Rancho Santana

The grounds and facilities are beautiful, so I had high expectations. However, service was extremely disappointing. After 2 difficult days of travel to arrive, I was not able to check in to my room until late that evening, forcing me to spend hundreds of dollars for use of the spa so that I could shower. The bathroom sink in the villa dislocated from the counter during my stay, with no excessive pressure. The number of towels was not sufficient. Requests to housekeeping for the packages of coffee that had been promised went unheeded.

We had a reservation at the Rosada restaurant and we were treated very poorly at the front gate. Even after making all the arrangements with the concierge "Elvis" and sending copies of our passport prior to getting there. They didn't want to let us in. After about 10 minutes of just sitting there trying to explain we had a reservation, we just turned around and give our business to another restaurant .

Their reservation line is surprisingly bad for such an expensive resort that markets itself as luxury. They don't respond half the time and take a very long time to process a simple booking request. Please address as this is hurting your business and bookings!

We hosted our wedding at Rancho in December of 2021 and we don't think it's an exaggeration to say it was the greatest wedding of all time Thanks to Erik, Dominga, and all the incredible staff, not only did we have the wedding of our dreams, but our friends and family had the adventure of a lifetime too. My wife and I love Nicaragua. It's a special place and Rancho does a great job of letting the best parts of the country (its ruggedness, the people, the jungle, the ocean, the food) shine through while also giving you a luxury experience. We typically stay at surf hotels so it was definitely a treat. Coordinating a 3-day wedding for 50+ guest is a feat, but Erik and Dominga made the process so much easier for us and our guests. They were responsive and went through every detail with us to make sure we had confidence going into our big day. We were able to give them high level ideas (and yes, some very particular and unreasonable requests), and they made sure those ideas were executed to perfection. We didn't anticipate all the micro-decisions that had to be made, but they gave us options and their recommendations to make those decisions much easier. Even though we were stressed as the day approached, they went above and beyond to make sure we and our guests had everything we needed. Dominga even hopped on the phone with a customs agent when a friend was having problems at the Nicaraguan border. The food and drinks are excellent. Both the restaurants and the wedding food delivered in a big way. We may be biased, but several friends unsolicited said it was the best wedding food they'd ever had. From the casual first night at La Boquita, to the family style meal at the reception, to the recovery tacos and ceviche on the beach they day after the party, everything was fresh, local, and delicious. The beauty of Rancho can't be overstated. The architecture of The Inn and all the other accommodations is beautiful and the construction is solid. But, what really shines is the stunning natural landscape of Nicaragua. At any given moment, you are either staring at the ocean or walking through a jungle of lush greenery. Definitely hit up the spa and yoga. They are located at the top of a set of natural rock stairs which is a nice walk in itself. When you get to the top, both the yoga studio and the spa overlook treetops. Both the yoga classes and massages are among the best we've ever had. In New York where we're from, spas and yoga studios play rainforest sounds over a speaker. At Rancho, you get the real deal. Get ready for the soothing sounds of rain, birds, monkeys, and leaves rustling in the wind. The surf shop has a great selection of boards and great instructors and guides. Whether you're a complete novice or someone looking to improve, you can't go wrong. We went to a new break near we'd never been to before and Lances Left with Darwin who was awesome. They also have a surf photographer. We're always in the water a

Rancho Santana is heaven on earth! This was my third trip and it never disappoints. The service is 5 star. Everyone from Richardo and Katharine at the front desk to Barman who lead us on hikes, the staff is amazing. Manuel provided rides and Julia (the yoga instructor) were instrumental in making it an unforgettable experience. This place is a mix of ranch and 5 star resort (I use this. term loosely as it is more of a community than resort). The people are very casual and easy going. No one is pretentious! There are lots of activities from hiking to mountain biking to sand boarding down dunes. The staff notified me when the turtles were hatching and made sure to get me there to witness this amazing event. the restaurants are amazing and all reasonably priced. You have your choice of beaches each with their own personalities. This 3000 acre paradise is beyond pictures (hate to tell people about it just because it's natural beauty is relatively unspoiled and I'd love for it to stay this way!). They have their own sustainable herb and vegetable gardens and everything is made right there. The store on site (la tienda) carries everything from fresh fruit and fresh baked goods, to prepared meals to coffee and all the necessities at reasonable prices. They have a tennis court and people have brought their own paddles to play pickleball. The beauty of the place is beyond description and I love that you have your choice of accommodations from the Inn to casitas or Condo along with homes that you can rent. There are no big "hotels" or cheesy resort music. Our favorite beach is Los Parros where you will find the most amazing views and surf along with the best ever fish tacos or burritos and guac made with the largest avocados I've ever seen! The property is a bit difficult to get to, but the Ranch does an amazing job coordinating every transfer. If you are renting a house where you need to rent a vehicle, the hills on the property can be treacherous and you would need 4 wheel drive. We, however, were able to use the hotel's transportation within the property to get to wherever we needed to go! It was timely and convenient!

The property is beautiful very nice people and great rooms. The food, is ok. The main dining is not very good and I would avoid eating there. The other little places on the property are very good. Skip the main dining area.