Scottmurillo
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Looking through the threads I see lots of people like COCO View, what are some other good options if thats not available?
Looking for a spot to stay
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Splash Inn, Anthony's Key and Turquoise Bay have a very solid following. I like Coco View, if you are looking for a maximum number of dives and legitimate/quality shore diving. Are you traveling solo or with someone? Cost a factor? All-inclusive or stay in town?
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Hi @Scottmurillo
My wife and I had a very good time at Turquoise Bay Trip Report - Turquoise Bay Resort/Subway Watersports August 2017
My wife and I had a very good time at Turquoise Bay Trip Report - Turquoise Bay Resort/Subway Watersports August 2017
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Scottmurillo
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My girlfriend and I. I emailed Coco View and they are our first choice. However we'd be up for anything. I know thats really broad but we've never been. Any good hotels with a dive center close (I have a camera and its no fun to lug around) would work good.
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Coco View often has rooms open up, be in touch with their rez office and get wait listed. Groups overbook and reduce numbers all the time. Be flexible with room choice and even their Playa Miguel beach house alternatives. (I owned one, there was a reason!)
If you’re aiming at CCV, I will not diverge from AI real-deal DIVE RESORTS. There are bunches of guest houses on West End that are associated with day dive ops, they are nice and have their fans, but nowhere near the CCV experience. I need my 27/wk and 5 night dives or more.
These West day dive guest houses? Sometimes shoppers get lost in the false economy of pricing structures as well as “wasted dive vacation time” finding food. Pricing things out carefully, they make sense if you are doing 12 dives or less per week.
Dive Resorts?
A close second, Anthony Key (AKR). Their long lived so-called “bogo” pricing structure was a bit deceptive, they were a bit cheaper than CCV, but have dropped that game are now a bit higher- this small increase has pushed a lot of AKR habitués to CCV. (A puzzlement to me, except to reinforce the cheapness of divers) Food is served plated, it looks fancier, it’s the same generally as CCV, but CCV allows the famished to tank-up served buffet style. The shore dive is only by definition mostly. More differences but easily searched here on SB. If you hit it hard, 24/wk, but night dive access limited and extra. They are a great dive resort example, but their main corporate focus is Cruise Ship day-divers, that will not effect you, but that’s where their efforts are focused.
3rd: Turquoise Bay Resort (TBR), North side, just North of CCV, dive services by Subway…always an A Grade product, dive quantity less, no shore dive. I’d give the resort itself a C+, due to service level fluctuations. Avoid during Easter.
Resorts with Diving?
Reef House Resort (RHR) is South side further East. A 1970’s dive resort thing, great DMs, marginal boats, iffy food, ok rooms, very remote, very limited shore access due to weather exposure. The resort was AI, now everything is all carte, food, diving, like that.
Fantasy Island (FI), good DM’s, but EVERYTHING else is goch. It was never great, but the last 20 years have been an abomination. Avoid this.
Parrot Tree (PTR) and Media Luna (MLR) are on the South Side, 1.5 miles E of CCV. They cater to package vacation visitors, diving is an afterthought. MLR is a big SunWing Henry Morgan Canadian destination, they do a lot of Cruise Ship day spa types. Subway provides off prem dive pick-ups, they’re always good, but departures are limited.
Barefoot Key (BFK) is best seen as a high-end yacht tie up. They offer ”concierge” dive services, the latest meaningless buzz word for not having to carry or rig your gear, not really a rare thing. Likely good about automatically rigging gear because their divers are in the Resort Course 1.0 category. Most visitors do less than 8 in a week. You can buy a few more. The resort is situated in the midst of an industrial harbor. Great for 100’ yachts, but.
Look at their websites- they do have their own, right? As @Trailboss123 mentioned, Splash Inn…Look for detailed pics of their dive boats. They have one fleeting image. There are several operations that have no pix or just one from a distance. Hmmm.
I am a CCV Fanboy. I have traveled a lot, since 1968- and CCV is the yardstick which I still measure each and every other AI Dive Resort. I would advise- wait for an opening at CCV, if you are interested in diving, this is your deal.
FaceBook run by guests: CocoView Divers | Facebook
Roatan is simply NOT a place where the phrase “5 Star” (or any star system) has any relevance. It’s main problem is finding how to motivate workers to provide a good product and with consistency. CCV & AKR meet this standard by being regarded as the plum jobs on the island. They have long term employees that are allowed to enjoy guest interaction and service.
My CCV addiction, once a night, sometimes two….
If you’re aiming at CCV, I will not diverge from AI real-deal DIVE RESORTS. There are bunches of guest houses on West End that are associated with day dive ops, they are nice and have their fans, but nowhere near the CCV experience. I need my 27/wk and 5 night dives or more.
