Reviews for West Bay Beach Vacation Rental - VRBO 189960ha - 2 BR Roatan House in Honduras, Gorgeous Home in West Bay with Direct Water Access

Terrific beach/snorkeling vacation

Guest George I.
Date of stay 04/20/13
Review Submitted 05/12/13

We spent a week at Orchid Breeze and enjoyed every minute. The location is great, mid way between West Bay and West End. We rented a pickup thinking we would want to try the snorkeling at different locations, but the reef off our beach was spectacular. We both swam to the reef (risky with the water taxi traffic) and kayaked (more energy for snorkeling and safer). Highlights were the dolpin encounter at Anthony's Key - advance reservations made in person are required - and snorkeling at the end of West Bay, past the shallow coral to the ocean side of the reef. Karen and Eric are great, laid back and interested in assuring a good time for their guests. We'll be back.

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What a place!

Guest kate h.
Date of stay 04/20/13
Review Submitted 04/28/13

Truthly a amazing place! Great location between westend and westbay! BRING BUG SPRAY AND USE IT! Sand fleas are horrible but it did not take away from the trip : ) Bring small bills for water taxis and tipping. 1's through 20's would be good. We also rented 2 stand up paddle boards from Steve's Paddle Shack in Westend. Highly recommend doing this. Great workout and took snorkling gear out to reef on boards. Great place for sting rays, turtles, and barracudas! (Orchid beach community has a few kayaks for all to share) You will get to use to "Island time"...very laid back and we loved it... Juan Carlos was the best. He will do anything for you. Felt very safe. House had alarm system and we used it all the time. Will be back...

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Away from it all, but still close to everything!

Guest courtney f.
Date of stay 03/23/13
Review Submitted 04/03/13

This was a wonderful place to stay, it was about half way between West End and West Bay. Heather was very helpful and informative especially since we were traveling with 4 children. Great beaches for swimming and walking. We would stay again!

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Absolutely Fabulous

Guest Sreve
Date of stay 02/24/13
Review Submitted 03/14/13

Let me enthusiastically state from the onset: this is a 5-star accommodation. We stayed at Casa del Mar at Orchid Beach for 13 days in late February to early March 2013, and it was the most delightful time we have had in years. The house is beautiful, efficient and functional, convenient, perfectly furnished, well maintained and affordable. It could not have been better. The location is perfect for a quick walk down the beach to West Bay or to West End. We spent the majority of our time in West Bay because of the great beach, fabulous snorkeling, and restaurants. Roatan and Casa del Mar offers the adult traveler everything one could possibly want in a tropical vacation. The weather is typically perfect (highs in the low to mid 80s) and the water is gin clear and warm. The beach is just a few steps down and the dock is about 20 yards from fantastic coral reefs and hundreds of tropical fish. We snorkeled off the end of the dock almost every day. When we wanted a change, we walked down to West Bay or hired a boat to take us further out into the reef. Casa del Mar is located in the perfect location. Juan Carlos is a terrific person man attended to our requests immediately. His little dog was fun to have around as well. He kept the beach in fabulous condition even after a couple of days of very strong winds that littered the beach with turtle grass. Fedie Solomon was our driver. He picked us up at the airport and we strongly recommend him to others who travel to Roatan. He is honest, trustworthy, and reliable. He also knows the history of the island and has a wonderful sense of humor. We used him to travel to the market, to meet the fishing guides, to the zip line, and to the dolphins encounter. Remember Fredie; you will be very pleased. We have been to Belize several time and spent years in the Florida Keys, but I think we have found the place that we can go year after year and never be disappointed. We will return in 2014; that is a done deal.

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Great house and location in Roatan

