Rancho Santana is a 2,700-acre private ranch and coastal community along Nicaragua’s “Emerald” Coast, only a short two-hour drive from the International airport in Managua. The extensive property offers private access to five different beaches, which include some of Nicaragua’s best surf breaks and endless other wellness and outdoor adventures for non-surfers. With accommodations that range from a 17-room boutique hotel, two-bedroom garden casitas, three-bedroom beachfront condos, and over 28 private homes and villas of varying sizes, there is something for everyone and every budget.
It all started with six friends from Baltimore who visited the country in 1997 and happened to meet a local man named Sr. Granados. He personally invited them to explore the 2,700 acres his family was selling, and the rest is history. The original six owners built their homes here and invited their friends to do so as well: homes that would fit nicely in places like Santa Barbara, Cote d’Azur or the Amalfi Coast. As the community grew, the owners took note of their residents’ interest in a certain lifestyle. They built out amenities that suited their tastes: a beachfront surf shop and taqueria, an equestrian center, a gorgeous spa, a yoga and wellness center, a mountain bike circuit, a hilltop chapel, pickleball courts, organic farms, and multiple restaurants and beach clubs. Finally, the Inn & Residences were built so that their vision and coastal community could be shared with visitors worldwide. During this process, Rancho Santana has become the largest local employer, providing year-round work and professional advancement for over 450 individuals and their families. The ethos of Rancho Santana is rooted in a triple bottom line concept: financially profitable but with a positive social and environmental impact to match. Over 80% of the food served at the three restaurants is produced on-site and the Inn and Residences are powered 100% by their own solar farm.
Rancho Santana can be a stand-alone vacation destination or combined with other lodges and destinations to make a varied one-week trip around Nicaragua that blends relaxation with adventure and cultural immersion. Rancho Santana is equally ideal for romantic couples, young families, girls/boys trips, or multi-generational gatherings.
PROPERTY FACTS
17 Hotel Rooms in The Inn; 11 Pacific Condos
20 Residential Suites (3 bed 3 bath); 30 Individual Ocean View Homes (3-5 bedrooms)
Bed & Breakfast or Full Board
Free and Complimentary Throughout
Open Year Round
Preferred Hotels and Resorts
Complete Spa & Wellness Center, Yoga Studio as well
Surf Shop, Equestrian Center, Kids Club, Mt. Bike Circuits, Sand Boarding, Multiple Pools, Pickleball Courts, Basketball Courts, Three Restaurants, and a Breakfast Cafe.
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RATES
from $390, per room, per night
from $500, per casita, per night
from $900, per condo, per night
from $500, per home, per night
Rooms at the Inn:
Garden Casitas:
Beachfront Condos:
Private Homes & Villas:
LOCATION: Santa Ana, Nicaragua
Closet International Airport:
Managua (MGA) is a 2.5 hour drive to Rancho Santana. Airport transfers are included for stays of 4 or more nights. Managua receives daily direct flights from Houston with United, Miami with American, Mexico City with AeroMexico, Panama City with Copa and San Salvador with Avianca to name a few. There is also a daily direct flight to/from San Jose, Costa Rica (SJO) operated by Sansa Airlines aboard a 12-seat Cessna Grand Caravan aircraft.
It is possible to fly into Liberia, Costa Rica and drive across the border to get to Rancho Santana. This route takes about four hours, but can vary greatly depending on the border crossing formalities which are time consuming, for this reason we do not recommend this option. If coming from Costa Rica, we suggest the daily flight option from SJO with Sansa.
Unique Arrival & Departure Options:
WHEN TO VISIT
Nicaragua is a great destination to visit year-round. Similar to Costa Rica, you’ll find two primary seasons here: the Rainy Season (which we like to call the “wildlife” or “Green” season) and the Dry Season (which we like to call “Busy” season).
November — February: In November, the rain begins to leave and in comes Dry Season. However, this time of year things are still lush green from the former rainy season. Not as hot this time of year and the ocean is a bit colder.
March — May: Hot and dry, with rain beginning to arrive mid-May.
June – October: Rainy season, everything is lush green. Mostly rain in the evenings with sunny, humid mornings. Great surfing this time of year. It rains the most in October.
For Surfers: There are never not waves to surf at Rancho Santana, but, surfers looking for larger swell will want to focus on the time period between March through October as Rancho Santana is wide open to the Southern Hemi’s swell path. Due to Rancho’s surrounding geography, being sandwiched between Lake Nicaragua and the Pacific Ocean, there are strong offshore winds 300+ days a year. A major contributor to perfect wave conditions, not to mention an average annual sea temp of 82F.
