Hotel Villa Paraiso

Between Two Volcanoes, on the Island's Best Beach

Playa Santo Domingo is the strip of sand that ties Ometepe together: a low isthmus with Concepcion rising behind you and Maderas ahead, and Lake Nicaragua on both sides of the road. Villa Paraiso sits on the slope above it, a scatter of bungalows set into the vegetation rather than a building with corridors. The hill does work that no appliance can: the lake breeze runs through the property all afternoon. Each cabin has a porch with a hammock, and most look over the water toward Maderas. Down a short path the beach runs long and mostly empty, which on an island this visited is the whole point.

Why It Works

This is the address for travellers who want Ometepe rather than a view of it. Three things decided us. The layout, first: individual cabins in gardens, spaced so that you hear the lake and the birds. The beach, second: Santo Domingo is widely held to be the best stretch of sand on the island, and the hotel sits directly above it. And the way the place is run, family-owned and long established, with two environmental awards to show for its practices. Hot water, rare enough on this island, comes as standard.

Why This Location

Santo Domingo is the middle of the island, which makes it the practical base. The ferry port of Moyogalpa is about twenty-four kilometres away and the newer port at San Jose del Sur about fourteen, so arrival is a transfer rather than an expedition. From here both volcanoes are reachable in a day: Concepcion for the hard climb, Maderas for the cloud forest and the crater lake. The petroglyph fields around Altagracia and the Ojo de Agua springs are close. What the location does not offer is nightlife or shops, and that is the trade.

Fast Facts

• Price: $$, the upper end for Ometepe

• Vibe: Barefoot, green, family-run, quiet

• Rooms: Individual bungalows and rooms spread across a garden slope, most with lake views and a hammock porch

• Best For: Couples, hikers, families who want the island rather than a resort

• Our Favorite Thing About the Hotel: The hammock porches, angled so the lake breeze crosses the cabin

• Dining: Thatched beachfront restaurant and bar, Nicaraguan cooking, lake views

• Amenities: Direct beach access, gardens, bike rental, volcano and petroglyph excursions arranged, hot water throughout, pets welcome

• Attractions: Playa Santo Domingo at the foot of the path; Maderas volcano and its crater lake; Concepcion volcano; the Ojo de Agua springs; the Altagracia petroglyphs

Bungalows in the Vegetation

The accommodation is the opposite of a corridor. Cabins are set at intervals through the planted slope, each with its own porch, chairs and hammock, and most angled at the lake. Inside they are plain: spacious, large bathrooms, hot water, a queen bed and very little decoration, which is a fair description of the island's best rooms generally. Some units are partly screened by trees, so if the view matters, ask for a lake-view category by name when booking. The higher cabins catch the most breeze; the ones nearest the path are the shortest walk to the restaurant and the sand.

The Thatched Restaurant and the Lake

Meals happen under thatch at the edge of the property, with the water filling the view. The kitchen cooks Nicaraguan food in generous portions, which after a day on Maderas is the right register, and the bar stays open into the evening. Breakfast comes before the heat, and it is worth taking early: the light on the lake at that hour, with Concepcion still catching cloud, is why people photograph this beach. There is no other restaurant within easy walking distance, so eating in is the norm here.

Ometepe from Santo Domingo: What to Plan

Book the transfer with the hotel; the roads on this side of the island are rough and taxis do not wait at the ports. Bring cash, because card acceptance on Ometepe is patchy. Start the volcano hikes at dawn and with a guide, which is required on Maderas. Bikes can be rented for the flat road along the isthmus. And leave one day unplanned for the beach, because most guests wish they had.