Guest John I.
Date of stay 05/01/12
Review Submitted 09/29/12

I had been to Roatan a couple of years before and was looking for a place near West Bay and West End. Casa del Mar was the perfect choice. Heather answered all my questions and provided me with a ton of good information. West Bay has a beautiful beach which is just a short walk or water taxi ride away. West End has a great rustic small town feel and lots of bars and restaurants. It's a 15 minute walk away from Casa del Mar. Walking back to the house from West End at night by moonlight was amazing. Beautiful water and peaceful. That was one of the highlights of the trip. It's hard to put in words how beautiful it was. I didn't rent a car and never felt I needed one. There is just too much to see and do in the immediate area. If I hadn't been there before I would have done an island tour. It's a great way to spend the day and you get to see a lot of amazing spots on the island. The house is very roomy and well appointed. There is a large dining room table and a family room with a comfortable couch and chairs. The top deck is the perfect spot to watch the sun set. The bedrooms are large as well with comfortable beds and nice bathrooms. It was hot when we were there and the air conditioning felt good after a day in the sun. There is a great snorkeling spot right off the beach and kayaks are available as well. Freddie picked us up at the airport and we stopped at a grocery store to stock up for the week. The kitchen is spacious and we cooked most of our meals there. For a relaxing week in a beautiful location Casa del Mar is hard to beat. I have been to a number of islands in the Caribbean and Roatan is my favorite. I have recommended Casa del Mar to my friends and would definately go back.

Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 5/5

Best vacation ever!

Guest Monica L.
Date of stay 04/01/12
Review Submitted 04/12/12

This was one of the most relaxing and fun vacations we have had in a long time and there were activities for everyone's taste. We particularly enjoyed having the kayaks available for going out to the reef and snorkeling right in front of the house. It was unbelievable and better than the scuba diving we did and we actually saw more sea life such as turtles, eagle rays and barracudas while snorkeling. The house was at a great location with convenient access to West Bay and West End. The house was gorgeous and very comfortable, equipped with everything that we needed. The information, advice and recommendations we got from the owner before we arrived was extremely helpful and the service and attention we got from Juan Carlos at the house was tops, attending to everything we needed from putting out the lounge chairs on the beach to preparing the kayaks for the day. The property was secluded and the beach was private with adequate sun and shade. The dock was very convenient for being picked up and dropped off when going to West Bay or West End. We would love to go back!

Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 6/6

Absolute gem in Roatan!

Guest Claudia L.
Date of stay 02/04/12
Review Submitted 02/12/12

All the previous reviews are spot on! We had a fantastic stay at this immaculately kept home. Heather was very prompt with her email communication and checked in with us during our stay to make sure everything was a-ok. The home is in a great location and you can easily walk to West Bay and West End. If you aren't a fan of walking, then you can easily hail a water taxi from the private dock. The deck is a perfect place to watch the gorgeous Roatan sunsets. Look no further.. this is the place to stay!

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Wish we were still there!

Guest Sharon S.
Date of stay 06/19/11
Review Submitted 07/01/11

My husband and I stayed at Casa del Mar for a week for my birthday in June. Wow, what a great time we had! This place was amazing and in the perfect location. Totally secluded yet so close to both West Bay and West End. We walked to West Bay almost every night for dinner and to West End one night. It was also very easy to catch a water taxi from the dock during the day. We felt totally safe and comfortable in Orchid Beach and didn't want to leave at the end of the week. The house was beautiful and spacious (way too much room for just the two of us) and very tastefully decorated. The view from the balcony was spectacular. The snorkeling just off the dock was amazing (In my opinion way better than at West Bay). We even did a night snorkel and saw a bunch of lobsters and an octopus. Unfortunately we never had time to use the kayaks to paddle to the reef but we did SCUBA dive the entire week with Las Rocas, whom Heather, the owner of Casa del Mar, had recommended. The dive shop at Las Rocas was terrific and we were so happy Heather had recommended them to us. What a great time we had with them and Marlo, the boat captain, picked us up from our dock every morning. I highly, highly recommend Casa del Mar to anyone who wants to have a beautiful, relaxing time in Roatan - close to everything yet away from it all.

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

Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 7/7

Perfect Place for the Perfect Vacation

Guest Beth
Date of stay 03/12/11
Review Submitted 03/27/11

My husband and I spent our first visit to Roatan at Heather's home. She was very helpful in orienting us to the culture and logistics of life on Roatan. Freddie, the driver she recommends, is an experience all by himself. He was always on time and provided information and entertainment on route. Neither of us like crowds and this location was ideal. Water taxi or a walk to West Bay or West Bend is easy; the beach quiet, and the snorkeling enjoyable.The home was comfortable with all of the ammenities one needs for relaxing in paradise.

