We stayed for two nights and were very happy with the hotel. The room was clean and comfortable and when we needed help from the staff they were very helpful. There was a nice breakfast and the location is very central. Would use again if we ever returned to Leon.
As you can guess from the name Hotel El Convento was once a convent, although that word can mean what we would consider a monastery as well. The San Francisco Convent dates all the way back to 1639 and was run by the Franciscans until they were expelled from Nicaragua in 1829. After that it has served as a school, an institution of higher learning, a convent once again, but with sisters this time and lastly a school once again. Damaged by earthquakes and then bombed into oblivion during the civil war, by 1980 there was nothing left of the original historic structure. Beginning in 1995, the site was purchased by the current owner who obtained as many plans as he could assemble to build a hotel that was as close in design to the original convent as possible. He has succeeded spectacularly. I had no idea until I got here that the place was essentially new. The place is absolutely loaded with great pieces of art, most religious in nature, but not your run of the mill stiff depictions of saints and madonnas. For example there is a carved wooden angel with a Dolly Partonesque superstructure and children all waiting their turn. I've seen lots of angels, but never one that looked like this one. Aside from looking at the art there is also a nice courtyard and fountain that was a favourite gathering spot for white-winged doves in the early morning and at evening. The rooms were spacious with brick walls and tile floors that kept the rooms cool although there was also air conditioning if you wanted it, but we generally found the ambient temperature just right. Not only was the hotel itself great, but the location was excellent. It seemed that almost everything you would want to see was only a few blocks away in one direction or another. This is simply a great oasis in a very nice city with very few tourists.…
This hotel is situated a 5 minute walk from the main square and cathedral. It is a converted convent that used to belong to the church next door. A lot of the objects and rooms have been kept giving it a lovely atmosphere. The room was clean and tidy with 2 double beds, TV, WiFi and air conditioning. A separate pool towel was already in the closet for you to use. The pool is small but clean and refreshing. Breakfast was buffet style. Only on my 3rd morning was I offered an omelette but there was bacon, sausage, scrambled eggs, plantin and halumi cheese on offer with bread/toast, yoghurts and fruit. The courtyard has designed bushes and a large fountain that the birds used to cool off in! Peaceful to sit and read or just watch the birds. Would recommend.
We only stayed here for one night and the room was full of mosquitos, so bad that we had to go to a supermarket to buy a can of fly spray. The hotel is an old convent and there is iconography everywhere, which is different. The breakfast was okay but not outstanding. There is a small pool which is refreshing after a hot and sweaty day travelling around the area.
This is one of the best hotels in Leon. It is a refurbished old convent with beautiful grounds. Wlaking distance to the cathedral, restaurants, and shopping. When checking in, ask for a room that is not next to the street. From our room we could hear the evening and early morning rush hour traffic.
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