Popoyo Stays: The Lowdown on Popoyo’s Best Hostels & Hotels for All Budgets
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Picking your perfect perch in Popoyo does take some forethought. You’ll have to consider which beach - Guasacate or Popoyo - you’d prefer to base yourself. Much to many a traveler’s chagrin, they are not the same, and your taxi driver from Rivas, Granada, San Juan del Sur, etc. will appreciate you knowing that in advance. Trust me. While Playa Guasacate has far more backpacker-friendly hostel options, Playa Popoyo is closer to the surf breaks and also slightly easier to get to and from by public transport. In this post, I give you the lowdown on the best places to stay in Popoyo on both beaches.
For even further insight into things to do, how to get to and around Popoyo, and other useful information for your Popoyo stay, check out my full Popoyo Travel Guide.
Popoyo’s Best Hostels
Escondite Pacifico
Location: Playa Guasacate
This quiet, no-frills hostel at the quieter end of Playa Guasacate has one female-only dorm and two private rooms. Stay here and you’ll have access to free filtered water, a kitchen, and yoga mats. The on-site restaurant Viento Este fires up their pizza oven every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Saturday night and attracts what feels like everyone in Popoyo for a very cozy, delicious, and Italian-inspired night under the stars and string lights.
The Barrel -
Location: Playa Guasacate
This hostel is one of the few spots in Popoyo offering air-conditioned rooms and dorms and that’s the main reason it’s on this list. The hostel itself isn’t much of a looker nor a peaceful spot to lay back in a hammock, as it’s mostly a local bar with pool tables, loud music, and tables sticky with beer from the party last night. It is beachfront, as most hostels in Popoyo are, but it’s definitely on the loud and party-oriented end of the spectrum. As a guest, you do have access to a simple kitchen and filtered water throughout your stay.
Magnific Rock
Location: Playa Popoyo
You literally can’t beat the location of Magnific Rock. Set high up on a cliff overlooking Beginner’s Bay, this is definitely one of the most idyllic spots to stay in Popoyo. However, I will warn you that their dorms could use a bit of a facelift. But for the price and location, it just might be worth forgoing some comforts for a few nights in their competitively priced dorms. Every bed should come with a fan to help you keep cool and they’ll provide you with some plates and utensils if you want to prepare sandwiches and other no-cook meals in the room. There is a restaurant on-site that has some exceptional food and even better views, but it’s quite expensive by backpacker standards unless you wait for the happy hour at the bar. They also offer yoga classes twice daily in a space with yet more jaw-dropping views, and guests at Magnific Rock get a $1 discount. Stay here and you’ll also have access to a pool.
Cafe con Leche
Location: Playa Popoyo
This Quebecois-run chill beachfront bed and breakfast offers dorms and privates for reasonable pricing on the Popoyo side of the beach. All stays come with a delicious, home-cooked breakfast, coffee and drinking water, and a fully-equipped guest kitchen. There’s also a shaded yoga/gym deck, a swimming pool, and plenty of lounge chairs and hammocks for dozing off between surfs. Every Saturday, Cafe con Leche hosts a BBQ dinner that’s so popular reservations are usually required.
Amahula Surf House
Location: Playa Guasacate
This higher-end hostel is a rare find on Popoyo’s sands. Every bed comes with its own fan, outlet, and reading light, and best of all, curtains. The on-site restaurant offers breakfast and lunch daily, and family-style dinners five days a week. They’re known for organizing activities like surf trips, pub quizzes, and volleyball and beach tennis tournaments. Amahula is also the mastermind behind Popoyo’s infamous Secret Party, an electronic music event that happens every Saturday in a secret location.
Location: Playa Popoyo
For as low as $35USD per night, you can stay in your own private beachfront bungalow, complete with a personal hammock, front porch, and mosquito-netted bed. The grounds are simply gorgeous and exude this air low-key luxury at a price you almost can’t believe. As a guest, you have access to a fully-equipped shared kitchen, hot water showers, and a beachfront terrace where you’re more than welcome to lounge under the sun and stars or practice yoga. You can read my full review here from my own three-night stay.
