baggins_69
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just booked at Reef House Lodge Oct 5-12... can't wait!
Woot! Reef House here I come!
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We stayed at the Reef House during our first trip to Roatan but that was a long time ago. It is in a rather remote location, why did you decide to stay there?
I hope that you have a nice trip!
OP
baggins_69
Registered
we went to Roatan 5 years ago and rented a house on Caribe Bight (3-4 inlets west of Reef House) and the diving was phenomenal, and we liked being away from the standard tourist area. not looking for fancy or touristy, don't like crowds...
that, the reviews on here and elsewhere and the price...
It definitely is away from the standard tourist areas, you fly to Roatan, cross the island by car, and then take a boat to Oakridge island.
We had a lot of fun at Reef House. I remember hanging out with a flashlight down by the pier at night trying to spot a popular 7-legged octopus named Oscar.
We took a memorable tour with one of the locals into the canals and tunnels that have been cut through the mangroves. The canals were originally created by the native Indians to escape the Spanish Slavers. The tour used boats that were long and skinny and sort of like a big dugout or an overgrown gondola and decked-out with with fanciful decorations! It was a rather surreal experience and we really enjoyed it; here is some info about one of the local mangrove tour operators:
Rolling with the Emeraldi Club in Oak Ridge
The Reef House is rustic but the price is good and the diving was good also when we were there. Everybody eats family style and whatever is being served that day, but it was usually tasty. There was a hummingbird nest near the bar and we used to hang out with the crowd to drink at the end of the day and watch the hummingbird. Remember to bring lots of insect repellent and anti-itch cream, and be sure to get the typhoid vaccine and take the malaria medication before, during, and after the trip.
We didn't stay in the main resort building where most of the rooms are located. We paid extra for an "upgrade" and stayed in this small, separate building that has a couple of nicer rooms, see pic below. We had good air conditioning and doors and windows that sealed properly. I think that we also had a TV but I can't remember if we got good reception, but I think that it was okay.
I don't know if these upgrade rooms will be available when you travel (or if they are still in "nicer" condition) but I recommend that you enquire because we were very happy that we had spent a little more for better accommodations.
Please give us a report when you return, we don't get to hear much current information about the Reef House very often.
We spent 2 weeks there in 2012 (I think) in the right hand side of the building KathyV is talking about. As I remember there were gaps around the A/C unit that allowed the skeeters to enter. I had a roll of black athletic tape that I used to seal it up.
Also, the toilets are very slooowww to recharge after flushing, so plan accordingly.
Dive master David was the seahorse whisperer. He found one or more on nearly every dive. May or may not still be there.
We had a great time, but it is out in the boondocks.
Also, the toilets are very slooowww to recharge after flushing, so plan accordingly.
Dive master David was the seahorse whisperer. He found one or more on nearly every dive. May or may not still be there.
We had a great time, but it is out in the boondocks.
OP
baggins_69
Registered
so: bug dope, vaccinations (all of them) and lots of gin and tonics (Quinine water is the original antimalarial)... sold 
lol, we didn't do any vax, but did liberally use 25%deet.
It was not 2012, it was 2010. Here's the trip report I posted on Undercurrent at the time. I know ownership has changed, and no idea what else has changed. We never did make it back, though we meant to - my buddy (lovely bride) retired from diving and I started doing liveaboards..
RHR is outstanding for divers who want to dive - 3 tanks from the boat each day, and as much as you want from shore (wind permitting). Our first week the wind was significant from the SE and made shore diving impossible. The second week was get-all-you-wanted from shore, and a good dive it was on the RHR wall.
If you want anything other than dive/eat/sit/sleep repetitively, go elsewhere.
Night dives take the place of the single, afternoon tank on wednesday or thursday. The night dive is on Reef House wall and is great.
Divemaster David (Dah-veed) and captain Choco were great. David is the seahorse whisperer, finding seahorses on nearly every dive, and numerous pipefishes.
David dives his plan as briefed on each dive, and you're free to follow along or do your own thing if you want. Generally, dives were 60 minutes, down to about 80 ft along the wall, returning along the top of the wall, 30-40ft or across the shallows. Nobody got in a stir if you wanted to do it differently and extend the dive.
