Rancho Santana

We travel a lot (3+ times per year, mostly Central America and Europe). This was our first time in Nicaragua. We loved that the resort was not crowded. It made it extremely peaceful. We also loved the bar and restaurant staff, who were all absolutely wonderful. The communication prior to our arrival was fantastic and informative. The food was great, and the chef in La Boquita cut an Aloe leaf for us because my son was sunburned. The surf lessons were top-notch. We have taken surf lessons in several locations, and these were by far the best. Finally, people who took us to and from the resort to the airport were also wonderful. I loved having someone knowledgeable about Nicaragua in the shuttle from the border. The Costa Rica driver moved mountains to get us to the airport in time for our flight. I hope all of these people are well compensated and valued. I am struggling with certain safety aspects of the resort, which I think need to be addressed immediately. I am NOT talking about safety issues associated with the location. Nicaragua is not a common vacation destination in the U.S., and we worried about political stability, crime, etc., none of which were a concern. First, be very, very careful at the beaches. The current and riptides are extremely strong, and there are no lifeguards. Guests are not consistently warned about the swimming conditions (we learned about them from another guest). It's easy to go into "relaxation mode" on vacation - do not let your kids run into the water without you. My kids are pretty good swimmers, and I was not comfortable with them in the water without an adult, period. I am not a risk-averse person. Second, I question whether the vehicles are equipped for the mountainous terrain. Again, I am not risk-averse and normally do not worry too much about shuttles, etc. The vehicles seemed to struggle going up the hills, which are largely dirt roads. This is not my usual approach (but should be) - I would not ride in any vehicle without a safety belt, and I would avoid any vehicle that lacks safety belts or standard safety gear. If you run into a serious medical issue, you will have a major, major problem. Travel insurance cannot make medical facilities closer to the resort. We loved the resort's seclusion and stayed a couple of extra days to avoid returning to our extremely busy lives. But some guests may be surprised to find there are no beach chairs/umbrellas/towels, and that you need to wade through still water to reach the main beaches. The lack of umbrellas means there is also no shade, and the weather is extremely hot around spring break. The huge upside is that there will be times when you are literally the only people on the beach, which is rare elsewhere. The resort never felt crowded, and walking the beach without wading through people is a huge, huge plus. In my opinion, you are paying five-star prices for a four-star hotel - lots of upcharges for things that would be included or far less at other resorts (e.g., laundry, villa amenities like lotion/staple items, shuttle service off-site, etc). Overall, I think it's worth it because of the location's peacefulness and the top-notch service at the restaurants and pool. However, if you are expecting a resort similar to those in Costa Rica, Belize, Mexico, etc., at a comparable price point, you may be disappointed. The hotel would likely be better suited to charge a higher nightly rate (if necessary) and include more amenities. That would take away the feeling of constantly being upcharged.

Wow. Just go. As a family of teens and adults , we felt incredibly safe the entire time. We also often felt we had the place to ourselves - very spread out. We did an ATV tour and lunch in Granada, as well as surf lessons. Highly recommend both! The sun is extra hot. Bring a sun shirt and lots of screen. Also bring a sleep mask and lotion (none in rooms). The rooms were extremely clean every day. The staff was beyond kind. There are beautiful, giant waves everywhere (it’s not white sandy calm, and swimming is intense, but oh so fun). Plan ahead with shuttles, and don’t rely on exact times. Make plans to watch every sunset. Try all the foods. This resort has a perfect natural, low light, unwind vibe for all age groups. Highly recommend.

I rode with Januar and he was awesome along with all the other staff throughout the trip. Absolutely beautiful!

Amazing experience. Didn't want to leave. Rooms were amazing. The Grenada trip was amazing and so was the fishing. We will be bak

Rancho Santana is great place with great people in a wonderful country. Tons of things to do. Food is next level. Staff is awesome!