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Ashley Metcalfe
June 18, 2024
Coworking Antigua Guatemala… Are there really spaces for digital nomads to get some productive work in this small, colonial town nestled amongst volcanoes?
This was one of the first questions we ask when moving to a new digital nomad destination. All digital nomads need to make sure they prioritize work even when it’s so much more fun to explore your new city. Tbh, digital nomads are some of the most hard-working people we have ever met!
We found it’s much easier to focus and get things done when you place yourself in an environment that encourages that. That’s exactly what a coworking space does for digital nomads constantly on the road.
As Latin America digital nomads, we spent about 1+ years traveling around Mexico, Guatemala and Colombia. We think it’s on the rise and one of the reasons is because of all the cool coworking Antigua Guatemala has to offer.
In this blog post, we are going to share the best coworking Antigua Guatemala has to offer. I’ll review the features, amenities, costs and share our personal experience working from them.
Is The Coworking in Antigua Guatemala Any Good?
That’s a completely reasonable question! We weren’t sure how working remotely would work from Guatemala in general. We asked ourselves:
- “Will the wifi be fast enough for us?”
- “Is there a coworking space available?”
- “Will we meet fellow digital nomads?”
- “What’s the cafe work culture like?”
As our fellow digital nomad friends (who we met in Bali), Heyner and Taylor, were living in Antigua – we figured it had to be a decent city to be a digital nomad. But we just didn’t know anything about Antigua, Guatemala.
Little did we know, there were more coworking spaces in Antigua Guatemala! Since 2020, the digital nomad movement has grown in popularity because people realized it’s possible to work from literally anywhere! We think this has contributed to the growth of coworking in Antigua Guatemala.
Long story short – yes! The coworking Antigua Guatemala has to offer is pretty great and comparable to the spaces we’ve worked from in Bali, Thailand, Mexico, etc.
What Makes A Good Coworking Space For Digital Nomads?
Not just ANY coworking space will do, right?
If you’re spending the money to become a member and using the space to get valuable work done – you might as well get the best space available.
But how do you know what makes a coworking space great? Here are 3 factors that we look at before signing up:
- Fast, reliable wifi: As digital nomads, it’s our responsibility to be in locations that have decent wifi to work not just for ourselves but for our clients, employers, employees, etc. The last thing you want is for your wifi to drop out in the middle of a Zoom call right? While a digital nomad in Latin America, you can’t expect it to be super fast (with Medellin as an exception) but it’s good enough! The wifi speeds can be anywhere from as low as 10 Mbps up to 80+ Mbps.
- Comfortable Workspace: We love a coworking space that has ergonomic chairs! We sit on our butts behind a screen for nearly 6-8 hours a day and it’s totally necessary (at least in our opinion). It’s not a deal-breaker for us if they don’t have ergonomic seating but it’s definitely a bonus!
- Vibrant Community: A good coworking space will make the effort to organize workshops and events for its members to get to know each other. A vibrant community is so important for digital nomads because we need to constantly make new friends in unfamiliar places.
Now you know what makes a coworking space awesome, here’s a list of the best coworking Antigua Guatemala has to offer.
The Best Coworking Antigua Guatemala Has To Offer
Planning on becoming an Antigua digital nomad or maybe you’re a remote worker? We feel so grateful that we got to work remotely from there and make some genuine friendships! We spent 2+ months living in Antigua and we worked from both of these coworking spaces in Antigua Guatemala for a month each.
I’ll be honest…
There aren’t plenty of choices for coworking in Antigua Guatemala but the ones that already exist are nothing short of amazing!
Let’s get started!
1. El Cubo Center
El Cubo Center is a professional office and coworking space for digital nomads, remote workers and entrepreneurs. Its mission is to house members that want to create, collaborate and change the digital scene for Latin America.
They strive to become one of (if not the best) coworking Antigua Guatemala has to offer, they have built a huge 4-level building offering:
- shared coworking spaces
- private offices
- rooftop access
- networking events
- a cafe
- a restaurant
- volcano views
We didn’t know about El Cubo Center until our friends at Impact Hub started talking about a new space opening up. As we were all curious, we booked a tour to have a look around and see what they offer.
