Reviews of El Zopilote
Calle Principal, 300 metros al sur (al oeste de Balgüe), 48800 Balgue, Nicaragua
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Reviewed: 28 August 2025 · Stayed in August 2025
Verified reviewI loved the natural setting, and all the staff and volunteers were so welcoming
Reviewed: 25 August 2025 · Stayed in August 2025
Verified reviewGreat staff, cool workshops, pizza parties are fun! Restaurant uses a lot of homegrown vegetables! Price is good. We met wonderful people here. We did 2 nights in the bamboo hut, which is big and nice.
We had 1 night in the arcoiris hut, it's very small, hot and the mosquito net is annoying. You are in the jungle - > big insects everywhere. Possibly in the room as well. Restaurant meals lack some spices.
Reviewed: 2 August 2025 · Stayed in July 2025
Verified review*My reservation: a private cabin with private baño ($49 USD per night)* • 🌿Ecofriendly and hippie-heaven • 🎒travelers-heavy. • 🛎️Friendly staffs in person • 🎖️lots of activities with multiple volunteers • 🥾nice farm on the hill • 💸reasonable price for drinks and foods (30C-180C) • my cabin had a good WiFi connection
*My reservation: a private cabin with private baño ($49 USD per night)* Things to keep in mind before booking: • Be prepared to hike with a map of their farm before checking-in. • Receptionists with limited English skills (caused lots of miscommunications) • Unavailable reception after 10:30PM (🙅 24/7 reception) • At night, possibility of animals and sneak coming inside - in my case, a small snake 🐍, dead and alive bugs, and cockroach inside of mosquito-net with holes. (Maybe prepare bug repellent tools for guests in case they need it passed midnight 🕛😴) • detached bathroom away from sleeping area at night • farm. Therefore smells of animal poop is unavoidable. Worse at night.
this has been the worst experience with a guest we ever had , we had to report you to booking.com for bad behavior... but anyway still writing a bunch of lies . You did pay for the cabin 43$ a night not 49$. our receptionists speak some english; anyway to pretend that in a spanish speaking country every one should be fluent in english is really something... you never had a snake in your room please just don't lie. We only farm plants we don't have any animals beside 1 dog so I'm wondering how would you smell excrementos de animales... the bathroom is not attached to the room that is true, it is at 10 feet distance from the room. this is what we write to booking.com about you the same day you left: We had several issues with this guest during her stay. On the first night, she began complaining about a door that supposedly wouldn’t open, a situation we resolved within a few minutes. She also mentioned the presence of a supposed pigeon nest, which was inspected by our staff, and no such thing was found anywhere. Later, she requested to reduce her reservation from three nights to just one, a request we accepted without any additional charges even if we could have charged the 3 night anyway. The following morning, she asked to extend her stay for another night, but around 3:00 p.m., she decided to check out and leave. However, she returned at 9:00 p.m. asking to stay in the same room again. Since the room hadn’t been reserved by other guests, we agreed to her request. Later that night, she began yelling and sending messages both through Booking and in the hostel’s WhatsApp group, which is exclusively intended for sharing activities and encouraging connection among guests. She even called some of them via WhatsApp, waking them up. This disturbance went on until nearly 2:00 a.m., at which point the owner of the hostel wake up alarmed by the shouting and personally went to assist her. The reason for her complaint was merely the presence of a small cockroach in the room. Our hostel, as clearly stated in the Booking description, that the hostel is a permaculture farm surrounded by nature, which we aim to protect and restore in its purest state. Such an environment naturally involves the occasional presence of insects, which is to be expected in this context. The guest had already checked out earlier, so she was fully aware of the place and its characteristics before deciding to return. It is also clearly stated on Booking that we do not have 24/7 reception and that there is no staff permanently available during the night. We believe her behavior was inappropriate and that she may be trying to pressure us into not paying for the night. We did everything we could to attend to and assist her at all times, but in reality, it was her attitude that caused significant discomfort for other guests, several of whom were woken up by her shouting and calls.
