$50–100

Most of the San Juan del Sur [1] hotels in this category include breakfast and free wireless Internet; you can also expect hot water and private bathroom, air-conditioning, and TV in your room.

Hotel Villa Isabella (across from the northeast corner of the Catholic church, tel. 505/2568-2568, http://villaisabellasjds.com [2]) charges $75 plus tax for large rooms with private bath, air-conditioning, TV, heated pool, and $95–150 for family-friendly condos. This pristine, 13-room bed-and-breakfast is two minutes from the beach, and offers business services, full wheelchair accessibility, a huge selection of DVDs, and free calls to the U.S. or Europe. Their breakfast is no meager continental affair: homemade waffles, cinnamon rolls, banana pancakes, breakfast burritos, fresh fruit, and great coffee.

Frederica’s B&B (waterfront, tel. 505/2568-2489, www.fredericasbandb.com [3]) has a pair of lovely, fully equipped doubles for $60. Hotel Colonial (half a block from the park, tel. 505/2568-2539, www.hotel-nicaragua.com [4], $54 d) has 12 rooms and decent parking; the lush interior garden is a lovely place to relax.

La Posada Azul (half a block east of BDF bank, tel. 505/2568-2524, www.laposadaazul.com [5], $80–120) has lovely rooms, breakfast included, Wi-Fi, and a small pool. Tasteful decor, lazily-spinning wicker ceiling fans, and classy wood-grained ambience echo the remodeled building’s 90-year history.

A short taxi ride outside of town, in the Las Delicias neighborhood on the road to the southern beaches, is Aventura Lodge (tel. 505/8903-7622, www.aventurasanjuan.com [6], $70). Pretty but dark rooms have somewhat cheap mattresses and border a whimsical pool and lush garden courtyard. Beds in the quirky treehouse palapa are $20 a night and “jungle suites” start at $55; rates include a self-serve breakfast of yogurt, granola, and fruit. Mind the resident parrot, who can be delightful or annoying depending on what time you hit the sack.