The fanciest place in town (such as it is) is
Flamingo’s (tel. 504/658-9199, flamingosomoa [at] yahoo [dot] com [dot] ar, US$47 s, US$57 d), right on the beach, with attractive wood-paneled rooms with tile floors, nice bathrooms, TV, and air-conditioning. Prices include a desayuno típico of eggs, beans, and tortillas. Unlike at many beach-front hotels, the prices do not change during peak times such as Semana Santa. There is a comfortable bar, and the most attractive restaurant on the beach, built up on a platform at the water’s edge.

Roli’s Place (tel./fax 504/658-9082, www.yaxpactours.com) is a five-minute walk from the beach, with a wide variety of accommodations. True penny-pinchers can camp or sleep in a hammock for US$3, or take a bed in the rather dank dorm room for US$4. There are several shared toilets and showers, one of which has hot water (although it’s available only during the cold season). Cramped but tidy private rooms start at US$8 for one person with a shared bath, US$12 with a private (cold water) bath.

The rooms surround a shady yard of mango and coconut trees, with an outdoor communal kitchen, pila for washing clothes (or pay US$2 to have five pounds washed for you), and a ping-pong table. The dorm patio shelters a large wood table, perfect for writing out postcards while nursing a chilled beer. Note that while beer and wine are allowed on the premises, hard alcohol is not, no parties are allowed, and guests are expected to keep it quiet after 10 p.m. A second yard is lined by three much, much nicer private rooms with their own patio and hammocks. These rooms are spacious and tasteful, with decent linens and tiled floors, private bathrooms, and hot water, and are a steal at US$13 d, US$16 d (US$4 more for a/c). Abundant guest services (free drinking water, bikes, kayaks, games, guitars, etc.) complete the scene. Roli’s is on the road toward Omoa center, on your left-hand side, 70 meters before you reach the beach.

Many of the other rooms in town are either overpriced or rather disappointing—be sure to take a look before putting money down, so you know what you’re getting. Across the road from Flamingo’s is Hotel Bahia de Omoa (tel. 504/658-9076, US$26 s/d), with four second-story rooms, two with bathtubs, all with air-conditioning, hot water, private bath, and cable TV—all in all rather basic for the price.

The midrange Hotel Tatiana (tel. 504/658-9186, US$21 s or d, US$42 s or d with a/c) is a motel-style setup down by the beach with parking, with overpriced but simple and clean rooms.

Hotel Michelle (tel. 504/658-9104), down the road, has rooms starting at US$13, along with a murky pool. The Coco Bay (tel. 504/658-9001, www.cocobayomoa.com, US$49 s, US$61 d), past Roli’s heading away from the beach, looks promising at first glance, but the rooms are pretty basic and cold water only. The one plus is the clean pool.

Those looking for luxury will be happy with Omoa Bay condominiums (tel. 504/553-4358, www.vrbo.com/134328), right on a safe, semiprivate stretch of beach. There are six three-bedroom apartments, fully equipped with quality linens, plasma TVs, wireless Internet, and the like, along with three shared decks and a swimming pool. The views are fabulous. Rates are US$1,100–1,400 per week depending on the season and number of guests, or higher during Holy Week and New Year’s.