My weekend at the Indian Palace Hotel in Antigua was a mix of incredible scenery, good memories, and one very preventable headache. The hotel itself is stunning — colorful décor, peaceful atmosphere, and a private jacuzzi that became the best part of the stay. But getting there was another story.

I planned this trip with my friend Cristina del Rosario Zecena Figueroa, who was supposed to meet me at the Guatemala City airport on Friday. She said she’d be waiting when my flight landed. She wasn’t.

Instead, I stood outside arrivals with no sign of her and no communication. Later, she told me she had booked us a room at Indian Palace Hotel and it was already paid. So with no other option, I took a taxi all the way to Antigua and checked in by myself.

Four hours later, Cristina finally called — explaining that her phone had broken. Maybe that’s true, maybe not, but the bottom line is simple: she needed to be more responsible. If you’re planning a trip with someone and promising to pick them up at the airport, you show up. Period. I shouldn’t have been left waiting with no update.

Even after all that, I still paid for an Uber to bring her to the hotel so she could stay with me. We made the best of it. Once she arrived, things felt lighter — we enjoyed the room, relaxed, and spent time together in our private jacuzzi. The next day we went to the Flower Festival in Antigua, which was beautiful and worth the trip.

We only stayed the one night because Cristina had to return on Sunday to pick up her daughter, Nina, from her father Jamie.

In the end, Indian Palace Hotel was fantastic, and Antigua never disappoints. But the experience reminded me how important it is to travel with people who follow through. A great hotel can’t fix everything — but at least the jacuzzi helped.