Morgan's Rock

We stayed a week here, and I wish we could have stayed longer. This was the perfect retreat space for our family. The setting, about 20 minutes from San Juan del Sur, feels remote and safe. We were surrounded by forest and a private beach cove--great for walking, less great for swimming. There's an estuary and many acres we explored in which we saw many sloths, three kinds of monkeys, and dozens of birds including pygmy owls, Baltimore orioles, scarlet tanagers, Amazon kingfishers and many many others. I recommend going out at least once or twice with a guide (we loved Luis) who can help you learn how to spot wildlife and tell you stories about the land. We felt so welcomed and taken care of by the staff. Everyone--from the front desk folks to the drivers to the wait staff to the guides--was kind, warm, friendly, open, trustworthy, helpful. The individual lodges were spacious and screened instead of walled, so we fell asleep listening to the surf and the birds. There are fans and a special cooling system over the bed to keep it cool, though if you really want air conditioning, this will not be your place. The walk from the main lodge where we ate (and where the pool is) was about 7-8 minutes, and I was often sweating by the time I got back. Luckily, there's a private pool for each unit, cool and refreshing. Plus a hanging outdoor couch for relaxing. Our favorite excursion was with Miguel who drove us to the colorful Colonial city of Granada (two hours away) where we took a horse-drawn carriage ride through the city that included a chocolate factory tour, visiting one of the old churches, and lunch. Plus a boat ride on our way to an island with monkeys, a stop at a local artisan fair above a crater lake, and it was all topped off with a hike in a nature reserve and an evening viewing of an active volcano. Spectacular. Miguel was so knowledgable and clearly loves his country so much that his enthusiasm and stories made us fall in love with Nicaragua even more. It was a fabulous way to learn more about the country and its people. There were also kayaks we could use for free, but it was too windy while we were there to use them safely. There was a large outdoor yoga platform with mats, blocks and giant fans to keep it cool. It was free to use, but you needed to pay for an instructor to come if you wanted a class. We would love to return here someday ... we felt so lucky to find this quiet, natural, beautiful reserve.

Long review coming... Morgan's Rock is a very unique resort and experience. It came on our radar, because it's one of the properties to Hilton's new SLH brand. But, upon saying that -- it doesn't always feel like a Hilton property either. Overall, our stay had it's pros and cons. We booked an Oceanview Bungalow for our three night stay. Because of our Hilton status after our first night there, we were upgraded to an Oceanview Bungalow with a plunge pool. We ultimately opted to stay in our original Bungalow #5, because the view was actually better of the ocean, and there were less stairs to climb (there's a lot of stairs -- like hundreds.) Okay, pros... the view from our bungalow was absolutely stunning. The entire wall facing the ocean, is floor to ceiling with zero obstructions. The view from the bed each morning, was a pinch me moment We spent countless hours on our large balcony, lounging on the swinging daybed, looking at the ocean view below us. The sounds of the birds and nature was incredible serene. The room itself was quite large, with a king sized bed, a desk, a couch, and a very large bathroom (though not a ton of privacy because no door on the bathroom). The bed also has a unique cooling canopy system, that allowed us to stay cooler in bed while we slept -- because the rooms don't have AC. The property was very well maintained. The pool area was pretty, but we spent most of our time on the empty and peaceful beach. There were plenty of chairs to choose from, and many times we were the only guests down there. There is a bar on the beach which is a nice feature, so we didn't have to trek up to the pool to grab any drinks. The bartender kept checking in on us and bringing us cold water to our lounge chairs. The staff was all very pleasant, and helpful to answer any questions that may arise. They connected with us on whatsapp so we can message them if anything came up. Also, they would let us know each day if there was an event like a turtle launch to go to or yoga the next day. The staff in the restaurant was also incredibly friendly and helpful, shout out to Abraham! He was great to chat with. The food was also very tasty. Breakfast had a large selection of eggs, pancakes, fruit, etc, as did lunch. The dinners were also were good, but with only four choices, we opted to eat in town on one night, looking for more variation. Maybe a couple more choices can be added in the future? Now the things that could use a bit more work... we understand the idea behind an ecolodge, but the rooms did get very hot throughout the day. We were given a large jug of purified water in our room, but it obviously gets very warm. It looks like maybe there used to be fridges in the room based on old reviews, but they are gone now. So many times we were craving a cold drink of water, but if we wanted that we had to trek across the bridge, and down 100 steps to the bar in the lobby. If not a fridge because of energy saving purposes, maybe consider supplying an ice bucket in the room. Also, all of the walls are only screens, which we actually enjoyed quite a bit, but if you are looking for a quiet, peaceful sleep, you may want to reconsider. There are no shades, so the sun was shining in the room at 5:45am everyday. Also, the sound of the wind and ocean was shockingly loud. The room also had one shade facing the ocean that could come down, but nothing on the sides. The sides of the bungalows are where they could use some privacy features. At night, we felt very exposed to our neighbors when we had the lights on. We could see straight into their rooms, so I imagine they could see straight into ours. We were located next to a staff bungalow, and we could see them moving around late at night, which made us feel exposed. As I mentioned we loved the beach. They advertise that there is kayaking, stand-up paddleboards, surfing, etc. But when we went down there, all of the surfboards were missing their fins, making them unusable and one of the two paddleboards was also missing a fin, and there weren't enough paddles. It would also be helpful to maybe have a worker located there that is in charge of the activities. Nearby, there is an estuary for kayaking. But in order to get the kayaks over there, you have to drag the kayak more than 400 meters through the sand. The hotel also does offer a lot of trails, activities, spa, etc. We actually did one of the trail hikes, and saw 6-7 howler monkeys! The staff recommended going early at sunrise to see monkeys, and they were right! But... it was also very difficult to initially get any information on what to do at the resort. Maybe they can add some paperwork in the room, a welcome book explaining the resort, or even just a QR code to access that information. In order to find anything out after we arrived we had to go down to the front desk, or we had to wait for a response on WhatsApp. Lastly, a heads up for Hilton Honor Members. We booked this hotel very late... like 24 hours before our arrival. When I went to book through the Hilton app, I saw that the room was now unavailable. But, on the Morgan's Rock website, and other third-party sites like Expedia and Booking.com (where it was cheaper) the room was still available. I called Hilton to ask why, and they were confused as well, they assumed maybe the hotel won't let you book on the Hilton site on such short notice. I ended up calling the hotel directly, and was told that there was still a room available, and I can book through them, but.... they won't give me the points -- which didn't make a ton of sense considering their partnership. The only thing they offered was a free upgrade if available, and a lake check-out too. I feel like Hilton's SLH brand needs some tweaks or to at least they need to iron out the partnership better. Overall, it was a great resort, did it feel like a Hilton? Not really, but maybe that's what some people are looking for. The resort had beautiful views, facilities, and great staff, but there's just a few things to tweak to make this eco-resort more of a grand slam.

Perfect babymoon. Amazing staff, beautiful views, and excellent amenities.

Our first visit to Nicaragua did not disappoint! What a treat to be at the beautiful Morgan’s Rock Hotel. Beautiful accommodation, magnificent beaches, amazing fresh fruit, sublime swimming pools and lazy afternoons soaking up the sun. It could not be more perfect! The staff were fabulous. I cannot recommend it more!!

Wonderful location in the midst of a nature reserve with a fabulous private beach. Our room had a private balcony with fabulous sunset views. We loved kayaking on the lagoon . All staff delightful and excellent breakfasts. Other food could be improved.