With all do respect to the volcanos and saints who have gone before her, I would like to nominate Helen of Sambo Creek for sainthood, or at least for the Honduran Hotel Owner of the Year Award.

My night at Helens cost me exactly $25 and it was a wonderful experience. When I arrived I sat down at a table with a view of the ocean and order the plato tipico for lunch. 'Plato Tipico' in Honduras means a typical platter of what ever they have in the kitchen that day. I don't know if it was the food or the setting or some combination of both, but that lunch was divine. For the first time since I left the US I relaxed and felt like I had made the right decision to come to Honduras by myself.

Helen and her Uncle Jack run the hotel and they couldn't be friendlier. They invited me to sit with them and drink coffee or beer, depending upon the time of the day. The accomadations were great. Everything was clean and well cared for.

So I reccomend to you and to all of my friends come to Honduras and see the Mayan ruins of Copan and the rain forest, but most importantly do not miss Helen's Hotel.

We had no idea what to expect, just reserved based on the website. The staff was extremely friendly, the rooms were great. Clean, safe! The food was good and the pools were super clean. Right on a nice beach front. We had a great stay with a large group. The Villa Helen's staff welcomed us warmly and made us feel at home. We all had a great experience and plan to return!