Xalli Ometepe Beach Hotel

Refurbished into a seven-room hotel, Xalli sits on the sandy isthmus that joins Ometepe island's two volcanoes, with the beach of Lake Nicaragua at its front door. The rooms are custom designed, air conditioned, and tiled throughout, with solar-heated showers and flush toilets in every bathroom. Furniture is hand-made from local hardwood. Room sizes vary: the deluxe king rooms run to 50 square metres with a private porch over the garden and lake, while the standard king rooms measure 30 square metres and share a porch fitted with a two-person hammock. A small sitting room comes with select rooms, its sofa converting into a bed for a child or second adult. The restaurant and lounge bar seats thirty and looks out over the lake, serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner from local and fresh produce. Breakfast for two is included with any direct booking. Staff arrange transport and build a day-by-day itinerary on arrival, drawing on close knowledge of the island. From November to May, kitesurfing can be booked directly through the hotel. Filtered volcanic spring water is put out at no charge, and Wi-Fi covers the communal areas and most rooms. Gardens are landscaped and lit for evening use. It is a small, quiet base for exploring the island's two volcanoes and the lake at its edge.