Roatan Vacation Rental Comments:Oceanfront West Bay Beach Villa Joya comments:April 2010
Good morning, Linda Kay; Thank you for the prompt refund of the deposit money. The condo was just as expected, if not more, and we really enjoyed our stay. Everything was perfect and we met the neighbors, also renting for the week, and they were very nice and enjoyable. Hank was excellent and Jeff and Kevin made sure to stop by to say hello and see if we needed anything. If anything, I would say the place is starting to get a bit tired, or used, looking. The towels are getting a little thin, etc... from tons of use, I'm sure, but believe me, we weren't expecting the Hilton and it didn't really matter. Probably the biggest problem we encountered was we took up the advice on taking traveler's checks and they were a disaster. Nobody will take them, even the bank in West End said no. We ended up taking a cab and going to the bank in Coxen Hole where they would only cash $200 at a time after waiting more than an hour in line. It probably took us 4 hours to get $200, so the ATM was where everyone suggested getting cash with no problems. Also, it seems like more and more people are taking Visa than what was expected. So, maybe think about dropping the travelers check recommendation. All in all, a great vacation, and many thanks for your help! I'll be sure to leave some positive comments on your sites. We would definitely return to Roatan and the condo. Scott
(We have taken all of Scott's suggestions and are implementing them) Feb 10 to March 6 2010
The place was AWESOME....we loved it and had a great time. When I can breathe again from underneath the piles on my desk at work, I will definatley be writing a good review.
Hank was great as was Kevin. The weather could have been a bit better, but didn't matter, we had a blast.
Thanks for everything.
Diane M. New York March 09
My visit was a singular delight because not only did I get to enjoy the many pleasures of Roatan and the comfort of this great condo I also had the wonderful company of Paul and Ellie. I joined them for the second week of their 2-week stay. Despite the time Paul had to spend of homeowner association matters we had lots of time for great snorkeling, nice meals, and plenty of laughs and cheer from my freshman roomate in college and his lovely wife. I even managed to get certified in scuba diving -- something I've always wanted to do. Studying the materials cut into my free time in the evenings but we did get to watch a couple of good movies and some Seinfeld episodes plus I had a wonderful game of scrabble with Paul and Ellie who are both quite accomplished at the game.
It was sad to see them leave on Saturday evening and the place seemed empty without them. When I went snorkeling on the West End Wall, I saw a very large octopus climbing across a coral wall. His large eye kept opening and closing. A memorable finale to a wonderful week.
Tom from Washington DC Jan 2009
From HomeAway guest posting
"All That Was Advertised And More"
"Previous reviews were dead-on! We were there the beginning of January 2009 and could not have been more pleased. The unit is actually larger than the pictures make it appear and is fully and finely equipped. But it's the location that is spectacular! Close but not too close. Easy walking, even for my 80 year old mother. Our daughter got certified at Las Rocas - a great staff there. When not diving we snorkeled at the far end of West Bay Beach. I've never seen snorkeling from a beach like in Roatan. We ate in often but found some great bargains. Check out Foster for $12 lobster and Infinity Bay for $10 beach BBQ on Sunday. I didn't hurt that we had perfect weather - no clouds and 80+ degrees every day. Our daily cocktail at sunset on the beach was fun. The sand fleas are a nuisance, though. Keep the bug spray on. We'll definitely be back."
3 Generations from Ontario Christmas 2008
We had a great time in Roatan! Loved the condo. Jeff & Kevin were very conscientious and helpful. Thanks for all your good suggestions. Las Rocas took me out for 2 dives: truly some of the best diving in the Caribbean.
JR from LA13 Dec - 21 Dec
What a wonderful vacation destination! Las Rocas for diving and snorkeling trips is the place to be. Also ask for Winston specials @ their bar. Don't miss Mary's place and diving with the sharks ...completely amazing! Friday night is the time for dancing in West End and getting a real local feel & street vendor food on west end is great for the best local style food. The deli at West Bay Mall is great for breakfast and fresh fruit smoothies.
Betty W. ~ Living in Seoul, Korea A week at Villa Joya followed our week at Bananarama. We enjoyed the friendly staff, the great hamburgers at the thirsty turtle and the best $$$ dinner in West Bay at Vintage Pearl Restaurant. But Villa Joya's quiet location and spaciousness was far superior. No dodging the cruise ship daytrippers down this way!
