According to Fodor's, Selva Negra is "arguably Nicaragua's most famous hotel," and proprietor Eddy Kühl is "a personal friend of many of the country's power brokers.

On one of those trips, a German couple (Ludwig Elster and Katharina Braun) from the region named Black Forest (Selva Negra in Spanish) in Germany chose to stay in Nicaragua rather than continue to San Francisco.

The scenic mountains already drew visitors to the nearby Hotel Santa María de Ostuma.

They built, all German style: 23 mountain bungalows, an additional building with 14 hotel rooms, a youth hostel, bar and restaurant, conference rooms, and a rustic non-denominational chapel.

The activities are all eco-touristic: mountain hiking, horseback riding, birdwatching, and tours of the coffee plantation.