Having read the wonderful reviews on trip advisor we were really looking forward to our stay at Empalme a Las Playas. We knew it would be rustic, we have stayed in many rustic places before and have always enjoyed them. This was just plain scruffy and at $85 per night, was very overpriced. The cabanas, although large, were certainly airy, as there were substantial gaps in the bamboo construction which meant you were sharing your space with mosquitos galore. The mosquito nets were ineffective, ill-fitting, and difficult to use. The furnishings were homemade and very shabby, the bathroom light had broken and a makeshift lamp and been rigged up. The fans were of the floor variety and quite noisy. In addition we were robbed at night whilst sleeping in our room, which was a bit scary to say the least! Roy and Karen are larger than life, good hosts and were generous with their time but nothing could make up for the overpriced accommodation. Although a reasonably short downhill walk to the two beaches, you needed a car to get into town. We had been under the impression that we could take a taxi back from town after an evening meal, but due to the poor unmade roads, these cost around $30 at night, which was far too expensive for us. There is a shuttle bus which runs between a hostel in town to take surfers to the beach which is cheap at $5 return, but it only makes the journey a couple of times a day and doesn't run in the evenings. We found out that the bus had been held up by bandits a few days before our arrival, but no-one thought to warn us! All in all, not the best experience, although Maderas beach is wild and beautiful and a good place to hang out. There are places to stay which give much better value for money but we only discovered them once we were there.

My girlfriend and I stayed 3 nights and had a fantastic time. Our goals for the trip to the San Juan area were to: surf, sit on the beach, and relax! All of these things were at our finger tips (beach is a short walk away and Roy drove us there for the most part!) and the best part of it all was Karen and Roy. You will not find such amazing hosts as them at other hotels. They were genuine, entertaining and great cooks! I have since recommended Empalme a Las Playas to my friends back home and we can't wait to come back.

My wife and I just stayed at the Empalme. We got home seven hours ago and I can't wait to (a) write the fantastic review that Roy and Karen deserve, and (b) figure out how to get back there as soon as possible.

We were there for six nights; by the second I was as relaxed as I can remember being. That feeling stayed with us every minute until we left to return home. I've traveled a lot and had many wonderful hosts, but Roy and Karen are next level. After finding out that we wanted to go surfing and hadn't reserved anything, Roy called his favorite surf instructors and, when they were unavailable, he loaded us into his car and drove us himself around to see several more until we had what we wanted. This was within thirty minutes of arriving (and 29 minutes after Karen offered us a much-needed welcome beer) and would mark the kind of attentive, personal service that we'd see over and over again during the subsequent six days. Karen's cooking is incredible, and we had dinner there most nights; the communal atmosphere of the Empalme made it feel like we were eating at a good friend's house (and, as our stay wore on and we got to know each other better, that became exactly what we were doing). We all went on a sunset boat ride together on our last night that is unmissable.

Karen and Roy are the best. They have made sure that they (and in turn, the Empalme) are tightly integrated into the community. Riding down to the beach with Roy, watching seemingly every local run out excitedly to greet him as we went by, and watching him put smiled on kids' and adults' faces alike, I felt like I was with the mayor. A really cool mayor.

The property is a secluded unspoiled lot very close to the the surf-friendly Madera beach and the quieter, gorgeous Marsella beach; it's about a 20-minute walk or a 5-minute jaunt on Roy's quad (which he graciously let us use on many occasions). The cabins are rustic and that's the point; rather than try to recreate Palm Springs in Nicaragua, Roy and Karen have taken care to leave the land unspoiled and to give guests a real feeling of place. There were mosquito nets in our cabins but we didn't use them; a large provided fan kept all the bugs away while we slept.

There are fancier places in the area (and, regrettably, tons more on the way), and there are cheaper ones too. But if you want a great experience, the kind that you'll remember 30 years later, you must stay at the Empalme a las Playas. It's sort of hard to describe, only because I have no precedent for the quality of stay we had (and I'm guessing you haven't either). I'd give a higher rating if I could.

This was our final stop after beginning in the Northern mountains, traveling to Granada, then to San Juan Del Sur. The rooms are really large and spacious, clean and with basic necessities. Mosquito netting over the beds was important to have, and worked well, although some may find it restrictive, something a traveler should know before visiting Nicaragua. It was a surprise to us that there is no hot water for showers, although after a day at the beach the showers felt fine. It definitely was a rustic, jungle experience.

The highlight for us was Roy and Karen's hospitality, and especially Karen's cooking. They really made us feel like relatives visiting, they are super friendly people, and truly fun to be around. They readily accommodate visitors, helping us get to the beach or town, made us feel completely welcome. We would definitely return, and left feeling that they would welcome us back with open arms.