Casa del Bosque
200m East of the Rio Balgue and 400m South, Altagracia, Rivas, Balgue, Isla de Ometepe Nicaragua
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About
#3 of 10 B&Bs / Inns in Balgue
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Value
Casa del Bosque is a 3 bedroomed "Off Grid" bed and breakfast farm house in the village of Balgue, Isla de Ometepe. We are set back from the road in a peaceful and relaxing location with great views onto Lake Nicaragua and both volcanoes. The property is set amid the salad gardens and farm woodlands and each room has its own veranda with hammocks, chairs and tables.
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Property amenities
Free parking
Free High Speed Internet (WiFi)
Free breakfast
Bicycles available
Children Activities (Kid / Family Friendly)
Airport transportation
Non-smoking hotel
Outdoor furniture
Wifi
Bar / lounge
Shuttle bus service
Shared kitchen
Shared lounge / TV area
Laundry service
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Room features
Housekeeping
Room types
Non-smoking rooms
Suites
Family rooms
Good to know
HOTEL STYLE
Great View
Languages Spoken
English, Spanish
Location
Contact
200m East of the Rio Balgue and 400m South, Altagracia, Rivas, Balgue, Isla de Ometepe Nicaragua
Getting there
See all nearby hotels
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The farm is just amazing. Ben is the host and he is doing everything to make you feel at home. We had a perfect breakfast, he even offers free bikes to explore the island. It's very easy to communicate and Ben is always open to suggestions and questions. Next to the farm house he also has an restaurant with excellent food. I would really recommend this! Couldn't find better on the island.
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Date of stay: January 2020Trip 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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+1
We stayed here for 3 nights, we strongly recommend it if you enjoy the jungle and the quiet environment, except for the wildlife ;) The service here is very personal and nice, Juan is a great help around the house and town He had to pick us up from the town 3 times and was happy to do it. They offer free bikes to explore and they are wel maintained. Every morning they make a great breakfast for the guests and offer to clean the room. Juan also helped us to get from Ometepe to San Juan del sur for a decent price! Waking up around 5 to hear the howler monkeys in the nearby trees was an amazing experience!
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Date of stay: November 2019Trip type: Travelled as a couple
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We were so in love with this place that we decided to stay one day longer.The staff is very friendly and helpful, the homemade breakfast is delicious and the best thing are the views from the huge balcony with hammocks. If you love nature, this is an amazing place to relax while surrounded with wildlife. And we loved the dogs!
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Date of stay: February 2019Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Value
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I came here expecting something nice when you see the reviews and it was a big mistake. The place is indeed nice, the garden cool and ben and juan are extremely friendly. However, you must wake up at 6 am since the girls who "prepare" the breakfast are being extremely noisy. You have no privacy AT ALL: everyone sees what you do in your room, and they like to watch.. be warned The bed is small : I'm 1m85 and couldn't lie straight. Mosquito nets are peirced and dirty so better bring your own. Owner has two huge pitbull that freely wander around. I'm not afraid of dogs but if you are, or if you have children then you must avoid this place. The cleaning/cooking girls apparently need to clean every room before they can leave, they'll therefore do everything to finish as early as possible...sometimes even coming in your room while you didn't authorize them to do so. Also try to avoid washing your clothes there, since it costs a lot. Around 15 $ for a small pack of clothes, which is almost double than my homeland and the clothes are still wet when given back. You can take drinks in the fridge, which is cool since you are 25 minutes of walking away of any restaurants, but they are 50 % more expensive than anywhere else. Overall, for 40 dollars you are trapped in a place that is away from everything, has small comfort, no privacy and bad cleaning / respect mechanics. If the price was 20 $ i would have put 4 stars but here, i think it's easy to find better elsewhere.…
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Date of stay: February 2018Trip type: Travelled as a couple
