Editor Pick
Fabulous Hotel in the Heart of Granada
- August 31, 2009
- Rated 5 of 5 by
RoBoNC from Indianapolis, Indiana
When we set out on this trip to Nicaragua, we had originally intended to visit two or three different countries, but rental car problems forced us to stay in the country the entire ten days. I also planned to stay only in American owned hotels such as the Crowne Plaza or Best Western. Since those types of hotels are only found in Managua, we had to venture out and stay in local hotels. I was unsure how Nicaraguan standards compared to American standards; however, I was pleasantly surprised when we checked into the La Gran Francia.
The La Gran Francia is located near Central Park in Granada. The building that houses the La Gran Francia is one of the oldest in Granada and dates back to the years following the founding of Granada in 1524. The hotel has 21 rooms on two floors. The rooms are air conditioned with cable television, spacious bathrooms, and its own balcony or lanai. The rooms are elegantly decorated with an old colonial feel.
The hotel offers an indoor pool located in the middle of the hotel. The roof is partially open and we were able to swim while looking up and admiring the full moon above us. There is also a small courtyard surrounding the pool where you can relax instead of inside your room. When you step out of your room, the pool is right in front of you so you don’t have to walk far.
Directly across the street is a full service bar where you can enjoy your drinks or take them back to your room or perhaps enjoy a few around the pool. While we were swimming, I decided to go grab a few drinks at the bar. I ordered a Pina Colada and a Tona, which is Nicaragua’s beer. I thought he understood what I wanted. I saw him make the Pina Colada and just before he started to blend it, he poured the Tona beer into the blender. As gross as it sounds, it wasn’t half-bad. I still needed one more Tona, though. I guess we can blame it on the language barrier.
Connected to the bar is the Pablo Antonio Cuadra banquet hall. It is also used as a restaurant and it is here where the hotel offers a free breakfast. The breakfast is included in the room rate. The breakfast here is more than just a continental breakfast. They offer eggs, meats, toasts, and that all important staple of Nicaraguan cuisine, rice and beans.
The rates are very reasonable. In Nicaragua, there are two seasons, the rainy and dry season. The hotels divide their room rates based on the high and low seasons. The high season is January-April, July-August, and November-December. The low season is May-June and September-October. There are four types of rooms from the low priced classical to the high end suites. A classical room in the high season is $100 and a suite is $150.
If you are looking for a hotel that offers all the amenities with an old colonial feel and is centrally located to all the sites of Granada, then look no further than the La Gran Francia.
From journal Granada, Nicaragua - The Great Sultan of the Great Lake