My Lonely Planet Guide informed me that there were only four rooms at the Cornerhouse Bed & Breakfast. Furthermore, the rooms were not reservable. They were first come first serve. I wanted to stay here, so I hoped one room was free when I emerged from the ferry.
Arrival in Moyogalpa on Ometepe Island
The location was easy to find on a corner of the main street in Moyogalpa, Nicaragua on Ometepe Island. I stopped in to reserve a room. They had a vacancy. I deposited my backpacks in the room upstairs, and then I sat down and ordered a fresh fruit smoothie and enjoyed lunch.
Lunch and secured Concepción Volcano guide
The girl that took my room reservation was also my waitress. She was really friendly, which comes as no surprise since just about every person from Nicaragua I had met so far was friendly and helpful. Moyogalpa and Ometepe Island is a small village on a small island, so the friendliness was even amped up more here.
I asked about the possibility of securing a guide for a hike up Concepción Volcano. She called someone and in a few minutes the owner of a tour company was trying to sell me a tour. No need for the salesmanship, I am buying. I paid $25.00 for the guide and the entrance to the park, and we agreed upon an early departure the next morning.
Related: A grueling hike up Concepción Volcano
Cornerhouse Bed & Breakfast closes early
The only negative thing I would say about this location is the early closure. After I checked in, I went upstairs and rested for awhile. Then I read the literature in the room, and saw they have an option to pack a lunch if you are going on a trek. They offer free breakfast, but if you do not have time for breakfast, they offer a complimentary packed lunch. I went downstairs to inquire about this option, but it was closed up for the day.
They did not open until 7 a.m. the next morning, so this was too late for me to order the lunch. I went across the street for breakfast and then stopped at a grocery store to buy snacks for my hike. If you are going on a trek the next day, make plans to order the packed lunch in advance.
The room
All four rooms were upstair above the restaurant and cafe. The room was clean, comfortable, and Spartan. There was a bed and a fan with a bathroom. Standard fare for the adventure traveler.
Places to sit and hang out including a hammock and some chairs overlooking the street lined the hallway in front of the rooms. The chairs above the street were a personal favorite for me. I enjoyed watching island life go by as I chilled from above.
The food
It turned out I did not have to worry much about a place to stay here. Both nights I was the only occupant in the four rooms. In contrast, the cafe is a hot spot and at times, nearly filled up. The coffee was decent, but it was the best coffee I experienced in Nicaragua. This was not saying much as the rest of the coffee I had was pretty mediocre.
I had three meals here, and they were all tasty. Lonely Planet gives kudos to this place as both a place to stay and a place to eat. Perhaps that was why the cafe received good traffic during their open hours. I enjoyed a steak and chicken sandwich and an omelet for lunch.
Lunch to go
Remember I said that I did not get my first complimentary breakfast because I had to leave for my volcano hike? When I had breakfast my last day and was checking out they asked if I wanted a lunch to go since I did not get one on the first day. I thought that was a very nice and fair way to compensate for the missed meal. I took them up on that offer and ate my lunch at Laguna de Apoyo later in the day.
Check out this website for more information.
I highly recommend Cornerhouse Bed & Breakfast as a place to stay and eat while in Moyogalpa.