Vacation Rentals by Owner

Perfect

Guest: Bonefish (Morris, Il. USA )
Date of Stay: 04/18/12 Review Submitted: 05/01/12

Toucan blue was absolutely perfect for what my wife and I had in mind. Very clean and well kept. The trooper worked out great also. Private but close enough to a few restaurants. Bonefishing near by and snorkeling several hundred feet out from the dock. Kayaked out to the reef to snorkel. Forty five minutes or so to west end(we only went once). If you like a private location and doing your own thing, this is a great house. It was only my wife and I so we had the whole upstairs area. There are additional bedrooms for more people on the main level.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, families with teenagers, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Santa Semana in Toucan Blue

Guest: Bob (Grosse Pointe Park, Michigan)
Date of Stay: 03/31/12 Review Submitted: 05/04/12

My wife, daughter (23 yrs old) and I spent the first week of April at Toucan Blue and enjoyed ourselves tremendously. Inside accommodations. The kitchen is well stocked so you don't have to buy a lot of basics. Beds are comfy. They have a collection of dvds for tv and cds for the stereo. We spent a lot of our time on the upstairs deck with a big table, two hammocks and endless entertainment from the hummingbirds (you have to keep their feeder stocked) Setting: Tropical paradise. You share a wide beachfront with five homes. Only 2 others were occupied. The pool, which is behind the house, is the best place to swim since the turtle grass comes up to within 10 feet of the waters edge on the beach. Swim in turtle grass at your own risk - the edges of the grass are sharp and will irritate your skin. The dock is a wonderful plus. Maybe 225 feet long with a thatched palapa at the end it's the best place to catch a nice breeze if winds are from the southeast (which is often, I'm told, in late winter early spring). You can enter the water (about 3 feet deep) for snorkeling at the end of the dock. Lots of smaller fish and a small octopus one day. It's not difficult if you're a good swimmer to follow the sand dredging to deeper water (6-12 feet) with lots of pretty coral and tropical fish. The beach: Nice sand beach but the sand flies (no see ums) can be dreadful, especially early and late. Don't try swimming off the beach. Extras: Do take advantage of the security man's daughter who will fix a wonderful dinner (you buy the food) and bring it hot and ready to your deck for $25. We had coconut shrimp but I'm told the crab, if available, is even better. Location: It's about 20 minutes to French Harbor with lots of dining choices, also some very cool places east of Milton Bight. Try to avoid driving at night, and the driveway is especially difficult to spot at night. I'd recommend a day on the beach (or an extra night or two) at Camp Bay Adventure Lodge if you want a truly quiet setting (and you can swim in the sea here). We went to West End for a day and that was fun, but not our choice for a full week of vacation - too many people, too much loud music. But far fewer bugs.. Negatives: The sand flies. They didn't bother me that much, but my wife got bit pretty good and was itching for a week after the trip. Take a can of off or anything else with maximum levels of DEET and spray yourselves liberally early and late.

Recommended for:Age 55+, romantic getaway.

Paradise found!

Guest: Blair (Tegucigalpa)
Date of Stay: 12/29/11 Review Submitted: 01/04/12

My husband and I and our 2 small children stayed here for a couple of days...it was absolute heaven! If youre looking to get away, this is definitely the place to stay. The house was equipped with evrything you may want or need...all u need to bring is your bathing suit. We had the beach to ourselves which was just what we wanted. The kids ran in and out of the house and up and down the beach without any problem. Jami and Ed were the best hosts.....thank you guys! Cant wait to go back!

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, families with young children, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

The East End & Toucan Blue is the Best

Guest: Nancy S. (Conroe, Texas)
Date of Stay: 04/23/11 Review Submitted: 06/25/11

My husband and I spent a week at Toucan Blue in April 2011. We enjoyed the quiet and beauty of the east end. The house was darling and very comfortable. Jami and Ed were great and made sure we had everything we needed,. including answers to our questions. The beach is gorgeous and so private... we had it all to ourselves! This is the kind of place we would buy down there but unfortunately, this place is 1 of a kind.... in an awesome way! Would definitely stay there again and plan to in the near future!!

