Hotel Turquoise Bay Resort - All Inclusive

“Better than I expected in every way”

I’ve been to Roatan on several prior dive trips, but had always stayed at resorts near West End/West Bay. This trip we chose Turquoise Bay, which is about the mid-point on the island’s north shore. Everything about this choice turned out to be fortuitous. We stayed at Turquoise Bay, and Dove wit… more

I’ve been to Roatan on several prior dive trips, but had always stayed at resorts near West End/West Bay. This trip we chose Turquoise Bay, which is about the mid-point on the island’s north shore. Everything about this choice turned out to be fortuitous. We stayed at Turquoise Bay, and Dove with the on-site diver operator, Turquoise Divers. Airport Pick-Up/Drop-Off: Transfers from RTB were included in our package. The airport is undergoing renovation, and I’d say it’s getting better. Once through customs we quickly found our driver from Turquoise Bay. If you don’t see them with their sign, look for anyone from Mayan Princess, and they’ll get you connected with your driver. It’s a short ride to the resort (maybe thirty minutes of which 10 is getting out of the airport exit. When you leave to fly home there is a shuttle every two hours, so you can have a relaxed departure. The Resort: There is some connection between Turqouise Bay and Mayan Princess in West Bay. I’ve stayed at Mayan Princess before and I liked it very well. However, Turquoise bay is much smaller and consequently feels more like a “boutique” resort. It’s set on a hillside, so the walk from the dive center to the rooms is a bit of a hike. This would not be a good property for a person with mobility issues. Our room (number 16) was in the top group of building’s so we got the most of this built in exercise program. It was not a big deal, but if I return I’d ask for room 1,2,3 or 4, as those rooms are adjacent to the lobby/dining. There is a nice pool, and a really nice beach facility. The resort does beach club business for cruise visitors, but they seem to limit the size of the groups. Nothing about that activity interfered with our stay, although for the most part we were out diving while the cruise ship folks were there. Because they do that business, they have a far nicer beach area than you’d expect given the size of the resort. Food & Beverage: We had the all-included package, which I think is the only way you can book. Both the food and service were very good. There was a good variety and no repetition of meals, so I’d say the food was better than I expected. The wait staff and servers were super friendly and very attentive. Other places I’ve been that use the all-inclusive model, I’ve felt like the service is deliberately downgraded. That was not the case here. All the staff was quick to check in to see if we wanted anything. I don’t drink, so I was happy that the soda offerings were in cans, rather than fountain drinks. Those in our group that do drink were pleased with the offerings as well. Diving: Our package included three dives per day for five days, and two morning dives on the sixth day. On one of the three-dive days instead of a dive in the afternoon, you can do a night dive. The boats are rated for 17 passengers, but we saw no effort to crowd any of the boats that way. Our group was 7 people so each dive our boat was either just our group, or our group and one other couple. This made the boat very comfortable. We had two-divemasters and the boat captain, so we were well attended both on the boat and during the dive. Our divemasters were Edward and Alberto. They did a great job of leading without making one feel herded. They were great at pointing out things to see, but also letting us dive our own dives. Nitrox is available at $10.00 per tank. The reefs near Turquoise Bay are far healthier, and more dramatic than those around West Bay. The color is better and you rarely see other divers. One day we took the boat down to West Bay for a wreck dive and a few others. It honestly was not worth the long boat ride. We were better up in the Turquoise Bay are for dive quality. Overall I found nothing to dislike about Turquoise Bay Resort, and the diving there was what one hopes for when booking a trip to Roatan. I’ll be back, and I’d recommend Turquoise Bay highly.

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