A Hostel in San Pedro Sula
Staying overnight at La Posada B&B proved to be a very comfortable experience, from the much-appreciated pick-up ride from the bus terminal to the included breakfast. For approximately $25 including taxi rides and breakfast, it definitely made our arrival by bus in Honduras much more palatable than expected.
Our intent was not to linger in San Pedro Sula. The guide books make a terrible introduction to the place. They talk of thefts, industrialism and overall we did not feel comfortable spending an extended amount of time in the city. Nevertheless, we saw it as a necessary evil to navigate to other regions in Honduras. Arriving after a 12-hour ride in Tica Bus from Leon, Nicaragua, we could not make it directly to our elected destination of Copan Ruinas. We chose to sleep overnight at La Posada based on the recommendations we found on Hostelworld. The ride to and from the bus terminal was a determining selling point, much more than the swimming pool in the backyard.
Ideal Location of La Posada B&B
The hostel is 15 minutes from the bus terminal. While we waited for the ride, we were proposed 100 lempiras to get there but as with many taxi drivers hustling around bus terminals to prey on the freshly arrived gringos, this one was not particularly inviting. He told us that he knew the hostel well and they would never send drivers which turned out of course to be a lie to get us into his ride. Still our chauffeur was not there so we managed to call La Posada from his cell phone (for a 10 lempira fee) and coordinated the pick-up. This was probably the only hiccup in the plan.
Alex, the owner of the bed and breakfast gave us his cell phone numbers and if there is one tip I can offer on this one is to call as soon as you arrive just to confirm the ride. While we waited, we engaged into a very friendly conversation with a local who had witnessed our exchange with Max the taxi driver and deeply apologized for his compatriot. Apologies accepted, especially since our chauffeur arrived 10 minutes later and was very amiable. Knowing we had passed dinner time he inquired whether we needed to stop anywhere on the way.
A Warm Reception from La Posada ´s owner
At La Posada, Alex offered to freely upgrade us to a private room to make up for the delay. We had originally planned to stay in the four bed dorm to save up a little so this came as a great relief. He was also very helpful regarding our transportation and how to navigate the neighborhood of La Colonia Universidad where his B&B is. His place is a converted house. It has a computer in the reception area and free wi-fi, a nice patio in the back with a pool and a couple of hammocks. I really appreciated some of the information posted on the walls and as mentioned, Alex was of great guidance as well. Jess really appreciated the hot water in the shower. For those interested, HBO was hooked up to the TV in our private bedroom with en-suite bathroom. Also included alongside the two taxi rides is a hearty breakfast in the morning.
We ended up taking a 5-minute walk to the mall around the corner. It ´s fully westernized and accommodates a sushi bar, TGIF and Pizza Hut. According to what Mike and Joy who were also staying at the hostel, everything else needs a taxi to get to.
I would definitely go back to La Posada B&B in San Pedro Sula. I feel like we found one of the better options in town. I am not sure if the city itself would bring me back but for a stop over it is very easy to find some comfort. We returned to the bus terminal the following day to catch a bus with Casasula to Copan Ruinas for 135 lempiras. Quite the bargain compared to the $22 Hedman Alas bus ride. At the terminal we reunited with other backpackers that ended up going to tamaringo hostal in search of a cheaper accomodation but it costs them more than expected, roughly the same as what we paid.
