Where to begin? Fantasy Island, Roatan Honduras My wife and I are avid scuba divers. We have been traveling to the Caribbean to vacation and dive and, in recent years up to as many as three trips a year. We do get around a bit so I thought Debbie’s would be a good place to write about our most recent trip.
Let me start by saying….If I had to sum up this vacation in one word it would be intoxicating!
Room Number:
115
Arrival:
Once we were on the ground we decided to take our own cab ride to the resort. The airport was jammed and the resorts transfer bus was equally busy. The taxi ride was private and nice. Our driver was courteous and charged a fair rate. We travel with 6 bags (Three are loaded with dive gear and camera equipment). When we arrived at the resort, we were delighted at how well keep it appeared. The greeting we received by the staff made us feel most welcome.
Rooms:
The hotel was in the process of re-doing the rooms. Top to bottom, Paint ceramic and porcelain tile and fixtures in the bathrooms, new individual air conditioners, paint throughout and more. We opted to take one of the older rooms that had not been through the transformation yet. I wanted a better view of the water, and the rooms that had been completed at the time of our trip were just a little too far from the main operations of the resort. As of this writing all of the 115 rooms have been redone and you can now have a choice of any one of them if available.
Restaurants and Bars: The resort restaurant was delightful! Our stay was all inclusive, never a shortage of food or variation. The chefs and staff were proud of their creations and were equally proud to present them to you. Once online (Buffet style) There was a soup and salad bar, BBQ grill, and fryer (food made to order while you wait), and 8-10 trays of warmed food for your consideration. Did I say I loved the food? You bet I did, if it wasn’t for the 4+ dives that I did daily I probably would have gained 5-10 extra pounds. The seating was plentiful. two-top tables all the way up to seating for 20 or more was available. The restaurant staff would bring your choice of beverage once seated. Oh did I mention wine and beer was included in the price? It was! The staff was always ready to please. I did notice that they loved it when I would tip as I went through the vacation rather than wait until the last day or meal. No all people did this and tipping at the time of the meal did win extra points.
The Lobby Bar was ample. There was always music on with a Caribbean flair and the seating was equally comfortable. Groups of four barrel chairs around a centered small table. The lobby is open to the outside so there was always a nice breeze coming through. Internet was access was available to all who brought their own laptop. There was one computer available on a sharing basis, first come, first served.
Beach/Pools/Grounds: The fact is Roatan does not have many beaches, and the real fact here is that Fantasy Island not only has a beach but it is without a doubt one of the nicer ones on the island. Large, clean and in a sheltered lagoon. With views of the Caribbean just beyond the land atoll. A huge amount of seating is available ranging from hammocks to chaise lounges, to queen sized canopied beds for stretching out and taking a mid day snooze. The grounds are magnificent! Clean and loaded with all types of various foliage and fauna. The resort is just what its name says…. Fantasy Island is on it’s own island. When entering you need to cross over a 200 foot long bridge.
The pool was quite nice. I only had the opportunity to go in once as the water is not heated and the air temps were a little lower then normal on this trip. There is seating at one end at a swim-up bar. The bar is on the opposite side of the Lobby Bar. My wife and friend went in and they were promptly served as they sat down on one of the stools. Too bad it wasn’t just a little warmer!
Activities on and off the Resort/Hotel: I think I started off by saying that this was a dive vacation so….I really can’t say enough about the diving! It is wonderful viz (diver slang for visibility) is terrific (between 75′ and 125′) The reef is the second largest in the world and in great shape! You may want to lend a hand in Lion Fish eradication though. As in all of the Caribbean destinations these bad guys are flourishing. The dive op was also in the process of being updated. New boats and equipment were in order. Checking back since our stay they keep to the plan and now have a top notch facility. We ventured out only twice (off the island) during our two week stay. We made friends with our taxi driver (remember him from our arrival) he had given us his phone number so that we had our own car service available just by placing a call. He meet us at the lobby and off we went. He took us on a fantastic tour of the Western half of the island and we had a chance to see this wonderful island up close and personal. There is an office set up back at the resort for just handling off-site activities. They seemed endless. Prices are very reasonable.
There was always someplace to go or do on the island…Did I mention there is even a private zoo for your enjoyment. Even three small monkeys were roaming free around the island. You never knew when these little guys would show up but they always knew when to surface for a treat.
Other Comments: Once again I can’t say enough about the staff. They know how to make you feel special……As special as if you were visiting your own private "Fantasy Island" Have a vacation that you will remember! Something was odd though, when I referred a large group to book their annual trip at Fantasy Island the Travel Rep. tried to convince the group to stay at another resort. I imagine the agent/rep was going to get a bigger commission from the other place. The other place may have been a little shinier or fancier but please give this place a chance. Times are tough and competition is fierce and in my opinion some people are only interested in what they can put in their own pocket.
This resort has spent a bundle and the results are obvious. Give it a shot, you won’t be disappointed. My wife and I will be back in December this year but not for two weeks….THREE this time!