Hacienda El Jaral

On the highway toward San Pedro Sula [1], 15 kilometers from Copán Ruinas [2], is the venerable Hacienda El Jaral (tel. 504/552-4457 or 504/552-5067, US$50 d), founded as a working ranch in 1870. Now run as a hotel by the great-grandson of the original owner, Hacienda El Jaral is around a large grassy field.

Accommodations are in cozy cabins with stucco walls and wood furniture, each with hot water, ceiling fan and air-conditioning, TV, a mini-fridge, and a hammock on a small porch. There is a small swimming pool, a game room, a restaurant, and even a chapel, and weddings are occasionally held here.

Activities include horseback riding, hiking, mountain biking, and tubing on the nearby Río Copán.