Kevin was so pleasant to deal with -- if only we had made more progress with the roaches! Life would be perfect if roaches ate sand fleas! (villa had been closed up during rainy season and this had not been a previous problem ~ bugs bombed immediately after guests left )
The mini-mart was a handy stop for checking e-mail. We recommend zip- lining at South Shore Canopy Tour -- quite a thrill (can book at Las Rocas). For good food in West End, try the Lighthouse and Mavis and Dixie's. It was been a super vacation -- hope we can return. Teo and Lana of NW Arkansas
Chang G. of Denver CP
November 2008
It was a great time and we hope to visit again. Very nice condo and great location.
Thanks
RM August 2008 This has been a month in paradise! So sad to leave and hard to describe all that made it so wonderful. Kevin was helpful above and beyond! We so appreciate all he did to make our stay so comfortable! Las Rocas dive shop next door was phenomenal -- we got our advanced open water certification there and can't recommend them enough. They have a family atmosphere, smart, patient, enthusiastic, dedicated and friendly. We're sad to leave them behind as well as all those beautiful rays, fish, turtles, crabs, seahorse, octopus, etc. that we befriended in the deep! Despite the sandflies and the 2-hour blackouts from time to time, this has been a dream we hope to return to! Arthur and Amy from NYCps: cooking at home is the way to go for the finest food!! March 2008
Thank you for sharing your lovely condo with us for our vacation. It had all the comforts we could need on vacation and nicely located between development at West Bay and West End. Being the week of Semana Santa, there were a few more folks on the island than usual, but it didn't feel like there was any impact though we heard stories from our dcabbie that people partied until 4 AM on Friday night.
We did experience power outages on all but 3 days that we were here and I definitely second the recommendation to shower, wash dishes, or cook when you can! (Note: VJ has a backup generator on order)
Activities - we did the hugging and kissing of dolphins at Anthony's Key Resort, snorkeled at Palmetto Bay (shipwreck), and took a day snorkel trip to Cayos Cochinos with Las Rocas next door. On this trip you also stop for lunch at one of the small islands were the Garifuna live.
The food was great and coming from the desert, we loved having good seafood.
1. Lighthouse (West End): Great lobster and key lime pie
2. Mavis & Dixie's (West End): Nice view of Half Moon Bay
3. The View (near Parrot Tree Plantation): Literally in the side of the road overlooking the land below. Beautiful spot for watching the sun set.
Thanks again!
DA Albuquerque, NM Feb 28 to March 6, 08
After arriving to rain, no power for hours, mud so thick we couldn't get up the hill, and the lock not working on the condo door, we must say that Linda K and Scott were very attentive and all of the problems disappeared after 2 days. (Note: the road had been diverted while the new concrete one dried and is now open for use; I met the guests and the problem with the coded lock developed after a few days into their stay. Guests are given a key for the sliders and a code for the front door).
The scuba diving was wonderful, especially at our doorstep (Las Rocas). The snorkeling was fine at the wall and the beach is wonderful, picture perfect walk. Every sunset was gorgeous and the stars were more than we have ever seen anywhere else!
The location of the condo is great ~ quiet but within walking distance to everything we wanted to do on our vacation.
All in all we had a grand time and will miss this warm, sunny, beautiful area, especially since we called home to Michigan and found out we will have 6" of snow to deal with when we arrive tonight at midnight!
Thank you to Linda K and Scott for everything they did for us.
Linda & Russell L. and Sue & Chuck B. of Canton MI
Dec 22, 07
We're from Colorado Springs, CO. We've enjoyed your house very much, specially since we've had 4 days of straight rain. Your house has all the things to make a family of 4 comfortable. There is not anything you need (well maybe a dishwasher and a hot tub where the little pool is would complete it).
But when the sun came out, Roatan became the place that I'd seen in all the advertisements.
We really ejyoyed snorkeling by "the wall". The drive to the eastern side is great ~ once you get past Coxen Hole it gets interesting. Paya Bay is beautiful.
