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4.5

Excellent

84 reviews

#2 of 10 B&Bs / Inns in Balgue

Location

Cleanliness

Service

Value

GreenLeaders Platinum level

Experience the "barefoot luxury" of our collection of jungle guesthouses on the slopes of the Maderas volcano, in the friendly town of Balgüe on Isla de Ometepe, Nicaragua! Named for the Spanish "selva" (jungle) and "vista" (view), our unique site is solar-powered and is both a peaceful tropical food forest and an organic permaculture farm. We offer a cold beverage selection, friendly advice for making the most of your experience on the magical island of twin volcanoes. A healthy and filling breakfast, including fruits and greens from our farm and Nicaraguan coffee is included with each stay, along with introduction to permaculture farm tours, fibre optic wifi and secure parking. There are optional extras of massages or yoga classes on your private balcony, kayaking, horseriding, quad biking and hiking tours. Plus many more! We can happily help you arrange transport, guides and excursions. Several nearby renowned restaurants offer delivery (room) services. Make yourself at home!

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Property amenities

Free parking

Free High Speed Internet (WiFi)

Free breakfast

Bicycle rental

Hiking

Children Activities (Kid / Family Friendly)

Pets Allowed ( Dog / Pet Friendly )

Airport transportation

Wifi

Coffee shop

Breakfast available

Breakfast in the room

Wine / champagne

Canoeing offsite

Board games / puzzles

Foot massage

Full body massage

Hand massage

Head massage

Massage

Neck massage

BBQ facilities

Baggage storage

Concierge

Non-smoking hotel

Picnic area

Shared kitchen

Laundry service

Self-serve laundry

Room features

Housekeeping

Safe

Bottled water

Minibar

Refrigerator

Complimentary toiletries

Room types

Non-smoking rooms

Suites

Family rooms

Good to know

HOTEL STYLE

Quaint

Great View

Languages Spoken

English, Spanish

Location

Contact

From the Balgue River Bridge, 500 meters East, Balgue, Isla de Ometepe 48800 Nicaragua

Getting there

Emerald Coast Airport57 kmSee all flights

Augusto C Sandino Airport102 kmSee all flights

See all nearby hotels

Nearby restaurants

Cafe Campestre

486 reviews

15 minCafe

Pizzeria Mediterranea Bar Ristorante

94 reviews

2.6 kmItalian

El Pital Chocolate Paradise

See all nearby restaurants

Nearby attractions

See all nearby attractions

84Reviews7Q+A13Room tips

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Elbo wrote a review Sep 2022

13 contributions

+1

Neither naked nor afraid

If you want to experience the jungle but aren’t ready to barrel out on your own like a doomed British explorer or Herzogian hero, this place could be a good fit for you. Like, I really want to see monkeys (which they don’t have in the US) - but I also don’t want anything to lay eggs under my skin. I like camping - and I know you usually have to get a couple miles off the beaten track to find the magical spots. The flip side is that you can’t just call 911 if you get hurt/sick or rush out to 7-11 for that bug spray you forgot. This place hits that glamping intersection pretty well. There’s wifi and the toilets are swankier than the one I have at home - but if you are there during the rainy season (hot and sticky and 99% humidity) like I was - you will still get the full force of these massive rainstorms pounding on the roof and (if you got a room with a view) the sight of lightning zapping the top of the volcano. Bring earplugs and be glad you’ve got a roof that’s way better than the rusty corrugated ones that many impoverished Nicaraguans have to huddle under. (The earplugs also blocked out afternoon evangelical hootenannies down the hill.) Speaking of locals - I really appreciated the warm hospitality of Auden and Eli - two young men who help run the joint. Then again, I speak some Spanish. Neymar is fluent and also grew up on the island - and literally went the extra mile(s) by returning my ATV on the fly after I barfed in the bushes at breakfast. ($20 cancellation fee). Still not sure what was the culprit - and no one else got sick so not gonna blame Selvista. I just spent a couple days laying in bed under the fan like Martin Sheen at the beginning of Apocalypse Now. Cold showers felt great. The manager is the white woman named Megan - and maybe I picked up on what one of the reviewers deemed her “expat fatigue.” It’s worth noting that she’s the only one who’s not a local. She’s an English woman who has decided to live with Neymar and his two kids on a jungle island in the middle of Central America’s poorest country. I’m just not sure if she’s decided on a career as a hotel manager, though. She told me she only checked her email twice a day and seemed to hand off a lot of the day-to-day responsibilities to Eli and Auden - who were frankly mas amable pero no pueden hablar ingles muy bien. I even found myself having to greet some guests and help them to their accommodations. Is being that hands-off the mark of someone who truly loves hosting tourists? Then again, perhaps it’s part of a genuinely laudable plan to transfer more of the management and control over to native Nicaraguans. Like the two other places I stayed at in Nica (Costa Dulce and Casa de Los Sartos), this one is owned by a foreigner because, fine, that’s who has the money. One way foreign owners can avoid the traps of neoimperialism or paternalism is by really putting in the time/effort/money to help the Nicaraguans find out what they want to do, so that perhaps they can be the ones running the place or starting up their own ventures. If the employees decide that they want to learn English - this might entail actually paying for their lessons with professional teachers rather than, say, putting out a call for a volunteer. You get what you pay for, right? (Why, yes, I am a member of the NEA.) As Americans (the owner is a fellow New Jerseyan who lives in Scandinavia), we’ve got a lot of bad karma to try and make up for in Nicaragua, and it sounds like their Bona Fide project was focused on community-led education before COVID. Finally, this place is remote with a bummmmpy driveway so you’ll definitely need to rent proper transportation. I tried an ATV (or quad) for the first time in my life (I’m 47) and it’s a good way to get around on your own, meet more Nicaraguans, and maybe even happen upon a local baseball game like I did. Just watch the curves. Or go the peaceful/sporty route and rent a bicycle. Oh and they have coconut water, y’all! Turns out it comes out of these hard balls that grow on trees.…

