Reviews for Sandy Bay Vacation Rental - VRBO 126086 - 2 BR Roatan House in Honduras, The Most Dramatic Sunsets in the Caribbean.

Knock Your Socks Off

Guest Fan of Roatan
Date of stay 02/22/13
Review Submitted 03/06/13

I stayed in Casa Cowie for 6 great weeks right over Christmas and into February. I am quite well travelled and this trip I had company for two weeks and the rest on my own. (female) I have never been to Roatan to stay before but it has won my heart and Casa Cowie gave the true island feeling. The property is well secured and high off the beach so security is good with natural barriers allowing only two designated areas to come in which are locked up. Also Eldon and Anna the property caretakers and their two watchful dogs are on site. I had no issues with feeling safe and secure. To start Joel the manager picked me up at the air port and stopped for groceries and had to take me shopping for clothes as I had no luggage (AA lost it for 4 days) I settled in and rested on the fantastic deck for days. Then the fun started. I must say there are some very poor people on this island but everyone is so nice and friendly. They have great pride in their appearance and on the whole extremely happy and family oriented. They are the ones you should talk to if you want to know what is good to do and what is not. If you are looking for an island paradise this lush island is it. If you are looking for pristine locked in surroundings you may be better to go to one of the few gated resorts. Sandy Bay is quiet on the whole and small community so they get to know you quickly. The beach is not like West Bay soft and sandy. The beach here is hard and used as a road way to access some of the houses and the two resorts close by. So there is not a lot of traffic but enough to be interesting. Every day a vegetable truck comes by with close to everything you can think of on it to buy. There are small stores back in the residential area which can be a bit daunting the first time you walk the narrow paths to them but they have many things so you do not have to go to town, Roatan 7-11s. The best thing I can say is transportation, bus and taxi are inexpensive and I liked to go into West End to Sundowners for a drink and great restaurants and bars. They have a karaoke night on Thursdays at the Blue Dolphin which is fun for Islanders, expats and visitors alike. I am going back to Casa Cowie again and again. Great value and I see that there is going to be a dive shop right on site! Great snorkeling off the dock but with the shop there you will be able to join the divers and really see the sites or boat tours and fishing! Stunning property.

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

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Warm hospitaility in gorgeous & relaxed Caribbean setting

Guest Three Happy Geckos
Date of stay 01/20/13
Review Submitted 02/10/13

My wife, my eleven year-old son, & me enjoyed a wonderul week at Casa Cowee, with much thanks to the excellent support and advice via e-mail/phone of Don (owner) & his on-site support staff, who were all very caring, warm, and keen to make our vacation special, safe, and memorable. The setting for this location could not be better. While as Don indicates on vrbo, the pier off the property is shared, we rarely had any trouble enjoying our swimming & snorkling (the best) adventures anytime we wanted without anyone nearby beyond the occasional local fisherman or rare tour group looking to view the nearby Anthony's Key Dolphin show (visible daily as part of the luxury views from the main deck). The house itself was very comfortable and well designed for creating a lush & relaxed ambiance (we only used the main building, though were allowed to tour the extra unit, which appeared equally charming). The caretaker & his family lived just out of sight, in a home back from the property, well wiithin contact and a fair distance to keep a watch over the home & our belongings (though the built-in safe & home security system eased any worries of the risk of theft). The caretaker also was ever available to help us with any minor questions or needs that arose, always with a easy smile and friendly manner. We rented an Avis pick-up for the week, which worked great for us to get out to places we wanted to see and do any shopping for our needs. Don, however, had also arranged to have his island associate & his wife (the latter who gave us a delightful day tour of some of the island, including the mangrove forest) meet up with us at the airport for our late evening arrival and then took us to a local grocery store to help us find what we needed for the first day. All in all, we would have to say that for any traveler who is not looking to stay within a "tour group" setting or at a fully gated exclusive resort location, but rather wants a sense of being part of the local community (which we found to be always hospitable at every turn) in a lush tropical beachfront location that is truly unique, memorable, and safe, you will enjoy Casa Cowee. We certainly thank everyone associated with Casa Cowee for the beautiful trip and memorable vacation we enjoyed.

