Students visiting Managua tend to gravitate to Arcoiris (Barrio Los Robles, two blocks south and one block east of Plaza del Sol, house #97, tel. 505/2278-0905, $12/night), a clean, comfortable, family-run guesthouse in a safe neighborhood. The price includes breakfast, and minimum one-month stay applies. Internet is available, and laundry and other meals can be arranged.

Hostal Dulce Sueño (75 meters east of TicaBus, tel. 505/2228-4125 or 505/8424-0272, hospedaje_dulcesueno [at] yahoo [dot] es, www.hostaldulcesueno.com) offers similar services plus free laundry for $180 per month single or $300 per month for a couple.

Belinda’s House (Canal 2, two blocks north and 75 meters west, tel. 505/2266-3856, $15) is a similar, cozy family-run long-term guesthouse.

Next to Las Cazuelas restaurant and across from Guesthouse Santos, Hotel/Apartamentos Los Cisneros (tel. 505/2222-3535) rents small, fully furnished apartments that include refrigerator, private phone, and parking facilities.

At the higher end, several boutique hotels can accomodate long-stay visitors in luxury with full cable TV, Internet, laundry service, and similar. Hotel El Almendro (from the Metrocentro rotunda, two blocks west, half block south, tel. 505/2270-1260, www.hotelelalmendro.com, almendro [at] cablenet [dot] com [dot] ni, $54/s, $64/d) specializes in long-term accomodations, offering studio suites with kitchenettes and parking; pricing depends on the length of your stay but runs around $40 per day. Being able to cook your own meals once in awhile is a huge advantage.

Los Robles (one block west, two blocks south of the Hotel Intercontinental Metrocentro, tel. 505/2278-6334), in the same class, has 12 rooms at $1,300 per month but you’ll eat in the hotel restaurant (and love it).

Los Cedros (Km 13, Carretera Sur, across from the Iglesia Monte Tabor, tel. 505/2265-8340) has 30 furnished rooms with bath, terrace, kitchen, pool, and plenty of green space.

If you’re content living outside the city limits, several excellent long-term options line the far reaches of Carretera Masaya. Hotel Campo Real (Km 12.5, tel. 505/2279-7067, camporeal [at] ideay [dot] net [dot] ni, www.hotelcamporeal.com) has six fully furnished apartments with all the amenities to make you feel at home, from $60 a night, depending on how long you stay.