Date of stay: August 2022Trip type: Travelled solo

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

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Charlotte R wrote a review Aug 2022

3 contributions

The perfect place to stay.

WOW. What a fantastic place to stay. We absolutely LOVED it. We were supposed to stay only two nights but kept on booking another day until we stayed 6 days... The dogs were just lovely and Meg was incredibly helpful, thank you! The location was fabulous and the views were breathtaking. Would definitely recommend staying here!!

Date of stay: August 2022

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

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Jaz G wrote a review Aug 2022

San Jose, Costa Rica2 contributions

+1

Beautiful Stay

I stayed on the pitanga treehouse for about 5 days, fell in love with the scenery and how involved it was with nature. Great opportunity to visualize the importance of permaculture and sustainable living, especially focused on tourism. Loved the kitchen, they take the farm to fork seriously:) Staff was mostly local and really kind! Megan was super involved and helpful too! Definitely coming back to learn more and enjoy Ometepes nature. A beautiful experience all around 🌸

Date of stay: August 2022Trip type: Travelled as a couple

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

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Bsktbllcrazi33 wrote a review Aug 2022

4 contributions3 helpful votes

Magical Experience

If you are planning to go to Ometepe- this is THEEE place to stay at! Megan is SO helpful, you can pick fruits off the trees to eat, there are thousands of butterflies- the place is truly a magical experience. Breakfasts were amazing, and it is close by to many activities. I would HIGHLY recommend staying here, and also doing the petroglyph tour with Junior. Thank you thank you thank you for the incredible experience!!!

Date of stay: July 2022

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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

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Response from Megan walters, General Manager at Selvista Guesthouses

Responded 14 Aug 2022

Thanks for taking the time to leave us a review! We're happy you experienced the best tye island has to offer. Happy travels and hope to see you again soon

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Mar wrote a review Jun 2022

1 contribution

Do not hesitate to book

Stayed in the Chilamate Canopy Cabin for 3 nights and loved it. Beautiful wrap around balcony with jungle views and a hammock to enjoy it. Woken up each morning to the sound of the jungle waking up which was amazing. Incredibly comfortable bed, reasonable fan for the time of year I was there and good shower, cold water very welcome as it gets warm. Host was incredibly helpful, as were all the staff. Included breakfast was really good and there were daily changes to the cooked option. It was an easy walk to town and restaurants but as you are warned on the website, you do need a torch on phone as it is very dark in parts.

