Nicaragua Hotel Tips by MalenaN Top 5 Page for this destination

Lobster Inn, Little Corn Island

Before coming to Little Corn Island it was difficult to make up my mind about where to stay. To stay in a simple beach hut on the east side sounded nice, but on the other hand they have shared bathrooms and bad looks on the doors. I had heard about thefts and also didn’t know how many people there were going to be around.
So in the end I decided to stay at Lobster Inn on the west side. It was situated near the dive centre and some restaurants. And as the island is small it was not too far to walk to the east side anyway.

At Lobster Inn I got a room with bathroom and there was a mosquito net over the bed and I got two towels, soap and toilet paper. There was two windows and I had a sea view, but also the porch outside my window. As we were never more than four guests at Lobster Inn during my stay that was not a problem, but I was told that during high season it is better to have the rooms in the back as people can stay up late talking on the porch.
I paid 300 cordobas per night, which was 15 dollars, for my room (August 2010).

On the porch there was a couple of rocking chairs and some chairs. It was a nice place to sit in, looking at the sea, maybe reading a book or drinking a cold beer.

The footpath (there are no roads on Little Corn Island) passes by the Lobster Inn and on the other side of the path is a small beach. There is a shower where you can rinse of salt and sand just outside the hotel.

In the restaurant they serve breakfast, lunch and dinner and I found the food to be good. For breakfast (egg, toast and coffee) I paid 70 cordobas and for lobster, fries, rice, salad and a Coke I paid 250 cordobas.
The staff was very kind and welcoming and I think I made good choice staying here.

Directions: On the west side of the island.

Price: less than US$20

Theme: Hotel

Hostel San Angel, Granada

Hostel San Angel was the hostel where I had hoped to find a room in when I arrived in Granada. It was full on the day of my arrival, but I moved there the next day. It is situated in an old house in the historical centre, just half a block south of Parque Central. Don Orlandos family is living in one part of the house and the 10 hostel rooms are situated around a small courtyard with a big mango tree and a communal area with a TV. It is a quiet place (if your neighbours are quiet) except for a few mangos that fell on the roof with a bang.

I had a small single room with a bed, a chair, a small table and a fan. And there was also a bathroom and towel and soap. Breakfast is included in the price and it is served in the kitchen. For breakfast there was bread, butter, jam, fruits and coffee, or tea. I paid 12 dollars per night (July 2009).

Address: Av Guzmán

Comparison: least expensive

Directions: Half a block south of Parque Central.

Other Contact: myvcay@hotmail.com

Phone: 2552-6273

Price: less than US$20

Theme: Hostel

Hotel Cocibolca, Granada: Hotel Cocibolca, Granada

I had not booked a room in advanced but had a few hostels in mind. When I walked around and asked for a room it turned out they were all full though. So when they at the last hostel told me I could have a room at their hotel I went there even if it was more expensive than I wanted to pay for a room. I just wanted to leave my backpack somewhere and go out.

I got a room on the second floor with bathroom, fan and TV for 35 dollars (July 2009). It turned out the bathroom lamp did not work so I changed for another, similar room. The rooms had no character and there were little space to put your things and the walls were all white. A plus was that I could watch the news from BBC on the TV. There is a small swimming pool and a nice green courtyard. Breakfast buffet was included in the price.

Everywhere where I had been so far in Nicaragua the exchange rate for 1 dollar had been 20 cordobas, but I was told it was now different. So instead of paying 700 cordobas it was 711.something. They didn’t have change in cordobas so they asked if I could pay in dollars. I had 40 dollars and they gave me 100 cordobas back. I couldn’t resist telling them that they just told me the exchange rate for a dollar was more than 20 cordobas. So quickly they gave me 1.5 cordobas more.

After one night I moved to a nicer and cheaper hostel.

Address: Calle El Caimito

Directions: 2,5 blocks east of Parque Central

Phone: 2552-8219

Price: US$20-40

Theme: Hotel

Hotel Alta Mar; Pochomil

I had read good things about Hotel Alta Mar so that is where I went after arriving in Pohomil. I got a simple room with two beds, a fan and a bathroom. The price was 350 cordobas per night (July 2009), which was the same as 17.5 dollars.

The good thing with Hotel Alta Mar is that there is a restaurant, with two hammocks, overlooking the sea. This is a nice place where you can sit and relax with a good book to read, not only when you eat.
From the restaurant there is a long stair leading directly down to the beach. At the bottom of the stairs there is a shower where you can rinse off the sand before going up again.