From the moment we entered the property, we were absolutely blown away by El Cubo Center!
What To Expect Working From El Cubo Center
Imagine working from a coworking space that’s got the most inspiring design and aesthetic serving delicious coffee and access to high-speed internet…
…That’s El Cubo Center for you!
You’ll be amazed by the volcano views you could have while working – it’s like nothing else we have experienced! The ergonomic chairs are comfortable and the air-conditioning makes it a comfortable space no matter what the weather is like in Antigua.
The vibe is a little more corporate than we like but it’s understandable because they also cater to business professionals that hire their private offices. We still went in with our limited clothing options as digital nomads (aka no suits for us lol) and it was more than fine!
There were also other remote workers, expats and digital nomads in more casual clothing. That actually made the space feel more comfortable for us.
The only thing is… it’s located 10-15 minutes away from the city center closer to a town called Ciudad Vieja. There are 2 options to get to El Cubo – order an Uber or take the shared shuttle they have organized to get from the city center and back.
Features & Amenities At El Cubo Center
The features and amenities are what make El Cubo Center one of the best coworking Antigua Guatemala has to offer. They pack a lot of value for your membership!
Ergonomic Chairs & Seating Options
Have you been working from wooden chairs that by the end of the day, you’re feeling sore? We get that!
El Cubo Center offers the most comfortable chairs! There’s no doubt they are ergonomic and will make a comfortable place to sit for hours of focused work. The chairs are rolly ones and have an armrest for extra comfort.
There are plenty of seating options from the big shared tables on the 2nd floor to the booths on the 1st floor. You won’t have trouble finding a good spot to work for the day!
Cafe On-site
Worried about not having access to good coffee? Don’t! El Cubo Center has partnered with my favorite cafe in Antigua – Artista de Cafe. It’s located on the 1st floor and they make a mean iced caramel latte or latte!
Corazonada Restaurant On The Rooftop
What about lunch? El Cubo has thought of everything!
There’s a shared kitchen for you to microwave any meals you brought from home BUT that’s not all. There’s a restaurant on the rooftop called Corazonada. I’m not sure if they still offer it but they have a menu del dia for 35Q ($4.60 USD) that includes a soup, main and juice which was always fantastic!
Indoor & Outdoor Coworking Options
We get it – sometimes you just want to switch up your work environment! That’s easy where you’re working from El Cubo Center.
They have 2 big shared tables that can seat up to 8+ people, lounge areas with the most beautiful couches and even outdoor picnic tables so you can enjoy the beautiful Guatemalan weather!
Community & Events
How do I describe the community at El Cubo? It’s a mix of corporate vibes with the occasional digital nomad in casual clothing. We sometimes felt a little out of place but it’s just the culture there. We never felt the pressure to dress up!
All of our friends that we made at Impact Hub (including us) switched to El Cubo which meant we already had a great group of friends to have coffee or lunch with at the coworking space. We made a few more amazing friends, Becca and Brook, who were working remotely as well. We felt it was harder to connect with the locals working in the private offices.
We loved that they made a real effort to provide good events, workshops and networking opportunities! Since 2020, it seems that a lot of coworking spaces have stopped all events even as we are getting back to ‘normal’. El Cubo Center organized weekly meet-ups for new members to get to know others and while we were there, they also had a Google talk that we attended. El Cubo Center also has a WhatsApp chat for members to join and see what’s happening for the week!
Staff At El Cubo Center
The staff is very friendly and welcoming! It’s hard to go past without having a little chit-chat. A lot of them speak English which helps make the whole sign-up process and experience so much easier.
Clean & Well-Maintained Facilities
You can tell they focus on the attention to detail here. It’s almost too clean you feel like you’re messing things up but it’s no problem.
