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We arrived late afternoon after a schedule change that had us stopping in Varadero for an hour. Conquest had changed the flight twice in the weeks before departure - that should have been a tip off to us! Some of those on our flight had a chance to buy rum and cigars but as we had been there just the month before we chilled out and enjoyed a Cappuccino. Our arrival at the Roatan airport was efficient and we were met by the Conquest rep who quickly assigned our room numbers, processed our baggage and directed us to one of a couple of mini-buses waiting to take us to the resort. As we arrived Good Friday we caught the end of Semana Santa - the huge Easter vacation/celebration. The beach in front of the resort was as busy as a New York street with constant groups of people moving up and down the beach and live music blaring from Bananarama beach stage further down. It was very entertaining to grab a drink at the Henry Morgan Beach bar and plunk down on one of beach chairs and people watch. Saturday was also very busy but by Sunday it was back to normal. The rest of the week was very quiet - so we got the best of both worlds. I'd really think twice about being there the entire pre- Easter week though - just too busy.
Rooms
Our room was on the main floor - corner unit - very spacious and clean. Although others have commented on the noise of the wooden walkways and footsteps from above we didn't find this to be a problem. Partway through the week a single bed was delivered to the room and set up - housekeeping must have got the message mixed up and when we tried to tell the maid in our broken Spanish she nodded her head and then delivered more towels ;-) It wasn't a problem - there was lots of room and it remained with us all week. The bathroom was clean but a little tired looking with mold on the wall around the shower head and a temperamental sliding door. Always had lots of hot water and pressure.
Activities on and off the Resort/Hotel
We chose Roatan and the Henry Morgan on the strength of it's dive reputation and opportunities for snorkelling and it certainly didn't disappoint. My husband is the diver and was very impressed with the operation that TGI Diving runs - all the Dive Masters are very good at what they do and the dive briefings were always thorough and professionally presented. He always felt prepared and safe. There are 3 different dives each day. TGI also has a class room on site for the PADI courses and my husband opted to take his advanced open water course while there and so did the required night,wreck,deep and advanced navigation dives. My husband would not hesitate to return to Roatan to dive with this operation. There prices are excellent. The snorkelling from the beach is great and is best at the far end of the beach against the coral wall - no need to go out by boat to see a variety of sea life!
Beach/Pools/Grounds
The Beach is amazing - beautiful clear water, white sugary sand and sun, sun, sun. We go away once or twice every winter and this is one of the few spots I would return to. There are lots of beach chairs - no need to get up early and play the towel game - shade is at a premium in the afternoon but with a bit of moving of chairs it's always available. The security guards are very vigilant and there is no problem leaving things at your chair as you swim and grab lunch at the beach bar. There are a couple of fellows who keep busy moving chairs and fetching chair pads as well as picking up empty glasses etc. The beach is very clean! We are definately beach people and didn't even put a toe in the pool - but it looked lovely - lots of shade available there!
Other Comments
We were caught up in the Conquest Vacations collapse! On Wednesday the Conquest Rep at the Hotel came and found us on the Beach and said there was a meeting for all Conquest guests at 5pm. We arrived at the meeting to find security guards at the door which seemed a bit odd. We were soon to find out that Conquest had gone out of buisness, that there would be no problem with our flight home as that was going ahead as scheduled (although those that were there for two weeks would have to return with us a week early)and that we all would be receiving an invoice from the Hotel for our week's stay as the Hotel hadn't been paid by Conquest for our trip (or for any of the Conquest guests that they had had in the last month).
