A unique setup five blocks southwest of downtown is Casa de Café Bed and Breakfast (tel. 504/651-4620, www.casadecafecopan.com, US$46 s, US$58 d), run by an American-Honduran couple. Behind their very lovely house are several wood-paneled guest rooms, tastefully decorated and featuring elegant wooden writing desks. From the hammocks on the patio, you’ll enjoy unmatched views over the Río Copán valley below. This secluded place is perfect for relaxing and soaking in the area’s vibes—but if you need further help relaxing, a stop at the tented massage pavilion is highly recommended. Room price includes a hearty, home-cooked breakfast, and coffee and tea all day long. The hotel is about a 10-minute walk from the parque.

The same owners are also establishing a boutique hotel closer to the heart of town, scheduled to open to guests in October 2009, called Terramaya (tel. 504/651-4623, www.terramayacopan.com, US$70 s, US$81 d, US$93 suite). Rooms have exposed beam ceilings and hand-crafted wood furniture, plus details like a pillow menu. The massage pavilion here is tucked into the garden.

At the southwest corner of the square is the pleasant Hotel Camino Maya (tel. 504/651-4646, http://caminomayahotel.com, US$56 s, US$62 d), offering spacious and comfortable rooms with TV, DVD players, air-conditioning, and wireless Internet throughout the hotel (there are also three computers in the lobby that guests can use). The larger rooms have small sitting areas, and breakfast is included. The hotel also has a “recreation center” for the use of its guests, located at the edge of town, with a swimming pool, children’s play equipment, and hammocks.

Plaza Copán (tel. 504/651-4508, www.plazacopanhotel.com, US$52 s, US$58 d), an imposing building on the parque next to the church, has 20 attractive rooms, all with tile floors, dark-wood furniture, air-conditioning, and TV, and a few with small balconies. The hotel also has a restaurant and a small pool.

Another elegant boutique hotel to have recently opened in the center of town is Yat B’alam (tel. 504/651-4338, www.yatbalam.com, US$70 s, US$75 d, 10 percent discount for stays of three nights or more), which has just four rooms, in a beautiful colonial-style building that is also home to three high-end gift shops and a café. All rooms have air-conditioning, wireless Internet, TV and DVDs, and sound-proofed windows, and the two rooms that face the street have small balconies as well. There is a small sitting area with views out to the hills, and guests have use of the swimming pool at the Posada Real. The larger rooms can accommodate up to five people.

The 16 guest rooms at Hotel Don Udo’s (tel. 504/651-4533, www.donudos.com, US$41–87 s, US$46–92 d) are each unique in layout and decor, and the price varies accordingly. The colonial-style building has a central grassy garden with the rooms (and hammocks) situated around it, each with air-conditioning and TV. Hotel facilities include a sauna, whirlpool tub, and a highly regarded restaurant/bar.

Luna Jaguar Spa Resort (tel. 504/651-4746, hlunajaguar [at] gmail [dot] com, US$70 s/d) has seven small rooms, somewhat overpriced and of varying quality (be sure to take a look before putting down any money), but the best have funky wood canopies on the beds and stylish bathrooms, and the stone Jacuzzi is a real treat.