Recommended for: Adventure seekers, families with teenagers, families with young children, pet owners, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Owner response: Tim, thank you – I think no one has ever described the Casa Cowee experience more perfectly than you: " ... for any traveler who is not looking to stay within a 'tour group' setting or at a fully-gated exclusive resort location, but rather wants a sense of being part of the local community (which we found to be always hospitable at every turn) – in a lush tropical beachfront location that is truly unique, memorable, and safe – you will enjoy Casa Cowee."

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Perfect vacation in paradise

Guest Robin & Morgan
Date of stay 03/17/12
Review Submitted 04/21/12

Casa Cowee is incredible. Never have we felt so comfortable and relaxed on vacation. As soon as we drove up we fell in love with the house. Beautiful, lush gardens and trees surround you on one side, and clear blue water on the other. It really is just like living in a treehouse. The wooden walkways through all the bright green leaves and brilliantly colored flowers make this an Eden reserved only for you. We were looking for a quiet, comfortable place with beautiful views with a goal of doing nothing but relax. I don't believe we could have found a better place. The house had everything we needed. Nothing luxurious, but we felt completely at home. Joel picked us up and took us to the market right away, where we stocked up on food and drinks. We enjoyed making breakfast every morning and eating it on the deck while watching the sun rise. When it started to get warm, we went down the (semi) private dock to jump in the crystal clear water. Then we'd dry off on the dock, then head back up to the hammocks for a while. A truly magical week. We didn't turn the air conditioning on one time because the breezes kept us cool all day long. We enjoyed eating at the Blue Bahia restaurant just down the beach. Terrific seafood and one night they had a fire show for a small crowd. Highly recommend the garlic shrimp and tropical fish! I've been to many beautiful islands, but never have I wanted to return to one as badly as I do Roatan. Joel's girlfriend took us on a tour of the island one day, including a boat tour through the mangroves (gorgeous!!!) and a canopy tour. We also really enjoyed bumming around West End. Fun little bars and shops. We loved the food at the Thai place and the Cannibal Cafe. We also took a taxi over to West Bay a couple days while we were there. Absolutely amazing beach, wow. White sands and turquoise water. We snorkeled here and the coral is really beautiful. It's no wonder it's full of tourists - you'll find lots of cruise shippers on the beach, which is great for people watching, but does make the beach very busy. We would have liked to have gone to West Bay on a day there were no ships at port. Nothing but good things to say about Casa Cowee or Roatan - we absolutely want to come back and when we do, Casa Cowee will be our home. Next time we'll bring friends or family, because there is plenty of space and it was the type of experience we want to share with others.

Recommended for: Romantic getaway

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Most Relaxing vacation

Guest Debra
Date of stay 12/23/11
Review Submitted 01/13/12

The hardest part about staying at Casa Cowee was leaving. This was a bit like finding yourself at a modern day version of the Swiss Family Robinson treehouse, and wanted to cash in and stay forever. The views from the breakfast porch were fabulous, and we watched the dolphins get fed every morning. Whether you enjoy napping in a hammock or taking a few steps off the property to the best reef snorkeling ever, you will find what you need here. Not luxury, but comfort. This place is rustic, but very comfortable, and the ocean breezes through the house made the air feel great. Having Joel meet us at the airport and help us find the place was great. Omar was wonderful with his help on anything we needed. Overall, we had a great Christmas and New Years and found we just didn't want to go home.

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

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Paradise over and below the waterline

Guest kati
Date of stay 03/19/11
Review Submitted 04/01/11

Casa Cowee was everything we expected and more.... four of us rented the house for a week this March, and it is ideal for up to 6 people, as long as two dont mind being in the loft, which is also perfectly comfortable; it is ideal for kids. We did not use the loft, we had the master bedroom and our friends used the next door cottage, and we were surrounded by the most exquisite vegetation through every window, orchids hanging over our heads on the stairwell, exquisite green/blue geckoes staring at us from the porch pillars, and those sunsets.... not two were alike. The dolphin pond next door is easily accessible by swimming over, and as long as we dont hang onto the mesh, one can watch them training and feeding from above or under the water (with goggles) at our leisure as many times a day one has a desire for. (The trainers do get annoyed if we distract them though, I spent way too much time there.) The coral reef directly in front of the house is about as good as you will find anywhere on the island; we hired a motor boat to take us to various sites - of which by far the best is the Tabayana resort area at the very end of the beach - but much of what we saw there we also found in front of our place over several days of exploring. We have snorkeled pretty much all over the caribbean and central america, and this is by far the healthiest and loveliest coral reef we have ever seen. Another advantage is the very close location (a very short walk on the beach) of The Blue Bahia Inn which has a fabulous restaurant by the beach with excellent service and first class margaritas. We did rent a car at the airport which made us very independent, but I understand if you chose not to you can easily get taxis anywhere, and there are people associated with the property who will gladly do errands and take you places for a fee. Locals will come to you offering take you on fishing trips or snorkeling, and there are many places on the island you can do the same. Go and have the vacation of your dreams!

