La Iguana Perdida - Hostel

This hostel is a great choice in Santa Cruz. It's right in front of the dock so no rolling your suitcase over rocky paths. It's also a 4 minute walk to the party hostel Free Cerveza if you want to get that energy and use their dock, and a 10 minute walk to nice kayaking, paddleboarding and swimming. I stayed in a Private the whole time. The first was Balto and the second was Toliman. Toliman was gorgeous and had a lake view - would be great for a couple. I think I preferred Balto because at night it was cozier and quieter. Family dinner is wonderful at this hostel and such a core part of the experience. I participated every night and loved it. The food was great and the company was amazing. There are also different activities each night and the Open Mic Night is a blast. People from all over the town come for it. The highlight was Sam who was our hiking guide for the sunrise hike. The hike itself was gorgeous; on top of that Sam was really an expert not just with knowledge of the area but also with ensuring our safety and enjoyment. It's technically a short and easyish hike but I have chronic pain and limitations. Sam ensured that I was doing okay, had me hike at the front of the pack to help control the pace, and even gave me cookies because the sugar helps your body. We also learned so many interesting things about the volcanos, the lake and the local Mayan culture.

Great staff, nice food and drink options, loads of organized activities and best of all the VIEWS

The hostel is located right at the base of Santa Cruz which made it super easy to grab the lanchas. My friend and I stayed in a private suite which was really nice and cozy. The grounds of the hostel itself are stunning and so relaxing! They host family-style dinner's every night which was so wholesome and was a great way to meet new people. The only cons I will say is that there's only wifi in the common spaces, and wifi doesn't reach the rooms. Other than that, I loved my stay!