Date of stay: June 2022Trip type: Travelled solo

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

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Nemo H wrote a review May 2022

3 contributions

My favourite place on ometepe

Was blown away by this place. The owners are super responsive on WhatsApp with all the questions I had. They set up an ATV for me right at the ferry which really made my trip. And they have thought of everything in the rooms. A bottle of wine in case you’d like to buy one, a bar where you can buy soda or beer, and two order in food menus where you can get delivery in case you’d like to stay predominantly in your cabin. Additionally the place is just so special. Right in the jungle and surrounded by nature, with screens so you can hear the jungle all the time. Will be staying here every time I come to ometepe! 10/10

Date of stay: May 2022Trip type: Travelled solo

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

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Sightsee771288 wrote a review Apr 2022

14 contributions4 helpful votes

Hostel in 'Luxury' Clothing. WORST manager in all of the Americas

It’s easy to be fooled by the ’supermodel’ photos but once you get to Selvista, the make up comes off and this place is a glorified hostel. The tagline ‘barefoot luxury’ gives the place artistic license but in reality it’s down right tacky and service is shocking. This may have been a different review if they charged hostel prices (because that’s what it really is) since the ‘luxury’ pricing is a highway robbery. The WORST hotel manager I have ever come across in my life. Personification of expat-fatigue and 0 concern for guests. Refused to listen to anything that didn’t fit her idea of what the place was. Argued with me in front of other guests when I tried to logically explain my concerns… because you know, nothing can go wrong on her watch and really the problem is the dumb traveller who knows nothing. Just call me Jon Snow. The original design of the place may have had style but it isn’t maintained and in some parts are dangerous. There were empty sections in the railings on the third floor platform. Near a steep ladder and swings. Death wish much? We thought we were staying at an intimate permaculture farm. The extent of which was - see jackfruit on tree, be happy. I asked for a tour and it felt like asking an estranged relative for a kidney...didn't get. There was no information/direction, nothing to help orient us when we checked in. The driver who picked us up at the ferry showed us to the room and said - go to kitchen and pay. We went to kitchen and the person said (nicely) ‘please pay’ no information about the farm, no welcome, nothing… they just wanted the payment. The manager doesn’t show up until breakfast the next day and preferred long-winded/gas lighting WhatsApp messages to actually showing up for a minute to solve problems. Or, picking up the phone and having a conversation. So there’s really no one to help with anything. I don’t know how many ways I can say this - she simply doesn’t care. Also, at $100 price tag the local staff isn’t being paid in line… again, would be a very different review if the staff was taken care of in accordance to charges. Spend your hard earned money elsewhere. After a night here we moved up the mountain to Tocoto. The air was fresh and the ALL-LOCAL staff was happy to have us and took so much pride in their lodge. Also, their transportation charges were fair. They charged us $25 for a drop-off to the ferry. Selvista charges $45 for the same… why!?! O, same kind of vehicle. Lessons learned - I’m thinking of starting my own permaculture farm and building treehouse rentals. I was on a due diligence mission. Big lesson learned - pay people well, hire those who care about the property and the people who visit it. So simple… but so hard.…

Date of stay: April 2022

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Room Tip: Don't do it. Go to to Totoco

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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

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Response from Megan walters, General Manager at Selvista Guesthouses

