Home Collections New Storewide Homestay + Workshops with Doña Marta in San Juan la Laguna (Mon-Sat / 1-3 pax)
Three people in traditional clothing posing for a photo against a green wall.
Woman in traditional clothing standing next to a green fabric in front of a green wall
Two women standing together in front of a home entrance. The woman on the left wears a colorful traditional Guatemalan-style weaving blouse and a long striped skirt with green, yellow, red, blue, and black patterns.
A woman with long hair is seen from behind, walking up a dirt path with concrete steps on a lush, green outdoor path.
A landscape photograph showing Rostro Maya mountain covered in vegetation under a cloudy white sky, with rows of green plants in the foreground.
Kitchen with green walls, wooden tables, and various kitchen items.
A hand holding a clump of white cotton fibers outdoors, with soil, small green plants, and part of a person's leg visible in the background.
A woman in a red and white embroidered blouse and a dark patterned skirt bends over at a rustic outdoor local market stall, reaching into a blue basket filled with jocotes fruits. Other market vendors and produce are visible in the background.
A woman in a colorful Guatemalan-style patterned dress stands indoors holding up a large green cloth or garment over a metal pot on a concrete floor. A dog is visible in the background near a table and tubs.
Person holding a skein of indigo-dyed yarn with a colorful patterned apron.
Pot containing a white cotton scarf being dyed with green dye.
Woman in traditional colorful huipil, corte, apron, and sash standing outdoors carrying a bundle on her head
A close-up view of a cotton three in San Juan La Laguna , with many brown cotton (ixcaco), dried leaves among green and gray-green foliage and branches. The ground is covered in soil and scattered dry leaves, and a hazy green hillside is visible in the background.
Green wall with a window and a dog
A traditional wooden spinning tool with a wooden bobbin and a bundle of white cotton fiber, laid out on a colorful woven textile background.
Woman in traditional clothing cooking over a portable stove outdoors
A scenic outdoor view of a mountain town with a tall minaret, rooftops, and green mountains under a clear blue sky, with a concrete wall and small garden plots in the foreground.
A woman taken cotton from the cotton three, stands in a lush green outdoor field or garden, surrounded by plants and trees under an overcast sky.
A person's hand holds a green cloth or garment over a metal pot on a rustic wood-burning stove, with other cooking pots and a green wall in the background.
Person working with cotton and yarn on a woven mat
A large green woven textile, likely a blanket or scarf, is being held up outdoors by two women in a backyard setting with laundry hanging on a line and a mountain in the background.
A wooden warping board and other weaving tools on the patio of the home.
A hand holding a clump of golden-brown cotton (ixcaco) fibers outdoors, with soil, small green plants, and part of a person's leg visible in the background.
Garments being dipped in an active indigo vat.
A rustic wood-burning stove with a visible fire, holding several cooking pots and a large stone lid or cover leaning in front. The scene is set against a bright green wall in a real indoor environment.
Woman holding a large brown fabric with colorful patterns in front of a wooden wall.
A large plastic water dispenser bottle filled with filter water sits on a small black stand on a patterned tablecloth, set against a blue wall in an indoor room. A colorful quilted blanket, a glass, and other household items are visible nearby.
A woman sits in a chair in a brightly colored room with blue and green walls, patterned tile flooring, two beds with white sheets, and windows with dark curtains.
A white tablecloth with yellow stripes and tassel ties is draped over a dark wooden table, holding two terracotta flower pots with colorful flowers. The setup is against a bright green wall and a patterned gray tile floor, with a small wooden stool underneath.
Stove with several pots cooking pepián, a traditional Guatemalan dish.
Woman holding folded handwovens against a wooden wall
A home kitchen scene showing a stainless steel pot filled with vegetables, including carrots, celery, and potatoes, alongside another pot of tomatoes, on a patterned table runner.
A person holds up a long, narrow fabric that is being dyed green, dipping the lower portion into a metal bucket filled with dark green pigment. A pink plastic basket containing more green pigment sits on a blue bucket on the concrete floor nearby.
Two baskets, one red and one blue, with dried plants and a green glove on a stone surface.
Streets of San Juan la Laguna
A street view of a mural and snack vendor
Two women smiling with a green wall.

Homestay + Workshops with Doña Marta in San Juan la Laguna (Mon-Sat / 1-3 pax)

$415.00

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//Please first email us at hello@kakawdesigns.com to inquire about exact date availability.//

Doña Marta and her family are eager to receive guests at their home in San Juan la Laguna. Together, we've developed a week full of activities that highlight the master artisan and her daughter Dominga's skills. Come spend a week with the family, learning the local way of life and practicing traditional textile processes! Try your hand at cotton spinning, harvest local plants for dyeing, dye your own handwoven scarf, and prepare a traditional lunch from scratch. Each day has been designed in collaboration based on years of working together and getting to know the women's talents in traditional textile processes. All craft skill levels welcome, but note that a at least beginner Spanish is required.

