The friendliest hostel in San Juan Del Sur. There was no such thing as a salty reception at the Saltwater Hostel reception. I was greeted by warm smiles and friendly faces by the amazing staff here. I liked this place so much that i ended up returning three times along my travels. There was a review below that mentioned dirty showers... that's a bit ridiculous considering they run surf shuttles daily. People come back from a day at the beach and wash themselves, as per every hostel in a surf destination. The hostel is spotless apart from this. Calling Ximena unfriendly would be like calling Gandhi a dick, simply ridiculous. I'm assuming this person didn't have a good time for whatever reason and the review was a knee-jerk reaction. The fact is, everyone I know who went here loved it. They also organised beach shuttles, gave great travel tips, provide a laundry service and delicious breakfast. One girl on the team even went to get me a smoothie when i was too hungover to move, the owner clipped my eye brows because she couldn’t bear to look at them any longer and another makes amazing cocktails. I'll really miss this clean, comfy chilled place, and I was genuinely very sad to leave. Thanks guys, much love :)

Great hostel. The staff are very friendly, accommodations are good, but most importantly the atmosphere is very friendly and open to solo and group travels. Community meals, hammocks everywhere, intimate setting, and while I was here we put together several group outings, surfing, partying, etc. Strongly recommended.

Saltwater Hostel is exactly what the doctor ordered for me. Considering San Juan has a reputation for being a lively party place, especially for backpackers, Saltwater offers a place to lay low in between parties, or even to avoid them altogether. Boasting clean, cheap accommodation, speedy WiFi, a selection of tasty $3 breakfasts and a well stocked, well priced bar, Saltwater is probably the best value for money Hostel in the town. A huge bonus of this hostel is the view from the hammock, which spans from the statue of Jesus on the cliff to the north all the way across the bay to the cliffs on the other side. The best $9.50 you'll spend.

Its on a veeeeery steep hill. Dorm itself was nice with comfortable mattress and clean, white sheets. Staff was friendly as well. Kitchen and shower could improve

It's a great hostel with a view on the ocean and therefore really nice sunsets. It's great for solo travelers, but I also saw one or two families. The staff cleans the bathrooms, rooms, and floors really often. Those who dont know english of the staff are currently trying to learn a bit. Everyone is extremely friendly, and the owner himself is a cool and solid dude. He has 3 dogs and a cat, which are not loud at all. They mostly chill around the hostel and are sometimes open to you, giving them a pet. The food there is very delicious and not expensive either. I stayed a longer time (2 weeks) and had a great experience. I would come back every time.

Best hostel in san juan del sur. Super relaxed chilled place you meet a lots of great people and you can decided by your own If you wanna join the Party stuff or not :)

(+) -Free water refill station (Save plastic bottles!) -Great and awesome staff/service, (informed me that my breakfast was ready at the exact time that i specified) -Was able to used the shared big lockers after i checked out! -Kitchen and rooms were clean. -A lot of areas to chill at, great! -WIFI was great! (-) -Toilets could use abit more maintenance (doors cant be locked, a little more toilet papers maybe) -Location was great but up a little steep hill. (might be a problem for some people) -Charging port was not beside top bed needs a long wire. there was a fan for almost everyone except me!

Sehr sauberes und ruhiges Hostel. Die Zimmer sind etwas stickig, aber jedes Bett hat zumindest einen Ventilator. Die Lage ist perfekt, das Zentrum ist sehr nah. Das Personal ist super hilfsbereit und nett. Definitiv sehr zu empfehlen.

Such a great hostel, staff are very friendly, accommodating and always willing to help. They clean every morning, and the place is always spotless. Best toilet paper I've had in a hostel. Great location - close to the main area but slightly up a hill, meaning you're away from the loud street noise but still close to the action. The views from the deck on top are amazing and the pancakes are delicious 😋 Definitely recommend!

Hostel/hotel with a rooftop with a nice view over the ocean. Perfect for sunrise or sunset. The room was clean and had a good AC system. I had some problems with my motorcycle and the owners helped me a lot. I had to store my spare helmet for some time and also with this they helped me. Good place to be to ask questions about your further travels in Nicaragua. ¡Muchos Gracias!

I was very satisfied wiyh my visit! Good level of cleanliness, the staff was always nice and helpfull, there's always someone at the front desk, the location was excellent. Good water stream in the shower. It was during the holy easter week so the parties were 24/7 but since It's a little up the hill so you don't get all the noise, just a little bit in the distance. I felt very safe.