Responded 1 May 2022

We've taken on board some of your points about extra balcony covers and lampshades. The balconies have been filled with extra rails for those that bring young children. We recommend all guests reserving to check housing descriptions and photos before booking to assure that they're suitable for their needs. Each booking channel has many images and descriptions. If any of your concerns had been raised when you arrived early afternoon we would have been able to assist personally. We have local staff attending on the farm 24/7. The english speaking manager is also available for assistance for queries throughout the day, but at 8.30pm when your complaints began it was a little late for us to come and visit you in person. Your original complaints were also regarding services you had received by drivers on the mainland, so outside of our range of control. (It appears you had offered the driver a tip and then later decided he should have given you change but only decided to communicate that to us, not him, many hours later). It was only once we let you know we couldn't assist further with that that you began to make us aware that you weren't happy with anything about the place. Regardless we paid you the difference you said was due from him. In case anyone is looking for more info about the farm, the island or tips for their stay we have info books in the kitchen, in each guesthouse, in the welcoming messages when you reserve and on our website. We can also attend any needs or queries personally during daytime hours. There is certainly not lack of info around the place for anyone who cares to look! Apologies that the tour times didn't fit with your availability. Future guests are advised to book in advance if their schedules are tight. This guest was on a two night stay and requested a tour. We suggested a time that didn't didn't work for them, we were trying to rearrange our commitments for the next day to fit the guest's needs but the guest decided to leave the next morning instead. We are more than happy to show off the farm and explain the workings and philosophy to our visitors. Especially to those who have no clue about permaculture- it would have been especially useful in this case to point out the range of edible and medicinal plants just around the Jungle house aside from the one recognized jackfruit tree (from the balcony alone you can see coconuts, bananas, mangos, bamboo, Pitanga, cacao, coffee, galangal). Our permaculture farm consists of 22 acres - including hundreds of edible plants alongside herbs, natural construction materials and medicinals, a plant nursery, several animals, guesthouses, a bi-lingual education center for children and salad gardens... so requires more than just a cursory glance to get to know. For those that don't understand permaculture myself and our staff are happy to explain the basics. To clarify our pricing and accommodation style: we are not a hostel. We have no shared dorms nor shared bathrooms. All guesthouses are private. The house in question here was $100 for three people in Easter week with two floors, volcano views, hot water and fiber optic wifi with breakfast and taxes included. If this seems above your budget a hostel may indeed be better for your needs. The assertions about our staff pay are well off the mark. We have some of the highest paid staff in the area. We also fund community projects and donate time, materials and funds to local education projects, health projects and sports projects. We ensure our products are conscious and quality. We assure sustainable employment in times of economic instability and make sure our guests are all well looked after in terms of health and training. This is how we justify our prices. For reference: our taxi to the port is $40 for up to 4 people including cold drinks, english speaking drivers and door to door service. There are no other vehicles such as the one we offer on the island. It's a comfortable Nissan Frontera, less than 4 years old with ample luggage space. We do not claim to offer the cheapest services; we offer the highest quality. We understand travelling during the busiest (and hottest) week of the year with children can be stressful. Saying that, we would ask our guests to be reasonable and respectful. We see our services as reciprocal. None of our staff need to take abuse from visitors, it will not be tolerated here

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Alexandra G wrote a review Apr 2022

2 contributions

The most amazing stay during a six month road trip through Central America!

My boyfriend and I were on a six month road trip from NYC to Costa Rica & back. Selvista guesthouses was by far one of the most beautiful and memorable places we stayed and we can't wait to go back one day. The bungalows are very nicely decorated, the beds are so comfortable and the breakfast in the morning is delicious. I'm vegan and was beyond satisfied with the fresh fruits, vegetables and juices I was offered every morning. Everything was always prepared in a new and exciting way. I would definitely recommend Selvista guesthouses to anyone who is interested in staying in a clean, relaxing paradise surrounded by nature. There are of course insects and bugs throughout the property, but since Ometepe is a lush jungle island it would honestly be very weird if there weren't any bugs! Megan was a very gracious host as well and helped us plan all the activities we did on the island, including hiking Maderas Volcano and renting an atv. If you'd like to hear more about our trip our stay check out our youtube channel Los Grooovies. Safe travels!…

Date of stay: April 2022

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Room Tip: the luxury suites with volcano views are stunning.

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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

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Lauren B wrote a review Apr 2022

Victoria, Canada2 contributions2 helpful votes

Terrible customer service by owner

NEVER AGAIN!! Don’t do it…The place is infested with bugs, swarms, in every outdoor area, the rooms, bathrooms and showers. The owners do not spend time there, so when I originally tried to cancel our second room for my cousin who was having flight delays and wasn’t going to be able to make it, I was told by the staff they couldn’t do anything until the boss was there. Which wasn’t until the morning we were checking out. By that time I had already contacted booking.com and they put in a refund request and told me the refund was granted. Then when my husband went to politely ask for our cash back for the room, the woman at the counter was SO rude and combative right away. Told him he didn’t have confirmation from booking to receive a refund (which we did) and she just continued to be rude and had zero comprehension of any sort of customer service or hospitality. Instead of just giving us back our $70, (which the room was not worth) or kindly explaining to us why she was unable to refund us, she threw in our faces that she had already authorized the cancelation for one night and wouldn’t be doing it again. We go back and forth to Ometepe often, they could have had loyal consistent customers but after our awful experience we will never be going back there and will make sure to advise our friends and those in our community to avoid at all costs. Bugs we can deal with but the way we were treated by the owner was awful and uncalled for… hopefully she doesn’t treat her staff the same……

Date of stay: April 2022Trip type: Travelled with family

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

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Response from Megan walters, General Manager at Selvista Guesthouses

