The property is the first luxury accommodation in Nicaragua’s countryside. Set near Granada, its four stand-alone villas are located on a 1,300-acre nature reserve.
Nekupe—the name means “heaven” in the local indigenous language—makes the most of its location, offering sweeping views of the mountains, including that of the dormant Mombacho volcano. Each guest room has an ATV with which to explore the rugged outdoors. Other activities include horseback riding, hiking and bird and wildlife watching. The resort’s contemporary aesthetic creates a restful place for contemplating the wildness of the landscape, which is packed with native howler and spider monkeys, deer, foxes, sloths, 78 species of birds and 61 species of butterflies.
The property was conceived as the private sporting resort of the billionaire Pellas family—clay and target shooting are available—before they chose to open it to guests as a fully operational hotel. The on-site spa offers various treatments including masks of local volcanic mud and indoor and outdoor yoga classes.
Included in each stay is private transportation via luxury SUV to and from Managua’s international airport, which is about a two-hour trip. To cut the land journey in half, fly into Costa Esmeralda Airport, a private airport that opened in December 2015 and accommodates ATR-42/72, Gulfstream V jets and most turboprop planes.
Starting rate: $900 per night
Contact:Daniel S. Bolanos, reservations manager, dbolanos@nekupe.com, 505.2254.7649 or 646.412.5850, nekupe.com
