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La Mariposa Spanish School and Eco Hotel

De la Cancha, 200 metros al sur, 50 al este San Juan de la Concepcion, Masaya Nicaragua
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About

#1 of 4 hotels in Masaya
Location
4.7
Cleanliness
4.6
Service
4.9
Value
4.9
GreenLeaders Platinum level
La Mariposa is a small, friendly non-profit Spanish school and eco-hotel, just outside the small town of La Concepcion, Nicaragua. Only an hour from Nicaragua's major attractions - Granada, the Pacific Coast, the Laguna de Apoyo, Masaya volcano - and 45 minutes from Managua airport, La Mariposa is surrounded by organic coffee, banana trees and flower gardens. Our cool, green climate (we are 500 meters above sea level - makes a real difference to the temperature) is ideal for studying Spanish! Our conservation efforts - though small scale - have vastly increased our bird population, butterflies and even frogs! We offer intensive Spanish classes in our purpose built classrooms or in outdoor classrooms in our delightful grounds, full of tropical plants and rescued animals. Classes are mostly one on one (max 2 or 3 in a class) and we cater for all levels form beginner to advanced, including specially designed classes for children. We have an extensive library with Spanish study materials and a selection of books in English on Nicaraguan history, development issues etc. We organize a full week (that includes weekends) of activities, including cooking and salsa classes, classes on the history of Nicaragua and a weekly update of what is happening in the Nicaraguan news. These are delivered in Spanish to help with progress in Spanish and with English translation if necessary. On 3 afternoons and Saturdays we offer trips out to local places of interest as well as the Masaya volcano by night, the Masaya markets and artesanias, Granada, Leon, the Laguna de Apoyo, the Pacific beach, Managua, Catarina, the Pueblos Blancos and more! The trips are rotated on a monthly schedule. There are various accomodation options - Students can stay in the eco-hotel (ensuite rooms) or our eco rooms (cheaper). There is a also a large (en suite) family room. Situated about 5 mins from the main school/hotel is our nature reserve. There are now 2 cabins in the reserve, each with two bedrooms, seating area, shower and compostable latrine, private terrace and garden, small kitchen (though you can of course eat all meals at the main hotel) - these are ideal for families with kids who like a bit more space to run around! There are of course a few friendly rescued dogs to keep the kids happy!! We use solar power - for heated water in all of the showers as well as to provide electricity, conserve rainwater,have a number of recycling schemes and have started our own successful organic farm which provides some of the eggs, veggies, coffee consumed at the Mariposa. And much more. We use our income to maximise the employment of local people (currently employing 80 teachers, maintenance and kitchen staff) and undertake a number of projects in the local community. You can opt to volunteer at one of our community or environmental projects, living in a homestay with a local family. Amongst other projects, we are currently offering volunteer placements in the nature reserve, in local schools, with a day care project or with disabled children. You are also welcome to help out the Mariposa workers - whether feeding our rescued animals or cooking up our healthy meals. All of which is a great way to improve that Spanish! We have also recently opened, on another but close by site, a study centre specifically designed to cater for groups of students. We offer an individualized curriculum which can include Spanish classes, activities and classes on the history, culture and environment of Nicaragua. We can also arrange community service work for groups. Accommodation is in two eco built dormitories, each of which has 10 beds (bunk style). The eating/meeting hall is a lovely structure built of straw bales and thatched roofing. Classrooms face a terrace with great views of the Masaya volcano. Meals are always freshly cooked, often using organic veggies from our farm. And of course there are solar heated showers and solar powered electricity.
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Property amenities
Free internet
Wifi
Free breakfast
Children Activities (Kid / Family Friendly)
Airport transportation
Mosquito net
Non-smoking hotel
Laundry service
Restaurant
Shuttle bus service
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Non-smoking rooms
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HOTEL STYLE
Green
Languages Spoken
Spanish
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Gretchen S wrote a review Dec 2023
2 contributions
+1
This was our second visit to La Mariposa. On our first visit we were inspired by the humanitarian and ecological projects the hotel/school supports, and returned to participate, and to immerse ourselves in the cultural activities and excursions. Being there is a beautiful experience as we got to know the amazing staff—they are all very friendly and made our time there really special. Excellent food, comfortable rooms, and beautiful grounds. I was there with my teen daughter and a highlight is the animals (all rescues)—dogs, cats, monkeys, parrots, etc. We always felt 100% safe at the hotel and while guides took us on outings. The one-on-one Spanish classes are fabulous-teachers are trained to work with all levels (I’m a total beginner and they were patient and made learning fun). La Mariposa is a place we will return— it is relaxing and enriching. It offers the kind of experience that makes traveling a rewarding cultural exchange (not just being an observer), and the ability to participate in volunteer work is a great opportunity to interacts with locals and the land. (The volunteer work is totally optional-the first time our family stayed there we went on all the afternoon excursions and spent a lot of time in the hammocks and that was super great, too.)
