Magnific Rock - Surf Resort & Yoga Retreat Nicaragua

I went for a wedding, most of the guests were staying the night in the hotel. Apparently they turn off water service from 1:am to 6:am daily. I didn’t know this until one of the guests in another room told me. When I first went to talk to the staff, the manager told me they would send someone to check my room and see the issue. That person never came and of course I didn’t wait for them since the other room had already told me about the daily water outage. For a $120 room I did not expect that and also they had a wedding, of course it was going to end late and people were going to use bathrooms and toilets. The room wasn’t clean, they didn’t provide hand towels, the beds looked old, looks like it needs a lot of maintenance around. Restaurant toilets were clogged. Staff wasn’t friendly. They all looked upset or uninterested, when we went for breakfast they were more interested in the time, always reminding us how many minutes left we had before breakfast time was over. They didn’t clean our table, and we had to walk to the bar and pay our tab. They didn’t bring our check. Completely cero service.

Spent a wonderful week surfing in Popoyo with the Mag Rock team. Brian and Jess took such good care of us - finding great waves, offering specific and targeted coaching, and being great hosts! Our group (5 women) had a wide range of skills and I was a bit nervous that I would hold back the rest of the group (still working on my pop-ups…). However Brian managed to push me into waves while they both offered tips to my more advanced friends on their timing and technique. Combined with really helpful video analysis, we all made significant gains - despite our varied starting points! We had two sessions a day for six days across a variety of breaks. Some steps from the hotel (Beginner’s Bay and both sides of Mag Rock itself), some a short truck ride away (including two amazing sunset sessions at Gavilán), and two boat trips. We appreciated the variety and learned a lot by exploring a range of different waves. The Mag Rock surf package included hotel (due to holiday availability we spent the first couple of nights at a sister hotel La Jolla before moving to the Penthouse at Mag Rock), and three meals a day. The staff at both sites were very accommodating and welcoming - shuttling us around and making sure we had a chance to explore the area! All in all a great trip. I’ll be sure to look up the Mag Rock team next time I’m in Nicaragua!

Magnific Rock truly lives up to its name! The accommodation here is top-notch, offering comfort with the most stunning views in all of Nicaragua. Waking up to the sight of the ocean and the dramatic cliffs was an experience we'll never forget. The on-site restaurant was a pleasant surprise—delicious food with fresh ingredients, and a menu that catered to all tastes. Whether you're looking for adventure or relaxation, this place has it all. Highly recommended!

My husband and I have been coming to Mag Rock each year since 2017 for our honeymoon and it’s been declining every year since. We couldn’t stay this year in January because they told us they are fully booked for a yoga retreat. My husband and I figured we would visit for dinner…it was horrible! Luckily I messaged that we were coming. The rooms, hotel, and restaurant are wearing down and it’s damaged. They are still having power problems. We tried to do yoga this week, but they told us they didn’t have a schedule for January. We got there at 7PM. The menu is super weird. It’s not high end, it’s all pasta. The bar menu is ok. We were hoping to get the delicious food we had last year-like jalapeño steak and you get to pick sides. They were out of mint so no mojitos and they didn’t have red snapper… We waited 1 HOUR for 2 orders of tacos, wings, and hummus. The hummus didn’t come with crackers, just bread. The service was horrible. I never got my second drink and he never bothered to check on us. There was no management and he didn’t bother to say he’s sorry it’s taking so long. There was a table that waited even longer for their food. My husband and I are super disappointed because we used to enjoy yoga and loved staying here. We have found better places for food and to stay. We won’t be coming back.

Choosing to visit and stay at the Magnific Rock surf camp in Nicaragua is one of the decisions I’ve made!! I booked the all inclusive surf package which included room, board, non stop good food, daily surfing, adventures, boat rides and boat fishing to name a few. Honestly though, the best part has been the staff who have gone out of their way both in coaching me in the waves and out of the water. I would recommend Nicaragua and the surf camp here at Mag Rock to anyone looking to catch waves, sun rays and good vibes. I will definitely be back!

Fantastic week long Nicaragua surf trip at Magnific Rock in Popoyo, thanks to our amazing hosts & guides, Brian and Jess! One thing that really elevated the experience was the complimentary video call with us beforehand to discuss what we were looking for out of the trip. That was an unexpected but nice touch. We were blessed with amazing waves and perfect weather, and our guides went above and beyond to anticipate our needs and accommodate all of our requests. The location is perfect for beginner to intermediate surfers (literally in front of Beginner's Bay), and they drove us to other really fun, more advanced spots and took us on two boat trips. We had a few issues with facility / maintenance, but the staff was attentive and Brian & Jess were great advocates for us throughout our stay. We all caught so many waves, received video analysis, and were given pointers on how to improve. Highly recommend for all levels–these guys really listen to what you want and will show you the best time! We also had a great experience with Taylor and Tomas at La Jolla, a sister property close by. I'm usually the group trip planner, and I have to say, putting everything in Jess & Brian's hands made for the most relaxing and action-packed vacation ever! Muchas gracias!!

The food tasted like gasoline. It did not sit well with me. Service was non existent, I had to get up from my table to order and to get silverware even though I was one of two tables at the time. Yoga was lovely. I do not recommend the restaurant at all.

a rough go.... The good: the staff was very nice, front desk, restaurant and bar staff all friendly and helpful. The rooms were clean with decent furniture and the ac worked well. There is a decent quiver of surf boards, several decent longboards in the mix which was nice for beginners bay. The short board selection was average, but the boards were in decent shape. You can probably find a board that works for you but not something you are excited to try. The location is a positive and a negative, you are up on a cliff above beginners bay, with a great view of the ocean and rock. To get to popoyo surf break you have to walk about a mile on the beach, or drive 10 minutes. Other restaurants, stores and beach bars are 15 minute drive or long walk 20 mins or more. There is a river that separates the hotel from the other areas at the beach so you have to drive back inland then back out to the ocean. The food was average and without a vehicle there would not be many other choices. The main building/bar/restaurant needs some real work. It is a neat building but it is showing its age badly, there is visible termite damage throughout. The ceiling and windows leak when it rains, the bar area reminds me of a frat house basement party room. The pool and area surrounding was not an inviting place to hang out. The room had multiple small things wrong; the safe was missing, the door had to be pulled just right to lock it, the screen door on the porch was shredded, the glass in the sliding door to the porch was cracked, the water pressure is poor (but gets very hot which was nice). The toilet float would get stuck up all the time, so you would have to lift the back off the toilet and tap it so the water would fill the tank and you could flush. Not that big of a deal but a hassle, we could probably have spoken to the staff about it, but with our limited spanish we decided it wasn't worth the effort. The bed was average, however it only comes with sheets not a light blanket or anything else. I guess trying to encourage light use of the ac. Beginners bay, the wave is great for beginners and longboard cruisers, however it is the dirtiest water I have ever seen, the rock formation stops and traps all the wood and leaves and whatnot. At times the shore break is 10 meters of black sticks and small logs. There are spots you can get in and out to avoid this but the water stays brown with black patches here and there. We were there in late Sept during the wet season. The entire area was fairly empty, maybe when there are more people around and less rain some of this improves. All in all we felt that 120 USD per night was a bit much for what you get. Also would we recommend having a vehicle or you will be pretty isolated, if you go during the wet season strongly recommend 4x4 the roads were straight mud in much of the area.