Understandably the guests were fairly hot under the collar - the Manager was professionaly stern but not threatening. One of the guests was very familiar with the protection for travellers under the TICO insurance and volunteered to help the Manager contact TICO to see what our options were. The next day we found out that TICO had assured the Hotel, in writing, that they would cover the bills of the TICO insured guests and that they would not have to collect from us directly. Five couples at our resort had not booked through a TICO registered agency and they had to pay the invoice before leaving the hotel. The invoice initially was at the "rack" rate of $1,700.00 US per couple per week (as much as some people had paid for the flight and the vacation combined!), but it did get adjusted down to $1,050.00 US per week. One of the uninsured couples were there for two weeks but opted to go home rather than pay that rate for a second week with no assurances of getting the money they had already paid back. A few couples had booked for two weeks and TICO covered their second week so they opted to stay and make their own arrangements to fly home (via Houston). It was a bit unsettling but for us it all worked out in the end and certainly was not the horror story we are hearing from those that were in Cancun and some hotels in Cuba where they had to come up with the funds right away.
The manager at Henry Morgan was very cool under pressure and was completely accomodating which I'm sure was very difficult given the spot he was in as well. We are planning on returning to the Henry Morgan next winter and hope that one of the other Canadian tour operators will offer it and if it were offered out of Calgary (rather than Toronto) we would be in heaven!
Restaurants and Bars
The buffet restaurant is the only restaurant and serves all three meals. The food is good to very good, lots of variety and of a good quality and quantity. My only complaint was that things were not always hot - but I often chose from the made to order stations to get around this (especially at breakfast). The dress at the restaurant is casual - with things a little dressier at dinner but certainly not required. The service is excellent and all the restaurant staff go above and beyond to make sure you have everything you need. We began the week tipping but quickly realized that we received great service from many people each meal and so decided to tip an amount at the end of the week to go into the tip pool. I gave this tip to Jorge (in charge of the buffet) and he said he would distribute it for us. In addition there is a snack bar/beach bar that serves lunch and snacks. We always had lunch at the beach bar - grilled meats and fish, salads, bread/buns, a couple of hot vegetables and a pasta were usually offered. Also huge amounts of fresh fruit. There was fruit offered all day and off and on trays of sanwiches and pizza squares. The beach bar makes a great pina colada!
On Thursday night we treated ourselves to dinner off the resort at the Island Pearl ( a little ways down the beach) and really enjoyed the meal, the atmosphere and the service. We had made a reservation but it wasn't really necessary as only about half the tables were occupied. They have a great wine selection and people did stop in for drinks only. There was live entertainment that night - a singer and guitar - he was great. We felt quite safe walking along the beach at night to get to the restaurant but a flash light is probably a good idea as it is DARK.
My stay at Villa Telamar
Hotel Villas Telamar
User Rating:
Denis, Ontario >
1 contribution(s) Canada
Mar, 2009
Arrival: Feb 9th to 16
uneventful but no coffee on the plane
Rooms
large room with a king size bed very clean
Restaurants and Bars
very good buffet my wife is a vegetarian and she found food to eat Rolando and Belinda are very nice servers and every one always smiled. the specialty restaurants were ok nothing special but lots of food on your plate.
Beach/Pools/Grounds
my wife enjoyed the water eventhough it was quite rough with the waves I enjoyed a good book.We golfed the 9 hole course the greens were under repair but it will be a nice course when all is done.Dania from Conquest was very helpful and always smiled the poolbar seemed to be the meeting place the bar man Walter was a lot of fun.I would return to this resort in a few years as it matures so much to see and so little time
Activities on and off the Resort/Hotel
we did do any tours Dania told us of an orphanage down the road and we spent or money in town buying clothes for the kids I needed to relax and rest so thats what we did.
We met some awesome people who went for fun and got it
Hotel Palma Real Beach Resort & Villas
User Rating:
Pat & Diane, Ontario >
1 contribution(s) Canada
Feb, 2009
Well our trip to the Palma Real in Honduras has come to an end and it's my turn to help people make an informed decision as to whether or not this would be the place for them to vacation. I liked how one reviewer described themselves as "we are folks that like a different flavor when it comes to holidays" and my husband and myself fit that description also. We are experienced travellers, mostly sticking to 3/4 star resorts so we travel with little expectations as long as the beach is lovely and the weather is hot and sunny - which we definitely got.
We were extremely happy to get off that Skyservice plane - I will avoid using that charter if possible in the future. The flight was uneventful but the leg room is intolerable - they need to check out Air Transat planes and perhaps take some lessons from them (not that they're that much better, but a step up).
