Incredible Wellness Destinations: Claudia Bosch Of Grupo Alta On Why & How Traveling Can Help Us Heal
An Interview With Wanda Malhotra
Be organized. To me, this is an important habit in order to balance my time and make space for the things that I truly enjoy doing. Maintaining some kind of order in your life allows you to have time — which I think is the most valuable thing we have in life.
The pandemic has shaped the way we travel and live, with a growing trend leaning towards health, wellness, and a holistic lifestyle. More than ever, individuals are seeking not just getaways, but immersive wellness retreats that help rejuvenate the body, mind, and soul. Destinations that provide a serene environment, unique wellness offerings, and an unparalleled experience are in great demand. In this interview series, we are talking to property owners and hospitality companies who are at the helm of these wellness havens. As a part of this series, I had the pleasure of interviewing Claudia Bosch.
Local businesswoman, Claudia Bosch is the proud owner and operator of the exquisitely curated boutique hotels, Casa Palopó and Villa Bokéh, that share the distinction of being the only Relais & Chateaux properties in Guatemala. Born and raised in Guatemala City, Claudia purchased Casa Palopó in 2010 having fallen in love with the property while vacationing there. In 2021, Claudia and her team at Grupo Alta opened their second property, Villa Bokéh, a 15-room hacienda in Antigua, a three hour drive from Casa Palopó, or 20 minutes by helicopter, a service that can be arranged by the property. In addition to being a hotelier, businesswoman and philanthropist, Claudia is also a mother of four equally fabulous children.
Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Before we dive into the main focus of our interview, our readers would love to “get to know you” a bit better. Can you tell us a bit about your childhood backstory?
I grew up with an entrepreneurial and hardworking mother, who taught me that women have an important place in the workforce and in the development of a community. Listening, watching and learning from my mother from a young age taught me that I could make a difference in the world. Since then, it’s what I’ve always wanted to do and I’m so happy that I get to see my progress. I think she would be proud.
What or who inspired you to pursue your career? We’d love to hear the story.
I was inspired by my love for hosting and welcoming people into my home. From there, the concept of having a hotel where I could curate and mimic that welcoming feeling on a greater scale for my guests seemed like the most natural move for me. It’s funny, but I was also very inspired by my daughter, Marcela. Usually you don’t hear that a parent finds career inspiration in their child, but when Marcela started her career as a chef, I saw it as a seed in beginning our family legacy. I love that we’ve both dedicated our careers to providing a home away from home, comfort, experiences and happiness to others.
None of us can achieve success without some help along the way. Was there a particular person who you feel gave you the most help or encouragement to be who you are today? Can you share a story about that?
Since I was a young girl, it was my mother who always believed in me and encouraged me to do what I loved. She gave me the tools and set the foundation for me to become a successful businesswoman. Funny enough, the same way that my mother inspired me growing up, today, it is my daughters who continue to inspire me, my partners in crime. They are the driving force that motivate and challenge me every day. I am so lucky to say that I’ve been surrounded by strong women my entire life.
It has been said that sometimes our mistakes can be our greatest teachers. Can you share the funniest or most interesting mistake that occurred to you in the course of your career? What lesson or takeaway did you learn from that?
Absolutely. The greatest challenges are always the greatest learning experiences. At this point in my life, my biggest challenge was the COVID pandemic in 2020, especially being the owner of a hyper-curated boutique property, as many other small business owners around the world could relate. We found ourselves at a very crucial moment in the industry. This was something that we’d never seen in modern history before and nobody really knew how to deal with it. Just to add to everything, during this time, we were opening our second property, Villa Bokéh. It was a turning point where we had to decide whether to stay small or take a leap of faith. I’m so happy that we chose to say yes and believe in our project and the industry. We took a chance and it turned out to be incredible.
Can you share your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Why does that resonate with you so much?
My favorite “life lesson quote” would probably have to be “We are a constellation, and we all need to shine.” This resonates with me so much because I believe that success doesn’t grow in a silo. I truly believe that everyone needs to bring out their best so that the group can function with positive synergy. Working together is key — this is true in business and in life.
What are some of the most interesting or exciting projects you are working on now? How do you think that might help people?
We just opened our second on-property restaurant at Casa Palopó, Kinnik. The name derives from the Yucatec name for the Maya sun god, Kinich Ahau. It’s an open-fire concept restaurant, an ode to the revival of the ancient Mayan grilling style of cooking with charcoal, a tradition that bridges us with past and present. Throughout the process, I was inspired by the stories handed down and how even though so many things have changed and shifted from our ancestors’ times, it’s important to remember and honor our traditions. I think this is significant in so many facets of life — we can always learn from those that were here before us and take that knowledge to the next level for those of us that are here now to continue to honor and enjoy.