With a newly constructed floor for guests above their home in San Juan la Laguna, Doña Marta and her family created a welcoming and comfortable space exclusively for visitors. There are two rooms, one with two double beds and another with one double bed. These bedrooms share a common space between them, a bathroom and shower, a traditional "pila" sink, and a large terrace above, with an overlooking view and breeze. All beds and other furniture are brand new as of 2026. Amenities include: wifi, drinking water, an electric tea kettle for making tea/coffee, as well as towels for your stay.

This week-long Homestay + Workshops experience is ideal for one to three creatives who want to slow down and immerse themselves in a grassroots indigenous community.

Pricing:

$495/person in single room

$415/person in shared double room (two full beds)


A great fit for those who:

  • Have at least beginner-level Spanish and feel comfortable having simple conversations with the host family (Beginner Spanish required to participate)

  • Are excited to learn hands-on traditional fiber arts with a true master artisan

  • Want their visit to directly support a local family

  • Are curious about daily life in a small indigenous community

  • Are willing to make a few linguistic or cultural mistakes—and laugh about them

  • Enjoy independent travel and exploring on their own

This experience is NOT a good fit for:

  • Those looking for a luxury retreat
  • Travelers who are very sensitive to noise (San Juan la Laguna is lively and active)
  • Individuals with little or no experience traveling in developing countries
  • Those who cannot communicate basic needs in Spanish

 

Learn more from Emi, who wrote this day-by-day blog post about her week with Doña Marta and her family.

 

Don't speak Spanish? Consider spending a week or longer in Antigua Guatemala first to take one-on-one Spanish lessons. You can come stay at our studio, take some weaving classes, and practice your Spanish in preparation for the homestay experience. Note that the family speaks Tzutujil and Spanish (not English).


What's included?

  • 5 nights' stay in a private room in Doña Marta's home, in a separate, private second floor area. The homestay rooms are above the family's home -- same entrance but separate space. The area is equipped with two separate bedrooms which share a common living room with a drinking water dispenser and an electric tea kettle. There is one bathroom and a separate shower room. The terrace above is spacious and with a lovely view. The family provides wifi.
  • 5 home-cooked breakfasts traditionally with eggs, beans, tortillas, and coffee. The family may offer other items when possible.
  • 4 mornings of workshops (approximately 3 hours each, from 9am-12noon): cotton spinning, seasonal dye stuff harvesting, natural dyeing, and traditional cooking. Ingredients and materials included including a spinning kit (malacate spindle, white and ixcaco cotton fibers, handmade bowl) and a handwoven white cotton shawl for dyeing.
  • A 30-minute Zoom call with Kakaw staff in preparation for the visit
  • Kakaw pre-trip support via email, including a list of recommendations in San Juan la Laguna that include our favorite restaurants, cafés, and more.
  • Continued Kakaw support throughout the week via WhatsApp


Schedule:

Monday: Arrival to San Juan la Laguna. Check-in to be coordinated with Doña Marta directly.

Tuesday: Breakfast with Doña Marta and family. Morning workshop from 9am-12noon: cotton spinning. A malacate spindle kit is included with local cotton samples.

Wednesday: Breakfast with Doña Marta and family. Morning workshop from 9am-12noon: seasonal harvesting of dye stuffs. This exploration could take you to see cotton, indigo, local seasonal flowers, wood, and more.

Thursday: Breakfast with Doña Marta and family. Morning workshop from 9am-12noon: naturally-dyeing with the gathered materials from the previous day. Included to dye: a handwoven white cotton shawl.

Friday: Breakfast with Doña Marta and family. Morning workshop from 9am-12noon: traditional cooking. Choose a dish together with Doña Marta, go to the market to purchase the necessary ingredients, and learn how to prepare the meal at home. And enjoy lunch together!

Saturday: Breakfast with Doña Marta and family. Muchas gracias! Check-out before noon.

 

Transport to and from San Juan la Laguna is not included.  If you would like further assistance with recommendations around Guatemala, please book a call with us. 

Want to spend a week in Antigua? Stay at the Kakaw studio for a weaving week.


Please note: Discount codes are not applicable for this experience. If a discount code is used, we will need to adjust your invoice accordingly. This is a non-refundable reservation.

Questions? Ask us at hello@kakawdesigns.com

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