Free Coffee, Fruits & Water
That’s right! Every day they replenish the basket of fruits for you to enjoy a work break snack. You can also help yourself to the coffee (which honestly isn’t too great but you have Artista de Cafe when you want something better). There are also free water dispensers on every level which means you just bring a water bottle and you don’t have to worry about refilling!
Is There Fast & Strong Wifi At El Cubo Center?
The #1 digital nomad question is probably… “how’s the wifi?” It’s only right to ask when you need to work to continue traveling.
It’s not even a question at El Cubo Center! It’s the fastest wifi we have ever seen during our whole time in Guatemala from being an Antigua and Lake Atitlan digital nomad.
The wifi speed at El Cubo ranges from 65 Mbps to 100 Mbps. We had the chance to meet the owner of El Cubo and she mentioned they also have huge backup generators in case the power goes out. In other words – you’ll always be connected!
Costs & Monthly Membership at El Cubo Center
You’ve just discovered the best coworking Antigua Guatemala has to offer…
…so what’s a membership at El Cubo cost?
It depends on the duration you plan to stay! At the start when they had just opened, we asked them to offer day passes because they only offered monthly memberships – it seems like they have finally done that!
Here’s the USD prices for El Cubo Coworking Antigua Guatemala:
- Day Pass: $12.90
- 5 Days Per Month: $57.50
- 10 Days Per Month: $84
- 1 Month Unlimited: $162.50
Is this expensive or cheap for a coworking space? We think for all that El Cubo Center offers, it’s a reasonable price. It’s definitely the most expensive option – but you get to enjoy the amazing features, amenities and community they offer. The monthly unlimited is the best option but if you only want to go a couple of times a week – the day pass is a great option too!
It’s worth mentioning that El Cubo has a number of different membership options including a “work & workout” plan that gives you access to their new gym.
Opening Hours
Monday-Friday: 7am-7pm; Saturday-Sunday: 8am-5pm
We’ve been digital nomads since 2018 and we have been to our fair share of coworking spaces around the world. A lot of them offer 24/7 access such as the Playa del Carmen coworking spaces and/or while we were coliving at Bali Bustle.
We don’t mind not having 24/7 access and it’s great that El Cubo opens so early! Matthew and I like to start working around 8am giving us a great cushion.
How To Book Coworking At El Cubo Center
The best way to book is by messaging them on WhatsApp at +51 and letting them take it from there! They might offer for you to do a tour which is great so you can see it before paying. We always do a test day or a tour of the place to see if we like it. It’s a big commitment for a month and you want to make sure you love it so don’t book online in advance!
We paid with our Wise debit card which allows us to get the best exchange rate. You can also pay cash, it’s up to you!
REVIEW – Is It The Best Coworking Antigua Guatemala Has To Offer?
Yes, it is – at least in our experience.
We didn’t really have many complaints about working from El Cubo Center. The only one I can think of was the shuttle to and from Antigua city center – which I believe they offer now! To be honest, our 2 suggestions: the day pass and the shuttle have both been implemented which shows how committed they are to your experience.
We loved working from El Cubo Center and if we had to do it all over again – we would choose them over all the other coworking Antigua Guatemala has to offer!
2. Impact Hub
Impact Hub is the most well-known coworking in Antigua Guatemala!
They have been around for a couple of years now and they have even moved locations around the city. Impact Hub offers a great space where you can focus, get work done and maybe even make some fellow digital nomad friends. We know we did!
When you book a coworking membership with Impact Hub, you get:
- shared coworking space
- free coffee and water
- like-minded people
- affordable prices
- sunny patio
We spent a month working from Impact Hub before switching to El Cubo. While it was a pretty decent experience, there were just some things that could have been improved.
What To Expect Working From Impact Hub
If you choose to work from Impact Hub, you’ll enjoy a beautiful outdoor space with comfortable seating and strong wifi.
The vibes at Impact Hub are more low-key and casual. You won’t catch anyone in suits which is something we love! The people are very friendly and welcoming – we met a majority of our friends at Impact Hub.
