Here's
my West End perspective:
CCV seemed best for the easiest shore diving. It's also isolated, on it's own island, on the mid-south side - all that's close is Fantasy Island next door. IDK where you'd go for dining from there except with a long cab ride to the West End (maybe French Harbor?). The West End is 45mins? and $40-50? away. As Doc said, it's a special trip from CCV. Like you, we wanted to experience other dining/options on Roatan so chose the West End instead - we're not big AI fans but will when it makes sense.
In the winter the North side does sometimes get blown out. Happened to my friends last week of Nov. Larger operators move a boat to the south side as needed and shuttle you over - others can't/won't. West End likely moves their big boat. AKR does, Coconut Tree Divers and others. IDK about the smaller, panga based ops.
For dining
options, you want to stay in the West End/West Bay area. A cab over to the West End from AKR is under 10mins/$6. As RM said, I doubt the AI's will rebate on meals. There's not a lot near AKR either, the resort is fenced/gated and by itself - IDK what's in Sandy Bay nearby but we passed a couple interesting looking places.
Some dining options in the West End: Ooloonthoo, Tong's Thai, Argentinean Grille, Rotisserie Chicken, Lighthouse seemed popular as we passed by. Here's an older list:
Restaurants on Roatan (Mavis/Dixie's closed :depressed
Sundowner's is a divers beach bar with affordable food. You won't find that concentration anywhere else except maybe parts of West Bay.
We stayed in Half Moon Bay. Cocolobo and SeaGrape are both next to our rental house so I walked over. In that area the ironshore is about 6' high at the waterline - we decided we'd never be able to get back out. SeaGrape has a shore dive - a concrete platform extends over the water. But it's one way - jump in there, drift around the point, out at Half Moon Bay cabins and walk back. Even with gear it's not far, there's a cut-thru from the bay side road not shown on maps. It's this one:
Scuba Shore Diving Site Page for: Sea Grape of Honduras, Roatan, Caribbean
One of the nicer options on West End's resort list is Cocolobo. For a regular room/suite resort it's on my future short list. I'd rate SeaGrape a step down - it seemed older, slightly tired looking. Posado Arco Iris has the Argentinean Grille out front - it's an outdoor restaurant so there's noise till around 11PM. Their rooms have an obstructed view also due to the trees, restaurant roof and they sit perpendicular to the beach. Also all the balconies are in line so you look over your neighbors towards the water. BayIslandBeachResort mentioned above closed a few years ago.
You can also shore dive Half Moon Bay wall, have West End drop you off then swim in. We used/liked Coconut Tree Divers all week.
Most operators in the West End charge around $35/dive - less if you buy 10+. Some shops (CTD is one) also have two afternoon dives - RM is correct but the flipside is that the boats return for lunch since many sites are 10-15mins. away. Every day we did two AM dives, back before noon, ate locally and back for 1PM and 2:30 dives. Night dives were less often but someone goes out most nights - there's about a dozen shops within a 2 block area - I think we paid $40.
For specialty dives - shark dive, dolphin dive at AKR, Mary's Place etc. your dive operator can set that up - and a van shuttle also. We were 7 divers so for most, we were the dive. Obviously AKR is convenient for the dolphins but we did all 3 plus the Prince Albert off Cocoview in two mornings of riding around - and were back for the 2:30 dives.