My wife and I spent a month in the summer of 2005 in Xela (also known as Quetzaltenango) and loved every minute of it. There are tons of language schools so there is a good mix of people from all over the world. Guatemalan’s are very friendly and welcoming, never once did we feel in any type of danger. It’s a much better option than Antigua if you are looking for a place to stay for any length of time.