Volcano on the way to Chinendega, Nicaragua
Here's our ride to Surfing Turtle Lodge...
At our beach
(that's D behind her in the surf - he's crazy for it!)
Our cabina Surfing Turtle Lodge
And here is the link if you happen to be in Nicaragua: http://surfingturtlelodge.com/
WOW-WEEEEEE! Sign me up. That looks great. You guys are giving yourselves and your kids the greatest gift.
ReplyDeleteJessie
Jessie - you are already signed up - we just need to find the @*#% time to get you down here...
ReplyDeleteNOVEMBER!
Love, Jen
Loved reading your blog Eric... and love the pics! Looking forward to seeing you guys here again:)
ReplyDeleteGreetings from your beach,
Pedro
“A little GEM: Great Exaggeration and Misrepresentation”
ReplyDeleteWhere to begin? There's so much wrong at the Surfing Turtle Lodge.
First of all they don't have any boards that are in a decent shape, so forget about surfing (lessons) unless you bring your own board. Second, with no eggs or turtles, there is no hatchery. So they might want to rethink their name.
The Lodge is everything BUT ecofriendly. The solar panels on the beach are obviously just decoration, cause in the month that I spent volunteering there, they were not used. In stead - on the rare occasions there was power - they used a gasoline slurping generator which was faulty and literally made a hell of a noise (so forget about the tranquil environment they promise on their website). No electricity means no light or WIFI. They don't grow their own vegetables or spices as stated on their Facebook page. Beach volleyball and basketball sounds very nice, but it would be nicer if there was actually a ball that bounces and has air. As for the boardgames - none of them are complete. I didn't see any learning centre. They say they work with local students and volunteers to clean the land, but why then is the beach full with litter?
The website is a beautiful site - making the place sound like paradise - but unfortunately very misleading. Clearly the guy updating the website (and Facebook Page) hasn't visited the Lodge lately. It's easy to list all the amenities and activities you offer, but then you should also be able to offer them! If not, change the information on your site to reflect the real state the Lodge is in. Be honest to the people. This way guests won't leave disappointed.
I gave everything and dedicated myself, trying to save whatever was left to save of this sham of a place. Most days I was on duty for 16 hours and in the end the guy in charge didn't even thank me.
As an ex-volunteer, I was greatly disappointed by the state the Lodge was in as well as in the management. Therefore I DO NOT recommend to 'volunteer' at the Lodge, unless you are prepared to WORK long days in unacceptable conditions and feel unappreciated.
As for staying at the Lodge, unless they seriously turn things around and do all the things they promise on their site, I'd recommend to stay away, because the place is everything BUT paradise. For in paradise at least there's light.
Melomakarona,
ReplyDeleteYour post is a good reminder to be careful what you read on the web. When we stayed at Surfing Turtle 2 years ago, it was amazing. We met the owners/investors and had a great time. Perhaps we were there in the idealistic early days where the vision of the place was optimistic and there was a lot of energy and great intentions behind what they were doing. The solar panels were working back then, although I think they were using conventional energy sources in their kitchen for the restaurant. The food in the restaurant was tasty and fresh and the people there (guests and employees/volunteers) were positive and happy to be there.
Admittedly, when we visited again 1 year later (January of 2011), the place had slipped a bit. The food in the restaurant wasn't as good and it seemed like it hadn't been kept up. Also, the people who were manning the bar. restaurant and reception desk did not seem to make a priority to be sure guests were having a great experience. There were a couple fenced off areas near the shore for the turtle hatchery, and there were eggs that had been laid, but the expected hatch date was not during our stay.
I can understand how you had a very different experience and I posted your letter to give another perspective of Surfing Turtle. I hope that it can return back to its original state because that part of Nicaragua is gorgeous and the local people are friendly... it can be a great place to visit.
One more thought... we are not travel writers and this is not a travel blog intending to endorse certain businesses. We are just a family that happened upon this place by chance, had a great time and wrote about it. Happy travels!
ReplyDeleteThank you for posting my comment/letter. My comment was not meant to critique you and your experience at the Lodge as I fully understand the Lodge has seen better days when guests left happily and satisfied. All I wanted was to warn others about the state the Lodge was in and the current people that manage it.
ReplyDeleteI was incredibly disappointed by Mike, the guy in charge. It just didn't seem like he was interested in the place as he was always preoccupied. It's a shame, cause like you experienced back when they just opened, it has a lot of potential.
Another thing that bothers me is that the owners are now asking me to remove my comment. What ever happened to the freedom of speech?
Reviews are the only way for people/travelers to get an honest point of view of a certain business and the state they are (currently) in, since it has become clear you cannot believe all you read on their personal website.
If they are not happy with what I wrote, then they shouldn't have given me a reason to write what I wrote in the first place. If everything was working the way it should have been and as they write on their website, I would have not had a reason to write about the bad shape the place was in. Treat people well and with respect and you get positive feedback; treat them like dirt - then what do you expect?
All I wanted was to prevent people from getting disappointed and disillusioned as much as I have.
Again, thank you for posting.