These West day dive guest houses? Sometimes shoppers get lost in the false economy of pricing structures as well as “wasted dive vacation time” finding food. Pricing things out carefully, they make sense if you are doing 12 dives or less per week.
Dive Resorts?
A close second, Anthony Key (AKR). Their long lived so-called “bogo” pricing structure was a bit deceptive, they were a bit cheaper than CCV, but have dropped that game are now a bit higher- this small increase has pushed a lot of AKR habitués to CCV. (A puzzlement to me, except to reinforce the cheapness of divers) Food is served plated, it looks fancier, it’s the same generally as CCV, but CCV allows the famished to tank-up served buffet style. The shore dive is only by definition mostly. More differences but easily searched here on SB. If you hit it hard, 24/wk, but night dive access limited and extra. They are a great dive resort example, but their main corporate focus is Cruise Ship day-divers, that will not effect you, but that’s where their efforts are focused.
3rd: Turquoise Bay Resort (TBR), North side, just North of CCV, dive services by Subway…always an A Grade product, dive quantity less, no shore dive. I’d give the resort itself a C+, due to service level fluctuations. Avoid during Easter.
Resorts with Diving?
Reef House Resort (RHR) is South side further East. A 1970’s dive resort thing, great DMs, marginal boats, iffy food, ok rooms, very remote, very limited shore access due to weather exposure. The resort was AI, now everything is all carte, food, diving, like that.
Fantasy Island (FI), good DM’s, but EVERYTHING else is goch. It was never great, but the last 20 years have been an abomination. Avoid this.
Parrot Tree (PTR) and Media Luna (MLR) are on the South Side, 1.5 miles E of CCV. They cater to package vacation visitors, diving is an afterthought. MLR is a big SunWing Henry Morgan Canadian destination, they do a lot of Cruise Ship day spa types. Subway provides off prem dive pick-ups, they’re always good, but departures are limited.
Barefoot Key (BFK) is best seen as a high-end yacht tie up. They offer ”concierge” dive services, the latest meaningless buzz word for not having to carry or rig your gear, not really a rare thing. Likely good about automatically rigging gear because their divers are in the Resort Course 1.0 category. Most visitors do less than 8 in a week. You can buy a few more. The resort is situated in the midst of an industrial harbor. Great for 100’ yachts, but.
Look at their websites- they do have their own, right? As @Trailboss123 mentioned, Splash Inn…Look for detailed pics of their dive boats. They have one fleeting image. There are several operations that have no pix or just one from a distance. Hmmm.
I am a CCV Fanboy. I have traveled a lot, since 1968- and CCV is the yardstick which I still measure each and every other AI Dive Resort. I would advise- wait for an opening at CCV, if you are interested in diving, this is your deal.
FaceBook run by guests: CocoView Divers | Facebook
Roatan is simply NOT a place where the phrase “5 Star” (or any star system) has any relevance. It’s main problem is finding how to motivate workers to provide a good product and with consistency. CCV & AKR meet this standard by being regarded as the plum jobs on the island. They have long term employees that are allowed to enjoy guest interaction and service.
My CCV addiction, once a night, sometimes two….
KatieMac
Contributor
I was going to go down the same path as Doc but he covered a lot. It really depends on what you are looking for.
One other all inclusive I have heard good things about from friends who stayed there, but I've not stayed at myself is Media Luna.
Also, location is a factor. How close do you want to be to West End (shops, restaurants, etc)/West Bay (more beach focused)? If you want to go into town daily, Turquoise Bay and Media Luna are quite a distance from the area. Coco View is closer, but still a respectable commute. AKR is walking distance from West End - but a fairly long walk. None of these all inclusive resorts are practical if you want to go to town often.
As for "good" hotels, again depends on what/where you want. Out of town, the all inclusives are better options. In town, there are lots of hotels with dive centers within easy walk of anywhere you stay in West End or West Bay - some with the dive shop right on the hotel property.
One other all inclusive I have heard good things about from friends who stayed there, but I've not stayed at myself is Media Luna.
Also, location is a factor. How close do you want to be to West End (shops, restaurants, etc)/West Bay (more beach focused)? If you want to go into town daily, Turquoise Bay and Media Luna are quite a distance from the area. Coco View is closer, but still a respectable commute. AKR is walking distance from West End - but a fairly long walk. None of these all inclusive resorts are practical if you want to go to town often.
As for "good" hotels, again depends on what/where you want. Out of town, the all inclusives are better options. In town, there are lots of hotels with dive centers within easy walk of anywhere you stay in West End or West Bay - some with the dive shop right on the hotel property.
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