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Date of stay: July 2023
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Trip type: Traveled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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Katinka wrote a review Nov 2023
2 contributions3 helpful votes
La Mariposa is a little paradise on earth. The location is wonderful and the staff is so lovely! They are heartwarmingly friendly, helpful and so terribly patient. Despite my probably terribly boring questions in bad Spanish that they must be getting the whole time, they always engaged a conversation with me. The Spanish classes were interesting and really boosted my Spanish. The volunteering work with the staff was fascinating and so much fun. My little room in the middle of nature was so beautiful. The food was delicious. The excursions with the guide were super interesting and fun. However, if you know yourself to be sensitive to flee bites, take you precautions before going.
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Date of stay: November 2023Trip type: Traveled solo
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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Jeff M wrote a review Nov 2023
3 contributions
Llamar, a poster was a perfect blend of a great place to stay and a great place to learn in Nicaragua. It's central location made it an easy place to radiate from and it's staff and teachers were friendly and supportive. I can't say enough and look forward to returning.
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Date of stay: January 2023
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Trip type: Traveled with friends
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LoveTravel769931 wrote a review Jul 2023
1 contribution
I strongly recommend La Mariposa for spanish class, culture immersion, volunteering in truly helpful local programs, learning about the people , land and agriculture, to meet new friend and discover great places with the daily tours. Loved it so much i will go back in a few months with my 3 kids and husband!
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Date of stay: May 2023
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Trip type: Traveled solo
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Jonathan B wrote a review Jul 2023
1 contribution
I stayed at la mariposa for 6 weeks learning Spanish and I have to say it was fantastically priced. It’s got a nice jungle vibe and the accommodation was comfortable enough for me. Nice big double bed (comfy), solid mosquito net and a room fan which kept me plenty cool. Yes, it’s true, you will see a few creepy crawlies around, but none of them are out to get you. And if you’re a dog lover it’s a real treat. I didn’t personal have any trouble with noise but the dogs get going quite early which I believe a few students struggled with from time to time. The water pressure was fine enough for a good shower - and if you got the right time of day - a hot shower at that. The food was excellent! I’m not a vegetarian myself but I didn’t miss meat at all. Good portion sizes, nice variety and really tasty. There is also a nice snack shop with beer that works on an honor system. For the duration I had the same teacher for the mornings, Jenny, who was great and patient – and boy do you need to be patient with me. And from what I gathered from the other students, they were all really happy with their teachers as well. As is true with all language schools there is always an abundance of interesting people and families passing through and La Mariposa was no different. At no point was a short of people to hang out with. The weekend excursions they put on are brilliant and a great change of pace from the studious week. I’d say I actually did quite a lot of travelling whilst at the school, from Leon, to the beaches, to great lagoons (the lagoon is a real treat by the way, stunning). Volcanoes and more. All the staff were lovely and welcoming. There is a little town up the hill you can walk to where there are shops and small restaurants and even a super market. It is recommended you take care but I never felt any negative vibes or trouble the whole time I was there. All in all, La Mariposa has a fantastic community vibe and is a lovely place to spend some time. I can’t imagine there are many language schools that are better value than this one. I was actually quite taken back by the way the school reaches out and supports all kinds of projects outside of the school. I was so impressed that I myself had to start making a monthly donation to help with all impressive work they do.
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Date of stay: November 2022
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Trip type: Traveled solo
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Rebecca R wrote a review Apr 2023
2 contributions2 helpful votes
We loved the nature and tranquility of the La Mariposa school, our room was basic which was to be expected but there were a lot of plumbing issues and often the toilet would not flush and when it did the contents would later come back!!! Yuck! In terms of the setting of the school it’s super rural and chill - I personally loved the animals that made the experience for me but in terms of the teaching it was not up to the mark in my opinion - we studied at a previous Spanish school and I learnt way more and I just wrote out verbs after verbs in grammar and I didn’t feel I personally learnt much in conversation - tried to change teachers at one point but that didn’t really do to plan either. The organisers brushed it off. Physiotherapy section with the kids was good but no space to give hands a proper wash. Meals were ok but sometimes felt like it was a fight to get any food and personally felt a bit penalised for going to eat but we genuinely felt pretty hungry on our stay! mixed feelings but it wasn’t all bad just not quite at the level needed and serious facility improvements need to be made and a rethink on teaching and what works best for individuals would help improve. Lots of potential but lots of work required…
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Date of stay: February 2023Trip type: Traveled as a couple
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mike c wrote a review Mar 2023
3 contributions
A recommendation for anyone wanting to learn Spanish in Nicaragua! We are an Australian family of 4, including 2 noisy and rowdy boys (3 and 6 years old), travelling in Nicaragua for 2 months. Before we left Aus we discovered La Mariposa Spanish school and eco hotel which seemed to tick a lot of boxes for us (giving back to the community, protecting the environment, rescuing animals, professional teachers, and more). We just spent a fantastic week there (late February 2023). Paulette (the owner) and the entire team (all locals from the area) were super accommodating, kind and professional. The environment was very relaxed and you can meet/hang out with other international students if you wish. The boys loved the 'jungle' grounds the school/ hotel is in, which has rescued animals such as monkeys and parrots (in enclosures) and many dogs and a few cats. The all vegetarian food (3 meals a day provided) was really really good (to these meat-eaters' surprise!). We each had 20 hours of Spanish with lovely and patient teachers. The boys did more play based activities and exercised their teachers around the hotel grounds! We had optional activities included with transport and guide (e.g. Massaya volcano, Granada) and others within the grounds including horse riding, salsa class, pizza making. They also shuttled us, and our mountains of luggage, around the country upon arrival and departure for very reasonable amounts. It is honestly amazing value for money. Additionally there is an option to volunteer on community projects run by La Mariposa and/or do local homestays which reduces the price (we did neither, being too hard with the kids). It's definitely rustic accomodation, and if you don't like rustic (you're in the wrong country for a start!) and if you don't like dogs: it's probably not for you! Our boys warmed up to the dogs after 2 or 3 days and enjoyed being around them. All the best on your Spanish learning journeys!