David didn't like it much when a few blew off the 15/3min safty stop.
Boat rides are very short, 5 up to about 20 minutes if heading east to Port Royal on a windy day. The only other dive boats we saw were cocoview boats on Calvin's Crack (2 mornings the second week). We never saw another boat east of Calvins crack.
Air Fills consistently 3100-3400 psi.
The dives from the first week repeated during the second week. I could have repeated them again and again.
A couple of days we encountered a bit of current, so did drift dives to avoid the return trip against the current.
The main players: Mike is the owner and lives on-site. David and Choco I've already talked about. Leonardo is the maintenance man. I think he could fix a nuclear submarine with duct tape and a coat hanger. Our a/c quit one day after dinner, and he had it fixed/replaced before we got back from a night dive. I can't say enough good things about the kitchen staff.
Everybody goes out of their way to make sure everything is good for you.
Flights: We flew directly from/to Atlanta on Saturday in time to eat lunch and dive the PM single-tank. No muss, no fuss. There are also direct flights on Continental from/to Houston.
Accomodations: It's a dive place. Each of 11 (I think) rooms has 2 queen beds, A/C + ceiling fans, small flatscreen TV/satellite, ample hot water. It's not luxurious, but clean and comfortable. One idiosyncracy: When you flush the commode it refills slooowlly via a saltwater pump and won't flush again for about 15 minutes, so schedule accordingly. This may have been unique to our room (S2) - I meant to ask, but forgot.
Food: You'll gain weight. 3 large meals each day. Breakfast is bacon + eggs/omelette/pancakes/frenchtoast/juice/tang/coffee. Lunch is usually wraps(2 large)/fajitas/shrimp/or the like. Dinnter is a small salad, meat/fish/shrimp+starch and a homemade dessert. The food is not gourmet, but it is very good, well-prepared, and plenty. RHR was more than willing to accomodate those who had dietary preferences/restrictions, e.g., on the nights when seafood was served the non-seafood-eaters asked for and got chicken. But, remember, you're in the relative wilderness of Roatan - by that I mean you don't get choices - meals are served and you get the nights offering unless you tell the kitchen staff or Mike you'd like something different.
Friday night dinner is steak and lobster.
Mike starts the coffee at about 0600 every day. If you get up earlier (I do) he'll give you a key and you can start the coffee as early as you want - it was always ready to go, just push the buttons.
The honor bar: If you want something from the bar (soft drinks/beer/cocktails) you get it/mix it and make a tick mark on a 3x5 card. Your bar tab is settled at the end.
Facilities: Two dive boats, one carrying 12 divers, the other 6-8. Both old, but good diving platforms. Our first week we had 7 or less on the big boat. The second week we had 11 or less on the big boat, and a group of students went out on the smaller boat with Mike (owner/instructor).
The equipment room is part of the dock, and has plenty of hanging space/hangers. There are cubbies for fins/masks/etc.
Two fresh water rinse tanks on the dock, cleaned and refilled daily.
The only negative: I marked them down a bit in eco-awareness for one reason: There was a "photographer" there that should have never been allowed outside a pool. Her idea of diving was to bulldoze the bottom while waiting on David to find a little critter, then bulldoze in to get the shot, then bulldoze out while the little critter disappears in the swirling fin-blast, and shreds of sponge and seafan float away (I exaggerate, but not much). This should have been stopped after one dive, but went on for a week.
Summary: We were thoroughly thrilled with our 2 weeks there and we're going back asap. The diving is good and easy. The people are great.
If you want to dive, eat, sit on the deck with a cold beer in the evening this is the place.
It was not 2012, it was 2010. Here's the trip report I posted on Undercurrent at the time. I know ownership has changed, and no idea what else has changed. We never did make it back, though we meant to - my buddy (lovely bride) retired from diving and I started doing liveaboards..
RHR is outstanding for divers who want to dive - 3 tanks from the boat each day, and as much as you want from shore (wind permitting). Our first week the wind was significant from the SE and made shore diving impossible. The second week was get-all-you-wanted from shore, and a good dive it was on the RHR wall.
If you want anything other than dive/eat/sit/sleep repetitively, go elsewhere.