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

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All We Could Want!

Guest Nancy
Date of stay 12/18/10
Review Submitted 03/26/11

Comfy, 'Old-Beach', barefoot and naps...Wake up and leave our 4 coffee mugs on deck, walk down the stairs and Snorkel right off our own dock! A magnificent, Marine Sanctuary abundant w/ Fish and Coral. Me and my Husband, and our 21 & 23 yr old kids, could all be as independent as possible and yet enjoy being together as a group. Well stocked-spices/ towels- just like home. .And Oh Yes; Blue Bahia Restaurant 4 houses away down the beach> Great Food--Super Folks-See Kent! He made our Christmas, with his Santa by Boat arrival with many presents to well over a 100 local kids. This is it! We will return soon .

Recommended for: Adventure seekers, age 55+, families with teenagers, tourists without a car, sightseeing.

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home away from home

Guest Ute W.
Date of stay 03/14/10
Review Submitted 05/06/10

We spent 2 weeks at casa cowee this spring and were very happy with our experience.We found Don, the owner very good to work with and the property was like advertised.We especially loved the outside deck and the hammocks were a much contested item,I understand that Don is getting extra's.The dock was used some by the locals but in our 2 weeks it never was a problem, and people were friendly.We also liked that we could snorkle off the dock and even the children easily managed to get to the corals and enjoyed the fish.having such easy access was really fun and we spent a lot of time in the water.All the greenery around the house and deck gave it a cosy and tropical feelAnother thing we really liked was the easy avaliability of cheap taxi's to get to town,no need to rent a car.There also is a very good restaurant close by.You really could watch the dolphin show from the deck which usually caused a few uh and ah's of entertainment..Our teenagers had their own little house and felt very grown up.I would not recommend this for families with toddlers as there is a drop off the deck that would worry me for very small children.the stairs up are well built and no problem but could be hard to manage for people who could not walk well.otherwise I would recommend this place without reservations.we hope to come back sometime , thank you Don for sharing your pleasant house with us

Recommended for: Age 55+, families with teenagers, tourists without a car, romantic getaway.

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Guest Kam Anderson
Date of stay 03/01/10
Review Submitted 03/01/10

Dear Donald, I am writing to share my gratitude for a lovely stay at your island home, Casa Cowee. We stayed with the Burkes last week and we are still trying to adjust life in the "real" world. Your home is magical and provided us with rest, renewal and relaxation. It is an open, causal home surrounded with lush gardens.I enjoyed waking up to the birds. Iris was friendly, helpful and a diligent cleaner. The location was perfect, quiet but in a friendly local neighborhood yet it was quick to take a taxi to town.We enjoyed many conversations with our neighbors and also enjoyed their furry friends who would come to visit. We enjoyed walking to the Blue Bahia, and taking a snorkel at the Octopus dive school. My husband and I went snorkeling with the dolphins on Anthony's Key, that was a magical experience. We also took a few walks in the botanical garden across the way; beautiful!! We had many nights at "home" sitting outside seeing the sun set and making delicious food with local fish and fruit. And of course the snorkeling!! Need I say more. I spent endless hours swimming here and there and everywhere about the lagoon and beyond. It was heaven to be surrounded by all the colors of the rainbow!!! So all in all it was perfect and we would love to return again!! So thanks so much!! Warmly-Kam Anderson

Owner response: Thank you, we're thrilled that you enjoyed your stay -- and we look forward to your return to Casa Cowee!