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Tranquil Island Experience

Guest: Escapees2 (Franklin, MA)
Date of Stay: 02/17/11 Review Submitted: 04/20/11

The description of this location was spot on. House was beautifully laid out with plenty of room for our family of 6. Located at the mid-way point on the island most restaurants and attractions were only about 1/2 hr by car. Property Managers were helpful with touring recommendations and never more than a phone call away. Beautiful beach but not swimmable for small children. Best beach and snoreling for us was at Infinity Bay. This property is perfect for adults looking for a tranquil retreat. Highly recommend Sante Day Spa, jam tasting at Marble Hill Farms and having lunch at the Hole In The Wall.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, families with teenagers, romantic getaway.

Guest: Jennifer
Date of Stay: 12/26/10 Review Submitted: 01/23/11

"Gentle Breezes" Very nice situated beach house. Quiet location. The help is very kind. The seaweed was raked every morning to lesson the sandfly population. There was a constant breeze every night, which made sleeping very relaxing. Gorgeous views of the ocean. The crossing over the bridge at night was a challenge, but adventurous. The house was great. Only one suggestion to supply the house with sharp, sturdy knives for cutting.

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Guest: Mrs CFL
Date of Stay: 12/18/10 Review Submitted: 01/23/11

"Truely Wonderful Roatan Island Vacation Home" From the moment we arrived we felt welcome and at home. We loved the floor plan of the home with the Master upstairs and 2 others below nicely facing the beach. What a view from all. Our favorite spots are tied between the palapa at the end of the dock and the awesome deck/living area pictured in description. They even had beach towels and a few water shoes (Very much needed) to use. To walk out a few feet from the dock and see the beautiful red star fish and The Kayaks were definitely a plus. As well as the option of the car, this is a must. The location of the house is about half way in the middle of the Island 45 minutes to an hour from the very populated and touristy "West End" We were there in the west end one day to try Sea trekking, which was a blast, but were happy to get "home" to Toucan Blue to truely get away from it all. The caretakers Wilfred and Daniel and their families are great resources and kept the beaches beautiful for our stay. Wendy, Wilfred’s daughter was a great guide for our walk into Milton Bight one evening to pick up food and go to one of the local bars for a cerveza. Quite an experience! Wendy also cooked a good meal for us during our stay. Her warm smile and gracious manor will always be remembered. The nice folks at Subway water sports at Turquoise Bay (almost next door) took us on some great diving/snorkeling tours and a fishing trip. Captain JT was very knowledgeable and entertaining. Dive guide Osmond was a fun guide as well. They even dropped us off at the dock in the evening. It was wonderful having Turquoise Bay resort nearby to dine as well. They had a good menu and a beautiful view. The only thing we didn’t like were the bugs (no see-ums) we used 3 cans of off while we were there. It was very nice of the owners to provide a new bottle upon arrival. I guess the bugs only like some people because the other couple traveling with us only had a few bites. My son, husband and I got more than our share. The bugs won’t keep us away though. We are planning on returning and would welcome the chance to stay at Toucan Blue House!

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Love Roatan

Guest: Roatanlovers (NWFL, USA)
Date of Stay: 12/18/10 Review Submitted: 12/28/10

Toucan Blue was as advertised. We enjoyed our stay. The kayaks are a nice touch as well as a well equipped home. Having the car available for rental from the owners was big plus. We toured the island and were able to go to the grocery store when needed was great. The view from the deck was great only to be beat by the view at the end of the dock. Diving and snorkeling was great, with the car we were able to experience different parts of the island without a problem. Milton Bight is a small village and we were able to meet some locals and have meals prepared and enjoyed from the village. Staying at this part of the island is far away (1 hour) from the tourist attractions at the West End. We really enjoyed being away from everything and felt safe there. If you want quiet we would recommend staying on the eastern end of the island and Toucan Blue fits the bill just fine. Take bug spray with you, the sand fleas and no see ums were bad. Really the only negative of the trip.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, families with teenagers, girls getaway, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Guest: Erica
Date of Stay: 12/04/10 Review Submitted: 01/23/11

"secluded, private tropical home" we found toucan blue to be everything advertised. it was wonderful to essentially have a private piece of paradise, on the beach and steps away from the water. the tropical views from upstairs deck could not be beat. really enjoyed the set up of the home with enclosed living areas separated by a great outdoor deck. found the house to be very nicely stocked with the little extras, cd's, dvd,s, kayaks, etc. The kayaks were a great bonus. the home is very well managed by attentive and helpful people. this is a great location for those looking for a more secluded, more authentic, less touristy vacation. it would not be the place to go if you are looking for nightlife or restaurants at the tips of your fingers as it is east end, although there are a few options with a little searching. the only cons are things that are out of the control of toucan blue which would be the noseum bugs which at times prevented sitting on the upstairs deck and made sunbathing on the beach impossible. the other unfortunate thing was a bit of a crime wave during our two week stay, that although not isolated to roatan, seemed extreme for a small island with a small population and was not the usual petty crime. i say this not to deter people from traveling but one does need to be a bit cautious when traveling out and about. toucan blue does have a 24 hour security guard. I am a disabled traveler and managed the flight of steps with the aid of my partner. we were well aware of this and even with the steps we found the easy access to the water a real bonus.

