The 1st and 2nd-floor casitas are pretty much identical, with the only significant difference being that the 2nd-floor unit has a vaulted ceiling, while the 1st-floor unit has a generous nine-foot ceiling. The first-floor casita is about six feet above the sand (nine stair steps) and tends to get better breezes, while the 2nd-floor casita is (twenty-eight stair steps). Both units have spectacular ocean views.
First things, first. By federal law, every beach on the island is public.
So, the beach in front of our property is not our beach; it is a “public” beach.
Unlike the majority of properties on the island, we pay to have the public beach (along with our property) maintained.
In addition to professional extermination monthly, we have our beach team spray for bugs every two weeks.
And more importantly, we deep rake the sand (the public beach and our property) every other day.
Turns out that sand fleas don’t live very long, and they lay their eggs just below the surface of the sand. So deep ranking every other day kills their eggs, thus limiting their existence.
We are not perfect, but we are much better than most beach areas.
Three great small-boat dive shops are within easy walking distance, just down the beach from us. Some will even work out packages based on your stay with us.
No, our tap water is filtered, so it works great for showers, washing dishes, cleaning, etc. We provide you with bottled drinking water throughout your stay and recommend using it for drinking, ice, and brushing your teeth.
Yes, we can accommodate one vehicle per Casita on our property. Please let us know prior to your arrival if you plan to occupy a parking space the entire duration of your stay.
Less than one and one-half miles. We provide free daily drop off in West End for our guests.
We are on a sandy beach. You can walk the beach easily, about 1km. If you’re adventurous, you can extend that walk based on the tide, etc. to over 2km.
As for the water, it’s clear, calm, shallow, and a slight current based on the day. There are sandy bottom areas, and there are turtle grass bottom areas. We provide water shoes if you want to adventure into the turtle grass areas without fear of stepping on something.
No, ALL beaches in the country are public by LAW!
The good news is that because we are not in West End or West Bay, the traffic on the beach in front of our property is typically limited to an occasional local family or two.
No. These websites charge way too much money in fees. And either you or we have to pay those fees. We work directly with our guests to help control the cost of our accommodations and to help ensure we understand and feel comfortable meeting our guests’ expectations.
No, and that’s precisely why we didn’t want to buy a property in West End or West Bay. Our beach is seldom impacted by cruise ship traffic. Three cruise ship ports on the island means we can easily add 15,000 people to our island for the day, most visitors flock to the beaches. Most days are cruise ship days; the better question is, how many of the five available docks are in use on any given day?
No, unfortunately, we do not. Even our first-floor unit is nine steps up from the sand, and we are located on a sandy beach. Combined, this can be challenging for anyone with walking or standing disabilities.
In fact, I would argue that most, if not all, of the places on the island will be a challenge for these people as well.
Even places that are quick to say they have a ramp don’t mention that the ramp has such a severe slope that almost no one will be able to get up it, even with assistance.
Grocery stores on the island fall into two categories.
The big international grocery stores carry brand-name products from North America and local brand products. The local grocery stores have mainly local products from the mainland. The closest grocery store is about a kilometer away. It is a local grocery store. There are several other local grocery stores within a couple of kilometers.
The closest international grocery store is just over nine kilometers away.
Please realize that we stop at the international grocery store after we pick you up at the airport and while on the way here.
Some convenience stores also carry essentials (think 711, Circle K, etc.). Three or more of these are within a couple of kilometers of our location. And finally, roadside stands are plentiful, selling fruits & vegetables.
NOTE: All the grocery stores and convenience stores sell alcohol.
The ironic part is that we did bring bicycles. However, we will not use them, nor will we let a guest use them becasue I personally believe it would be suicidal to ride them anywhere near one of the main roads on the island. Driving on the island is truly an adventure.
From dodging taxis that suddenly stop in the middle of a main road because there “may” be a fare somewhere close by to watching drivers stare at their phones while passing cars in a no-passing area means every day behind the wheel is an adventure. Add in all the motor scooters with five (no exaggeration) passengers on them and the guy carrying a six-foot pipe on his motorcycle, combined with the fact that there are ZERO stop lights and only one stop sign on the entire island, and we have a regular vehicular rodeo.
To date, we have not had any issues at all. We feel safer here than in many US cities. However, common sense comes into play. We recommend not leaving valuables, such as phones, iPads, etc., on the beach or in plain view. And, you should keep your door locked while not in your Casita.
We leave our windows open to allow the breeze to work its magic and cool the Casita interior while we are out.
We have a security camera system that watches over the outdoor areas of our property at night, and since our property is in a residential area, there is not a lot of traffic that comes through here.
There are three restaurants , and a pizza place within effortless walking distance that we feel comfortable recommending.