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Guest Deb Schilder & Frtiz Burke
Date of stay 02/23/10
Review Submitted 02/23/10

We arrived home last night. I want to post this positive review right away of our absolutely, positively WONDERFUL stay at Casa Cowee. EVERYTHING about our 8-day stay went perfectly! We were picked up by Joel at the ferry as planned, stopped at the supermarket buy provisions & then arrived at the house, where we were met by Iris & her son George.The house is absolutely lovely- every bit as lovely as promised. It was spotless, spacious and secure. It was great having the safe for our passports and we were able to lock the house up securely when gone. Our 2 teens really appreciated the music system and life in the spacious loft. We appreciated the great hot showers, comfy beds, and on just a couple of nights the ac in the bedroom. But usually we just opened the floor to ceiling windows and enjoyed the lovely ocean breezes and the sound of the surf crashing on the reef.The house is very unique--somewhat rustic – beautifully landscaped. The kitchen so easy to work in & well provisioned. Great having the washer and clothes line. The master suite, loft, guest house & 2 bathrooms wonderfully accommodated our party of 6. Covered decks & dock provided tons of space for lounging in sun or shade. Great location! Snorkeling off the dock, swimming and kayaking was great. The house was located in a friendly safe neighborhood. Just down the beach to the west was a wonderful restaurant and low key dive center (we took the dive boat out one afternoon for $15 to snorkel the other side of the reef.) Heading up to the road, there was a friendly little comedor were we got tacos and baleadas for less than $1 each, and 2 little markets with basic supplies. The house was a 10-min walk to Anthony's Key resort which housed a very interesting museum ($1), and a marine science center w/ 20 or so dolphins, as well as a bar/ restaurant. Across the road is a must see- beautiful CARAMBOLA gardens- entrance fee well worth $6.The house was very convenient to the main road where we easily caught taxis into West End, West Bay & Coxen Hole for a $1 or so. Didn’t rent a car- & felt it was very easy and economical to get around w/ taxis. Glad we rented the two kayaks for our stay.Often neighborhood kids/ families used the dock to swim or fish- and that was very fun. We got to meet many friendly people. It was great watching the dolphins at Anthony's Key and the sunset off the deck. It rained a few days while we were there, but we enjoyed reading books on the cover

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We were broken-in and robbed here.

Guest Chicos
Date of stay 02/20/10
Review Submitted 04/24/10

There used to be a safe, in a small walk-in closet, screwed into a 1X8" shelf. We trusted the caretake when she said we would not be bothered, and the handy-man when he said he would lock up after himself after he finished some re-wiring of the outside lights we had requested. That safe was gone on our third day, along with passports, all our money, credit cards, ID, iPods, Bose headphones and suitcase they took just in case it contained something valuable. Our experience with the owner was not satisfactory. We feel that they should have done more. We loved Sandy Bay, but if ever we retrun, we'll stay at a regular hotel with security. There are just too many 'sharks' around, waiting for an opportunity. Be careful if you stay here. Be Aware and hide your valuables well. Don't use the safe, assuming they replace it. We also killed to very large rats. One in the kitchen in a trap the caretaker set, leaving a dead rodent and blood all over the floor for us to clean up in the morning, and another in the shower that I bashed-in with an old water ski. They finally fixed the lights down to the dark beach on our next to last day. Also, the "private pier" at one time had two boats and 30 locals using it. The noise from the partying carried on into the night.