this has been the worst experience with a guest we ever had , we had to report you to booking.com for bad behavior... but anyway still writing a bunch of lies . You did pay for the cabin 43$ a night not 49$. our receptionists speak some eng… Show more
Reviewed: 2 August 2025 · Stayed in July 2025
Verified reviewBeautiful locations up a steep jungle climb
Was very far off the main road and trekking our bags felt like another hike. The room we got was the most “luxurious” the Mariposa. It was basically like glorified camping. The room was dark and not super clean. The big nets did not keep the bugs away and there wasn’t even a fan in the home. Needless to say, I didn’t sleep all night and was so hot and loud from sleeping in the rain forest. I would not recommend this place unless you are a 20 year old backpacker.
Reviewed: 23 July 2025 · Stayed in July 2025
Verified reviewThe food is ok
The dorms are bad, beds uncomfortable. They use the excuse of being rustic and sustainable to offer the worst conditions for one to sleep. Toilets full of cockroaches. Got a tick from there as well. Worst thing for me though was the owners’ hipocrisy of labeling themselves as “permaculture farming” and then exploiting the local workers.
Thank you for taking the time to share your review. We are always attentive to the feedback from our guests, as we consider it a fundamental tool for continuously improving our services. We sincerely regret that the dormitory did not meet your expectations. Please note that the mattresses in our dormitories are regularly replaced; none of them are older than two or three years, and until now, we had not received any negative comments regarding their condition. Nevertheless, we will continue to carry out regular checks to ensure that no detail is overlooked. We were, however, surprised that you chose to extend your stay by an additional night beyond your original reservation made through Booking, if the hostel did not meet your expectations. We would appreciate learning more about your experience so that we can continue to improve. Regarding cleanliness, we would like to clarify that the bathrooms are cleaned several times a day, and the rooms are cleaned daily as well. For this reason, we find it highly unlikely that a tick could have appeared under these conditions. It is more likely that such an incident occurred outdoors, which can happen in a tropical environment, even though all of our dogs are regularly treated against parasites. Anyone who has lived in or traveled through natural environments knows that these situations, while rare, can occur, although the risks are very low when proper precautions are taken. As for the staff at our hostel and Farm, we would like to clarify that in Nicaragua, working conditions are regulated by the Ministry of Labor, which establishes a legal minimum wage and a maximum number of working hours. This ministry conducts regular inspections of our hostel, and we have never had any issues in this regard. All of our employees receive wages well above the legal minimum and work in accordance with established labor regulations. For this reason, we would be interested to know on what basis you made such a statement, as we believe it is important to verify facts before making judgments. In any case, we are grateful for your visit to our hostel and we wish you all the best in your future travels.
Thank you for taking the time to share your review. We are always attentive to the feedback from our guests, as we consider it a fundamental tool for continuously improving our services. We sincerely regret that the dormitory did not meet … Show more
Reviewed: 20 July 2025 · Stayed in July 2025
Verified reviewVegetarian and vegan friendly Clean bed Yoga place is beautiful Very chill vibe nice nature
I lost to get there. 😂
Reviewed: 15 July 2025 · Stayed in July 2025
Verified reviewThis place is just amazing! You’re are IN the jungle. I’ve been wanting exactly that and I’ve found it here. Amazing people, connections, workshops! I almost tried all the workshop and loved every single one of them, the heart opening meditation, the temazcal, the yoga! The staff and the volonteers are the sweetest! It’s a great location aswell! I’ve been in the rainy season so less people but still incredible time and when you’re bored when it’s raining you can go do the mud bath or meditate in the mirador! Can’t recommend this enough!
Reviewed: 11 July 2025 · Stayed in July 2025
Verified reviewVery friendly staff, great tour guide for the volcano, and delicious vegan food! Accommodation are comfortable for such an affordable price
Reviewed: 2 July 2025 · Stayed in June 2025
Verified reviewReviewed: 16 June 2025 · Stayed in June 2025
Verified reviewReviewed: 8 June 2025 · Stayed in June 2025
Verified reviewThe tours, the food, the people—everything here feels intentional. Permaculture and mushrooms were so interesting. Left with a full heart.