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

Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 5/5

Heaven

Guest Christy A.
Date of stay 01/22/11
Review Submitted 02/09/11

My husband and I just got back from a week in Roatan. We absolutely loved staying at this house.The photos do not do it justice- it is everything you would want in a vacation rental. The location is perfect- you can walk along the beach in either direction, to West Bay or West End. West Bay is great for daytime fun and West End for nighttime fun- but I wouldn't want to stay in either location. West Bay was dead at night and West End was a little too hectic during the day. (Don't get me wrong- we loved West End and went there almost every night, but I wouldn't want to stay there- in full sunlight, it loses some of it's charm, and a little bit dirtier than other parts of the island). The house right in the middle was the perfect solution. We would go back in a heartbeat and recommend it to all of our friends. Heather was fabulous and extremely helpful- we go the chance to meet her and her family while there. She was great to work with, and we enjoyed having a glass of wine with her on the beautiful balcony, overlooking the sunset!

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

Owner response: We loved meeting you guys too, and having you as guests! I totally agree with what you said about West End during the day, the house is really in a great spot.

Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 7/7

Casa Del Mar is the perfect Island getaway!

Guest Kevin
Date of stay 07/31/10
Review Submitted 08/13/10

My sister and I recently spent 6 days wonderful days at Heather's place "Casa Del Mar" at Orchid Beach. This was our first time to Roatan so we were unfamiliar with the Iayout of the Island. Orchid Beach turned out to be the perfect place for us because it's inbetween West Bay and West End. Each morning, we would walk to West Bay to go diving and every evening, we would walk to West End for dinner. We decided against renting a car while in Roatan and relied on Freddie for transportation to and from the airport. He is very reilable and is a great tour guide. Cas Del Mar was very relaxing and complete with all the amenities one would need on vacation. The community is very quiet and the people are very friendly. The security guards and gardner were never hard to find should you need anything and would always walk us to our door upon arriving to the property after dinner. The snorkling infront of the property was great and I even spotted a large sting ray just feet from the dock. I wished our schedules would have allowed us to stay longer but I'll definately make plans to return to Casa Del Mar again in the future. Thanks again, Kevin & Laura July 31st - Aug 5th

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

Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 7/7

Beautiful house on a beautiful island!

Guest Estelle
Date of stay 07/17/10
Review Submitted 07/31/10

we had a fantastic time in Roatan, and staying at Heather's house contributed to it. The house is clean, well-equiped, and spacious. You can cook, watch TV/DVDs, listen to music. Both decks are very nice to relax on and read books. There were not many people staying at other houses in the property but everyone we met there was super friendly and helpfult. And the house is located just a few steps away from the beach. Snorkeling is amazing in Roatan, and you don't have to go very far to enjoy the aquatic life. Right off the house you can see beautiful fish and corals. Kayaks are available for you, and it's a fun activity to do. Juan Carlos, the gardner was also very friendly and helpful. The house is in a secluded area between West Bay and West End. You can easily take water taxis to go to both places, have diner/lunch, a drink, snorkel. You can kayak there, too. During our stay we rented a scooter to get around the island. It was fun to do, though a bit challenging on some of the dirt roads that get to the house. Would recommend for a little adventure! Freddie the driver was also very nice, helpful and reliable. In short, we had a wonderful time in Roatan and we would stay again at Heather's house!

Recommended for: Age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway, romantic getaway.

Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 7/7

WONDERFUL VACATION, CAN'T WAIT TO COME BACK

Guest Chris n john
Date of stay 05/08/10
Review Submitted 05/18/10

This was a great place to stay. House was very comfortable with lots of amenities... Kayaks and rafts for use right at their beach. House is in a nice small community of about 6 houses, everyone there was really nice and helpful. Location was superb. Right between West End and West Bay. You can literally walk less than two minutes to Aventura on the beach for a quiet beach breakfast, lunch or dinner. Although they play good music too. Food and service were very good. Mariella, who waited on us each time was very pleasant. So nice that most people speak English. Snorkeled in front of the house and at West Bay.... both places were great. The location of this house was perfect, we walked to West Bay and West End, took water taxis and sometimes drove our rental truck. If you don't want the hustle and bustle on cruise days you can stay at Orchid Beach in front of the house and have your own private beach... But sometime we liked to go down and people watch. The dock is great to lay out on or go snorkeling off of. Heather, the owner of the house is extremely pleasant to work with. Her excitement and love of Roatan spills through when you talk to her... we too now have the same love for Roatan. Can't wait to return!! Next time we want to stay longer.

