Can't say enough about Buena Onda and its owner Baba. The top story rooms come with king size bed and private bathroom for only $20 a night. Kitchen is clean with all necessary equipment plus more. Coupled with the amazing view and excellent common areas, makes it feel like an upmarket hotel at hostel prices.

The owner Baba is very helpful and great for a chat. Can't recommend Buena Onda enough.

Also, ignore the review by Kelley in 2006. Baba only completed construction 6 months ago so she has obviously confused this Hostel with a Hotel somewhere else.

Our group of travelers arrived in San Juan del Sur hungry for a week of relaxation and comfort. We had journeyed from Managua and stumbled upon this gem of a hostel on Trip Advisor. Baba, the lovely owner of this hostel, immediately welcomed us into his home. He had designed and built the hostel, using local teak wood for the walls and painting the floors a cozy red. He even placed hammocks on the upper level, so you can rest and enjoy the view of all of San Juan del Sur. We couldn't recommend this hostel enough! Even Baba's dogs were friendly! Just know that the neighborhood roosters will wake you early in the morning, but San Juan is worth a FULL day of exploration anyway, so why not? Moral of the story: stay at Buena Onda. It will make you smile.

We stayed at an eco-friendly, all-inclusive home in the hills overlooking San Juan del Sur. This was probably one of the most awesome vacations of our lives. I suppose this was truly a vacation. Most of our vacations are marathons to see how much history, art, and views we can cram in. At Casa Buena Onda we were not permitted in the kitchen, laundry, or near any cleaning equipment. There was even a driver provided for our daily jaunts. We simply were expected to relax and enjoy ourselves. The Nica food even satisfied our two young children who are picky eaters. The price was right, the service charming, the weather ideal, the views stunning, and the accommodations beautiful. The definition of relaxation while not hurting the environment. You can find Casa Buena Onda and Casa Buena Vista on [----]. Check it out, see what you think. We were blown away.