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This was one of the places I was having the highest expectations about in Nicaragua due to the great ratings. They are definetly deceiving. You 100% can get more for your 40 bucks a night on Ometepe. The +: very nice owner and staff. Ben's communication before and during was friendly, he also helped us book a motorbike which was nice. Juan, the guy who does the taxi between the restaurant and the hotel, is awesome and super nice. The food of the cafe campestre is also really good. The remoteness of the hotel and the jungle outside has its charm, a lot of birds to be heard. The - : no privacy in the room: whether you are on your terrace or undressing in your room, people pass by all morning and you are completely exposed, which is so frustrating given how far away from everything the hotel is. The room lacked a lot of the little appliances that can make it confortable : no mirror in the bathroom (my husband had to shave with a pocket miror), no light, the room itself was quite small, as indicated in other comments the moskito net was damaged. The dry toilet is not a bad idea in itself but the cut bottle they use to pour rice is not convienent ,there was a stupid wood piece close to the bed in which we knocked our foot ten times a day.... so basically there are tons of small details that make the room incomfortable. The ladies prepare a good breakfast but don't ask you what you want so if you have food intolerances/or you're vegan, you end up with something you can't eat. Last but not least the room was VERY loud from the ladies at 6 am in the living room, no chance to sleep in the morning. To summarize : eat at cafe campestre but go somewhere else to sleep. …
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Date of stay: February 2018Trip type: Travelled as a couple
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we couldn't expect better. Well located in a quiet place in the middle of the forest. The room was was very pleasant and the deck very peaceful. We really enjoyed the overall atmosphere. But what was the best point in this hotel are the services that it offers to the guests: free bike (very useful to visit the island), delicious breakfast made with local product from the farm, possibility to order meals in the restaurant that belongs to the hotels (and free delivery directly in your room), free transportation from Balgue to the hotel. No need to think to another place to stay for our next visit.
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Date of stay: January 2018Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Location
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Sleep Quality
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+1
I really recommend this place for people interested in the Island of Ometepe in Nicaragua. Casa del Bosque is ideal for people interested in supporting community based tourism and local 'farm to fork' value chains. If this sort of thing is of interest to you, this house is a really bargain and leave feeling that you're a part of a much larger, positive effort. The house has three rooms at the moment and will have four. The rooms have a mosquito net and a lovely veranda overseeing a working farm. The veranda is full of hammocks and chairs to read and have some privacy while overlooking the forest and farm. The floors are made of beautiful wood and there are lovely wooden beams exposed on the wall and in the ceiling. The bathrooms are beautiful and the toilets are self contained compost toilets that are cleaned out every day or so. The showers are with cold water. This house and farm is a labor of love. Once the sun rises, the sounds of birds woke me up but it was lovely but if you're looking for complete quiet this might not be for you. Also, the light can wake you up if you don't have a sleeping mask. The morning breakfast is lovely and is served family-style with any other guests staying in the house. If you want a variety or a diet with a bit more fibre I recommend bringing your own oatmeal. The breakfast is usually platano, stir-fried tomatoes and eggs. Sometimes there's bread or hashbrowns and local coffee is always served. The staff is very friendly and tend to clean the rooms and the house while you eat. This place is particularly great for people who don't mind walking about a kilometer and a half from the central Balgue to the farm. There's a bit of a climb and at night you'll need a head lamp. That being said, Ben is super helping and often you can get a ride (sometimes for a modest fee) from the house to the Cafe Campestre! I also recommend you have plenty of deet (above 40% or so) to help ward off the insects. The rooms themselves seem not to have many insects but using the net provide is a good idea. If you have stomach issues, you might consider bringing your own water but all in all the filter water provided for free at the house seems to be very good and filters out 99% of most parasites and bacteria. Ben is wonderful with helping you set up local hikes. Make sure to read the book in the house with his recommendations. He's incredible friendly and approachable and willing to tell you all about his farm, house and his general work in the area. He really walks the talk as he employs 47 local people and supplies the island with his sustainable, organic farm produce and meat. He offers bikes for you to borrow and can set up with motor rentals. Ben has a restaurant called Cafe Campestre in Balgue and is the best place nearby to eat - we had all our other meals there! All in all, this place is a really special find and you'll have an off-the-beaten path, memorable experience if you stay here!…
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Date of stay: January 2018Trip type: Travelled with family
