About us
OUR STORY
THE ORIGINS
Founded in 2005 by a young couple with big dreams, Earth Lodge was the first commercial property to be built on this mountain. The original owners put untold amounts of sweat and love into building the property, beginning by forging a road and engineering basic necessities like water and power. The farm resort was built cabin by cabin, avocado tree by avocado tree, continuously evolving into “that famous treehouse resort” in the not-so-far mountains just outside of Antigua Guatemala.
There came a time to pass the torch to a new guardian of this tropical mountain paradise, and in 2023 a family from the US with a passion for supporting the local community, good food, and exceptional travel experiences took on the challenge of caring for the land and the people who make up the Earth Lodge family.
THE TRANSFORMATION
After a busy year of remodeling and building exciting new features, Earth Lodge re-emerged with the same heart and same epic views of Antigua’s famous volcanoes, but with a whole new focus and mission: to be a place where everyone can experience wellness and joy in their own way.
Careful attention is given to every detail in order to provide the perfect setting for enjoying the beautiful tropical surroundings of our expansive mountain property; from the clean modern decor locally sourced for the renovated cabins, spa, and lodge, to the organic and eco-friendly soaps and bath products, which are safe and friendly for our greywater system which cycles the water into the surrounding plant life and finca.
With joy and wellness for all as the focus and guiding light for the resort, Earth Lodge is open to the public as well as overnight guests, and the 9 am community yoga class in the stunning studio overlooking the 3 volcanoes and the Panchoy Valley is open to all, rain or shine, 365 days a year. Visitors can experience wellness in a variety of ways, from simply walking barefoot in the grass, to detoxing with a traditional Temazcal (Mayan Sauna) and Ice Bath session. Others might find their version of joy and bliss with a massage, relaxing in a hidden hammock, or taking a meditative stroll on the forest bathing trail.
THE GLOW UP
A young up-and-coming chef with a background in Mayan permaculture joined the Earth Lodge family, with the mission of turning the restaurant into a world-class farm-to-table experience, with a focus on bright tropical flavors, local artisan products and plenty of options for all, whether your vegan, gluten-free or a meat lover. You’ll find avocado featured in many dishes on the menu being that the property is also a working organic avocado farm. The menu also boasts rotating dishes based on which tropical fruits are locally in-season, craft beer made locally in Antigua, natural and organic wines, and creative tropical cocktails.
Wellness and joy come in many forms, and Earth Lodge hosts a wide variety of purpose-driven events that both travelers and the local community enjoy. Each event is uniquely crafted to experience life, vitality, and joy to its fullest, or to experience wellness in a whole new way. You’ll find a wide array of pop-up events at Earth Lodge such as ecstatic dances, cacao ceremonies, natural beauty workshops, natural wine and pizza nights, intimate electronic concerts, fireside acoustic sets, burlesque circus shows, and more.
The organic avocado farm at Earth Lodge is home to over 850 organic Hass avocado trees, which are fed compost from the kitchen – one of the many regenerative practices we deploy to live in harmony with the land. Guests can take a tour of the avocado farm or simply enjoy our delicious avocados in one of the many dishes featuring this ingredient on our menu. The main harvest season is December through February, so be sure to visit the restaurant during this time for our special seasonal Avocado Harvest Menu if you’re an avocado lover, or a “panza verde” as we say here in Guatemala!
Whether visiting for the day or staying in one of our tree houses and cabins, when you come to Earth Lodge, you are part of our family. We look forward to sharing our zest for life, our passion for all things wellness, and our love of nature with you in our beautiful tropical mountain paradise!
Meet Our Team
More like a family than a team, most Earth Lodge employees live on-site or minutes away, in the small aldea (village) of El Hato. All of the men who work the property farming, landscaping, and doing maintenance work, as well as all of the women who work in the kitchen or cleaning, live in the village along with many generations of their families. Historically the El Hato area was occupied by one large finca with centralized employee housing on-site. After the finca dispersed and parceled off the land to various parties, the area which housed the employees became today’s village of El Hato.
Caitlin Natasha
Owner & CEO
The visionary and heart behind the newest chapter of Earth Lodge, Caitlin Natasha’s background in international marketing in the fitness industry and her personal passion for all things wellness create a recipe for innovation when it comes to Earth Lodge. Caitlin Natasha’s background in wellness is diverse – ask her about her 20+ years of teaching and practicing yoga, martial arts, ecstatic dance, aerial arts, crossfit, and more when you meet her!
Jade
General Manager
Originally from Italy, Jade has a passion for discovering the world around her near and far, good conversations, and a variety of art forms including water painting and crochet. Born into the hospitality industry, she grew up helping at her family-run restaurant in Italy before leaving the nest to explore the world, eventually falling in love with Guatemala. Ask her about wine pairings!
Lorenz
Property Manager
Originally from Germany, Lorenz was first a part time volunteer carpenter, who fell in love with a lovely Guatemalan reception volunteer, and is now a happily ever after story. Lorenz now manages the men who work tirelessly at Earth Lodge, overseeing the organic avocado farm, landscaping, maintenance, and building of new facilities. Under his management the entire resort was remodeled and two new cabins built! Be sure to keep an eye out for what exciting projects Lorenz has up his sleeve next!
Eric
Head Chef
With a background in Mayan permaculture and culinary arts, Chef Eric brings a tropical twist and an innovative spirit to the menu at Earth Lodge. He lovingly mentors the women who have worked in the Earth Lodge kitchen for years, teaching them new techniques and recipes and expanding their professional and culinary horizons. Chef Eric, his pup Naya, and kitty Freya are a part of the Earth Lodge family and when he’s not in the kitchen he can be spotted taking breaks playing fetch in the grassy fields, tending the vegetable gardens, or enjoying the sunset. Ask him about his green thumb!
Nancy
Sous Chef
Nancy, sister of our other Sous Chef Marta, grew up learning to cook from her mother in their small family home in the village of El Hato. Nancy enjoys making traditional Guatemalan dishes at home and has also been teaching herself the art of making cakes! She isn’t using any videos or recipes – she’s teaching herself through trial and error! She enjoys working in silence when she’s baking at home, and one of her favorite cakes to make is tres leches.!
Marta
Sous Chef
Marta, sister of our other Sous Chef Nancy, grew up learning to cook from her mother in their small family home in the village of El Hato. Before joining the Earth Lodge family, Marta worked for private families preparing traditional Guatemalan dishes – which she likes to make with a “twist”! She enjoys learning new recipes and ways of preparing food alongside Chef Eric – to date her favorite new food that she has learned to prepare is the various types of homemade hummus!
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Easily accessible by car, shuttle, or Uber
And over 850 organic avocado trees
Gluten-free & Vegan options