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Guest: Dan
Date of Stay: 08/01/10 Review Submitted: 01/23/11

"Complete solitude surrounded by incredible beauty!" I spent a considerable amount of time looking for an adventure my wife and I could safely share with our 3 athletic daughters. We didn't need to be pampered as we are accustomed to camping in the outdoors since the girls were babies. We were after something a little rustic, that was quiet and off the beaten track - The Toucan was perfect and the Toucan Team was super-terrific!

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Heaven on Earth!

Guest: Craig (Eagan, MN)
Date of Stay: 04/17/10 Review Submitted: 01/24/11

If you want a quiet stretch of pure heaven on Earth, you have just found it! This house is wonderful! It is everything the pictures show it to be...it is secluded and very quiet...the sand beach is beautiful with beautiful sunsets. We did not want to leave. The house managers were delightful and were extremely helpful from suggesting restaurants to helping us get groceries and picking us up to take us back to the airport. They made sure everything went without a hitch and they were available via cell phone if we had a question about anything. This is an unbelievable bargain for such a wonderful treasure! We will certainly return in the future!

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway, tourists without a car, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Time at Toucan Blue

Guest: "SB" (Denver, CO USA)
Date of Stay: 04/10/10 Review Submitted: 04/30/10

We spent a week in Roatan in April, 2010. We were looking for a secluded, quiet spot on an unspoiled island and Toucan Blue met all our expectations. The golf cart ride through the Mangroves on arrival peaked our curiosity immediately and we were very pleased when we arrived at the house. As there were only two of us, we were in the upper part of the house with a bedroom, bath, kitchen-livingroom area, powder room and wonderful Palapa (porch). The pictures on the website are very accurate and all of the amenities did work. The TV was iffy but we didn't travel thousands of miles to watch TV so that was just fine. The property was very clean and the beach and area around the house were raked almost daily. Before our trip we spoke with the owners and they were very helpful in suggesting various restaurants and attractions. We would recommend Paya Beach, Turquoise Bay and Marble Hill Farms for lunch or dinner. Turquoise Bay and Paya Beach are lovely resorts and Marble Hill Farms has a wonder restaurant on a hill overlooking the blue waters. We did an all day snorkle trip with Paya Beach and had a great time. The snorkling was wonderful all over the island and as we rented the car that the owners offer, we explored the entire island. The property is maintained by a local couple and they were just grand. We spent time with them at one of the island celebrations. The security and daily upkeep of the grounds is handled by a lovely native family who were always willing to help. We would certainly recommend Toucan Blue for anyone looking for a peaceful place with all the comforts of home.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

fantastic all around

Guest: Dougal (Ct)
Date of Stay: 02/15/10 Review Submitted: 12/10/10

This comes 10 months late but its all memorable. Nothing to hide here, alot of value in this house! Just soak in all that it has to offer. The nearby village, the beach, the locals and the reef. Really loved Roatan and this location. Beach is right out front, sunsets great on the dock and the snorkeling about 100 yards off shore is fantastic. The best stuff is what you don't see in a magazine. Get a car and drive around and explore, there is so much to see!

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, families with teenagers, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Guest: Pat R. (Ramsey, MN USA)
Date of Stay: 08/14/07 Review Submitted: 08/14/07

My husband and I and 2 other couples stayed at Toucan Blue House for one week, August 5-12, 2007, and had a great time. The house is as depicted on the website--very nice, spacious, and well maintained. The deck is wonderful and we spent a lot of time there watching the hummingbirds, ocean views, and sunsets. The beach area is also well maintained. The reef for snorkeling was right there, and you could kayak out there from the public dock in front of the house. None of us had kayaked before...but it turned out to be easy and fun! Roatan is a bit more "third world" than we had anticipated, but that made it a great experience and challenge. The roads were a bit daunting the first day, but we became more comfortable with them after that. The couple who manage the property, Kevin and Claire, are absolutely fantastic in helping with any questions about the house, the island, stores, restaurants and activities, etc. With only one week, there were a lot of things we didn't get to do. One of our favorite activities was to go to the West End beach for swimming, the glass bottom boat tour of the reef, and Calypso Lady sunset sailboat ride. A must do activity! Definitely a recommended vacation for adventurous travellers.

