jhelmuth
Contributor
Lovely... truly fantastic!
OK... now that you've gotten the short version, read on for a real insight on what you will find staying on Utila with Deep Blue Resort.
Having been an extensive diver and traveler of the Caribbean - from East to West and the Bahamas & Florida, I can truly say that you will not find anything lacking by choosing Utila - and in particular, Deep Blue Resort. First off, there is the fabulous diving. Then there is the wonderful cuisine. All surrounded by the wonder atmosphere of the Island life-style. Simply as close to Heaven as one can get to on Earth.
The Diving - Steve, owner and dive master, offers the best diving excursions I've been a part of. He has a superb and uncanny natural sense for where to be and at the right times. The only known creature we did not encounter were the elusive Sea Horse - though we did come close in that we were thrilled to find several Harlequin Pipe fish. Even more important were the profiles. In spite of 19 dives over 5 days - 20 in total - I came away with less than 11 hours of No Fly time and less than 24 hours of total desat time on my Uwatec Smart Pro. This is really well done on Steve's part. Though he seems quite a character, Steve is very serious in keeping his guests safe and sound without taking the fun out of your dive or vacation. Indeed, you will feel that you are having the time of your life and that you have the run of the place. And lets not forget Jaz... she too is an excellent dive master as well as the master chef! Their boat is a steady and durable single screw diesel. She's only modestly fast, but well laid out and you will rarely get a whiff of the diesel as she's underway - which is truly great for minimizing any sea sickness. I don't know if it's always as calm as it was during our stay, but Sea Sickness was never even a thought.
The Food - Be prepared for a wealth of delights whenever you come to dine here at Deep Blue. Jaz, the master chef, prepares divine dishes for you enjoyment. From the fresh and delightful local coffee to the perfect end-of-the-day dessert, all the food is fresh and home-made. There are NO processed foods here. Jaz has gone out of her way to ensure that the quality of the food she serves is only the highest quality elements in here dishes. This is essential to her cooking and the food proves how important this is by its delightful taste. Her deserts are an experience that is not to be missed. Make sure you have a sampling of all of her treats and particularly the Tres Leches!
The Resort and Amenities - The rooms have an Islander flavor with an abundant usage of well varnished local woods. Plenty of drawers and storage with generous balconies overlooking the quiet beach front. Palms and other tropical fauna abound the property, but it is all well kept and maintained, as one would expect from any proper Englishman. Insects were scarce. Only the "no-seeums" were any problem (bring some Off repellant and you'll have no problem). The main dining and lounge are also well appointed and comfortable. There is a nice selection of local art to please the eye and generous usage of fine local wood in the floors, tables, and bar - giving it the feel of a country club. You find the lounge seating posh and there is plenty of entertainment with books and magazines, Videos and movies, 2 fully equipped computers that allow high-speed internet access and digital photo processing, a "pool" table, as well as abundant usage of windows and glass doors to view the calming waters off the resorts south side
Travel - You'll probably be routed through San Pedro Sula and on to La Ceiba before arriving. Shirley, the resort director, will aide with making local connections from San Pedro Sula to Utila. Unfortunately, it seems the airlines are not well coordinated and this is the only hard part of arranging for one of the best trips of your life. To be fair, this was really not the worst experience I've had - but it was also not the best either. I would say it was only slightly below par, and I understand that there are improvements that should happen to make this better in the near future.
Summary - This is a "can't miss" diving vacation! Try to get dates for the whale shark season (I'll certainly be back for that). The value is terrific and you'll want to come back again and again. Words don't describe the experience, so just give them a ring or email and enjoy!
OK... now that you've gotten the short version, read on for a real insight on what you will find staying on Utila with Deep Blue Resort.
Having been an extensive diver and traveler of the Caribbean - from East to West and the Bahamas & Florida, I can truly say that you will not find anything lacking by choosing Utila - and in particular, Deep Blue Resort. First off, there is the fabulous diving. Then there is the wonderful cuisine. All surrounded by the wonder atmosphere of the Island life-style. Simply as close to Heaven as one can get to on Earth.
The Diving - Steve, owner and dive master, offers the best diving excursions I've been a part of. He has a superb and uncanny natural sense for where to be and at the right times. The only known creature we did not encounter were the elusive Sea Horse - though we did come close in that we were thrilled to find several Harlequin Pipe fish. Even more important were the profiles. In spite of 19 dives over 5 days - 20 in total - I came away with less than 11 hours of No Fly time and less than 24 hours of total desat time on my Uwatec Smart Pro. This is really well done on Steve's part. Though he seems quite a character, Steve is very serious in keeping his guests safe and sound without taking the fun out of your dive or vacation. Indeed, you will feel that you are having the time of your life and that you have the run of the place. And lets not forget Jaz... she too is an excellent dive master as well as the master chef! Their boat is a steady and durable single screw diesel. She's only modestly fast, but well laid out and you will rarely get a whiff of the diesel as she's underway - which is truly great for minimizing any sea sickness. I don't know if it's always as calm as it was during our stay, but Sea Sickness was never even a thought.
The Food - Be prepared for a wealth of delights whenever you come to dine here at Deep Blue. Jaz, the master chef, prepares divine dishes for you enjoyment. From the fresh and delightful local coffee to the perfect end-of-the-day dessert, all the food is fresh and home-made. There are NO processed foods here. Jaz has gone out of her way to ensure that the quality of the food she serves is only the highest quality elements in here dishes. This is essential to her cooking and the food proves how important this is by its delightful taste. Her deserts are an experience that is not to be missed. Make sure you have a sampling of all of her treats and particularly the Tres Leches!
The Resort and Amenities - The rooms have an Islander flavor with an abundant usage of well varnished local woods. Plenty of drawers and storage with generous balconies overlooking the quiet beach front. Palms and other tropical fauna abound the property, but it is all well kept and maintained, as one would expect from any proper Englishman. Insects were scarce. Only the "no-seeums" were any problem (bring some Off repellant and you'll have no problem). The main dining and lounge are also well appointed and comfortable. There is a nice selection of local art to please the eye and generous usage of fine local wood in the floors, tables, and bar - giving it the feel of a country club. You find the lounge seating posh and there is plenty of entertainment with books and magazines, Videos and movies, 2 fully equipped computers that allow high-speed internet access and digital photo processing, a "pool" table, as well as abundant usage of windows and glass doors to view the calming waters off the resorts south side
Travel - You'll probably be routed through San Pedro Sula and on to La Ceiba before arriving. Shirley, the resort director, will aide with making local connections from San Pedro Sula to Utila. Unfortunately, it seems the airlines are not well coordinated and this is the only hard part of arranging for one of the best trips of your life. To be fair, this was really not the worst experience I've had - but it was also not the best either. I would say it was only slightly below par, and I understand that there are improvements that should happen to make this better in the near future.
Summary - This is a "can't miss" diving vacation! Try to get dates for the whale shark season (I'll certainly be back for that). The value is terrific and you'll want to come back again and again. Words don't describe the experience, so just give them a ring or email and enjoy!