Recommended for: Adventure seekers

Owner response: We were saddened by the February incident, as we haven’t experienced a robbery in over 11 years (when my wife’s watch was stolen). Because our family has been a good neighbor in this community for over two decades, we never had any other security problems in our home. In this incident, the safe was actually removed from the wall of the master bedroom – which guests normally lock when leaving the property but which, unfortunately, in this case, was not locked. As soon as our guests informed us that they had lost cash, credit cards, their passports and other miscellaneous items stored in the safe, I contacted a number of my friends and business associates on the island – notifying them that I would pay $300 for the safe return of the passports. My $300 reward paid off, as the passports were, in fact, returned to our guests within a couple of days. I also immediately provided them with a cash refund equal to half the week’s rent and supplemented that with a 100% cash refund of their deposit fee. As they chose to remain in the house for the second week of their reservation, I assumed they were satisfied with our response. A new, very heavy, safe has been installed and bolted to the floor and interior wall. We’re also having a new security system installed, with motion sensors with extra key pads. Our property has been occupied every day since December 23rd with no other reports of “rat sightings” from our guests. Our housekeeper did notify us of one fruit rat, caught in a trap, which she promptly removed and immediately sanitized the area. The motion detector that turns on the lights down the back steps to the beach has been replaced with a brand new system. The lighting for the front steps to the beach (through the gate) is in excellent working order. Our dock: Because we’ve been in this community for over 20 years, we haven’t discouraged our neighbors from using our dock. Even if we wished to, the first 30 meters from the high tide is considered a public right-of-way and our dock begins right at this point, so we can’t force them to stay away. Sometimes the dock is used by local children in the afternoon, but they do not cause any problems. We do not advertise our dock as “private.” Casa Cowee is our family home, and we're proud of the overwhelmingly enthusiastic remarks we’ve receive over the years from our guests.

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Guest Dan25
Date of stay 08/08/08
Review Submitted 08/08/08

We had a great time staying here! It is a beautiful house, and Iris and Joel were great help. Best diving and snorkeling we've ever done. The beautiful view during breakfast, lunch, dinner, or napping in the hammocks was fantastic! We'll be back!

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Guest Anonymous
Date of stay 06/22/08
Review Submitted 06/22/08

Our experience at Casa Cowee was wonderful. The views were spectacular. The reef in front of the house has been well maintained and had extraordinary sea life. The house and guest house could easily accomodate six people. Don and his staff were very attentive to our needs and offered many great suggestions. Wished we had mentioned the refrigerator not cooling earlier, but we thought it was due to the power outages. When we did mention it, it was repaired immediately. We used BIBR for diving and even have pictures of a seahorse from one of the dives. DON'T rent a scooter-massive charges to VISA and a trip to Anthony's Key Resort for treatment after being run off the road-AKR has a good clinic and very reasonable rates! The private dock was great the couple of times we got to use it-the neighborhood children took it over most of the time, but hey, this is their island and we are only visitors. Would we go back and stay at Casa Cowee? Absolutely and have already recommended it others. Thanks for opening it up to us and sharing its history.

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Guest Anonymous
Date of stay 02/02/08
Review Submitted 02/02/08

Casa Cowee is in a lovely part of Roatan. It was my favorite place to stay during my Central America trip. I could access the lagoon right in front of the house and swim and snorkel to my heart’s content. At night it was so peaceful sleeping to the sound of waves breaking and intermittent rain pattering on the roof. What a restful visit it was for me at Casa Cowee!A well-rested guest

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Guest Anonymous
Date of stay 01/26/08
Review Submitted 01/26/08

Casa Cowee has just the right amount of homey comfort to make my stay on Roatan a very pleasurable experience. The house and grounds are very well maintained and the staff were very helpful. Being a private home it was quiet, relaxing and a bit secluded. Access to the rest of the island was very easy. Walk out to the road and flag down a cab. When I come back to Roatan I will be staying at Casa Cowee.

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Guest comment entered by owner

Guest Nanette Emerle
Date of stay 08/19/07
Review Submitted 08/18/07

I wanted to let you know what a terrific time we had. Your house is wonderful and Iris and Marvin are awesome … We only made it as far as Punta Gorda going east, but went to The Hole in the Wall (really neat) and did the Pig Roast at Bay Islands Beach Resort. Also enjoyed the Butterfly Garden, Botanical Gardens and Iguana Farm. The snorkeling in Roatan was the BEST I have ever experienced!! Thanks so much for letting us share your paradise.

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Vacation Rentals by Owner

The Most Dramatic Sunsets in the Caribbean. [#126086] | View Property

Traveler Reviews (15)

Knock Your Socks Off

Knock Your Socks Off

Warm hospitaility in gorgeous & relaxed Caribbean setting

Warm hospitaility in gorgeous & relaxed Caribbean setting

Perfect vacation in paradise

Perfect vacation in paradise

Most Relaxing vacation

Most Relaxing vacation

Paradise over and below the waterline

Paradise over and below the waterline

All We Could Want!

All We Could Want!

home away from home

home away from home

We were broken-in and robbed here.

We were broken-in and robbed here.