Don Udo´s is a lovely, colonial-style hotel and restaurant in Copan Ruinas. The rooms are comfortable, clean, and have both hot water and air conditioning, as well as other amenities. The variety of rooms range from $40-$100+ for the suites.

The onsite restaurant has fine dining with some of the best steaks in Honduras (or Latin America for that matter) at very reasonable rates: around $10 for a gourmet dinner. The host, Don Udo, is genial, informative, and very welcoming.

There are dozens of hotels and restaurants in Copan Ruinas, but I recommend the quality of Don Udos. The only downside is that there is no pool, however they do have a Jacuzzi and a sauna, both are great for relaxing after a day of hiking!

Also, the area, long thought of as a day trip to see the Copan ruins, has developed into a destination worthy of a longer stay. There are numerous activities including Canopy zip lines, numerous hikes to beautiful spots such as Rubi Waterfalls, a bird sanctuary not to be missed, Macaw Mountain, horseback tours of local villages and coffee plantations, caving, river tubing, and numerous other tours.

The town of Copan Ruinas has the charm of Antigua (Guatemala) but is far less "touristy" (and cheaper!). The people of Honduras are generally welcoming and very accommodating.

After traveling extensively in Belize, Guatemala, and Honduras, I´d recommend Copan Ruinas as one of the nicest areas to visit where you can kick back and relax, study Spanish, or have numerous adventures.

The ruins themselves are fascinating. While not as grandiose as Tikal, they are the centre of the ¨Mayan Renaissance¨ and have incredibly intricate stone carvings to fascinate any history buff.

Check it out. It’s a worthwhile splurge for the budget-conscious traveler and a good bargain for vacationers.