Above: The pool and exterior of the InterContinental Managua at Metrocentro Mall in Managua, Nicaragua

In order to enjoy one or more of Nicaragua’s great resorts — Nekupe or Jicaro Island Ecolodge — it’s often necessary to overnight in the country’s capital, Managua. An earthquake severely damaged this lakeside city in 1972, leveling most of its center, meaning that much of Managua today dates from a less-than-soul-stirring architectural period. But even unremarkable cities sometimes have lovely hotels, and I hoped that would be the case in Managua.

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