FOR FAMILIES
Rancho Santana welcomes children of all ages.
For accommodation options, we recommend the two bedroom “Family Suite” at the Inn, the two-bedroom Garden Cottages if you have children who are not yet confident swimmers and want to be away from pools or the ocean, or the three-bedroom Residences for larger families. Also the various home rentals are ideal options for larger families or for family gatherings.
Activities children will love at Rancho Santana: the kids club, sandboarding, surf lessons and boogie boarding, monkey spotting, turtle hatching and the various swimming pools. Every restaurant provides a great kid’s menu, and babysitting services are available at an additional cost.
RECOMMENDED LENGTH OF STAY
We think that three nights is the minimum you would want to stay at Rancho Santana, especially if you plan to do something else while in Nicaragua. A full week is amazing. Some people fall so in love with Rancho Santana as visitors that they end up buying a home or condo and moving here permanently to be part of the community!
UNIQUE SELLING POINTS
Diversity: Rancho Santana will appeal to pretty much anyone: those that want to just relax in the tropics by a pool and the beach, those who want to be super active, or those seeking a mix of relaxation and adventure. Those who want all the convenience and amenities of a resort or hotel can stay in the Inn or the Beachfront Condos, and those who want a very private, exclusive experience can book one of the homes or villas. If you prefer to dine out, you have three restaurants to choose from. If you prefer cooking some of your own meals, stay in a Garden Casita, Residence, or one of the Homes where you will have a full kitchen and can buy groceries from the on-property store, or have them pre-stocked before your arrival. If you prefer private dining, you can also arrange to have a private chef prepare all, or just some, of your meals in your residence.
Alternative: A tropical alternative to Costa Rica, Hawaii, Mexico, or the Caribbean. It takes the same or less amount of time to get to Rancho Santana from most major cities in North America as it does to those other destinations. You’ll find that availability is usually not as much of an issue over prime dates and that costs are much lower for what you get in comparison. Those who have done Costa Rica many times previously will be delighted by Nicaragua—it’s like going to the Papagayo Peninsula 20 years ago before crowds and over-development. Visitors will find the same lovely, warm hospitality in the Nicaraguans as they have experienced through the Pura Vida vibe from the Ticos and a natural beauty to match.
Value: With a guest room in the Inn starting at just $312 per night, with breakfast included and some experiences, the entry-level price point is incredible. But for those with money to spend, you have options—including up to a five-bedroom beachfront villa, fully staffed with private dining. And there are accommodation options and price points in-between these two extremes.
Safety: Despite a stereotype as “unsafe,” Nicaragua has actually consistently ranked as one of the top three safest countries in Latin America since 1990 (for petty and violent crime). In the last 12 years, tourism has grown 394% and is now the second-largest source of foreign capital. The negative stereotypes still connected to Nicaragua are tied to a long revolution and civil war period from the 1960-1980s, with news of the Iran-Contra scandal still emblazoned into the minds of most Americans. Take into account that it was 30 years ago at this point and that instability was the result of dictatorial leaders and foreign intervention—not due to the character of the Nicaraguan people themselves. There was civil unrest in 2018 over pension reform, which stopped the booming tourism economy for a while. A short period of tourism recovery was stopped in its tracks then again due to the Covid-19 Pandemic and two Hurricanes in 2020. Today, you’ll find a very genuine, honest, safe, warm, and sincere hospitality ethic from the Nicaraguan people who are eager to share their beautiful country and culture with you while dispelling the stereotypes they have been unfairly burdened with by politicians over the decades. Rancho Santana is also a completely private estate.
BEST COMBINED WITH
We think that Rancho Santana is perfectly paired with the other property we represent in Nicaragua: Jicaro Island Ecolodge on Lake Nicaragua, just off the historic city of Granada.
Doing a combination of four nights at Rancho Santana with three nights at Jicaro Island (or three & two) is an ideal combination of beach and relaxation at Rancho Santana plus the historic, cultural, and adventure elements provided at Jicaro Island.
From Jicaro Island, guests can explore the incredible architecture, history and markets of charming old Granada, go on hikes and zip-line adventures up the Mombacho Volcano or peer into the lava filled cone of Masaya Volcano at sunset. Go fishing with locals on the lake or paddle around on SUPs or by kayak spotting exotic birdlife. These experiences can also be done as off site day trips from Rancho Santana, but they involve a lot of driving to do so compared to staying at Jicaro Island.
With Jicaro Island being only 45 minutes away from the Managua International Airport as opposed to 2.5 hours to Rancho Santana, it makes for a great staring or departure point pending travelers’ international flight arrival or departure time. Have a look at this sample itinerary for reference.