Hacienda San Lucas

Hacienda San Lucas (http://haciendasanlucas.com)is a fancy-pants hotel (by this I mean expensive and nice. It's look, as you can tell from the pictures is elegantly rustic) located in the mountains around Copan. For around $120 you can spend the night (breakfast included). If you're more budget conscious like me but would still like to spend some time on the grounds, you can come up for the day and eat lunch or dinner there.

Hacienda San Lucas is owned by a Honduran woman, Flavia, who speaks wonderful English. She has an office in town right near supermercado Victoria. Her staff drive out every day around 2, so we got a ride with them. The grounds are lovely and I've heard there are hiking trails and that horseback riding or massages can be arranged. There is also an outdoor yoga studio though I'm not sure if there are actual yoga classes or if you just use the yoga area on your own.

Unfortunately, it was raining the afternoon we spent the day, so we mostly lounged around the yoga room (pictured above) and porch area drinking jamaica tea until it was time for dinner.

Dinner is a 5 course meal for $35 (drinks not included) and although it was pricey compared to other restaurants, my friend and I felt it was worth it. While you make a reservation, you don't really order, they just bring you out the courses. I did see someone who received fish though, so perhaps they have a separate menu for non-red meat eaters and vegetarians. The food was excellent and it was kind of fun not knowing what food would show up for the next course. How often is food a surprise? We liked it because it forced us to try food we never would have ordered because we wouldn't have known what it was, and we loved it!

The other people eating that night with us were all hotel guests but the restaurant is open to anyone although they do suggest reservations. If you aren't a fan of taking a mototaxi home at night, you might want to go for breakfast or lunch. When we went back by mototaxi it was not only dark but also raining. Quite the adventure but not for everyone. Otherwise, just stay the night!