Hostal Tecali

Staying here feels good because you’re supporting local people. The cabin is rustic, with a bamboo and palm roof, but Nelly makes the place special. She’s lovely to talk with, helps you practice your Spanish, and can sort out whatever you’d like to do on the island.

Bring earplugs for the rooster, and be ready for close encounters with anything that crawls. Nelly is generous, flexible, and patient when you’re trying to speak Spanish. The food is great, and staying with a real Nicaraguan family is exactly the kind of experience I’d recommend.

A good, inexpensive stay at Tecali. You can see the volcano at sunset from the tree bench behind the garden, and the place is just a few meters from the Volcan Maderas trail and 300m from the local beach. Nelly serves generous meals and really good canola coffee. Muy bien.

I spent four nights here and had a lot of fun, so I’d come back. My cabin had a private shower and toilet, views of both Volcanos Concepcion and Maderas, and an upstairs spot where I could sit and watch the stars. Netflix streamed fine over the great wifi. The host family was lovely. I paid extra for breakfast and got eggs, toast, and loads of fresh local fruit. They also arranged kayaking, horseback riding on the beach, and a guide for climbing Maderas. Everything was very affordable.