The best cheapie in Tela is Hotel Sinai (5 Av. and 6 Calle, tel. 504/448-1486, US$8 s, US$16 d, shared bath, cold water only). Don’t let the attractive lobby fool you—the rooms are quite basic, but the sheets look clean. Rooms with private baths are also available but cost US$8–10 more, in which case, you could find a better room. One reader reported having credit cards stolen here, which could not be verified, but watch your valuables to be on the safe side.

Hotel Bertha’s (2 Av. facing the Tela-San Pedro Express, tel. 504/448-3020, US$12 s or d, US$18 with a/c, cold water only) has rather barren rooms, but those on the second story have plenty of light, they are clean, and the reception is pleasant enough. Too bad the neighbor has a yard full of roosters—consider yourself forewarned.

The backpacker hangout in town is Mango Hotel (tel. 504/448-0338, www.mangocafe.net, US$15 s, US$21 d with fan, US$7 more with a/c), on the second floor of a building a block from the park, run by the folks at Garífuna Tours. The rooms are decent but not spotless, and amenities include bike rentals (US$5/day) and a Spanish school.