Hotels in San Juan del Sur

Every rickety town house in San Juan del Sur seems to have a HOSPEDAJE sign, indicating the resident family has some rooms available for budget travelers. The town's more upscale hotels are located on the outskirts or at the northern end of the beach. There are an increasing number of surf camps, beach lodges, and gated tourist complexes up and down the coast. Be aware that rates often double during Christmas and Easter.

Holiday Blackouts -- If you like creature comforts, make sure to inquire whether your hotel has its own generator; power outages are frequent here, and no electricity often means no water, as well.

Private or Public? -- Don't be fooled by your plush lodge boasting of a private beach. Nicaraguan law is clear when it states that all beaches are open to the public. Unfortunately, some hotels lack a community spirit and deny the public land access to the shore, much to the chagrin of locals who already feel aggrieved at the steep rise in property prices fueled by developers.