I was also lucky enough to be able to build Kinnik with my daughter, Katy. She is a talented designer and owns her own studio here in Guatemala, specializing in giving vintage pieces of art and furniture a second life. Her design aesthetic is the perfect example of what I learned while creating Kinnik — honoring the old and giving it a new, modern flare.
Continuing to further develop Casa Palopó, but in a mindful way that is respectful to the small, indigenous community in which it resides, is always top of mind. Lake Atitlan is not a mainstream tourist destination, and while growing in popularity, the local residents of these towns are sensitive to growth, but also understand it creates economic opportunities for them. We have established relationships with the leaders of the Mayan communities here and work with them to ensure there is wide spread awareness and understanding when we expand or grow the product. Additionally, our staff is local and many of them live here in Santa Catarina, so the property and its success serves to benefit them, and we feel fortunate not only to be able to provide them with opportunities, but that they in turn, are supportive of the experience we look to bring to those visiting this special region.
OK, thank you for all of that. Let’s now shift to the core focus of our interview about wellness destinations. Let’s dive deeper into this together. Based on your research or personal experience, why do you think travel can lead to better wellness? Can you share a story?
We have a slogan at our hotels: ‘disconnect to connect.’ I think this is the essence of why travel can be such an important tool on people’s wellness journeys. Sometimes you have to go somewhere new, explore new roads, try new things to get back to your center. Here at Casa Palopó and Villa Bokéh, we focus on the well-being of the body, mind and soul as we believe that one cannot thrive if another is being neglected. It’s honestly easy to take these moments for yourself when you are surrounded by incredible nature like we are. Sometimes, I look out at the seemingly never ending lake and mystical volcanoes and I feel like I’m living in a painting. Traveling, wherever it may take you, allows people to take a moment for themselves — that is the true beginning of wellness.
What are a few things that distinguish your property from thousands of wellness properties around the world?
While Casa Palopó has wonderful programming on property that speaks to those pursuing a wellness escape, the true magic lies in the resort’s greater destination, Lake Atitlan. Long known for its mystical prowess, the location and lake itself have a powerful energy that seems to give those visiting permission to disconnect, breathe, and just take it all in. The world slows down here and gives visitors pause from everything that pulls and demands something from them.
Mayans past and present believed this place to be sacred. The lake is home to twelve villages, each known for something unique ranging from nature to culture to even love. In the last few years, there has been such a desire amongst travelers to connect with locals and experience something real and raw versus a formulated town for the sake of answering the tourism call. As a guest of Casa Palopó, you’ll experience the true Guatemala, our beliefs and all that entails — healing, mystical, local.
What type of experience do you want your visitors to have when they visit?
We want our guests to experience authentic, unpretentious luxury when they visit either property, Casa Palopó or Villa Bokéh. I’ve taken inspiration from my own life — my culture, art, design and our locations to create something that feels so beautifully unique and true to Guatemala. Both properties are elegant 15-room boutique hotels that have been given so much thought and attention to design, comfort and experience. I want guests to feel indulged and inspired by the beauty we’ve created at the properties, but also by the destination itself, evident not only when venturing out, but also within the walls, as we have worked to bring the charm of Guatemala within. This sense of place and peacefulness brings guests back time and time again, something we are very proud to admit.
What makes your property a beautiful escape for a body and mind recharge?
Sit on the deck at Casa Palopo with a tea or glass of wine and watch the sun disappear over Lake Atitlán, with nothing but the sounds of laughter from other guests, birds saying goodnight, and maybe the staff prepping for dinner. You will feel restored, happy, peaceful. At Villa Bokéh the grounds themselves are something out of a James Joyce novel, bright, nature filled, expansive. Both locations wrap their arms around you and force an active mind to disconnect and reflect. Additionally, we are surrounded by incredible nature here which grants the opportunity to be as active as you’d like, or pampered if you prefer. Sleep in, maybe do a little yoga, indulge in spa treatments, dine on fresh, healthy food — find your balance.
Can you share any transformative stories or testimonials from guests who visited your property?
We’ve had some significant experiences with groups that had the opportunity to share and interact with our communities. We are very involved with the Pintanto Santa Catarina Palopó project, a local initiative in the neighboring town designed to foster change from the outside in. We go and paint houses and businesses in town in colorful hues, murals and patterns representative of Mayan culture, to inspire a sense of pride amongst the locals, all while attracting visitors interested in local culture — in turn improving the quality of life there. Because this is something so close to my heart, we’ve built a program at Casa Palopó that offers guests the option to ‘adopt’ a house by donating money to the cause. The donations also provide the opportunity to meet and paint alongside these families for an emotionally charged experience that puts the traveler in the homes, shoes and hearts of the village locals. A story that I always come back to was when we had one of our guests painting houses with us when she got a call from her distraught daughter back home. She was crying, asking her mom to help her with something. All of a sudden, the mother turns the video call to the homes we were painting and the daughter went quiet. They said their goodbyes and later, I asked the mother if everything was ok. She told me that her daughter told her that seeing those communities put things into perspective and her problem wasn’t really that important. She wasn’t even there, yet travel had a transformative effect on her. That’s how powerful it is.
