a hotel template.
The decisions came from the place itself: The lake that needed protecting, the community that needed real work, the highland soil that rewarded care.
Many of them started as simple questions. How can we use less water? How can we create local jobs? How can we reduce waste? How can guests experience Lake Atitlán without being separated from the community around it?
That is why we use dry composting toilets, treat and reuse our greywater, work with the recycling initiative Atitlán Recicla, support local employment, serve vegetarian and vegan food, and partner with local guides and artisans.
By choosing to stay with us, you support environmental conservation and responsible local business practices.
Every stay is a small part of a larger effort: a greener, more conscious way to travel.
Global Goals
Below, you can see how our work connects to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
The content of this publication has not been approved by the United Nations and does not reflect the views of the United Nations or its officials or Member States.
Customer Experience
Staying at MayAchik is itself a way to travel more sustainably. We keep our footprint light: minimizing waste, conserving energy and water, and sourcing food locally whenever we can. Your choice contributes to sustainable tourism that respects the environment, supports local economies, and celebrates cultural richness.
During your stay, our team is happy to guide you on responsible consumption practices. Every choice, from using a refillable water bottle to participating in our waste recycling program, helps build a more sustainable future.
Small habits like these, multiplied across every guest who stays here, add up. We’re glad to have you as part of that.
Local Employment
At Eco-Hotel MayAchik, we’re passionate about creating a sustainable and enriching experience for our guests. This commitment extends beyond eco-friendly practices to fostering a workplace that empowers and values all individuals.
Thirteen people from San Juan La Laguna and neighboring villages currently work at MayAchik, in fair, meaningful roles with equal opportunities for training and advancement, regardless of gender.
We hire locally whenever we can, and we work with local, eco-conscious suppliers and producers for our kitchen and day-to-day operations. Guests are welcome to join free tours of some of these partner organizations, from the weaving cooperative to local farms, to see for themselves where their stay’s impact reaches beyond the hotel.
Your choice to stay with us goes beyond enjoying an exceptional experience; it directly supports our commitment to making a positive impact on the community through meaningful employment opportunities. We believe that by working together, we can create a more sustainable and prosperous future for all.
Reduction in Energy Consumption
Solar panels cover a significant part of our energy needs, reducing our reliance on non-renewable energy sources. Throughout the hotel, we use energy-efficient lighting and appliances, chosen to cut consumption without asking guests to sacrifice comfort. Our team is trained in day-to-day energy-saving habits.
We also partner with local energy providers to explore renewable energy options and support the development of clean energy infrastructure in our community.
By implementing these practices, Mayachik is actively contributing to the global effort to ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy for all.
Ecological Composting Toilets
Our dry composting toilets use no flushing water and generate zero black wastewater. Only the urine funnel is rinsed with a small amount of water to prevent smells. Solid waste is covered with sawdust, which keeps the system clean and simple.
It is one of the most honest features of MayAchik. No hidden pipes. No wasted water. Just a practical system that works with nature.
Recycling
We partner with a network of women recyclers around the Atitlán Lake Basin, through an initiative called “Atitlán Recicla.” Run by the Friends of the Lake Association, the program manages recyclable waste across twelve municipalities in the Sololá department.
This partnership does two things at once: it gives us a responsible way to handle our waste, and it creates income for the women who run the program, for themselves and their families.
Treating and Reusing Grey Water
A key part of our commitment to minimizing our environmental impact is our innovative greywater recycling system.
Our greywater goes through three stages before it returns to the land:
Grease Trap (Trampa de Grasa): Captures fats, oils, and grease commonly found in kitchen wastewater before the water moves further through the system.
Biodigester: Organic matter is broken down with the help of microorganisms, turning the wastewater into nutrient-rich effluent.
Banana Circles and Maxán Plantation: The water passes through the root systems of banana and maxán plants, which filter it and absorb its nutrients as it travels through their stalks. Bananas are natural “heavy feeders,” so the nutrients in the greywater feed the plants instead of needing extra fertilizer, and the fruit they produce is a welcome side effect.
Rainwater Collection
Eco-Hotel MayAchik’ is committed to responsible water management practices. We collect rainwater from our metal roofs and store it for later use, mainly for cleaning and watering the garden. It’s a simple system, but it means we rely less on the municipal water supply, especially during the rainy season.
We’re constantly exploring ways to further optimize our system. Our future plans include expanding our rooftop catchment areas and our storage capacity so we can rely on collected rainwater for longer stretches of the year.
Women Empowerment
MayAchik is strongly shaped by women. The founder, general manager, and restaurant leadership are women. Many of the decisions that guide the hotel come from women who know the community, understand the guests, and care deeply about the long-term future of this place.
We also partner with women-owned businesses for our supplies and services, and work with local NGOs and female artisans, whose work we’re glad to showcase to guests.
This is not a campaign. It is part of how MayAchik was built.