By now you guys are pretty much caught up with my rough start to traveling in Nicaragua.
First, my bag went AWOL. Then came a gnarly case of food poisoning during an attempted visit to Granada.
After several days of being “stuck” in Managua, however, my bag still hadn’t arrived. We’d run out of quick trip ideas and I was still feeling gross and lethargic.
Mak had one more destination in mind he wanted to check out before heading south, so he took off on a solo overnighter to the mountain town of Matagalpa while I hunkered down in the hostel to catch up on some writing.
The silver lining in all of this? Hotel Maracuya, my little oasis in the middle of lackluster Managua.
Hotel Maracuya Managua Review
What I Loved
Despite what the name suggests, Hotel Maracuya Managua (the original is located in San Juan del Sur) is your typical backpacker’s hostel. It’s actually the owner’s old family home that has been effortlessly converted to a 20-bed hostel, with 6 or 8-bed dorm rooms.
It’s open and airy with comfortable shared spaces, hammocks to lounge in, a fully-equipped communal kitchen for cooking meals, and a vocal pet kitten named Yoda who kept me company when I couldn’t be bothered with human interaction.
They provide a free pancake breakfast every morning with fruit, coffee, and a whipped cream flourish on top. Other breakfast items like omelettes are available for purchase. Cold drinks and snacks are sold in the quaint reception area, and a major supermarket is a 10-minute walk away.
Security is 24 hours (the entrance is gated and a guard mans the reception desk all night) and lockers are available for storing valuables. The staff were incredibly helpful during my luggage mishap, repeatedly calling the airport to inquire of its whereabouts or suggesting activities for us to pursue in the meantime (which is how we learned about Playa Pochomil).
Hotel Maracuya Managua is far from grandiose; it’s quaint and cozy–and particularly during low season, very quiet. You won’t find crazy drinking games or wild parties happening here.
What I Didn’t Love
I honestly don’t have much to complain about with regard to this hostel. The location was a bit tricky to describe to taxi drivers initially, but eventually, we figured out that saying “Reparto San Juan” was a good place to start (full directions can be found on their website).
The hostel isn’t exactly what you’d call close to the city center, but it is walkable if you’re ambitious. It’s so hot during the day that a taxi ride was typically my preference, and walking such a long distance at night is never suggested in Managua. Luckily, taxi fare is inexpensive.
The cost of a dorm bed is $13 USD per night including the pancake breakfast. I was surprised by this price as I’d heard Central America was supposed to have relatively inexpensive hostels (we paid $10 or less in other parts of Nicaragua); the Hotel Maracuya in San Juan del Sur is even pricier.
Would I Recommend Hotel Maracuya Managua?
Absolutely. It’s a perfect crash pad for a night or two in Managua, or even in the unfortunate event that you must stay a little longer. I recommend booking in advance as the hostel has a limited number of beds.
Book your stay with Hotel Maracuya Managua here.
Read next: 5 Things to Know Before Traveling to Managua
Would you stay at Hotel Maracuya Managua? What do you look for when booking hostels?
