Capricho Beach House

We found this as a last minute destination, the host was very nice and provided excellent directions and instructions on how to get there and set the right expectations from the beginning, such as no TV.... It is a bit remote but a great experience. We were a family of 3, and were able to book a room for $100 with A/C, which is a plus given that this time of year is very hot in El Salvador. Service was great, everything was super clean. There are a few areas of opportunity: (not a game charger I'd totally go again) - Kids playground - Food menu could have more options - Parking access for non 4x4 vehicles - Mosquito lamps outside the rooms - Taller tables, inside the rooms, to be able to reach the outlets and charge our devices Lena, the owner, was there and personally asked how our experience had been and she was open to feedback. I have no complaints at all, and if you are looking forward to unplugging yourself from the daily basis, this is for you. We didn't use WIFI but cellphones data worked perfectly fine. Even though is remote, signal is excellent.

If you want to experience the Salvadoran coast but you want serenity rather than surfing and you want to go the eco-lodge route, then the Capricho is for you. The location is spectacular, sandwiched between the most extraordinary black sand beach with mesmerising Pacific rollers and the palm-fringed Zapote estuary that leads to nearby mangrove swamps inhabited by crocodiles. There are around 4 rooms, a small pool and a deck-chair/hammock area overseeing the beach. The Capricho’s facilities are quite basic but perfectly functional. Proprietor Lena and her husband Rene are so passionate about developing an eco-sensitive tourism in El Salvador. The Capricho runs completely on solar power. Lena was attentive and kind, she did everything she possibly could to make my stay enjoyable; I had an issue with my payment and Lena went out of her way to resolve it for me. The staff at the hotel were also gracious and helped with anything I needed. The menu at the Capricho is quite limited, and this could be an area for improvement. Beer’s the only alcohol on the menu, so best to bring your own sundowner mix to enjoy on the beachfront patio. I took an excursion to see nearby crocodiles with guide Julio Cesar, which after the crocodiles turned into an enjoyably rambling half-day hanging out with Salvadorans by the estuary. The house nextdoor is a rental property so there can be noise from there, but that was only one night. If you want creature comforts and modern conveniences, you might find the Capricho a little too eco-rustic. But if you want to get away from everything in spectacular location, and stay in an eco-lodge that is founded on an ecological and social concept of tourism for El Salvador then I’d recommend it.