The resort is quite stunning with beautiful shrubbery and flowers everywhere. Very well maintained and workers were cleaning up and raking daily. It has quite a nice layout with the pool, bar and the ocean just steps away from the main building. Did we have problems? Ohhhh we sure did - daily and several issues we had to deal with. I dont know who is responsible, Conquest or the resort itself? Everyday we had to request repeatedly toilet paper and towels. Our room was musty and we were the unlucky ones whose bathroom ceiling fell in. We did have the opinion that these were minor inconveniences, not going to ruin our vacation - and we made sure these inconveniences didn't.. Figure service here in Canada sometimes suck at high end places, so why should it be different in another country. Things did mount and come to a head when showering became impossible because the light was going to fall down, so they relocated us into a gorgeous room - full of t paper and towels, I might add. Nothing like swinging in the hammocks and listening to the sounds of the ocean.
We didn't find alot of employees that spoke English but with what little we know of Spanish and alot of hand motions, we got along just fine. I really think that their lack of English makes them a bit on the shy side, not cold like some people think. Then again, there were alot of miserable tourists this past week. Then came the sickness. Yep, unfortunately I was hit (as well as one other in our group of 4) also for a full day. For some people, their total vacation was ruined by this and people fueled into each other's anger - attitudes grew and grew. For the most part, the people we encountered were fun, fully enjoying themselves and someone wrote the "atmosphere was one of fright and depression for some"........what?????
We didn't encounter one person who was frightened or depressed - just a great party atmosphere at the bar was what we saw and took part in. Once we felt better, we had a blast and even though not 100% healthy, we managed to have fun. It's all what you make of it. The beaches were wonderful - golden brown sand (yes, some ocean debris was washed up) and you could walk far either way and enjoy the scenery. The resort beach was not littered with garbage and if there was garbage, the tourists are the ones littering...expecting that someone will pick it up for them i guess. It was quite wavey most days, but that made for great playing in the waves - no jellyfish at all.
The food, we found for the most part was ok, didn't like everything but there is no way someone could walk away hungry. My husband enjoyed most meat dishes, I enjoyed the pasta and other dishes that were served - some more saltier than others, but not bad at all. Desserts looked pretty good, but too rich for me. Fruit galore and wonderful. Like any buffet, some food is good - some crap. We had the good fortune to wander down the beach and found a delightful B&B, Run by a retired cop from Boston named Richard who welcomed us and invited us to visit. What a nice fellow, who serves the most amazing food dishes (very reasonable). Definitely if you are not afraid to walk off the resort, do go visit with him, he loves drop in visitors and it's a nice change off the resort.
No bug issues which surprised me that there weren't any (or very little) mosquitoes especially that the previous week had rained. Even on the zipline, which is an absolutely amazing adventure, there weren't any bugs in the forest. We went down loaded with fly dope. With the issue of sickness here, I don't know who you could point a finger at and place blame on - there are so many sources for viruses to come from. People carry in all sorts of bugs starting right on the plane - we heard that staff were ill and brought it in - a couple of people brought down a gastro that they had day before travelling - maybe it was a food product that shouldn't have been put out too often - it happens here in Canada also. Who knows? I felt bad for Sandra the Conquest Rep....that girl really had a tough week putting up with all our complaints, and I won't minimize the complaints - many were legit. She could only do what she could and pass on to folks only what she is told. Many people were quite verbal to her (husband included) but fortunately she has broad shoulders and could take what was dished out and I think, handled things very well. People wanted answers and there were none to be had. All in all I think the resort could really use a few lessons on people management and helping out tourists with their needs - front desk did seem to ignore many peoples' requests but (again playing devil's advocate) many times it's in the presentation of ourselves to the workers and how we speak with regards to our demands. I know squeaky wheel gets the grease, but more often a little kindness goes alot further. Our vacation is all about the sun & beach so we'll just roll off the negatives and go with it. I think Conquest needs to step up to the plate and admit they should have done something to help alleviate our concerns . However, we met some awesome people who went for fun and got it
Atmosphere was PERFECT
Hotel Henry Morgan Resort
User Rating:
Liza, Toronto >
1 contribution(s) Canada
Jan, 2009
Arrival: Jan.2 - Jan.9, 2009
Upon arrival in Roatan, several mini buses were at the airport to bring us to the Resort. Our room numbers were pre-assigned, and the bus ride to the property was only about 20 minutes.