Night dives take the place of the single, afternoon tank on wednesday or thursday. The night dive is on Reef House wall and is great.
Divemaster David (Dah-veed) and captain Choco were great. David is the seahorse whisperer, finding seahorses on nearly every dive, and numerous pipefishes.
David dives his plan as briefed on each dive, and you're free to follow along or do your own thing if you want. Generally, dives were 60 minutes, down to about 80 ft along the wall, returning along the top of the wall, 30-40ft or across the shallows. Nobody got in a stir if you wanted to do it differently and extend the dive.
David didn't like it much when a few blew off the 15/3min safty stop.
Boat rides are very short, 5 up to about 20 minutes if heading east to Port Royal on a windy day. The only other dive boats we saw were cocoview boats on Calvin's Crack (2 mornings the second week). We never saw another boat east of Calvins crack.
Air Fills consistently 3100-3400 psi.
The dives from the first week repeated during the second week. I could have repeated them again and again.
A couple of days we encountered a bit of current, so did drift dives to avoid the return trip against the current.
The main players: Mike is the owner and lives on-site. David and Choco I've already talked about. Leonardo is the maintenance man. I think he could fix a nuclear submarine with duct tape and a coat hanger. Our a/c quit one day after dinner, and he had it fixed/replaced before we got back from a night dive. I can't say enough good things about the kitchen staff.
Everybody goes out of their way to make sure everything is good for you.
Flights: We flew directly from/to Atlanta on Saturday in time to eat lunch and dive the PM single-tank. No muss, no fuss. There are also direct flights on Continental from/to Houston.
Accomodations: It's a dive place. Each of 11 (I think) rooms has 2 queen beds, A/C + ceiling fans, small flatscreen TV/satellite, ample hot water. It's not luxurious, but clean and comfortable. One idiosyncracy: When you flush the commode it refills slooowlly via a saltwater pump and won't flush again for about 15 minutes, so schedule accordingly. This may have been unique to our room (S2) - I meant to ask, but forgot.
Food: You'll gain weight. 3 large meals each day. Breakfast is bacon + eggs/omelette/pancakes/frenchtoast/juice/tang/coffee. Lunch is usually wraps(2 large)/fajitas/shrimp/or the like. Dinnter is a small salad, meat/fish/shrimp+starch and a homemade dessert. The food is not gourmet, but it is very good, well-prepared, and plenty. RHR was more than willing to accomodate those who had dietary preferences/restrictions, e.g., on the nights when seafood was served the non-seafood-eaters asked for and got chicken. But, remember, you're in the relative wilderness of Roatan - by that I mean you don't get choices - meals are served and you get the nights offering unless you tell the kitchen staff or Mike you'd like something different.
Friday night dinner is steak and lobster.
Mike starts the coffee at about 0600 every day. If you get up earlier (I do) he'll give you a key and you can start the coffee as early as you want - it was always ready to go, just push the buttons.
The honor bar: If you want something from the bar (soft drinks/beer/cocktails) you get it/mix it and make a tick mark on a 3x5 card. Your bar tab is settled at the end.
Facilities: Two dive boats, one carrying 12 divers, the other 6-8. Both old, but good diving platforms. Our first week we had 7 or less on the big boat. The second week we had 11 or less on the big boat, and a group of students went out on the smaller boat with Mike (owner/instructor).
The equipment room is part of the dock, and has plenty of hanging space/hangers. There are cubbies for fins/masks/etc.
Two fresh water rinse tanks on the dock, cleaned and refilled daily.
The only negative: I marked them down a bit in eco-awareness for one reason: There was a "photographer" there that should have never been allowed outside a pool. Her idea of diving was to bulldoze the bottom while waiting on David to find a little critter, then bulldoze in to get the shot, then bulldoze out while the little critter disappears in the swirling fin-blast, and shreds of sponge and seafan float away (I exaggerate, but not much). This should have been stopped after one dive, but went on for a week.
Summary: We were thoroughly thrilled with our 2 weeks there and we're going back asap. The diving is good and easy. The people are great.
If you want to dive, eat, sit on the deck with a cold beer in the evening this is the place.
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