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Date of stay: February 2023Trip type: Traveled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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Gail the Whale wrote a review Feb 2023
Wimborne Minster, United Kingdom134 contributions32 helpful votes
+1
Amazing 1:1 language classes. Excellent trips, great volunteering opportunities, good vegetarian food, great projects supporting the local community. Wonderful opportunities to make new friends from all over the world, beautiful shady gardens. Opportunities to learn more about the fascinating culture and people. Rooms a bit basic, but one is aware how very privileged westerners are in relation to the local community. Whilst I was there it was unusually cool and damp, so I felt it would have been nice to have somewhere to be able to sit in the sunshine sometimes. However the jungle type gardens were full of beautiful birds and wildlife- you can’t have it all I guess!
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Date of stay: January 2023Trip type: Traveled solo
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
2 Helpful votes
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Giulia F wrote a review Jan 2023
I stayed at la Mariposa for my first solo trip in Central America. I stayed for 2 weeks, I did one week of activities and one week of volunteering. It was everything I expected from the reviews and so much more, I would highly recommend it. I loved the lessons. The level of the teacher's class was incredible, I could feel the progress from the very first days! The experience of both the activities and the volunteering was excellent. The projects of la mariposa are really important and it really allows you to be part of the community (even if for a short period of time). A special shoutout goes also to the amazing staff working at the school. Everybody is super friendly and made me feel welcome and safe during my first solo trip. Also, the food is incredible.
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Date of stay: December 2022
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Trip type: Traveled solo
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caroline d wrote a review Oct 2022
8 contributions3 helpful votes
+1
My time at Mariposa was one of the highlights of my trip to Central America! After traveling for 3 months my friend and I had still only picked up the bare minimum of Spanish and decided it was finally time we visit a Spanish School and try to at least learn the basics. Our Spanish improved tenfold and thanks to to the wonderful teachers at La Mariposa who taught us so much we are now not only able to ask basic and necessary questions but we are more than capable of engaging in friendly conversation with locals which has made our trip so much better. We also opted to do the volunteering during our stay which was so rewarding and eye opening to how much community work Mariposa is involved in. Big shoutout to Juan who taught me so much about gardening during my time volunteering on the project! Our rooms were clean and comfortable and a lot bigger than we were used to on our travels and the food was absolutely delicious thanks to the cooks who also taught us how to make some local dishes. All of the staff working at Mariposa were so friendly and hard working and made us feel welcome during our stay. Being a big animal lover I was also allowed to help out with feeding the rescues so big thanks to Oscar who didn’t mind me tagging along during his morning duties. If you are looking for somewhere to learn or improve your Spanish then I cant recommend Mariposa enough, our whole experience was fantastic thanks to Paulette and the whole Mariposa family!
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Date of stay: October 2022Trip type: Traveled with friends
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
3 Helpful votes
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LOCATION
NicaraguaMasaya DepartmentMasaya
NUMBER OF ROOMS
16
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LA MARIPOSA SPANISH SCHOOL AND ECO HOTEL - Prices & Reviews (Nicaragua/Masaya)

Frequently Asked Questions about La Mariposa Spanish School and Eco Hotel
Which popular attractions are close to La Mariposa Spanish School and Eco Hotel?
Nearby attractions include Masaya Volcano National Park (2.7 miles), Masaya Volcano (2.7 miles), and Museo del Parque Volcan De Masaya (2.7 miles).
What are some of the property amenities at La Mariposa Spanish School and Eco Hotel?
Some of the more popular amenities offered include free breakfast, an on-site restaurant, and airport transportation.
What food & drink options are available at La Mariposa Spanish School and Eco Hotel?
Guests can enjoy free breakfast and an on-site restaurant during their stay.
What are some restaurants close to La Mariposa Spanish School and Eco Hotel?
Conveniently located restaurants include Beto's Bistro, Restaurante Hacienda San Pedro Carazo San Marcos Nicaragua, and La Nueva Borgona.
Does La Mariposa Spanish School and Eco Hotel have airport transportation?
Yes, La Mariposa Spanish School and Eco Hotel offers airport transportation for guests. We recommend calling ahead to confirm details.
Are there any historical sites close to La Mariposa Spanish School and Eco Hotel?
Many travelers enjoy visiting El Coyotepe Fortress (7.6 miles) and Mercado de Artesanías de Masaya (6.2 miles).