Rooms
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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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+1
We were fortunate enough to have the room in the first cabin overlooking the ocean. The room was very spacious and had a large balcony, where we could take out our rocking chairs or hang our hammock. We could see birds from our deck and one afternoon a monkey was in the tree not far away. We shared a living room and kitchen with one other room. Our rooms had flush toilets, while the main house had eco-toilets. Every evening and early morning we could hear the howler monkeys nearby. Breakfast was at the main house every morning and was always good. It is a bit of a walk to town and you need to walk back in the evenings in the dark - there is a flashlight available in your room (we brought head lamps).We always felt safe walking, even at night. The WifI is inconsistent in the room, but great at their restaurant. Bring your own shampoo, etc. You can also order from the restaurant from your room for delivery (menu and phone are in the kitchen) and it is delivered by motorcycle. The grounds are beautiful. There are 3 dogs on site, but while they are energetic, they are also friendly. There are bikes on site you can borrow for free. The owner and Abel can arrange tours and transportation for you - both on the island as well as getting from Granada or to another city afterwards.…
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Date of stay: November 2017Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Location
Service
Room Tip: Front room of the first cabin has a great view and balcony.
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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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This place is beautiful You wake up and walk out on your deck and You’re surrounded by beauty! Breakfast and coffee is made at the casa and the staff is so friendly! The owner is so personable and informative! Bikes on site It was so clean and nice to meet other people! I highly recommend this place
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Date of stay: October 2017Trip type: Travelled with friends
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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If you want to relax & enjoy the true beauty of Ometepe then this is the place! My hubby & I stayed 2 nights and loved this farm in the midst of the tropical forest with Maderas volcano as the backdrop. (If it were not for mosquitos & heat our time would have been perfect, neither of which the owner Ben can do much about since it is an organic farm without AC.) we spent lots of time on the balcony amazed at the variety of flowers, butterflies, birds and monkeys. We are a bit older than the average Ometepe visitor but we found Casa del Bosque and the Island to be a wonderful experience. (We also stayed 2 nights at another hotel) Ben and his staff are helpful and kind. Breakfast at the Casa, as well the meals at Cafe Campestre, are indeed delicious. (And believe me, with the heat of Nica you will want to be up and out early. 7 am is a good breakfast time.) There are dogs on the farm but they are friendly and under control. we had no problem with them, except they are allowed in the common area. The composting toilets do not stink and our mosquito net was just fine. We were thankful for the fan. The electricity did go out for a few hours, again not Ben's fault but the nature of where the farm is. Which, yes you will need transport to get around the island. We came via taxi from the ferry then rented a motorcycle and loved it. I appreciate the business Ben has built, the employment he provides for locals and the opportunity to share his beautiful retreat. …
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Date of stay: September 2017Trip 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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LOCATION
NicaraguaRivas DepartmentIsla de OmetepeBalgue
NUMBER OF ROOMS
3
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Frequently Asked Questions about Casa del Bosque
Which popular attractions are close to Casa del Bosque?
Nearby attractions include Volcan Maderas (4.1 km), Ojo de Agua (7.5 km), and Cascada de San Ramon (6.1 km).
What are some of the property amenities at Casa del Bosque?
Some of the more popular amenities offered include free wifi, free breakfast, and a lounge.
What food & drink options are available at Casa del Bosque?
Guests can enjoy free breakfast and a lounge during their stay.
What are some restaurants close to Casa del Bosque?
Conveniently located restaurants include Cafe Campestre, Pizzeria Mediterranea Bar Ristorante, and El Pital Chocolate Paradise.
Does Casa del Bosque have an airport shuttle?
Yes, Casa del Bosque offers an airport shuttle for guests. We recommend calling ahead to confirm details.
Does Casa del Bosque have airport transportation?
Yes, Casa del Bosque offers airport transportation for guests. We recommend calling ahead to confirm details.
Which languages are spoken by the staff at Casa del Bosque?
The staff speaks multiple languages, including English and Spanish.