Incredible hostel and incredible moments. This was far and away my favourite hostel in Nicaragua. It had everything you would look for in a top tier hotel but at hostel prices. The family dinners were great. The evening activities were fantastic and ensured that you would meet everyone. Also, the location albeit slightly out town is actually only a 10 minute walk away and actually closer to the Christ of Mercy statue- ideal. However, the number one thing here was the staff. We had some great volunteers such as Becca, Tilda and the Swiss girl (flag is a big plus), who ensured we had a great time. They were very informative and full of recommendations. In terms of staff I loved Fanni and Gabriel they were the kindest funniest people who would always say hello and ensure you felt welcomed. Don't think about it, book it.

The number of five star ratings are probably mostly from those interested in the social scene (which is fine of course, if that’s what you’re looking for). There’s an all day party vibe, with people hanging out by the pool, and lots of social events are offered, along with a somewhat confusing shuttle at night (we used a taxi instead). If you’re into other types of travel experiences you may feel a bit out of place, not to mention overdressed: skimpy beachwear seemed to be the round-the-clock uniform. As for the hostel itself, the private room leaves much to be desired for the price and the entire place feels dingy and outdated, and more than a bit dirty. We found rat droppings on our bed and the floor when we came home one night and could hear them scratching around over our head. There were also lots of other insects crawling around. Cold shower. No fridge or kitchen area was available (weird for a hostel, but the other guests didn’t seem like they were interested in that part of the hostel experience) and outside alcohol was forbidden. On the bright side, the staff was very friendly and helpful.

Hola Ola Hostel stole our hearts! We had originally booked for 5 nights, and we ended up staying for 13 nights! I have travelled the whole world and this is by far my favorite hostel. The friendliness of all of the staff and the atmosphere makes it. It is the perfect balance between party and chillin. If you want to socialize/ go out to the town with people, you are able to do that. If you wanna chill by the pool during the day and get a good sleep at night, you can do that too. There is a daily shuttle that goes to 4 different beaches in the area (a different one every day). You can chill on the beach, rent a surfboard, or take surf lessons from the hostel. There is daily family dinners that are delicious and give you a chance to meet everyone. There is also things such as bonfires on the beach, beer pong tournaments, and the Saturday sunset festival which is a great time. If you are alone travelling, you will have no problem making friends here! Thank you Hola Ola!

What a place! Amazing vibe. Great staff and volunteers. Daily surf trips. Solid food. Ooo and hammocks. Only place I’ll stay in San Juan

This is seriously the best hostel i have ever been. It is quiet and familary but also you can have a lot of fun and party. It is the perfect mix of chill out, party and activity. I was there for 2 weeks but and come back for 1 week more, also because of the best people who work there :) the volunteers alban, jose, andrea, Kim and noelle was like family for me. Also alison gilka jose sergio gabriel was like my best friends in this time, so friendly funny and helpful. Thanks for that awesome time with you! To everyone! Go there and enjoy the best time in Nicaragua. Hasta luego :***

One of my fav hostels. The staff and volunteers are amazing, and make you feel like a part of their family. Daily family dinners, lot of activities and great vibe. It’s also a great place to learn how to surf/ or to improve your skills. The hostel organizes daily classes and the instructors are great!

One of my favourite hostels I have ever stayed at. All the staff and volunteers are so lovely. And special shout out to Osman and rest of the surf team - they were so amazing and patient with all of us, and everyone was catching waves within the first lesson. Can’t recommend Hola Ola enough❤️ will definitely be back

A nice, clean, social hostel, without the on-site partying you would get at other hostels. Great place to base yourself out of!

People were amazing, vibe was immaculate, only really went there for Sunday funday and would definitely come back

Nice hostel with good vibes and very Kind Personal but you Always hat to take the boat or a shuttle to go to downtown

The Hola Ola Hostel is the best place to stay in San Juan. Everything is clean and especially the served food and the surfing classes are worth mentioning. I had a great stay. Huge shoutout to the amazing employees and volunteers!

Hola Ola Hostel is the best! Really loved my stay for a week here. Everyday activities are organised, such as fun daily beach trips, perfect for surfing and a beach party every saturday. Everyone working and voluteering here is super friendly and the vibe in the hostel is always good. Different cozy areas to hang out, such as the pool, hammock/table/couch and bar. The place to be!

Best place to be in San Juan. This hostel literally had everything - amazing vibes, activities going on throughout, partying but also quite in the dorm rooms if you wanna get some sleep. Made some amazing friends, the staff and volunteers are some of the best I've met. There's surf trips every day at nominal prices to different beaches which I also loved. I'd been here for a few days but made it a point to return for Christmas, it was totally worth it!

Loved my stay here. Super fun and friendly staff. Great place to hang out and meet people. I would gladly stay again.

One of the best hostel experiences I’ve had. Super social and easy to meet anyone so I’d recommend it for any solo traveler. Only a 7 minute walk to town so I wouldn’t let that deter you (and not much to do in town anyway). Highly recommend!

Pros : location, pool, friendly staff, shower head was good, cute dog Cons: private room was terrible and very expensive, we had no sheet on the bed or towels, ant infestation (hundreds), rock hard bed, paper thin walls (woken up early hrs each morning). Don't advertise wifi and charge 50 USD per night and it not work in the room. Had to sit out in the common area with the extremely loud music to do any planning or call family. I'm not faint hearted, this place was just bad. Stay in a dorm

Best people eveeeeeerrrr. Everybody is like family and such a nice clean and cool spot. Best hostel in San Juan Del Sur. ❤️❤️❤️

The private rooms were dirty with a lot of bugs and weird wholes in the wall. The hostel itself is nice and very social, but for that price the rooms were way to dirty and uncomfortable.

Hola Ola is the best Hostel i ever stayed at! Besides my love for the town of san juan del sur, Hola Ola is a really family based hostel. I felt so welcome and at home from the first moment. It's a very social hostel, very nice for solo travellers! Also they have different activities everyday to join, i was not bored for a moment. And they offer amazing surftrips everyday! The teachers osman and yader are really patient and ensure that everyone has a lot of fun catching waves. The staff is super welcoming and helpful in any situation i really enjoyed my stay in hola ola and can only recommend❤️

e initially staid for two days, extended our stay for a week and even came back for Christmas. The staff and the atmosphere are just wonderful. Everything is really clean and I liked that it is a bit outside the city center and therefore very quiet and away from all the noises. Can only recommend and would only go there in San Juan

["Was there for 3 days that felt like a week, lots of fun activities, the atmosphere is bang on! If you're a solo traveler, its a great place to go and meet some people. Very social and a chill hostel at once. They volunteers & staff were resourceful and the food was great. Close to town and they have organized trips\/shuttles going in and outside of town daily. The rooms and beds were cleaned everyday and offer lockers",null,[0,237]]