The best Hostel I stayed in all of Central America, so clean - they cleaned our shared dorm everyday. An amazing roof top terrace to watch the sunset, very chilled and relaxed vibe. Big shout out to Jose on reception who was so happy to help with any Qs

What a great hostel !! Rooms are big enough with a lot of fans so heat is not a problem at all. Breakfast is included and the pancakes are amazing. All the employees are very kind and helpful. The location was just perfect : away from the noisy center but just 1 minute walk from it. I recommend this place 200%

Really great hostel. Brilliantly helpful and friendly staff. Room a little too hot and small though but would recommend highly still.

I cannot fault my stay at Saltwater, the hostel is in the perfect location, out of the main center but close enough to enjoy the night life, if that’s what you want! On the flip side the hostel maintains an awesome chilled vibe so you never feel forced to go out! Friendly animals will greet you every morning (if you decide to pay them attention) and the hostel has a great view over the bay. All in all you cannot go wrong with staying here, I loved it so much I kept on extending my stay!

The owner Ximena was not friendly at all. Very rude. Not helpful. The place was out of water. Only one bathroom (which contains the only available shower) to be shared among like 15 ish people. The floor on the bathroom was not clean, full of mud and sand. I was just there less than 3 weeks ago, and I do not recommend. There are cleaner hostels with friendly owners closer to the beach.

Awesome little hostel. Very relaxed vibes that include an ocean view. There's beer and drinks sold and they have a kitchen where they sell food during the day. It's owned and run by females.

Have to pay $10 per room for air con you don’t get told about this and are expected to then collect money from people in your room to put to paying for the air con. Laundry also took longer than we were told, breakfast is delicious however rooms are just hot

No vibe and no soul to this hostel. Even if you wanted a quiet hostel as i did, Not gonna happen the construction is going on all day. The sunset view is nice, and the breakfast is OK. The hostel is fairly clean. ill give them that.

Super cute little hostel amazing water views from the patio quiet and serene. They charge a bit more than others well worth it if that's your style.

Stayed here in July 2022, and I found it a very good hostel! Clean, good beds, kitchen and overall a relaxing vibe. The have lockers and the outside area is very nice. Location also very good. Only the laundry was a bit expensive as well as the breakfast and lunch.

This hostel is fairly unassuming from the outside but it’s in a great location: up a small hill, near the centre of town and with a great view of the ocean and the sunset in the evenings. It has a big communal area outside with hammocks, sofas and a tables for eating/ socialising. they also have a book exchange, board games and cards to borrow and musical instruments. it had a chilled vibe and the staff were really nice. the food that you can order from their kitchen was delicious and reasonably priced. Shared kitchen facilities were also good. As a solo traveller, it wasn’t the most social hostel and I think it would benefit from organised activities or a group dinner in the evenings. I would stay here again 🙂

We really liked the hostel. It’s very clean and the waterpressure in the shower is good (no hot water but you don’t need it since San Juan is hot). The food from the restaurant is lovely. The vibes are chill, there is a common area where people hang out, it’s definitely not a party hostel. You have to walk up a hill about 20 mtrs., it’s steep but really fine. Only thing that would make it better is if each bed had a personal fan and power outlet.

Really loved the chill vibes there ! The place is clean, the staff is really nice and welcoming. Much quieter than downtown such makes it the perfect to relax ! And if you want to enjoy the party in san juan, it's only two minutes walk and it's very safe :) Thanks for the stay, I had a great time and met lovely people !

Saltwater was by far my favourite hostel in San Juan del Sur. Carlos, the owner has cultivated something very special. The atmosphere of hostel is a perfect mixture of relaxing and social vibe. The beds are great and the food is fantastic!

Great hostel , great location,Great food ,pet friendly the stuff are very friendly one of the best value for money I ever staid 🙏 the owner really amazing person , cool vibes probably when I go back to San Juan del sur I will be in that place ! 🤙

Generally nice hostel, good location and well-equipped kitchen. Food was also great! The only thing is that they have three large dogs living there, which also go into dorm rooms and even jump on beds and couches. Being allergic to dog hair, we felt like they should inform guests before that there are dogs which also run around the dorms. I think even if you like pets and you are not allergic, having them in your room, bed or couch is not a thing everyone likes.

Great place. Stayed in an ensuite private. Room was spacious and adequate. Vibe was really good. Chilled place. Owner was present and very helpful. It a small bit up a steep hill but not enough to be worried about.

Best place to stay in San Juan! Definitely coming back here! The owners are so lovely and kind The place is beautiful, beds are comfy, food is great, there’s a fully equipped kitchen. They’ll help you with everything you need!

Helpful and super friendly staff. Clean rooms, bathrooms and common areas. Kitchen is well equipped. Good location and internet works well. Restaurant on side to get some.delicious food All in all I can recommend the hostel.