Utila Lodge rarely has guests so there is no atmosphere. The owners do not live on the island. And divers from Bay Islands College of Diving (next door) are welcome to use the Lodge facilities so it does not seem as elite as it should be. There are plenty of nice restaurants in town also. Coral View at the far end of town is quiet, has a lovely dock area with bar and has the best snorkeling in the area (no dive moorings here). It is fairly easy to get back into town - walk or tuc-tuc. They have their own dive boats too. Be careful who you choose to try and see Whale Sharks with. There are regulations to follow to ensure these amazing creatures stay around the Bay Islands, and some dive shops do not abide by them. Unfortunately Altons was one of them. If you want to see them in between dives, rather than on an Ocean Safari, then choose a dive shop that goes regularly to the North Side. This is where they are. Eco Marine, Coral View, Utopia, offer more personal services and often go to the North Side. BICD has slow boats and rarely go. Join Utila Buy & Sell on Facebook. This is the site to enquire about privately renting a house, which is easily done.