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

Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 8/8

Shhhhhhhhhh don't tell ANYONE

Guest traveling_jill36
Date of stay 03/25/10
Review Submitted 04/06/10

In the dictionary next to the word relaxation is a picture of Heather's property. We had the BEST vacation ever here and we really never left the property to get it. Besides having to go to stock the pantry we stayed pretty much within walking distance. The town of West End reminded me on Negril, Jamaica 20 + years ago, nowhere to be seen where hulking Hotels one sees everywhere nowadays. Heather was very helpful and quick to reply to all queries prior to arrival, the property was exactly as advertised and then some. Sea life was abundant right off the beach in the reef right in front of the property. Who go here again in a hummingbirds heatbeat.

Recommended for: Families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway, tourists without a car, romantic getaway.

Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 7/7

Some Kind of Wonderful!

Guest Clam Digger
Date of stay 01/30/10
Review Submitted 02/08/10

This may have been our first trip to Roatan but it won't be our last! While the pictures and descriptions of this property and it's amenities are accurate, we found that words cannot accurately depict the essence of this place. The house itself is beautiful and appointed with everything you would expect or need. The views, BREATHTAKING! We shared the house with another couple and were very happy with the living space. The livingroom and dinning area are spacious and very comfortable. The two bedrooms and bathrooms are designed for maximum privacy and the kitchen was a breeze to work in. We were nervous about what to expect as far as safety, transport,language barriers, money exchange, etc etc. But dealing with this owner was like nothing we had ever experienced. Heather was always on hand with helpful hints and information and always answered promptly and cheerfully our endless and often inane questions. Every aspect of the rental transaction from start to finish was flawless and enjoyable! The men that provide the on site 24/7 security proved to be diligent, friendly, and always willing to help. We were very comfortable leaving our valuables in the house. The gardener of the grounds is always available and willing to help with anything. He was a pure delight to deal with! Although we do enjoy dining out we are not fond of the public beach or bar scene, so this location was perfect for us. A short walk to West End or West Bay and an inexpensive water taxi home got us by just fine. We snorkled in West Bay and way up the coast past Anthony's Key and agreed that the snorkling in front of the house was the best! The beach out front was perfect also. Although it is the main walkway between towns, all of the passers were very respectful and treated it as if it were our private beach. The water taxi and our Charter Fishing Capt were able to pick us up right at the dock out front. It doesn't get more convenient than that! All in all, with this house, this location, the owners and their staff; this place is an Island Dream come true. Our only regret .....we didn't stay long enough. We now know that we should plan for two weeks or more.

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

Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 6/7

Incredible Roatan Beach Getaway!

Guest Landlocked
Date of stay 06/05/09
Review Submitted 07/23/09

We recently spent ten days in this wonderful home at Orchard Beach on Roatan. The house is spacious and well laid out with two nice bedrooms and a large living area with well stocked kitchen, satellite TV, and Internet access (works most of time). The beach is centrally located between West Bay beach and the West End, allowing the best of both worlds: feeling the solitude of a relatively private beach area plus being in easy walking distance (or continual water taxi excursions) of the nearby commercial beach areas with fine bars, restaurants, and shopping. We'd been somewhat concerned about the safety of this area, but were comforted to have very personable armed guards on the property as well as some nearby homeowners who were very friendly and helpful. We'd also wondered if 10 days on a relatively small island was too much, but we discovered much to occupy us including snorkeling, deep sea and dock fishing, jet skiing, and just enjoying the energetic night life at West End and West Bay. The owner of the property was most helpful in assuring a smooth transaction and in the helpful information sent concerning the property and area. The house was exactly as described, and the owner went the second mile in making sure we had all the info we needed and checking to make sure our needs were being met while there. You can't go wrong here! Beautiful house, beautiful island! Quite a paradise!

