it's not that easy to find this place - it is actually hidden behind a big metal gate on the dirt road behind the beach. to get onto the dirt road you need to turn left at a gate - honk your horn and a old lady comes to unlock the gate (tip her 50cents).
anyway, once you find the gates - honk again, as they roll back the shield, in front of you is a very pretty sanctuary of a place. we got room 7. it was perfect. small balcony, cooling ceiling fans, view of the ocean too, palms shading the windows.
somebody spent time making this place so chilled. the pool is refreshing, the hammock area is a great place for reading day or night, the food is all made freshly and to order.
The beach is fine but at high tide there isn't much sand to sit on. we used it as a base to visit some of the other beaches on the western coast. we had a 2 week trip in el salvador and this was the most relaxing place we stayed. clean. friendly.

My wife and I stayed at Los Cobanos for four nights and had an awesome experience. The service is top-notch - the first night they delivered dinner to our room while we sat on the balcony and watched the sunset. The food is the best in the region, fresh everytime you order with plenty to chose from. The compound is pristine with staff cleaning and sweeping everyday. We were the only guests for three of our four nights and we felt like royaly, the staff was always there to help with directions, call a cab, recommend beaches and take care of us. The village is nice to see by day, by night we we felt safer in the coumpound,
Heads-up for travelers:
1. If you're looking for a place that you can get by without Spanish - this isn't it - we found only one other english speaker in town. We had no trouble with our limited Spanish.
2. lots of stray dogs on the beach and the beach is dirty in spots.
3. There are bats in the roof but it's not a big deal - we laugh about it now.
4. Great for couples that like out of the way, non-big resort type hideaways.

I stayed at Los Cobanos on two separate trips to El Salvador, in 2005 and 2006, and both visits were fantastic. The rooms are comfortable & clean, there is a beautiful view of the ocean, sitting area inside and on the balcony, and fantastic architecture and decorating utilizing local materials. They have all kinds of ocean toys like kayaks and snorkel gear available for use as well. All of the aforementioned are great, but it is really the people at Los Cobanos that make the experience epic. They pretty much do whatever they can to ensure your visit is comfortable: from fixing traditional cuisine to facilitating snorkelling, surfing, or kayaking. It is super family friendly and if the ocean is overwhelming for the little ones, there is a comfortable pool (which we used daily)! It was the last relaxing vacation I've been on and I look forward to returning soon.

If you're one that's decided to travel to El Salvador, go see what wonderful salvadoran families and charming rural coastal communities are really like. Los Cobanos Village Lodge is a little "oasis" nestled in the middle of one of these communities; it provides a cozy coastal get-away but yet still offers the flavor of salvadoran life. I've stayed here many times and enjoy my stay everytime. When living in San Salvador the lodge was my favorite weekend destination; great service, very comfortable accomodations, beautiful views from the room's balcony, friendly people. It always felt like a relaxing "home-away-from-home" rather than a busy resort. Everytime I had friends from the states visit, we'd make sure to spend time here as well and they still talk about what a great get-away it was. As well, many friends flew to El Salvador last summer for our wedding, and Village Lodge is the hotelito I chose for them to stay at; they loved it and have wonderful memories. During that weekend my dad and brothers hired a local fisherman from Los Cobanos to go dorado fishing; not only did they have a successful fishing trip, they were lucky enough to swim with the big sea turtles and still talk about when they're going back. This little lodge is wonderful and I highly recommend it if you're looking to see the real El Salvador and the beauty of the communities it has to offer.