Hotel Gran Francia in Granada.
Very centrally located, just 30 second walk to the central park. Restored mansion that is in good shape. Two floors. A nice looking place with a comparatively large pool in the main area. Double occupancy on the ground floor at $100 plus tax.
Decent size room with high ceiling, individual a/c and ceiling fan. Fairly large size TV. Bathroom plumbing worked well although could have used better light by the sink and mirror. Comfortable king sized bed. Clean. Our room in the rear was very quiet but with no view. There was a “decorative” (non-functional) terrace with some plants. Easy to use safe in the room.
Staff was very accommodating when we asked for a restaurant booking in Granada and a hotel booking on Isla Ometepe. They pre-arranged airport pickup when we arrived in Managua for less money than Paxeos Travel Agency (we paid the hotel $30 total for two people).
Beware of a “propina” charge on the room bill. It came out to $30 for 5 days, as a way of tipping the entire staff. It was not mentioned anywhere beforehand. I am contesting the charge.
Complimentary breakfast is held across the street in a nice garden but was ordinary, a disappointment, except for the pancakes and bacon. The juices were abysmal. The fruit cocktail had no taste. The coffee was weak.
Dinner, which we had one time at their a/c upstairs establishment, was only half successful. My steak was well prepared and tasty, although the mashed potatoes were tepid, for about $12. The coffee flan was superb, but the hot coffee was again weak. My wife’s pomodoro pasta was adequate but suffered dearly from lack of balance of ingredients, for $8. Service was just okay. Overall price was right, though: $40 total for steak, pasta, 2 or 3 drinks, dessert, coffee and service, to eat at one of the best places in town. However, the best place, in my experience, is El Saquan for the steak.
Overall score: A-.
El Colonial in Granada.
We only stayed here for a night but were very impressed and I highly recommend it. $75 plus tax for a double room on the second floor with breakfast.
Very efficient reception (Lauren, who once lived in California) made a Leon hotel booking for us without a bother. She was pleasant.
The breakfast was perhaps the best we had in the few cities we stayed in. Everything: eggs, pancakes, fruit, good coffee.
Room was moderately sized, but roomy enough for a queen size bed, and with a low ceiling. TV was decent sized. Shower strength was okay but tricky to navigate between hot and cold. No view from the room other than interior courtyard.
Hotel is located on side street right by the central park and Hotel Alhambra. Good location. Attractive blue façade to building. Nicely planted interior, very nice looking pool that you actually could swim in. And a swim up to bar if that interests you. I like this hotel. It costs less than the others. No room safe.
Overall Score: A.
Hotel Perla in Leon.
Former mansion, made very beautiful a few years back by two American guys who are very chatty about their restoration project and success working with local laborers. There are two size rooms, the cheaper in the rear of the ground floor, which are much smaller with low ceiling and small TV sets, and the more expensive rooms upstairs via a wonderful wooden staircase, with higher ceilings and slightly larger TV. Some of the second floor rooms have a great view of red tile roofs and a church in the near distance. All rooms have modern fixtures and granite counters in the bathroom and private a/c systems and ceiling fans. Bed was comfortable. Room was adequately cleaned. Queen size bed. Safe in the wall unit. Tiles outside the rooms, carpet inside. We paid $70 plus tax for double occupancy in the cheaper room. It is a bargain.
Leon is small and the hotel is 2 minutes walk from the central park and cathedral.
Breakfast was included. Choice of eggs or crispy edged pancakes with fresh orange juice, savory bacon and nice large chunks of fruit cocktail. Prepared well. Meals are served around the attractive courtyard with nice tablecloths and settings or in the a/c restaurant. The one time we wanted to eat in the restaurant the windows were open and it was noisy from the street. The Central American art on the walls in the dining room was wonderful including a large piece by Daniel Nunez. These guys have made an attractive hotel.
Other meals were fine, with the best being the steak entrée (which is consistent with my other meals in Nicaragua). The shrimp cocktail appetizer at $3.75 is quite a deal (although the Russian dressing could be improved). The coffee was among the best I had in the country. Only disappointment was the pasta with pesto which was swimming in oil – yuck! And don’t know why there was no avocado while we were there as it was available in the market.
Reception area and other services were top notch, although we did not challenge them too much with requests like hotel bookings, airlines, tours, etc.
There was a small swimming pool, like the ones I found in other hotels but I don’t realize what is the point other than visual, as they are so small and unheated.
The hotel offered taxi service to the airport for $70 plus tax, but you can do better with Tierra tours across the street with $55 all inclusive for a private taxi or at $20 a person if they use a shuttle.
Management is building a casino across the street, expected completion in Fall 2009. Construction is not a problem.
Overall score: A.
Edited by: mylesfire