Most of the restaurants are over priced. Try Creole Rotisserie, really good chicken for a good price (West End). You must try "Baliadas", a little local food spot near Reef Divers at West End. It's stuffed pastry w/chicken inside. Tasty & only 20 Lempiras. They run out fast.
Sand Flies can be bothersome. We used Linda's repellent and that seemed to work. Linda's full of good information wish we could enjoy a few more of these beautiful sunny days.
Thanks Ellie and Paul.
Fred & Dina & Kyle & Douglas C.
Oct 6, 07
We are here from Ohio to dive and celebrate Kirk's 50th birthday. The weather has been a little rainy but we had 4 perfect days, and we dove in the rain anyway. We used West End divers out of West End. We found them very competent and safety oriented. Small groups this time of the year no more (than) 4-5 people. Boats easy to get on and off of. Reef is wonderful, saw turtles on every dive. "Hole in the Wall' site is a must ~ deep (120 ft) but beautiful. Best food at Dian's, Eagle Ray, also The View. (Note: I have removed a derogatory comment about a restaurant in West End via the request by the owner to know why and am awaiting a reply from the guests (looks like they got his attention) ~ this particular restaurant is liked by many who live here and I do not wish to cause him underserved ill will due to an unfortunate event ~ good help is hard to come by anywhere). The canopy tour at Gumbalimba Park is great as is the tour of the park. Linda was wonderful (thank you), we had everything we needed so we didn't need to bother her much (none at all actually), but she was available if we needed her. Thanks for loaning the Tiger Edmonds books, Kirk really enjoyed them. We had a wonderful week! Thanks!
Leigh & Kirk
Sept 8. 07
The end has come to one of the BEST vacations ever!!!
Not sure where to begin so how about ... the day we arrived o this beautiful house, one week ago today... Exactly what we expected & then some. Let Las Rocas dive team be your guide to one of the BEST dives/snorkeos of your lives!!! They are wonderful, helpful & very good @ what they do!! The Dolphin Encounter @ AKR is a MUST!!.
No need to say "Hope you have a good time cus it's given .... Have a GREAT TIME
Darrell & Katie R. Jeff & Cathy Phoenix AZ June 10 2007
Hello from Silvano, Patricia, Angela and Lucio, an Italian family. Sadly we could only spend 3 days on the island of Roatan but all our senses were more than satisfied! We had good breakfasts at Mangiamo (West Bay Mall), Las Rocas good for lunch and dinner, good pizza at Il Pomodoro.
Loved the home, it was clean and full equipped. What was missing for us: a washing machine and cable TV that I think gives a little entertainment in the evening. We so much enjoyed and recommend the Dolphins at Anthony's Key, they are adorable!
Tauti saluti from all of us and from our doggie Wendy. Ciao. May 07
We love Roatan so much we are coming back to live! We enjoyed your lovely home. Well equipped and a spectacular view. We enjoy everything here. Great people, great food! The island life style!
Mike & Eyies from Calgary
Feb 24 - March 10
Thank you for sharing your Roatan home w/us. We have so enjoyed our 2 week vacation on the island!!
We loved the snorkeling out from La Palapa down the the Wall ~ this is (so far) the best snorkeling of our travels.
Everyone is so friendly ... we liked the fun atmosphere of Las Rocas. Their grilled lobster, fish tacos, dinner salads & desserts were heavenly. We found the service @ Bite on the Beach mediocre, as well as the food. Mayan Princess had the best burgers & La Palapa's spicy shrimp & fries are awesome. Tuesday night (think it has changed to Monday (LKs note)) is 2 for 1 pizza @ Il Pomodoro located in Paradise Beach ~ very good pizza & lasagna. The Best steak we had was @ Buffalo Streak House, also located in Paradise Beach.
In West End, we really liked The Lighthouse (melt in your mouth lobster); Cannibal Cafe is the best Mexican food ever. Drinks @ sunset on the upper deck @ Eagle Rays was fun too.
We love Roatan ~ look forward to visiting again!
Rex & Tiffany from Idaho
Feb 17 - 24 07
I was extended an invitation by my friends & yours, Mike & Cec, Madison WI.
Leaving the past 12 days of sub zero weather was not a difficult thing to do .... That cannot be said for the return trip.