Responded 17 Apr 2022

Xayoles are small flying (harmless) bugs that are prevailent on Ometepe during the peak of dry season. They are most active between 3pm and sunset. Guests should bare that in mind when booking their trip. It is outside of our control. However, those who would like to minimize their interaction with said bugs can reserve an enclosed room such as the Jungle House, Forest View, Mango house or Jackfruit House. Homestead House (which the reviewers stayed in) has an outdoor en-suite shower and open window spaces and a front gate, rather than closed door. It therefore has no way to keep the creatures that live on the island out. All rooms have mosquito-nets around the beds. You can see photos and descriptions of each room in order to select the most appropriate. Potential guests should please note our cancellation policy when booking and be aware that they are set for a reason and are non-negotiable. If this doesn't work for your needs please do not reserve in advance but instead search for remaining availability on the day to avoid issues. As we uphold our side of having the room ready and available we expect a reciprocal respect from guests reserving in advance too. Our farm is pretty popular and has plenty of repeat visitors wanting to stay. We would like to clarify the events that occured as you demanded a refund on a non-refundable reservation: We live on the farm. Around 50 meters from the room you stayed in. We are always available via messaging if not in person. You reserved two rooms for two nights. You called us to cancel both rooms the day before your arrival. Even though our cancellation policy states that's that is not possible for free, and it didn't really affect your reservation that your cousin's flight was delayed, and - even more so- being the busiest week of the year, we allowed it anyway as we empathized with your situation and you asked nicely. We lost the chance to re-book your first night with the last minute notice you gave, and had received inquiries for people wanting to stay for those dates and informed them we were fully booked, but we took that loss for the team. You arrived and checked in for the second night and paid for the two rooms - half your original total. Our staff told you nothing of the sort about 'waiting for the boss'. You had our contact details and had been using them to cancel the day before. We heard nothing from you until the day of your checkout. The next morning when your husband came to breakfast he angrily told us we had to give you a refund before even saying good morning, as your cousin had not made it in the end. We refused and explained that the date had now passed, and last minute cancellations are charged as normal. This wasn't just last minute- it was after the fact! You saw how crappy his attitude was as you even apologized for him when you came in to see the awkward atmosphere. I explained again to you more calmly why we would not be offering a refund. While we empathize, your cousin's flight issues were not our fault or responsibility. As for living here and us missing out on your repeat custom, we would expect people familiar with the situation in Nicaragua to be more reasonable- it has been a tough 4 years for the tourism industry. This is the first season that has been busy for years. Semana Santa is the busiest week for tourism of the year. April is the hottest month. There are bugs in the jungle in the tropics. All of this information is very well known to residents. Anyone who cannot consider all of this and be friendly when asking for favors, nor respect the terms and conditions of a reservation, is the kind of repeat custom we don't want, thank you. Other guests and staff were shocked with the way your group handled yourself the morning you left and commented upon it at your departure.

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Katy C wrote a review Apr 2022

1 contribution2 helpful votes

AVOID!

This place is not as advertised. The mosquitos are UNREAL- one of the rooms is only accessible by a steep ladder which our small kids couldn't navigate. Road in is super rough and property is VERY isolated. No breeze and extremely hot and just covered in mosquitos. When we had to leave because our kids literally couldn't get up and down the ladder to their room, they refused to refund any of our deposit.

Date of stay: April 2022

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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

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Response from Megan walters, General Manager at Selvista Guesthouses

Responded 17 Apr 2022

There are no mosquitoes on the island at this time of year. You must have been confusing the (harmless/mouthless/stingless) xayoles - small flying bugs that exist on the island. Not much we can do about those unfortunately! Of course it's hot, you chose to travel in the tropics in the hottest month of the year. You wrote to us with your kids age and we offered you a ground floor room with them. They had no need to go up the stepladder if they couldn't. You paid a 50% deposit for a 5 night stay for three accommodations in the busiest week of the year. The invoice we sent you months ago clearly states the terms and conditions of not being refundable within 30 days of the check in date. That is not negotiable. Especially when you have had the chance to view all the housing in detail using the links we sent you when booking. Our road is rocky, yes. It's on the side of a volcano on a tropical island in the 'jungle', as advertised. Saying that guests arrive in all kinds of vehicles including scooters, so still accessible. Our setting is 'remote', yes. It is also just 15 minutes on foot to the town center where there are stores, restaurants and bus routes. Future guests are recommended to review accommodations before booking to check it suits your need. Deposits are not refundable within 30 days of arrival.

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

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