My husband and I were seeking a vacation, which began with the usual search on Hotwire, Bookit, etc for an all-inclusive resort. We were about to book our trip to Dominican Republic - we were awaiting a call back from a resort representative. Coincidentally, my husband recalled an article in his GQ magazine about fabulous, unknown destinations. One of these destinations was San Juan del Sur. We googled the area and found Finca Las Nubes! We arranged the trip with the help of Chris (the owner) and his daughter, Natalie. Their assistance put us at ease, especially since this was our first vacation in Central America.
We were met in Managua by Javier, who drove us wherever we asked during our stay. He is a friendly, adventurous man and his guidance was invaluable. Our home, Casa Buena VIsta, was awesome! We had a private pool that overlooks the ocean. The home is open air and maintains a comfortable temperature due to the smart construction and breeze. Be prepared to start your day with a beautiful sunrise, a cup of freshly roasted coffee, and a book in a hammock. You will eat amazing meals prepared by your own personal cook (including lobster and fresh juice from the organic fruit grown on the farm) - thank you, Juan. Be sure to try Flora de Cana, the rum of choice in NIcaragua. Have a drink while star gazing pool side.
The beaches are some of the most beautiful in the world. Playa Coco is a quiet beach, just a few miles from Costa Rica. Maderas is a surfing hot spot. We spent a day hiking Ometepe Island, known for it's volcano and gigantic waterfalls. In San Juan, we zip-lined at Da Flying Frog Canopy, which was a blast!
On the property, be sure to take a guided horseback ride. Check out the gardens. Visit with Chris and his family - it is awesome to hear how he developed the property and his plans for the future. Spend some time with Fedrico and Aldan, a doctor and P.A. from the U.S., who live on the property and are going to run a wellness clinic there in San Juan. Visit the property's organic store and hold the coolest monkey on earth!
Useful tip: If you do not know Spanish, either take a class before visiting or take a common words/phrases book with you. There is so much I wanted to ask and was crippled by my lack of speaking and understanding Spanish. This is not a touristy area, so the locals do not know English.
We felt safe and spoiled during our stay and hope to go back soon. Perhaps with our kids. Or maybe we will decide to keep this romantic, treasured place "ours" for now!
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.