Once at the hotel, we simply filled in some paperwork for check-in, while snacks and welcome drinks were served, and proceded to our room. The luggage arrived about 10 minutes later. The whole arrival experience was quick and painless - in fact, the plane arrived in Roatan around 10:15am and we were on the resort's beach by 11:45am!!
Rooms:
The rooms at the Henry Morgan are very functional and comfortable. Although some of the fixtures are a bit tired as some people have previously mentioned, the rooms are clean, airy and in everything was in good working condition. The housekeeping staff do a great job!
Restaurants and Bars:
There is one main restaurant that serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner. There is also a snack bar at the beach where they serve a small spread for lunch. The dining room is very casual. You don't have to get dressed up for dinner each night. Some of the ladies wear dresses, but for the most part, this is a very low-key place. Men do not need to wear long pants in the dining room. If you are the type of traveller who is looking for "a la carte" options, and gourmet meals - this is probably not the right resort for you! For us, this atmosphere was perfect. The food was always plentiful, tasty and traditional. The service staff are extremely pleasant and they greeted us by name at every meal. They even went so far as to buy some local "hot sauce" for us at the grocercy store in Coxen Hole when they found out that my husband loved spicy food! Thank you Jorge and Lenny!
There are two bars - one on the beach, and the lobby bar. The all-inclusive drinks were limited to house wines, local beer, and the local bar rail.
We rather enjoy venturing out from the resort. We found a fabulous little bar, just down the beach, at the Los Rocas Resort. During happy hour, from 3pm to 5pm, they served "two for one" drinks - including daquaries, mojitos, pina coladas, and many other fancy drinks. Drink prices are extremely inexpensive here and for a change in atmosphere, and the fun we had with the bartenders (Mike and Winston were the best!!), we thought it was well worth it! By the way, you can catch a great sunset from there as well as from the resort's beach.
Beach/Pools/Grounds:
The Henry Morgan's beach at West Bay is truly the nicest on island - the sand is soft and white; the ocean is warm and turquoise! We walked along the beach as far south as "the wall" and as far north as we could. It is possible to walk all the way to West End, but you'd need shoes for this. West End is the closest town - by water taxi it's about a five minute ride and only $3 USD. We found a great litle rotisserie chicken, and fish restaurant in town. They had the best "fixin's" I've ever tasted - and the best coconut rice and beans!
Activities on and off the Resort/Hotel:
Roatan is well known for scuba diving and snorkeling. Although we didn't do any diving on this trip, we did enjoy the snorkelling that was best just down the beach towards "the wall". Here, we saw many varieties of colorful fish and reef life.
We also rented a car to tour the island for a day. It was a great way to see all of the towns and get a feel for the local way of life. We visited Coxen Hole, where the cruise ships come in, and French Harbour, where we ate a great lunch at Gio's. We did venture off the main roads, but after experiencing a flat tire on the dirt roads, we'll make sure to rent a truck or jeep next time!!!
Another good restaurant just down the beach from the Henry Morgan was Foster's. We had heard from a local that they'd be serving a "lobster special" the night before we left. We walked over, with a few other people from the resort, and found that happy hour was in full swing! We ordered appetizers first, and discovered the best "ceviche" we've ever tasted! For the experience of enjoying a lobster dinner on the beach, we thought this was a great deal.
Other Comments:
We thoroughly enjoyed our week at the Henry Morgan resort. We loved the relaxed atmoshere, and found the staff to be wonderfully friendly. Raphael, our Conquest Rep was proffessional, and was always available to anwer all of our questions. We would, and have recommended this resort to our friends, and would love to return ourselves!
