I travelled with a group of 15 fellow Canadians to El Salvador. We stayed at Las Hojas for two nights, and I shared a bungalow with another woman in my group. Las Hojas exceeded our expectations for El Salvador (make no mistake, this isn't a Caribbean-style resort). The staff were very friendly and made every effort to accommodate our group. I felt safe throughout our stay. The armed guard and barbed wire lining the top of the surrounding walls may have had something to do with that.

The bungalows were clean with air conditioning, cable flat screen TVs and hot water in the showers. The beds were firm, but it worked for me. The surrounding area was relatively quiet - until 6 a.m. each day when the community news was broadcast each morning through loudspeakers several hundred feet away. Between my limited Spanish and resort staff's limited English, I understand the broadcast is read once a day in the morning, and possibly in the afternoon or evening when circumstances warrant it.

I enjoyed my time poolside, listening to music from the poolside bar and sipping on fresh coconut water ($2). I also enjoyed siestas on the hammocks facing the ocean. It should be noted that the ocean has very strong currents and isn't intended for swimming, but it is beautiful to watch and provides a nice soundtrack for snoozing. At 3 p.m. one afternoon, some local boys brought a few horses along the beach to the steps leading up to the resort for anyone wishing to go horseback riding. Our hotel brought it to our attention, although the hotel had no involvement with the excursion. I took a half hour ride for $3. One of the boys walked alongside the horse I was riding while another boy on his horse accompanied us. After the horseback ride, I had scheduled a massage at the hotel. It was $30 for an hour and worth every penny.

The food was a little bland, but that's to be expected in Central America. I'm usually a really fussy eater and I managed to always find food on the buffet that suited my tastes. They had chicken and chicken wings that were breaded in something similar to Shake 'N Bake, roast potatoes, French fries, assorted salads and raw veggies (which I avoided out of concern of being washed with local tap water), soups and desserts. I usually purchased bottled water from the bar to have with my meals. Breakfast was an assortment of fresh fruit, eggs, dry cereal, potato cakes and sausage. And the coffee was phenomenal!

If I was interested in hot holidays and spending time at resorts, I would definitely return to Las Hojas! My only real complaint would be the caged animals on the property. I'm not sure why there are animals (monkeys, birds and rabbits) in cages on the property in the blazing sun, but I can only guess that the hotel owners aren't aware that many North American visitors find it disturbing. I would hope that some day, those animals are let free to enjoy the beauty El Salvador has to offer.

Best feature of this resort is its proximity to the San Salvador airport, only 15 minutes away. Rooms are spacious but beds are hard, as they are single mattress on platform bed. Slep was not comfortable. No bathroom privacy as it is behind thin, open wall. Food was average and uninteresting, with reasonable choice and nice view from restaurant of volcano in distance. Amenities were odd -- basketball court? -- or not well kept up -- tennis court, fitness room. Seems to be a day-tripper location. Visited on a Saturday and it emptied out after 4:00 p.m. Pool was nice, beach not particularly. The monkeys and other wildlife in small cages was disturbing. Other than being near to the airport, this is a remote location, with no other resorts in the area. Stay here for a convenient, reasonably priced to wrap up your trip to El Salvador.

From the cheap decor to the non-existant customer service... All terrible ! The monkeys were nice.... Absolutely over priced. The mouldy smell in the bungalows was over powering and caused headaches. We will never return and I advise anyone thinking of coming to stay far far away.

My mom and I went back to our homeland for a week and we stayed at this resort for the first time. Let me tell you we loved it. The place is very safe, clean and most important the food was awesome. We took the 3 meals a day deal and it doesn't include all you can drink (alcohol) but we are not heavy drinkers so we didn't mind. I hate to deal with drunken idiots any way! The staff was very friendly and a big plus for us was the fact that it is so close to the airport about 25 min or 15 min driving like a true Salvadorian hahaha. I think the price was fare and for those that complain about being expensive at $56.95 a day including 3 meals, well let me tell you that you are cheap!!! Yes it is a 3rd world country but that doesn't mean that a hotel should be almost free. If you want a 5 star hotel then pay for it, I bet you can't find one for $56.95 or less. Anyhow, I would go back in a heartbeat. However, after the pass of hurricane IDA, the area where the hotel is located was hit pretty bad so I would call ahead before booking my vacations.