A new addition to La Ceiba’s shore, the Quinta Real (tel. 504/440-3311, www.quintarealhotel.com, US$104–141 s/d, US$141–228 suite) is a sprawling, tile-roofed, beige and white, resort-style hotel with all the amenities, including a pool, restaurant, three bars (one of them poolside), a spa and gym, a beauty salon, tennis courts, and a business center. (The website might leave you thinking there’s even scuba diving instruction on-site, but it’s not.)

The 81 rooms and suites, offering air-conditioning, telephone, TV, and Internet access, range in price depending on whether they look over the sea or back toward town. Those facing town are also just across the street from the very popular La Palapa bar, so unless you plan to be up late as well, it’s worth springing for an ocean view. There have been very mixed reports about service.

The grounds are beautiful and they keep their portion of the beach clean. Unfortunately, the ocean at La Ceiba is unswimmably filthy from city sewage.