Casa de Olas

Run by a friendly Aussie couple, this is a party hostel – unashamedly so, but very wellrun and with epic hilltop views. There's a large pool, a bar, two rescued spider monkeys out back (don't give them beer!), simple dorms with thatched roofs, and communal meals. It's 3km east of San Juan del Sur, with several daily shuttles into town.