My response to any one who asks "How was Roatan?" will be .... it was OK. This is obviously a diversion tactic that will not peak their interest in coming. As additional tourists may taint the felling. Yep, that is a very self serving & shallow response.
Indeed, I will hail the accommodations, the weather, the view, the food, the people, particularly the native islanders, the activities, the relaxed pace & just about every thing else relative to the trip.
As the saying say on my T-shirt, "Life is Good", I will exchange that to Life is Great & Roatan is Grand.
I am fortunate to have stopped here on my journey through my life.
Dave from Greenbay
Feb 3 - 10 2007
The view as your walking down to West Bay Beach is something out of a travel magazine "A Perfect Beach". TRULY MAGNIFICENT.. The snorkeling was good at the end of this beach, but to the left of the Bar "La Palapa" it was superb. Best snorkeling ever from a beach. Restaurant choices are difficult but we found "Las Rocas" was great for lunch & dinner. "Bite of the Beach" was a waste of $$ and time. Lighthouse over in West End was great too. Argentinean Grill was over rated. Maybe because being fro Chicago there are many great steak places. La Palapa has the best burgers around.
Maria from Chicago
January 2007
My sister and I booked our week-long stay at Villa Joya trough Linda Kay MacDonald. She was great and very responsive to our million and one questions. But we also must thank Ellie and Paul for their beautiful beachside villa. The house was wonderfully maintained and equipped (we Couldn't think of anything it was missing), offered a perfect location (near many resorts, internet access at Fosters', 40 minute walk into the "town' of West End", yet also a perfect little cave of seclusion and privacy.
The best way to get around, at least from the West Bay to West End is by water taxi. It's the cheapest way to travel (roughly $2.00 pp, each way), and great to feel the breeze on your face. They will pick you up at the dock at Las Rocas if you give them a wave. You can also walk into town, but be prepared to walk over a few rocks. All the locals (both transplanted Americans and Islanders) were very friendly and nice to us. We found town to be the best place to pick up some souvenirs, as well as get some local flavor. The one and only ATM we used was in the Dolphin Hotel in town. There is also one in the Mayan Princess, but they are not always in working order.
As far as food and restaurants go, you have quite a few options; our opinion is to take advantage of the fresh delicious and inexpensive seafood. The one exception to this is a cute little place in the West End called Cannibal Cafe. It serves really excellent Mexican food. Everything from the chips to the enormous Burritos to the 'killer Margaritas'. They have a second floor that puts you up in the tree tops and gives you a birds-eye view of town. Also in town that we went to was Eagle Rays for lunch and the Lighthouse for dinner. You shouldn't miss going to the Lighthouse not only for its excellent seafood & coconut bread, but also for its beautiful sunset views. Closer to Villa Joya are also several good places to eat. We loved the food at Las Rocas so much that we went & ate there several times through the course of the week. Bite of the Beach is good for its drinks and view up in 2nd deck, but the food is over looked. Mayan Princess and Fosters are also good bets and have good food.
We did two excellent excursions while here and recommend both wholeheartedly. The 1st was a fishing trip with Gary Lee. Not only did we get to catch some black fin tuna, but Gary dove down and picked some conch which we got to taste straight from the ocean. He is an excellent tour guide (understatement) and full of knowledge of he island, which we really enjoyed learning about. It was a great way to learn about the island. The 2nd was a dolphin encounter where you also got to snorkel with them after seeing them do tricks and even kiss you! This we booked through the tourist info center. Mario & Lou, the owners of the center were very nice and great to talk with, as they recently moved to Roatan from Florida. If you are interested in this, book ahead as it gets filled up quickly.
All in all, a GREAT trip, a wonderful experience. We're glad to have had it!
Best, Kate & Erika from New York
P.S. ~ Use bug spray liberally
December 06
Thank you for an amazing stay in Paradise! Your home is beautiful and we found it to be everything that we expected. Plenty of room for a family of four.
The island itself is breathtaking. We rented a 4X4 and were able to see a lot of places off of the beaten track. The unpaved road past Palmetto Bay to French Harbor was unbelievable! Steep, rutted 4X4 hills, but the fiews are well worth it.