It’s the most central location for any of the coworking Antigua Guatemala has to offer. We walked every day from our Airbnb, it was only 15 minutes through the cobblestone streets. This is probably why a lot of people still opt for Impact Hub which is something you should consider.
Features & Amenities At Impact Hub
After spending a month working from Impact Hub, we’re going to share the features and amenities that they offer you as a digital nomad or remote worker.
Ergonomic Chairs & Seating Options
Impact Hub has a couple of great 2-person desks which was perfect for Matthew to share one and spread out our digital nomad setup lol (iykyk).
The chairs are pretty comfortable! I guess the best way to explain them is that they are those old-school black office chairs that roll around. It’s not the fanciest chair but it works well!
Cafe On-site
As soon as you enter Impact Hub, you’ll immediately see the cafe. It’s called Coffea and they do a pretty decent cappuccino but it’s just a little more than what you’d pay at other cafes.
Wachuma Restaurant In The Same Compound
Wachuma is a vegan restaurant that’s right next to the coworking space. They offer these amazing vegan bowls for only 35Q ($4.60 USD) which is a steal for all the protein and veggies packed into them!
You can sit at the restaurant if you want or they can also bring the food over to your desk! There’s a great sunny patio with a huge old plane in the middle which makes for a cool lunch backdrop.
Indoor & Outdoor Coworking Options
There are no indoor options if you work at Impact Hub! We have had to endure the hot summer heat and the rainy afternoons which made for an interesting work session. They had to move the desk closer to the walkway so our laptops wouldn’t get splashed with the rain.
As it’s only an outdoor coworking space, this means you won’t get a temperature-controlled room which may or may not bother you. It worked just fine for us!
Community & Events
Unfortunately, there are NO events if you cowork from Impact Hub.
We were really disappointed because this is one of the main reasons we join a coworking space. From their Instagram, I could see they probably used to do events but have since stopped.
While we did make a majority of our friends there, it was out of our own volition and effort.
Staff At Impact Hub
They are very friendly and welcoming! You might need to speak some basic Spanish to get by but there’s also Google Translate to the rescue if you need it.
Clean & Well-Maintained Facilities
The staff at Impact Hub do a great job at making the workspace really comfortable. The bathrooms are always clean!
Free Coffee & Water
When you have a membership, you get free coffee from the filter and free water from the dispenser. This is a great bonus for any coworking space to offer!
Is There Fast & Strong Wifi At Impact Hub Antigua?
Yes, there is! Impact Hub has decent wifi for any kind of work you do online.
We got internet speeds of 30 Mbps to 60 Mbps at Impact Hub. While we working there for a month, we never had any interruptions to our wifi connection.
It’s Noisy 🙁
I wasn’t really sure if I should include this but we just want to share our true experiences whether that’s good or bad.
Unfortunately, we had a bad experience at Impact Hub mainly because of how noisy it was! There was a company at the back taking a couple of desks and they would have meetings on the speaker (as in we could hear the entire meeting including the response/feedback). They never kept their voices down and it gets hard to concentrate.
I’m not sure what the affiliation they had with Impact Hub but the staff never asked them to turn the volume down. It was frustrating, to say the least, and the main reason we plus our 2 friends moved to El Cubo Center.
Costs & Monthly Membership at Impact Hub
This is the most affordable coworking space Antigua Guatemala has to offer. Impact Hub offers more flexibility when it comes to membership options.
Here’s the USD prices for Impact Hub Coworking Antigua Guatemala:
- Day Pass: $8
- Weekly Pass: $45
- 1 Month Unlimited: $115
This is the most cost-effective option for coworking Antigua Guatemala has to offer! If you want to save some money then Impact Hub is still a great option (despite the noisy meetings you might hear). As we tried coworking spaces in Bali, Thailand, Mexico and more – we think the monthly unlimited membership is a great deal and competitively priced.
Opening Hours
Monday-Friday: 8am-6pm; Saturday: 9am-5pm
We like to start work pretty early then end early! The 8am opening time at Impact Hub is pretty great and I believe you can also come a little earlier (if the door is slightly open or something like that). They aren’t open on Sundays and have limited hours on Saturday.
