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Over the last 8 years I have seen the rise in nature "retreats"; the type of places that put you in the forest or near the beach and you practice yoga and eat poke bowls and drink Kambucha. These places are expensive and not really offering what I'm after.
I need a couple days in a cheap cabin or room somewhere within nature. Not really willing to travel to the atlantic coast.
Any ideas?
Apparently Kelly Anne Thomas opened up such a place after she sold Gato Negro a couple years back - I don't know the name though - Searching the SJDS FB page may get you more info...Quote:
Originally Posted by methionine
Cooltop?
I've not been to Kelley Anne's new place, Harmony, I think that she called it. The last I saw she was aggressively looking for investors.
She's close to the CR border,, every time I headed to Peņas Blancas I meant to stop by, always in a hurry.
Now, if you truly want rustic (and cheap) there is the Boom Cabin, Google Joe's Place, he's managing it as I understand.
DON'T take the girl of your dreams there,,,, but the beach to the north of Joe's is spectacular, and empty.
You can hike on the beach for miles.
This time of year Joe's will be filled with surfer girls from France -and everywhere else, this is prime surfing.
The waves will be going !!BOOM!! Joe's has accommodations too, and decent food, very cold beer.
I was there one year with Krisnia,, she would blush bright red every time one of the French girls would walk by, all boobs and butt, with a dime's worth of cloth covering the bare minimal essentials.
Bare being more the operative word.
I think that was the year I finally hooked up with Daddy-Yo in Leon . . .
Cool top is sitting unused under new owners. They hope the situation will improve within 10 years.
From nothing to nothing! Even in the boom years you could not build a million dollar resort for 100 grand!
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Originally Posted by Jonh
Quote:
Originally Posted by el duende grande
Phil was hoping to sell it to the Orteguistas for $2 million,, a million to Phil,, and a million to . . . someone.
If you see the announcement of the new Cool Top Reserve and National Park,, then you'll know that Phil is a millionaire.
As well as some lucky Sandinista.
Maybe Taiwan will finance the purchase :)
In the north I would look at ecopasado Tisey, aka Los Cerratos or maybe Garnacha as a second choice.
Not too hard to get to by bus except Wednesday when they don't run. Road paving is continuing and the rest of the road has been reconditioned with compacted balastre.
Cloud forest, quiet, good typica, hiking trail, professional staff at Cerratos.
I vouch for the Boom Cabin. The cabin itself is nothing special, but there is no beating the location. I posted three articles (with pictures) about the days that I spent there.Quote:
Originally Posted by KeyWestPirate
How about Selva Negra?
Been there a few years ago. Was really nice, but I don't consider it to be overly inexpensive. It's not expensive either.
Mombacho lodge above Granada, lots of trails on the volcano, spectacular views, rates have dropped in 2019 ($47 ?)
And a short ways from Leon:
The island Nature Reserve of Isla Juan Venado "for the wildlife and turtle migrations" located at the south end of Las Peņitas (plenty of cheap hostals there) or visit it just north of Salinas Grande, stay cheap, rent kayak to check out mangrove waters/life.
Surfing Turtle Lodge is a short boat and horse-cart ride from Poneloya. Isolated island. Cheap dorms, good food. Lots of empty-of-people beach. Star-filled night skies.
You can get an inexpensive room in Moyogalpa or Altagracia on Omepete for very little. I rented by the month, and I paid around $120 while I was there. These are cities (as opposed to remote cabins in the woods or on the beach), but the natural beauty on Ometepe island is only ever a couple of minutes away on foot.
I would walk inland (towards the volcano) and after a few minutes I'd feel as isolated from civilization as I have at la Selva Negra.
I would walk down the coastal road in either direction from either city, I'd feel the same isolation as I have a the Boom Cabin.
If you are willing to pay a bit more, you can stay in a much more isolated spot on either side of the southern volcano (Green Beach or Merida).
http://www.redwoodbeachresort.com/ Stayed there a few years ago (2012/2013) right on the beach....little $$$....Believe the owners were American.....Few miles down the road, nice farm with healthy horses....nice horse back trek that included swimming with them.....Late 1 night, went crab hunting on the beach.....owner made a fabulous crab soup (for $$$$ of course)
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Originally Posted by Gringo Canuck
You can always attempt to request a better price, especially if you are staying multiple nights,,
What I have been doing is using Booking.com to find the location, vet the accommodations,
and then try to make a direct contact with the owner.
Booking.com attempts to hide the contact details, but it's not difficult to find them.
Another thing, I always ask,, "That includes the taxes, right ??" when quoted the price.
Who you talk to is crucial,, and having a close fall back option is helpful.
Time of year,, obviously no one discounts around Easter, Christmas, there is still enough accumulated wealth in Nicaragua to take the kids to the beach.
I've stayed in hotels in Nicaragua where I was the only guest, or one of two or three,, from Granada to Leon.
Some may feel that this is a predatory attitude, I don't.
The shoe is more often on the other foot:
I just had an issue on the farm,, building a house for a caretaker, work was moving along well until I left,
then started to crawl.
I know how many blocks are laid in a day, and how many bags of cement it takes per hundred blocks to put them up (3).
Neither number I was seeing was reasonable.
So we paused the construction until after the middle of January .
(everyone is drunk from end of December until about that time, anyway).