I'm sitting on my balcony recovering from an old habit that I thought had vanished years ago. Across the plaza sits a Grand Catholic Church and the bells just stopped tolling, insistently, to the faithful. My mind told me that I must hurry as I only had 5 minutes to get properly dressed and to Mass; it is true, old habits of 50 years ago still haunt.
Where am I you ask? In room 204 of the Hotel Colon in Granada, Nicaragua. It is early morning and true capitalists are setting up their stands, the horse and buggy drivers are all in line and the plaza is full of life. No television show could match the world I am witnessing, each person has their own story that I will never know. Yet, I have my own stories for the souls that pass by and they entertain me. Just this view of the plaza is worth the cost of the hotel; the finest hotel I have stayed at in a long time.

This hotel is tailored. Every detail is considered with care. The rooms are large and airy with huge doors leading out to the balcony where I write this review. The bed is huge and inviting, the floors are a dark wood and the room is furnished perfectly. Just now, two hot and tired backpackers are crossing the plaza, they are sparing and she just landed a blow, not yet realizing that in a love affair all blows are self-inflicted. They remind me of another gift of age. I can enjoy comfort as I earned it. If I am hot I turn on the very quiet air conditioner in my room and if I am hungry I can head down to my ample breakfast.
Visit Nicaragua, it is a beautiful country that is safe and inexpensive. When you visit be sure to travel to Granada and stay in Room 104 of Hotel Plaza Colon. You won’t be disappointed….I promise.

This was my second stay at the Hotel Plaza Colon. After my first visit, I didn't consider staying anywhere else. Some of the staff remembered me and greeted me as if I was a returning family member. I have stayed at many hotels but this one is my favorite. If you are a person that is very social, then you will enjoy conversating with the staff, most of whom speak fluent English. Even the ones that did not speak fluent English greeted me and were very friendly. The rooms are spacious and clean. The breakfast is excellent and the location is ideal for exploring Granada and the city center.

The staff are truly helpful and pleasant. The concierge, Virginia, was extremely helpful in both restaurant recommendations as well as a travel guide. On that note, the recommendation of Carlos Medal through Servicio De Viajes Expreso was truly professional and extremely informative as we toured through Granada and the surrounding area. He speaks both Spanish and English, and aspires to begin learning French. I cannot recommend either one of these people enough.

Granada’s activities and sights are perhaps better enjoyed by a hotel stay in the pure physical heart of the city - Parque Central. We chose the Hotel Plaza Colon based on reviews, location and photos and I was pleased that the positive comments about the hotel turned out to be accurate.

Most importantly, every staff member we interacted with had a gracious demeanor and promptly assisted us when needed. The hacienda style design of the property was adorned in polished wood decor. The central courtyard contained a small pool, especially refreshing after a hot day of sightseeing. Also surrounding the pool and courtyard area were sofas where we sat and had some drinks.

The standard room we stayed in had a comfortable bed and superb linens. The large clean bathroom had a spacious shower area with ample water pressure. Even the bathroom amenities were of a high quality. Our rate came with a breakfast buffet which offered fresh fruits, made-to-order eggs, cereals and local breakfast items (i.e. gallo pinto, plantains, meats, etc.).

We considered staying at the balcony rooms as they certainly afford you a nice of view of the bustling activity below. But instead of spending the extra cost (almost 50% more per night for the weekday rate), we just sat on the large veranda of the hotel and just as easily took in the sights (although we received periodic visits of hawkers attempting to sell their wares).

One thing to keep in mind about this location - while the prime location on the Parque Central is advantageous for exploring around town, people-watching and getting a local flavor - it is noisy. Furthermore, in the morning the local shops started up at nearly 6 am and so it can get noisy quite early. But if you are looking to stay in style, you will definitely enjoy your stay here.