Hostel Oasis is located 2 blocks from the central square in Granada, down a street that can look a little lonely at night. From the south side of the parque central, take Calle Real Xalteva heading west (away from the cathedral) and turn left at Calle 1Atravesada, or the 'Circus Circus' casino (really just a room full of slots). The first street on your right will be Calle Estrada (with a blue sign that says 'Oasis'), and about halfway down on the left is the signed doorway The walk from the parque central takes about 5 minutes.
The single doorway off the street opens through a small reception area to a tiled courtyard with a giant, bright mural on one wall, set around an open air garden. The dorm rooms face onto this bright relaxed area, or onto a second open area set around a small, clean swimming pool. This is a fantastic addition to a hostel in this at times brutally hot city, and is one of the reasons for this place being a bit costlier than other Nicaraguan hostels. The building is very flash from top to bottom, with the polished wood roofing and columns and the stone finished walls well built and well maintained.
There are hammocks and cane furniture around the courtyard, which is kept meticulously clean with seemingly hourly moppings. The hostel attracts a mix of travelers, from backpackers in the dorm beds to families and older travelers in the private rooms, making for a relaxed environment, if not the party atmosphere of some hostels. The staff, however, were at times a little aloof, going about their business without much obvious interest in guests, and (as should be expected) many of the staff (but not all) have minimal English, so at least some Spanish is helpful.
The 2 big dorm rooms sleep 12 people each in bunkbeds, and each bunk comes with it's own enormous locker, big enough for the biggest backpack and then some (Top bunks can also use the tops of the lockers as a bedside table!) Shared bathrooms are cleaned regularly, as they can get a little muddy on the floors with pool-wet feet traffic, with cold showers (although the water never gets a chance to really cool down in the heat) and tiled floors.
The hostel boasts a huge (and free) DVD collection, as well as a book exchange (exchange ONLY, apparently - borrowing a book for the duration of a stay is difficult) and drinks for sale. There are also 10 computers with free internet access to all guests. The kitchen serves breakfast from 7.30-10.30, although it's a bit pricey for what it is and NOT included in the price of a bed, along with free tea and coffee all day.
This hostel is recommended for those looking for a place that is a small step above rock-bottom prices, with facilities that more than make up for the extra cordobas.
— Exclusive Hostelz.com Review
March 2007
Location/Contact
3.8 Average from 23 Ratings
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