Roatan West Bay resort choices

[scorman]

I decided to start a new thread, because some of them were getting quite long and some were started years ago. Any and all comments/corrections would be appreciated.

Never been here, but daughter came in June to Las Rocas and loved the diving, had a great time but said she'd go a little upscale next time.

Saw a great post on Paradise Oceanic on trip advisor posted mid Dec:
Great for Diving, Snorkelling, Chilling - Review of West Bay, Honduras - TripAdvisor

This is a different sort of vacation for us, since we typically go to mega resorts in Riviera Maya ( I have posted several trip reports over the years).

After sifting thru hundreds of threads, we conclude that many all inclusives with full meal plans that are in West Bay have many negative commentaries (Henry Morgan?) incl marginal food,no pools, small property, but all share great beach. B+B packages seem to fit the bill...how can they screw up breakfast??? We would go to some local restaurants for dinner to get the flavor of the area. We don't want to be way out ie Anthony Key, Cocoview, etc.

Then comes bookings: many of these operations are small ie <100 rooms and are not on the radar of Applevacations, hotel.com, etc., so either we find a package with flight + taxes from vacationexpress.com and make our own dive arrangements, or take advantage of dive + B+B deals directly from the resort add the extra 16% and get a deal on the flight from Kayak.com.

The Paradise Oceanic is our prime choice so far. Newly built structure ...we don't want bungalow with room A/C ...central location to the beach. short walk to other resorts. Possibility of shore diving as per two trip reports. They have pkg in May B+B/dive deal for $511wk/pp. Previous choice was Bananarama and Mayan Princess . Probably will book a few days longer than a week if flights are conducive.

Would like to hear from experienced Roatan travelers for competitive choices.

TIA

 

[Rainer]

We very much enjoyed our stay at Bananarama two years ago (great breakfasts, excellent beach, shore dive option, integrated diving op, nice rooms, affordable, clean, etc): http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/bay-islands/370556-roatan-trip-report-photos-videos.html

 

[levergun]

first off I would nix any meal plans because food is cheap and plentiful. Only the imported goods have much cost. Baleadas from street vendor is $1.25, bananas are $15 as singles.
I would not stay in west bay because it is further away from everything except other hotels
I would stay in west end, book lodging separately from diving. there are some high end condos or just stay at coco lobo. The condos on the south side of half moon bay look pretty nice.
dive shops in west end, Roatan Divers, Coconut Tree, Reef Divers, West End divers, native sons to name less than half of the dive shops in west end. I would take a walk and stop by the shops and find the one that fits you. They all dive the same sites, and charge about the same $30-35 per tank including gear.
during the day you can get a cab to coxen hole for 25-35 L per person or take the collective for 25L.

 

[JohnN]

first off I would nix any meal plans because food is cheap and plentiful. Only the imported goods have much cost. Baleadas from street vendor is $1.25, bananas are $15 as singles.
I would not stay in west bay because it is further away from everything except other hotels
I would stay in west end, book lodging separately from diving. there are some high end condos or just stay at coco lobo. The condos on the south side of half moon bay look pretty nice.
dive shops in west end, Roatan Divers, Coconut Tree, Reef Divers, West End divers, native sons to name less than half of the dive shops in west end. I would take a walk and stop by the shops and find the one that fits you. They all dive the same sites, and charge about the same $30-35 per tank including gear.
during the day you can get a cab to coxen hole for 25-35 L per person or take the collective for 25L.

Absolutely. West Bay was characterized to me by an ex-pat as a hotel ghetto where visitors from Honduras go to feel safe (not unreasonable given the crime rate on the mainland). Loved CocoLobo and the West End.

 

[scorman]

rjack,
Thx for your link to the report ..could you elaborate on the "shore dive option" ...didn't see it detailed anywhere

to the other posters ..everything I have read is that snorkeling of West Bay is superior to West End and that West End has some "sketchy" characters roaming around in evenings

 

[irishtn]

We've stayed at Infinity Bay and Bananarama(Island Pearl) and while we loved both, we prefer IB due to the pool as we have a little boy. We never ever get a meal plan cause we love to eat somewhere different all the time and so many choices in Roatan. Also we only stay at West Bay due to the snorkeling so I my 6 year old can snorkel.

 

[Mike]

Stayed many times at the Mayan Princess on the beach front rooms. Don't know anything about competitive or not, but location of having your room 10 feet of the beach, great pool, convenient location hits much of what I like.

House dive op is good or use Bananarama next door.

 

[victorzamora]

I think the best place is Luna Beach Resorts. The houses are great. The pool is alright, but the location is to DIE for. It's just a couple minute's walk to West End. West End dive ops are where you want to be. They're every bit as good as the other places, but are generally cheaper. West End is also the most interesting place to be, so you want to stay kinda close to it. Mayan Princess is a close second, but you're taking a water taxi in to West End instead of walking.

BTW: West End Divers is my favorite dive op down there. Also, visit Texas while you're down there. By far the best site on the island. EVERYTHING is bigger in Texas!

 

[Carlos Danger]

Stayed many times at the Mayan Princess on the beach front rooms. Don't know anything about competitive or not, but location of having your room 10 feet of the beach, great pool, convenient location hits much of what I like.

House dive op is good or use Bananarama next door.

+1 for Mayan Princess! Perfect location right in the middle of West Bay w/ good facilities and a small, but solid, dive op.

Hotel Mayan Princess Roatan - Bing Images

 

[lthomas132]

Absolutely. West Bay was characterized to me by an ex-pat as a hotel ghetto where visitors from Honduras go to feel safe (not unreasonable given the crime rate on the mainland). Loved CocoLobo and the West End.

"Hotel Ghetto"? Not sure what was meant by that, but West Bay is extremely nice place with some great, small "hotels". We have stayed at Foster's, Foster's West Bay Resort - Beachfront Cabana Rentals - Bay Islands Roatan, many times and dive with what is now Anemona Divers, Anemona Divers. Yes, a lot of mainland Hondurans do stay at West Bay. Is that a bad thing, or maybe they know something that gringos don't? I have never had any problem with crime, etc. at Foster's. He has 4 really big sons that oversee the place. Foster Diaz is one of the nicest guys you'll ever meet; he is out every morning raking the beach and picking up trash. If you have a problem, talk to Foster himself. The only crime that I have seen or heard of was mostly in Coxen Hole, but drug dealing is rampant in West End. Seems like every trip to West End, someone is trying to sell drugs. If you go, just check out both West Bay & West End and see which one you would rather stay. The bar scene, backpacker, and the hip crowd are better there, but not my thing; fun to visit though.