Why do you think the experience you offer is so needed nowadays?
The world just moves too fast and asks so much of us. We are always connected and always on. Those choosing to visit Guatemala and our properties are already in the right mindset. They have consciously embraced an off the grid, boutique, luxury hotel escape, so they are seeking a sense of peace and rejuvenation. Being able to satisfy that vacation vision is important and we seem to always exceed their expectations. Our guests find such delight in the experience of the destination and are usually overwhelmed by the style and charm of the properties, which in itself creates happiness and a sense of satisfaction. After a day you see fewer people picking up their phones to be connected, but instead, taking time for one another — enjoying, laughing, engaging. People start to disconnect from their usual. Wellness trends including detox travel and quiet travel are making headlines and I believe it’s because people crave moments of peace amidst all the mayhem. Giving guests that luxury of reconnecting and rejuvenating in such a beautiful place is incredibly fulfilling.
Do you think travel enhances our mindfulness, optimism, or sense of gratitude? How? Can you please explain with an example or story?
Absolutely. I believe that traveling continually makes us grateful for what we have. And, I know travel can also ground you in a way that not much else can. In our country, we see communities living with the bare minimum and yet, they are happy. It makes me realize how we so often overcomplicate things in our lives. Travel, among so many other things, teaches us to put things into perspective. Being mindful that there are other ways of life that you might never experience, but can learn from them and how you yourself can continue to grow from them too.
There was a chef visiting us and she went to install a stove into one of the community homes in town. She ended up staying to make lunch for them and enjoying some ‘sobremesa’ — a term in Spanish that refers to talking and enjoying each other’s company at the table after a meal. That gratitude and cultural exchange that I saw between the chef and the locals is Guatemala in essence. It’s not something we do, it’s something we feel. We love our culture dearly and we try to weave it into everything we do at both properties because I feel that all of our guests can take something from it, whether that be mindfulness, optimism, mysticism, gratitude or grounding.
What are your “5 Habits You Should Develop In Order Make Travel Into An Opportunity For Wellness & Personal Growth?”
1 . Seek what you love and pursue it. I truly did not know I would own a hotel, let alone two in my life. I fell in love with Casa Palopó (before it was Casa Palopó) and stuck with it. I’m so happy I did.
2 . Be organized. To me, this is an important habit in order to balance my time and make space for the things that I truly enjoy doing. Maintaining some kind of order in your life allows you to have time — which I think is the most valuable thing we have in life.
3 . Visit places that inspire you. Seek, explore, get lost, discover, be happy, be sad. Whatever you need to do, do it somewhere that lights you up.
4 . Participate in something cultural wherever you go. I think it’s vital to immerse yourself in something authentic to wherever you are visiting. Whether that be a cooking class, tour, workout, religious ceremony — whatever it might be — take a moment to step outside of yourself and do something different, you might be surprised to see what you learn.
5 . Find nature. For me, finding places that have a connection to nature will always lead to personal growth.
Based on your experience, where do you see the future of wellness travel heading in the next 5–10 years?
I think the future of wellness travel is based in nature. As you might be able to tell, I think nature is an essential key to wellness. I don’t think it is possible to learn to reconnect with ourselves in big cities or fast-paced environments. Don’t get me wrong, there are metropolitan environments that are beautiful and interesting places to see, but I think nature holds the key to true wellness. I think at the root of it, wellness travel has the potential to lead people to connect more deeply, and find places in nature where we can first reconnect with ourselves, and then with other human beings.
We are very blessed that some of the biggest names in Business, VC funding, Sports, and Entertainment read this column. Is there a person in the world, or in the US, whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this, especially if we both tag them 🙂
As a big foodie myself, I would be over the moon to have a meal with Thomas Keller, the incredible chef behind The French Laundry. It would be amazing to hear him talk about his approach to food, sustainability, the art of storytelling through dishes and the process of getting 3 Michelin stars. A dream for our new restaurant, Kinnik. Even better if he made the meal 🙂
How can our readers further follow your work online?
You can follow us on Instagram @grupoaltaguate!
Thank you for these really excellent insights, and we greatly appreciate the time you spent on this. We wish you continued success.
Incredible Wellness Destinations: Claudia Bosch Of Grupo Alta On Why & How Traveling Can Help Us… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.