The "resort" we are at these 2 days, Hacienda Merida, is a very sweet happy place. The land is still the property of the government of Nicaragua, partly because it is one of the former coffee estates of the Somoza family, who contributed 3 consecutive longlasting president/dictators here. When the revolution occurred their lands got redistributed. Now what is left is the dock, some old rails, and refurbished buildings not fancy but clean & comfy, high ceiings lots of open air space.
The man who created the resort, I guess he has a type of lease on this land, spent most of his life in the US, then moved back here, rented this property and has created a very nice idealistic lodge. He works hard on getting the locals' lives improved, encouraging better and better land and garbage and compost management. The room are nice, plenty of nice artwork, but not overdone: all the windows are screen not glass, the usual cold water shower, etc. But sizeable and clean and very nice sheets and good beds and great views from the rooms and the verandas in front of the rooms have plenty of rocking chairs and plenty of huge king-size-bed shaped hammocks.
You come in and in addition to the room charge you can pay one fee for unlimited use of bikes however long you stay, one fee for unlimited use of kayaks, and he helps arrange guides which you need if you are hiking the volcano because people get lost and die. There is a large open air shaded dining/wifi area and everyone staying, quickly gets to chatting and sharing. The morning and evening meals are a flat fee buffet which is really nice, delicious home made breads or pizza and lots of vegetarian options and nicaraguan rice and fried chicken and salads and oatmeal with nuts and honey and the worlds best coffee. Then you can order a la carte as well. And, free wifi so I am blogging while eight of us are sitting at our round table laughing and sharing travel stories. The wind is blowing, the birds are chirping and there are huge enticing hammocks so I seriously woder if we will go anywhere today....
the owner has two young kids adorable who are constantly accompanied by nannies so always very cheery, and he and his family live right next to the kitchen, so he is often around to chat and share and it has a very nice family feeling and at night because he lives here after ten it's very quiet so it is perfect for us, getting up at dawn to come have coffee with him. He said when he first arrived there were no other english speakers but now he has a number of very nice young men and women working here who are very facile with the computers and with their english and I think it's largely because he has worked hard at it, for example, right now he has some volunteers here to teach english to the local kids, it was really nice to hear it.
the hotel is not isolated either. as soon as you walk off the property you are right in the middle of the local hamlet and there is another cheaper hostelly place just behind with a few cheaper eateries and we have heard down in the village proper of merida which is a half kilometer back towards civilization, is the best grilled fish around...
I don't think this stay will be that cheap as we somehow can't turn down the beers coffee and food.... there is lots to do but then again lots to NOT do....
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