As Pochomil is situated by the sea there are fresh fish and shrimps on the menu in the restaurant and everything I ate tasted good.

Example of prices in July 2009:
Fish filet meal 180 cordobas
Shrimp cocktail 100 cordobas
American breakfast 75 cordobas
Coffee 15 cordobas
Beer 25 cordobas

Address: Terminal de buses de Pochomil 1/2 c arriba

Directions: Just up the hill from the bus stop (Pochomil Terminal).

Phone: 8692-7971, 2269-9204

Price: less than US$20

Theme: Hotel

Casona Colonial, León

I had not made a reservation and it was full when I arrived, but when I later in the afternoon came back to ask if they had a room for the next day there was one available at the moment (earlier someone had slept until late and then he left). I decided to change hotel at once as it would be complicated the next morning when I was going on a tour.

I got a single room with a fan and a bathroom for 20 dollars (July 2009) per night. There was a lovely garden outside the room and there are several places where you can sit down and relax. There is a kitchen, but no breakfast is served. It is also a quiet place.

If you don’t want to walk the streets alone after dark there is a bar/restaurant next door , Don Co-Co, where you can have something to eat and drink (it is closed on Sundays though).
There is a guard in the street both day and night.

Address: Parque San Juan 1/2 c abajo

Directions: Casona Colonial is situated several blocks north of Parque Central, but only half a block west of Parque San Juan.

Phone: 2311-3178

Price: US$20-40

Theme: Hotel

Managua Backpackers Inn

Managua Backpackers Inn is a good budget accommodation near the big shopping mall Metrocentro and it is also near a big supermarket. Managua Backpackers Inn has got two houses in a quiet neighbourhood. In both houses there is a kitchen which guests can use and a common area with a TV. There is also one computer in each house that the guests can use for free. It think it is best to stay in the first house where there is a swimming pool.
At Managua Backpackers Inn you can book a shuttle to the airport. It is 15 dollars (August 2009) if you are alone and 10 dollars if there are more passengers.

First I stayed at the hostel one night before going to Corn Island. I had booked a single room and got a small room with a bunk bed behind the laundry room. There was a TV and a fan in the room. I went to bed early as the airport shuttle was coming at 4.30am next morning. I was just falling a sleep when someone knocked on the door to give me some money back, then it was not easy to go back to sleep. There was a very bright light in the laundry room shining through the thin curtains, but I went up to turn it off (twice). There was no private bathroom but a bathroom next to the room and it could be heard every time someone used it. First there was a very load noise from the TV in the common room, but then a night club nearby started to play very loud music and it went on to 3am. It was impossible to sleep. I think the music could be heard very loud in this room because it is outside the rest of the house. For this room I paid the single room rate which was 20 dollars (July 2009).

When I came back to Managua I stayed one night in a room in house2. I had booked a single room and got a small dorm with two bunk beds. There was no private bathroom but there was a door to a bathroom from the room, but it had another door at the other side leading out to the corridor. I wish the curtains had been thicker because outside the room there was a strong light again and this I think was a light that was supposed to shine all night. For this room I paid 20 dollars.

The next day I moved to a double room with private bathroom in house1. And this room was much better than the other two. The price for the double room was 30 dollars (August 2009).

Directions: Colonial Los Robles, 3era etapa, casa £55, Chapman Viejo 75 varas al sur

Other Contact: contact@managuahostel.com

Phone: (505) 2267 0006, 8414 4114

Price: US$20-40

Theme: Hostel

Website: http://www.managuahostel.com

Beach Hostel Oasis, Las Peñitas

At Beach Hotel Oasis I got a room with a fan, two beds and a big bathroom. For the room I paid 14 dollars.
The price in July 2009 for different rooms were:
Dorm: 6 dollars
Single: 14 dollars
Double: 18 dollars
Triple: 22 dollars
Bungalow:20 dollars

Before coming to Las Peñitas I had got the impression that Oasis might be a noisy hostel, but it wasn’t. There were a few other visitors staying at the hotel and a few just visiting for the day. One great thing is that Hotel Oasis is right by the beach and you can easily go down for a swim. As there is a lot of sand in the water and you get very sandy and salty it is convenient with the showers they have at the hotel. There are two areas with tables and hammocks under thatched roof from where you can enjoy the view of the sea. And there is a restaurant serving breakfast, lunch and dinner. At Beach Hotel Oasis they also rent out surfing boards.

Directions: By the beach.