Reviewed: 8 June 2025 · Stayed in June 2025
Verified reviewAmazing place surrounded by jungle. The permaculture and mushroom tours were so cool! Everything felt unreal. Loved the food and yoga too.
Reviewed: 8 June 2025 · Stayed in June 2025
Verified reviewI came for the nature, stayed for the knowledge. The mushroom tour was fascinating, and the permaculture garden is incredible. Great energy, yummy meals, and lovely people.
Reviewed: 8 June 2025 · Stayed in June 2025
Verified reviewWoke up to jungle sounds, joined yoga, explored mushrooms and permaculture—every day felt full and meaningful. Super clean, friendly, and connected to the Earth.
Reviewed: 8 June 2025 · Stayed in June 2025
Verified reviewSuch a special place! The permaculture and mushroom tours taught me so much. It’s more than a hostel—it’s a whole experience. Great food, peaceful yoga, and beautiful jungle all around.
Reviewed: 1 June 2025 · Stayed in May 2025
Verified reviewBeautiful place surrounded by nature with a lot of activities going on. Recommended.
Reviewed: 10 May 2025 · Stayed in May 2025
Verified reviewEl Zopilote is an incredible eco-hostel in Nicaragua that truly lives up to its sustainable values. The compost toilets are a great example of their commitment to reducing waste and working in harmony with nature. I loved the variety of activities they offer — there’s free yoga every morning, which is the perfect way to start the day surrounded by nature. They also organize amazing permaculture tours and courses, where you can learn hands-on about organic farming, natural building, and living sustainably. Staying at El Zopilote was not just a vacation, but an inspiring experience that left me with new knowledge and a deep respect for the environment. If you’re looking for a place that combines adventure, learning, and sustainability, El Zopilote is the place to be! Located on Ometepe Island, this eco-lodge has compost toilets that help protect the environment, and everything is built with nature in mind. Every day, guests can join free yoga classes in the morning — it’s an amazing way to wake up in the jungle! There are also permaculture courses and tours where you can discover how they grow food, recycle, and live off the land. I left El Zopilote feeling refreshed, inspired, and connected to nature in a way I hadn’t expected. ⸻
Reviewed: 8 May 2025 · Stayed in May 2025
Verified reviewAn excellent eco place nestled in the woods. The greenery, fresh food with even more fresh ingredients from the backyard. The pizza night, people, staff, owner and so inspiring. Mushroom tour, yoga and so many real activities being run well. Could chill in the hammocks forever. Muchas gracias. The birds , permaculture and the fire show, unmissable. Besos.
Reviewed: 4 May 2025 · Stayed in April 2025
Verified reviewSo many activities and workshops. Staying in the middle of a permaculture farm/ jungle. Great location, walking distance to Balgue and Santa Cruz
Reviewed: 29 April 2025 · Stayed in April 2025
Verified reviewReviewed: 27 April 2025 · Stayed in April 2025
Verified reviewEl Zopilote is a unique place! The gardens are beautiful, and I loved learning about their oyster mushroom cultivation. i loved yoga, tours, and pizza night! The atmosphere was friendly and the food was fresh and delicious. Highly recommended!
Reviewed: 24 April 2025 · Stayed in April 2025
Verified reviewRelaxed hippie vibe is nice
The toilets are without plumbing
Reviewed: 23 April 2025 · Stayed in April 2025
Verified reviewReviewed: 23 April 2025 · Stayed in April 2025
Verified reviewReviewed: 17 April 2025 · Stayed in April 2025
Verified reviewThere's lots of activities in the hostel (donation based for most), right in the middle of the farm so cool location, restaurant is reasonably priced
Stayed in Everland private room entrance goes through the dorm which is a bit strange, showers could be stronger