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

Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 8/8

Paradise is Here

Guest Lola
Date of stay 03/28/09
Review Submitted 04/07/09

The house is lovely. The Island is breathtaking. House is well located between the 2 most popular areas on the Island - West Bay which is a snorkeler's paradise with beautiful beaches lined with lush palm trees and cute beach bars/restaurants and West End which has cute little shops (native) and great restaurants with local food as well as American, Mexican, etc. food. The prices are great - average dinners $10-15. Loved Mavis & Dixies at West End; and there is Rocket Burger for those with kids. Also, Mexican Restaurant Red Hot Chili Pepper. Enjoyed Inifinity Bay and Banarama at West Bay. If you have a car, check out Hole in the Wall. It is a shack, but on Sundays, they have all the lobster & steak you can eat starting at noon (get there early). We did not rent a car, but had neighbors there who were great and took us. You do not need a car. You can easily walk or talk the $3 water taxis. House is in a cute community of about 6 or 7 houses and the neighbors (if there) were very friendly and helpful. We snorkeled everyday. Can snorkel right in front of the house, but enjoyed it more at West Bay in front of Infinity Bay (hotel) and by the Iron Wall - can't miss it. Check out the iguanas at the wall - hard to see as they blend in with the lava rock. I would highly recommend this trip before the island is overdeveloped. It is probably how Florida looked 100 years ago; and yet has all the amenities needed.

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

Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 10/10

Great vacation!

Guest Diane B.
Date of stay 03/07/09
Review Submitted 03/20/09

Great location - in close proximity to West Bay and West End. Great snorkeling and beautiful sunsets. House is plenty large and comfortable for 2 couples. Felt very safe w/security guard, gardeners, neighbors. Very friendly neighborhood. Need 4-wheeler due to roadways leading to Orchid Beach. Small, private beach w/dock for neighborhood; large, sandy beaches within easy driving distance. Beautiful island -- great food reasonably priced, friendly people, and very relaxed. Virtually no language barrier - English spoken fluently by most. Bugs can be somewhat of an annoyance. Homeowner is a dream with whom to work; would definitely recommend this home and homeowner!

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

Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 6/6

Cleveland Divers

Guest Cleveland diver
Date of stay 02/15/09
Review Submitted 02/21/09

Great location, you need four wheel drive to get almost anywhere on the island. House was clean and well furnished. The snorkeling right off the private beach was great. Could walk to west bay or west end in about 15 minutes, drive in about five. Very private, felt totally secure with on site security, gardeners, staff, and all locals friendly and helpful. Try Los Rocas for diving (west bay) they picked us up and dropped us off right on the private dock, fantastico!!! The food was great evrywhere on the island.One week is not enough plan two.

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

Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 5/5

Great Taste of Roatan

Guest Chicago Folks
Date of stay 10/11/08
Review Submitted 10/25/08

This home is well situated between the two "hot" zones of West End and West Bay. This means most activites are a short 5 minute drive away. Perfect - now you have more time to relax on the great deck or down on the beautiful beach. And do hit that dock for a sunset cocktail - the sunset view is gorgeous. The house is cute and comfortable. We were two couples sharing and there was plenty of room for everyone. The small neighborhood was charming and very private. There is a full time watchman for the neighborhood. I was glad because we could be very comfortable leaving money and passports at home. We were very happy and give this rental a ringing endorsment. My one peice of advice for future renters is to be sure and reserve a four wheel drive SUV. The neighborhood road is dirt and gravel. This can be very slick after a rain.

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

Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 18/18

Vacation Rentals by Owner

Gorgeous Home in West Bay with Direct Water Access [#189960ha] | View Property

Traveler Reviews (20)

Terrific beach/snorkeling vacation

Terrific beach/snorkeling vacation

What a place!

What a place!

Away from it all, but still close to everything!

Away from it all, but still close to everything!

Absolutely Fabulous

Absolutely Fabulous

Great house and location in Roatan

Great house and location in Roatan

Best vacation ever!

Best vacation ever!

Absolute gem in Roatan!

Absolute gem in Roatan!

Wish we were still there!

Wish we were still there!

Perfect Place for the Perfect Vacation

Perfect Place for the Perfect Vacation

Heaven

Heaven

Casa Del Mar is the perfect Island getaway!

Casa Del Mar is the perfect Island getaway!

Beautiful house on a beautiful island!

Beautiful house on a beautiful island!

WONDERFUL VACATION, CAN'T WAIT TO COME BACK

WONDERFUL VACATION, CAN'T WAIT TO COME BACK

Shhhhhhhhhh don't tell ANYONE

Shhhhhhhhhh don't tell ANYONE

Some Kind of Wonderful!

Some Kind of Wonderful!

Incredible Roatan Beach Getaway!

Incredible Roatan Beach Getaway!

Paradise is Here

Paradise is Here

Great vacation!

Great vacation!

Cleveland Divers

Cleveland Divers

Great Taste of Roatan

Great Taste of Roatan