Mid-Range Popoyo Hotels
Nicawaves
Location: Playa Popoyo
Don’t let Nicawaves’ non-beachfront location stop you from staying at this surf camp-style lodging - the beach and waves are still just a short walk away. Here, you can book a private and air-conditioned room or casita for as low as $30USD/night. This family-run hotel is arranged around a gorgeous pool and surrounded by tropical gardens for a true oasis feel. There’s an on-site restaurant with super-fast 5MB WiFi and a menu of international and local cuisine. The staff will support you in coordinating surf trips, board rentals, surf lessons, and even photography, or you can book one of their surf packages for an even better deal.
Mola Mola
Location: Playa Guasacate
This highly recommended and mid-range Popoyo hotel offers air-conditioned rooms with private bathrooms and good WiFi with the ocean on your doorstep, while Mola Mola’s common spaces feature hammocks, books, board games, and a beach volleyball court. This is the sort of spot that feels like home quickly, due in large part to the friendly owner and staff. Beach barbecues, yoga classes, and surf adventures are organized frequently.
Sirena Surfhouse
Location: Playa Popoyo
This beachfront guesthouse in Popoyo is run by the Belgian-born Isabelle, a passionate surfer, yogi, and Popoyo transplant of 9+ years. It runs parallel to Isabella’s other passion project: Sirenitas, a local non-profit created to empower local girls by teaching them how to surf and swim. Rooms at the Sirena Surfhouse come with private ocean-facing porches, fans, room service, and access to a fully equipped kitchen and daily surf lessons, all for $60USD per night.
Casitas Pacific
Location: Playa Guasacate
For those of you looking for a step up from a dorm or hostel-style accommodation, Casitas Pacific is a great boutique eco-hotel option on Playa Guasacate. Rooms start at $84USD per night and include a private bathroom, fan and/or air conditioning, mosquito net, and complimentary daily breakfast at the on-site restaurant and cafe.
High-End Hotels in Popoyo
99 Surf Lodge
Location: Playa Popoyo
Though I haven’t slept here myself, 99 Surf Lodge is an excellent option for a more high-end stay with not only the beach on your doorstep, but a restaurant, bar, pool, and yoga and breathwork classes. Rooms start at $120USD per night and include private terraces, hot showers, and air conditioning.
Travel Resources
Accommodations: When I’m not booking directly with the accommodation (which is sometimes cheaper), I often use Booking.com, Trivago, and Hostelworld.com. Agoda is also a great tool when searching for longer stay options at discounted rates that include hotels and private homes.
Tours: While I personally prefer do-it-yourself travel most of the time, sometimes it’s just better with a guide. In those cases, I typically use Viator, GetYourGuide, EatWith, and Airbnb Experiences. For self-guided audio tours, I recommend WeGoTrip.
Flights: My favorite flight aggregator tool is WayAway and my favorite tool for finding out about the best flight deals is FareDrop.
Shuttle Services: My go-to is Bookaway. They operate in more than 90 countries and work with only the top, traveler-reviewed suppliers in each country.
Rental Cars: While I more often take public transport when I travel, there have been destinations that are better explored by renting a car (like Costa Rica and Europe/UK for example). In these instances, I recommend starting your car rental search on Discover Cars. They compare car rental deals across more than 500 suppliers, including Hertz, Enterprise, Avis, and more.
Travel Insurance: If you’re a full-time nomad like me, I recommend SafetyWing. Look into their Nomad Travel Medical Insurance and Nomad Health Insurance (a full-fledged health insurance that covers your emergency and non-emergency medical needs worldwide, including in your country of residence). If you’re not a full-time traveler, I’d recommend Squaremouth. It aggregates your insurance options across more than 22 providers and offers what I’ve found to be the best rates.
Travel ATM & Credit Cards: If you travel often and like perks like airport lounge access and annual travel credit, I recommend the Capital One Venture X credit card that includes Priority Pass, a $300 annual travel credit, and covers your Global Entry or TSA Precheck fee. For a fee-free ATM card that reimburses you at the end of every month for any incurred ATM fees, I recommend opening a Schwab Bank Investor Checking Account.
VPN: I recommend Surfshark. It’s one of the best and most budget-friendly VPN services out there.
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