“I found my stay at La Florida to be one of the best stops on my trip through Guatemala. The people were extremely hospitable and eager to make your stay at La Florida a unique and unforgettable experience. The community is set in a rustic coffee plantation in a lush rainforest high in the Guatemalan mountain range. A small and windy dirt road twists it's way up into the fertile mountainous countryside. The community is hidden away in the green hills of the mountain top forest. Rosaura, One of the community leaders, lead us on a guided tour of the plantation. She explained the numerous plant species both wild and those grown to be eaten or sold by the community. We helped collect and shell macadamia nuts and snacked on a few as Rosaura explained the many ways the land provides for the community. Eating all our meals with a local family might have been the best part of our stay. We had traditional Guatemalan cuisine all prepared with products from the plantation. The fruit, veggies and coffee couldn't have been fresher. Our host was an excellent cook and accompanied the great meals with heartfelt conversations explaining the community's history, struggles and aspirations. I highly recommend this stop for anyone who is looking for a real Guatemalan experience. A truly ideal spot for Ecotourism.” -Mike Severson  

 “I'm really glad I got to visit this plantation in Guatemala. In a country frequently painted as bio-diverse, Mayan, and dangerous, La Florida is a unique community of honest hard-working men and women of the earth, tucked into the rural back country. The way they opened up their families and their lives to us was very hospitable. I attended the third birthday party of Rene Lorenzo, learned how to chop wood with an axe, and had so much time to just listen and learn about what life is like for these farmers. Adjusting to the living conditions may be difficult for some, but there are hay-mattress beds and running water, and after a week I was sleeping soundly through the entire night without difficulty. Great for a short stay if you just want to see where your coffee comes from, recommended for a longer stay if you want to see some of the less tourist-y areas of Guatemala and make some friends.”