This is more a 3 star hotel
Hotel Palma Real Beach Resort & Villas
User Rating:
Melanie, Edmonton >
1 contribution(s) Canada
Jan, 2009
Arrival: Dec. 26 to Jan 2/09
The arrival was efficient and fairly quick. Hotel staff were on the outside steps of the airport to give out room keys, t.v. remote, towel cards, and wrist bands.
Rooms:
We stayed in the main section of the resort and I would recommend paying the extra cost for this. It's closer to most of the hotel amenities and buffet. Rooms were clean but in need of upgrading. Lots of marks on the walls, rust on the tub, bugs in the bathroom. No shelves in closet but there was a small 2 drawer dresser as part of the tv armoire. No fridge. Bath towels were small and sometimes thin and worn. Some days you had quite a bit of white fuzz after toweling off. Beds were comfortable. Our room overlooked the pool area. We didn't notice much noise from pool activities as we were up and gone early. There was some noise from the disco at night but we didn't hear it as much as some of our group.
Restaurants and Bars:
Really just the one buffet that we ended up timing our arrival to 7 PM for supper to miss the long line. Breakfast and lunches were less crowded (except for the fresh omelet grill). I wouldn't bother with the a la cartes. The food wasn't that special, everyone was booked at 7 so a huge crowd all trying to get seated. They were overbooked so some people didn't even get in and those that did often waited lengthy periods to get served. This was our experience for both Italian and Asian. The buffet was as good as some others I've been to. Nice selection of salads. The meat was generally overcooked and tough. The fish dishes were generally tasty. There is really just one bar on each side of this resort and the lines could get long as it was small and understaffed. Staff in the restaurants and bars were fine - generally courteous but not overly friendly. We used as much Spanish as we could. The snack bar had the basics in it manned by staff who couldn't care less if you need them to grill you something. The chicken wings were good.
Beach/Pools/Grounds:
There were two nice small pool just behind the main hotel area. There were few loungers to be had around the pools so not always easy to sit there. The grounds were well kept. The beach was nice - long for walks (be careful as some at the resort had a bad experience walking in the direction of less houses), lots of loungers to sit on, plenty of shade, and washrooms not too far away. The water was rough but many enjoyed the bogey boarding. There was one day when the sand levels in the water were less and you could see to the bottom. It is shallow and sandy for quite a ways out. Marco put the flags out every day. Very nice fellow.
Activities on and off the Resort/Hotel:
I would give a high rating to the off resort excursions. I would recommend the city tour for $10.00. It's the same cost as taking the hotel bus into town and back. That one drops you off at Appleby's and you are on your own. The city tour gives a drive around the city to the more famous landmarks and then to a artisans souvenir shop and then to the mall. Lot's of security!! We did the whitewater rafting trip which was excellent - very professional, very safety oriented. You had to do a water rescue practice before you even go in the raft. Excellent guides with an excellent sense of fun and skill. We also did the Canopy Tour with the hot springs. Again, skilled guides, professional, and safety conscious. It was a lot of fun to be in the tops of trees and to experience the natural hot springs pools. The other excursion we did was to Pico Bonito Lodge hiking tour. We were able to see lots of flora and some fauna in the hike to Mermaid Falls. Our guide was very experienced and knowledgeable about the plants and animals. He was able to disturb the ant nest so we could see the soldier ants. Lunch at the Lodge was delicious. I would recommend any of these tours.
Other Comments:
I would agree with some other reviews that this is more a 3 star hotel. A number of our group had intestinal problems and a few of us, myself included also had a rash on arms and legs. I don't know why and antihistamines helped mine but didn't get rid of it. The night life was the useful stuff that I've seen at higher rated hotels and I only bothered to go once. The New Year's Eve night was nice with a live band on the beach. I wouldn't go to this hotel again but I would recommend the experience of this area of Honduras - maybe a combination of Pico Bonito Lodge and Roatan.
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