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Guest: Sharon 3 (Lincolnton, NC)
Date of Stay: 08/06/07 Review Submitted: 08/06/07

We enjoyed staying at Toucan Blue in early summer. We loved being on the beach and the house was well furnished. A favorite time was watching the pelicans splash in the water in front of the house.

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Guest: Donna
Date of Stay: 07/07/07 Review Submitted: 07/06/07

My husband, Larry, and I spent 6 glorious weeks at Toucan Blue in January and February 2007. The hummingbirds darted through the deck anxious to get to the feeder. The parrots could be heard in the mangroves. The large hummingbirds came back and the days were long and sunny. The butterflies slept under the deck roof. When they left in the morning it was a magnificent sight. Our favorite restaurant on the East End is Wind Song and on the West End is Argentina Grill. Easy-to-get-to and excellent snorkeling is located right off the Mayan Princess resort in West Bay. The Mayan Princess is a great place for lunch. We went to Gumbalimba Park twice with our adult children. They loved the parrots, macaw, monkeys and suspension bridge. Very safe and well run canopy tour. If you bring a head of cabbage you get reduced admission to the iguana farm. It is fun to feed them. The Sante Spa at Parrot View is well worth going to. The massages and facials are wonderful and reasonably priced. The spa is located in a magnificent house that is comfortable and relaxing. We highly recommend it. We loved the Parrot View pizza place--karoke on Wednesdays. We watched the Super Bowl game there. The lights went out but they used back-up generators to watch the game. The cooks held flashlights under their chins while continuing to make pizzas in the gas ovens. Larry became a certified diver at Turquoise Bay. Excellent dive staff. Turquoise Bay was also a favorite of ours for lunch and supper. Best advice: Always carry a flashlight. Best lesson learned: We came to love the simplicity of living in Roatan. Roatan is a wonderful, fascinating place. The people and the land deserve respect. As visitors, we should leave a very soft footprint.

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Guest: Marie Chapinski (Hermantown MN)
Date of Stay: 05/08/07 Review Submitted: 05/08/07

My husband and I stayed at Toucan Blue with 3 other couples. It was a great house to have 4 couples as you all had your own room. It is a place where you can really relax and listen to the sounds of the ocean as it is right out the front door. The beauty is beyond belief. The sunsets are spectacular. The house came equipped with 2 kayaks. It was beautiful kayaking out to the reef in the morning when the sun came up. If you are interested in diving, snorkeling or fishing there is a resort next door that will take you. It is a dream place for diving and snorkeling. There are many places to eat on the island with wonderful food or if you choose to cook Toucan Blue has a full kitchen. We grilled fresh fish that we caught. If you are looking for relaxation this is the place to be! Marty & Marie Chapinski

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Guest: Walt & Roberta Kephart (Duluth, Minnesota)
Date of Stay: 05/05/07 Review Submitted: 05/05/07

Our stay at Toucan Blue exceeded all of our expectations and everyday was a wonderful experience from beautiful sunrise to spectacular sunsets. The facilities were everything the advertisements said and more. Our snorkeling off the reef in front of this house was among the best in the world and morning coffee under the thatch palapa, waiting for the sunrise, set the tone for the day. We especially enjoyed the serenity of the walkway through the mangroves and the beach area. This property is well maintained and a pleasing tropical paradise. We enjoyed the restaurants and sites throughout the island of Roatan and found the people to be very pleasant and accommodating. We highly recommend you make this your next vacation destination especially if you are a fisherman, snorkeler, diver or just want to curl up with a good book. Walt

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Guest: Roger Routh (St.Paul, MN)
Date of Stay: 02/11/07 Review Submitted: 02/11/07

Staying at Toucan Blue was a great experience whlie visiting Roatan. It was very comfortable, a well furnished home with beautiful views. The snorkeling was great off the reef in front of the house. The deck was large and lots of time was spent there enjoying the sunsets and view in general. I'd highly recommend this house. The property managers provided good information. Dive shop nearby. Roger

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