Phone: 8839-5344

Price: less than US$20

Theme: Hotel

Casa Patricia, Las Peñitas

First I had called Barca de Oro to make a reservation, but as they didn’t have any rooms available for the next day I called and made a reservation at Casa Patricia. The reception/restaurant is just by the lagoon and the house with the rooms is in the back.
I got a room for 25 dollars on the first floor. It had two beds with mosquito nets (which was needed) and a big bathroom. A plus was that there were several hangers to hang wet clothes on. I had two towels, and there was a soap bar in the bathroom. The room also had a fan. Just when I went into the shower in the evening there was a cut in the electricity and it became completely dark for an hour. Luckily I had a torch (something you will need when travelling in Central America).

On the second floor there is a terrace with hammocks, rocking chairs and tables. And beyond the lagoon you can see the sea. I asked for a room at the second floor, but there were no available. First I thought they were occupied by other persons, but it turned out the only guests at the hotel were I and a couple (also staying on the first floor). So I don’t know why I couldn’t have a room on the second floor.

I was disappointed that Casa Patricia wasn’t situated by the beach, and I didn’t like that the four big dogs were round the tables and hammock in the restaurant. Another thing I didn’t like was that it felt very isolated, especially at night. So, the next morning I moved to another place, Beach Hostel Oasis.

For breakfast I had toast with butter, jam and honey and coffee. It was good.

Directions: By the lagoon. Get off the bus at the end stop in Las Peñitas.

Phone: (505) 8825 5894

Price: US$20-40

Theme: Hotel

Albergue Ecológico El Porvenir, Isla de Ometepe

I loved El Porvenir as soon as I came here. It is situated at the foot of Volcán Maderas and is surrounded by a lush garden with flowers and butterflies. There are two areas, under thatched roof, with tables and chairs. If it is clear you will have great views over Volcán Concepción from here, otherwise the garden and lush green surroundings are enough. At one place there are a pair of binoculars hanging that you can use. It is a very calm and relaxing place.

I got a big room with two beds and a bathroom. It was 8 dollars per night (July 2009). On the porch outside the room there was a rocking chair. The breakfast was good and so was the dinner.

At El Porvenir you can rent bikes for 3 dollars an hour. And you can take a walk along one of the many paths in the surroundings. You can also organise a Volcán Maderas hike from here or other guided hikes. Around El Porvenir you can find several old petroglyphs.

Comparison: least expensive

Directions: Albergue Ecológico El Porvenir is situated on the Maderas side of the island. Shortly after Santa Cruz, along the road to Merida, there is a sign for the lodge, which is situated a few hundred metres away from the main road.

Phone: (505) 2552 8770, 2855-1426

Price: less than US$20

Theme: Hotel

Hotel Finca Playa Venecia, Isla de Ometepe

Hotel Finca Playa Venecia
I chose Hotel Finca Playa Venecia because I had read good reviews and it seemed to have a good location. I sent an email a few days before arriving to be sure to have a room when I arrived. I asked for one of the cheaper double rooms not a cabaña, but were told they had a small cabaña for 25 dollars. I accepted that as I thought there were no other options, but it turned out that people who just showed up when I was there got cheaper rooms, and to the price of 25 dollars for my small cabaña a 15% IVA was added (July 2009). It felt overpriced.

My cabaña was situated in the back and the room was not convenient. There was no bedside table (so nowhere to put the watch) and no bed side lamp for reading. The sink was in the room and the small toilet behind a door to the left and the shower behind a curtain to the right.

On the small porch outside the room there was a rocking chair and a bench so that was nice. There I could put all my wet clothes (and I had a lot after the Concepción hike and swimming) while I was in the room, but inside the room there were nowhere to hang the wet clothes.

A plus is that the hotel is situated right by the Lake Nicaragua so you can take a swim after a day out, or you can sit in one of the chairs with a view over the lake.

The restaurant is nothing special. My second afternoon on Isla de Ometepe I arrived back at 3pm and ordered pasta with pesto. There was no one else in the restaurant and my pasta arrived very quick, to quick to have been freshly cooked. It was probably leftovers from lunch. There was nothing else on the plate but some pasta with the pesto and it didn’t taste good. I had other meals here and they were absolutely okay.

I had had higher expectations of Hotel Finca Playa Venecia and it lacked the right atmosphere so I didn’t stay as long as planed but moved to the other side of the island.

Directions: On the southern shore of the Concepción side of the island.

Phone: 2887 0191

Price: US$20-40

Theme: Hotel

Website: http://www.fincavenecia.com/inicio.htm