How To Book Coworking At Impact Hub
We highly recommend just walking in! This way, you can see the space with your own eyes and decide if it’s a fit for you. If you sign up, simply tell the staff you want to do a month and you can pay by cash or card. We always use our Revolut or Wise card for these transactions to get the best rates!
REVIEW – Is Impact Hub A Good Coworking Space in Antigua Guatemala?
We’re going for an honest hour okay…
…We’d say yes it’s a great coworking space in Antigua Guatemala. However, some improvements can be made – like the noise levels for one and the lack of or absent digital nomad community that’s being cultivated.
If you want to save money but still work at a coworking space without leaving the city, Impact Hub is still a great option!
Why We Didn’t Include Selina Cowork…
If you know Matt and me by now, you’d know that we (strongly) dislike Selina! Why?
It’s simple –
On the outside…they are trying to disguise themselves as a coliving and coworking space for digital nomads.
In reality…it’s just a hostel with more transient guests that are backpacking for a short period of time who probably don’t work online and just want to party most days. (That’s NOT close to the digital nomad lifestyle in any way!!)
The coworking in Selina reflects this! We did a day pass to try and give it a second chance but alas it disappointed us again.
This might be biased so keep that in mind! A day pass for only the coworking space costs 60Q ($8 USD). The staff seemed a little preoccupied with checking people in and the hostel people were trying to get their yoga class going – a little chaotic but we finally managed to receive the wifi codes and proceeded to the space.
Story Time: Once we set up for the day, a man comes and sits next to me. He isn’t wearing a shirt, he’s barefoot and it looks like he’s just woken up. While we don’t expect much when people work in a coworking space (we love a t-shirt and shorts combo) but to show up in your boxers?! Maybe this gives you a better picture of what it’s like to cowork from there (let alone ‘colive’).
It’s fine, whatever and we ignore it! We proceed to work and it begins to rain – the roof is just some flimsy thing. If it rains even just a little bit hard – we can barely hear each other talk. It was SOOO noisy!
Anyway, I digress. You get why we didn’t include Selina as one of the best coworking Antigua Guatemala has to offer.
Coworking Not Your Thing? Work From These 3 Cafes Instead.
So you don’t like coworking spaces huh…
…We got you! I also love mixing my work environment up with cafes here and there. You get a good cup of coffee and the buzzing cafe atmosphere makes it a cool and different work experience. You can count on Antigua, one of the best cities for a work and cafe culture.
Here are the best cafes in Antigua Guatemala to work from:
1. Artista de Cafe
This is my favorite one ever! If you like iced coffee drinks – you have to try the iced caramel lattes. From the moment you enter, you’ll be inspired by the beautiful decor and aesthetic. The wifi is fast and there’s enough plugs for some people!
Make sure you head there early because it’s very popular and gets very busy!
2. La Vid Coffee Roasters
The best coffee shop in Antigua Guatemala is La Vid Coffee Roasters. The barista skills, the coffee beans and the machines all contribute to the most delicious cup of coffee you’ll have!
If you want to work from La Vid, they have a huge table in the middle where you can set up, or in the back, there are 3 seats which are nice to work from as well.
3. Cafe Boheme
Want a calm, breezy and relaxing place to work? Try Cafe Boheme!
Go up the stairs and you’ll find their lovely terrace. There are several places to plug your laptop which means they are no strangers to digital nomads.
Coworking Antigua Guatemala – Is It Worth It?
We love coworking and we’ll say yes it’s absolutely worth it!
If you decide to cowork from El Cubo, it’s hard to beat those volcano views. I mean who cares about a corner office when you’ve got that! It’s a little pricey but we had some of our most productive work done there and met some great people!
Impact Hub is the most affordable option and it’s conveniently located in the city center. You can walk to and from your home easily.
The list of coworking Antigua Guatemala has to offer might be small but both of these spaces pack a punch in value and offer digital nomads a stable place to work while living in Antigua.
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