Accommodations

With tourism still in first gear, and not much else going on in Trujillo [1] either, good hotel options in town are limited. Visitors can camp out at Casa Kiwi or Casa Alemania.

In Town

Conveniently located in front of the park, although rather dark, is Hotel Colonial (tel. 504/434-4011, US$26 s/d), with air-conditioning- and TV-equipped rooms.

The O’Glynn Hotel (tel. 504/434-4592, US$20 s, US$26 d), three blocks uphill from the square, rents modern, spacious rooms with air-conditioning in a newly built annex. In the lobby of the hotel is a complete set of framed topographical maps of the region, an interesting collection of pre-Columbian jade figurines, and a copy of the testimony of the founding of Trujillo [1] on May 18, 1525, in the name of Cortés, written by Captain Francisco de las Casas.

For something more upscale, try Villa Vista Dorada (tel. 504/434-4465, U.S. tel. 404/872-4111, www.trujillohonduras.com/rental-villa-vista.htm [2]), a three-bedroom private home available for rent (US$120/night for up to four people, US$20 extra for additional people, or US$600/week). Although it’s far from the beach, the hillside location grants a fantastic view, and the owners have a private strip of beach available for guest use, complete with guardhouse, champa, and shower.

On the Beach

In Barrio Cristales is Hotel Cocopando (tel. 504/434-4748, US$8 s/d with fan, US$26 s/d with a/c and TV), a three-story concrete structure on a clean stretch of beach; the cheap rooms are popular with backpackers. The Garífuna restaurant serves decent fish and chuleta de cerdo (pork chops).

Three kilometers from town along a very bumpy dirt road leading west to Santa Fe is Tranquility Bay (tel. 504/9928-2095, www.tranquilitybayhonduras.com [3], US$46 s, US$52 d), in a great setting right on the bay. Five small cabins are lined across a grassy yard that gives way to sand and sea.

The pastel cabins are basically large guest rooms, with soft yellow walls, Guatemalan bedspreads, and large Mayan wood carvings on the walls. One of the cabins also has a full kitchen (all have mini-fridges and purified water). There are no TVs or air-conditioning, but porch hammocks provide entertainment, and ceiling fans and shuttered windows generate a great breeze. The two champas on the beach shelter stone tables, perfect for a picnic or a beer, or try a wood-fired pizza at the hotel’s restaurant. The American-Peruvian hotel managers, Jim and Gloria, will do everything to make sure you have a great stay. Rates are negotiable in the low season.

Right next door is Campamento Hotel and Restaurant (tel. 504/9991-3391, US$42 s/d with fan, US$63 with a/c and private porch), where service has reportedly gone downhill. The beach remains great, and there is air-conditioning, so it may be a good option for some, but readers have reported exceptionally slow service at the restaurant (even for Honduras) and mediocre food. Aggressive dogs are often let loose on the beach at nightfall, so don’t come here with visions of a evening stroll on the golden sands. There’s a swimming pool for the use of guests only.

Five kilometers past the entrance to Trujillo [1] down the road toward Puerto Castilla is Casa Kiwi (tel. 504/9967-2052, www.casakiwi.com [4]), an excellent and popular option for backpackers and other low-key travelers run by a friendly New Zealander with plenty of knowledge about the area. The large house just off the beach has two dorm rooms with beds (US$5.25 pp) and three private rooms (US$8.50 s, US$9.50 d), all simple but clean, with hot water and fans. There are also two rooms with fans and shared bath (US$9.50–17 depending on the number of guests—up to four). More recently constructed and closer to the beach, three individual cabanas have high vaulted ceilings, air-conditioning, hot water, and private baths (US$32 s, 37 d). The grounds also make a great place to pitch a tent (only US$3).

The owner runs a screened-in bar and restaurant with three meals a day, making it worth a trip out from town for an afternoon to eat, drink some beers, enjoy the beach, and chat with other guests. Outside is a covered shelter with hammocks, encouraging an excellent community vibe. Internet is available to guests. The hotel has a van and they’re happy to pick up and drop off guests at the bus station (no matter the hour) for a reasonable rate (around US$5, depending on gas prices). They’ll also help travelers get into town, for example, to hit the discos on weekends. Otherwise, to get there, catch a Puerto Castilla–bound bus or, in the evening, a US$10 cab.

Casa Alemania (tel. 504/434-4466) is a relaxed beachfront hotel, with top-notch German cooking by the owner, Gunther. (Nonguests can come for a meal if they call ahead.) No two rooms on the property are alike, but they are all simple, decent, and spacious, as well as very clean. Rooms (US$24–30.50 s, US$30.50–37 d) have tile floors, TV, and hot water; most are spacious. There is a small apartment with eight twin beds that rents for US$10 per person. Budget travelers can camp out for US$5, or if you’re really down to your last lempira, borrow a hammock and sleep out for free. (If the hotel isn’t full, you can probably negotiate a cheaper rate for one of the rooms if you don’t feel like camping.) Hearty breakfasts are available for US$3.75, as is laundry service (same price). Gunther’s Honduran wife is a professional masseuse.

On the far side of the airstrip, at the airport beach is the two-story La Quinta Bay Hotel (tel. 504/434-4398, US$26–42 s/d). The well-maintained rooms each have two double beds, air-conditioning, TV, and porch, and the pricier rooms have nicer decor and better views.