Two are located just down the beach, and the third is across the main road, and the pizza place is just up the main road. All three restaurants are open daily for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, serve alcohol, and consistently serve good food. The pizza place is open mid-afternoon and evening.
Some more “local” hangouts are also within walking distance, although consistency is challenging. Remember, West End is just over a kilometer away, and there you’ll find many restaurants, bars with snacks, and you will not run out of places to eat and drink.
No, the only way to West End is via the main road or water. And while I guess you could walk along the main road, I don’t advise it.
Yes, there is a Gold’s Gym within a kilometer of our property.
We meet our guests at the airport and personally drive them back to our place. We will even offer to stop at the big International Grocery Store (Eldons) on the way back, so you have the opportunity to load up your kitchen with some goodies for your stay.
Yes, we are right next to West End, and most reputable companies know exactly where we are and will pick you up at our doorstep.
We ask our previous guests to enter a guest journal about their personal experiences with tours, events, restaurants, and more.
This means you get their opinions, as well as ours.
Possibly yes, possibly no. We are located about one mile from West End. We are happy to drop you off there daily if you like.
Parking in the West End can be a serious challenge, especially during high season or on cruise ship days. If you’d like to visit the best beach on the island, West Bay Beach, the preferred method of transportation is arguably a short, scenic, $5 per person, water taxi.
If you want to go out to diner, and it’s a bit of a hike, or it’s raining, taxis are very affordable and easy to find. If you’d like to tour the entire island, I suggest that you first identify a taxi driver you want, and then hire them for a day to take you on a personalized tour.
Most taxi drivers were born on the island, so they know the best places to guide you. We did this several times when we first visited the island and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. A fair rate is tour service is about $85 to $100 for the day.
WARNING, after several wonderful tours of the island, we ended up purchasing property here, you have been officially warned!
Should you decide you want to rent a car, I suggest that you not rent at the airport, and instead consider renting locally for a couple of days at a time. You’ll likely not need a car every day, so rent one as you feel you want one, instead of paying for an entire stay. We do have ample parking here available when you need it.
The standard answer is that most places on the island happily accept US dollars. Most restaurants and larger stores, dive shops, etc. also accept standard credit cards as well. Your biggest concern is the small shops, and as mentioned, most will take US dollars, BUT some tend to round off the exchange rate a bit. Paying in US dollars also identifies you as a tourist, and sometimes when you’re trying to purchase goods, you are better off looking like an ex-pat on the island who pays in Lempira, and knows how much things should cost.
We are in the Caribbean, typical rain is in the form of quick (15 minute) showers, and then the sun appears once again. So, if you see rain on the forecast, don’t worry, it rarely rains for an entire day, except during our rainy season.
Our rainy season starts in October and typically ends in January. Even during this season, more rain falls in the evening hours than during the daytime hours and when it’s 80 degrees outside, the rain isn’t all that bad.
We are in the Caribbean, and Roatan is a “very casual” island. So guys will find that a T-shirt and shorts work almost anywhere. Bring an island-style, short-sleeved shirt with a collar if you’d prefer to get more dressed up.
Ladies will do well with a blouse and shorts or a sundress. Either of these will work anywhere you end up. But, of course, nothing prevents you from dressing to impress, so have fun.
As for jewelry… Roatan is a Caribbean Island in a third-world country, and I feel safer here than in most major US cities. However, it probably isn’t a great idea to stroll through town with lots of sparkling diamonds announcing that you’re a tourist and possibly making you more of a target. Leave the sparkle and glitz at home.
Enjoy the water, the sunshine, and the culture. A simple life is the best in Roatan, so you don’t need to impress anyone.
That depends upon where in the world you live. The climate in Roatan is pretty much the same year-round. Our high season is from February through May.
Summer is a low season, not because of a change in climate, but because much of the world has its very best weather during this time of year, thereby making leisure travel unnecessary. As the planet cools off in September, our climate is excellent. Still, it officially becomes hurricane season in the Caribbean, which runs from August to November, and this tends to scare away some visitors.
The last time Roatan got hit by a hurricane was Hurricane Mitch in 1998. Our rainy season starts in October and typically ends in January, so the fall is not part of our high season, and is the one time period where you are most at risk for less than great weather.
Roatán observes Central Standard Time (CST) all year round, so we do not change the clocks when the USA does.
You are in the tropics, so the temperature is always in the 80s, and the humidity is high, BUT having spent a fair amount of time in Florida, I will say that I found Florida to be more humid (less comfortable) than Roatan, just my personal opinion.
No, Roatan relies on tourism. So at a minimum, most of the locals speak some level of English. English is quite standard throughout the entire island and is the default language in any of the tourist and even semi-populated areas.
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