NICARAGUA—The Inn at Rancho Santana will open this March hereon Nicaragua’s Southwest Pacific coast.
The new 17-room property is slated to be the final phase of the clubhouse, which opened in 2012. Conceived as a stylish hideaway within the larger ranch, it is rustic but elegant, according to the company. Altevers Associates Architecture and Altevers International Interior Design were tapped for the project.
The two-story inn—which will also feature its own art gallery, courtyard, café, and lounge—is located steps from Playa Santana, one of the ranch’s five beaches. Its main entrance, however, is situated off a dirt road leading to the stables, organic garden and hiking trails.
The building’s massing, use of materials, and finishes reflect what Rancho Santana has conceived as its “agrarian meets coastal” architectural style. The craftsmanship of custom wooden door and window framing, flooring, and much of the furnishings were created by the Wood Shop at Rancho Santana, which was built in 2011. Rancho Santana Iron Works also worked on The Inn.
The entrance features a recessed brick archway into an open-air courtyard, which also serves as the lobby. The focal point is a single Albizia Saman or “Rain Tree” that was selected for its structure and size and then relocated from a nearby pasture.
Each of the 17 guestrooms and suites, ranging in size from 350-850 sq. ft., were imagined as a collection of four schemes that reflect different distinctive natural elements: earth, water, air, and fire. No two suites are the same, but all share a cohesiveness, according to the company.
In addition to the custom woodwork, the hotel also features hand painted tile, locally sourced paintings and pottery, and furnishings like abaca lounge chairs, ottomans, and benches that were also custom made. Details like curtain rods were crafted by hand in the Iron Works at Rancho Santana, while the window treatments were designed exclusively for The Inn by Peter Fasano and fabricated locally in Nicaragua. The beds are dressed in white eco-friendly linens.
Rancho Santana is privately owned and operated under Tola Development Corp.