We hired Bruce @ the Jonesville General Store for a snorkel/fishing trip. Great guide and very inexpensive. (Be patient, takes him a while to get set up but definitely worth the wait) Eat at "Hole in the Wall" while in Jonesville.
Snorkeling out front of our unit was good but the most amazing snorkeling is at the end of the beach @ "The Wall". WOW!! Take a flash light out at night and scan the shallow water as you walk the beach toward West End. We saw Lobster, Crab, Conch, Starfish, Anemones, Puffer Fish, etc. (wear something to protect your feet)
Check out the stars once you get away from Las Rocas' lights. Shooting stars are abundant!
GumbaLimba canopy tour is an experience we will never forget. The guides were GREAT! Very through and safety conscious. We all felt totally comfortable with them. Pay for both the canopy tour and park tour at the top and save $. The park tour is full of info and worth the extra $5. The monkeys were hilarious!! Watch for 'Ricardo', he is a very good 'pick pocket' monkey.
Conch soup and Lobster were the highlights of our dining experience. Cactus Juice products are amazing film/sunscreen works well. Miracle gel very soothing on sunburn & insect bites.
We will never forget our visit to Roatan, truly a unique, tropical Paradise!!
Terry, Belinda, Natasha, & Kenton from British Columbia
August 06
Dear Ellie & Paul,
When You gave us a week stay at Villa Joya as a wedding present, we couldn't have imagined the beauty, tranquility & fun that it would bring us. We have enjoyed the comfort of the villa immensely and the hospitality of the islanders. Thank you. for this gift. We also owe a debt of gratitude to Linda Kay & Scott MacDonald, who treated us like family during our stay. Their welcoming & generosity were most appreciated.
My only regret is that we don't have more time to enjoy Roatan & its many7 activities, Here are a few things we really appreciated & would recommend to future Villa Joya guests:
Horseback riding ~ If you enjoy horses, taking the 'tour' with native - born islander Shirkie Bodden of El Rancho Barrio Dorcas is a great introduction to the West End, the beach town. West End & West Bay, Gumbvalimba Park & the ancient Coral reef by Keyhole Bay.
Snorkeling ~ There is terrific snorkeling here in West Bay in front of the Paradise Beach Club all the way down to the point, and you can rent gear right here at Las Roas.
Nature ~ Our favorites were the monkeys & the zip line canopy tour at Gumbalimba Park: Carambola Botanical Gardens & its trail to the top of Carambola Mountain: Coral Cay with its giant sea turtles & nurse sharks; the Iguana Farm; hugging and kissing Dolphins at Anthony's Key Resort; and a tour of the mangroves by Oakridge.
Fishing ~ We caught black fin tuna & a barracuda w/Capt Cassidy Heid from M&M Aqua Sports, based at Las Rocas. He's a nice guy with a good boat, good fishing gear & lots of experience. We would not recommend Subway Watersports for fishing, although they are probably a very good dive shop.
Shopping ~ New Souvenirs & Toms gift shop in Coxen Hole & the gift shop at Anthony's Key have great souvenirs. HB Warrens in Coxen Hole & the deli in the mall on the main road in West Bay have a wide variety of groceries. All of the banks are in Coxen Hole and we found Credcomatic to be the quickest.
Massage ~ The 'Couples Experience' Swedish massage at the Mayan Princess by Jim & Bay of a Tropical Knead was so luxurious and relaxing.
Dining ~ Bite of the Beach & Las Rocas for their proximity & convenience; The Lighthouse in West End for the cool atmosphere; oven baked pizza & free movie (always a new release); Il Pomodoro for its excellent atmosphere, awesome pizza & very friendly service.
Transportation ~ Our chauffeur & guide while we wee here was Jose Duenas (cell: 933-6823), a very sweet & honest man w/a nice car who gave us terrific service & prices for where ever we wanted to go. However, Jose only speaks Spanish, so for those who need an English speaking driver, we would recommend Hank Hynds (cell: 994 9717), a business associate of Jose's who we met & came recommended by Linda Kay, as well.
To conclude, we think that Roatan truly is a tropical paradise and we feel lucky and all the more well traveled to have experienced Central America. What a memorable opportunity!
Much Love,
Sarah & Jason
July 06
Linda:
Had a great time!
The phone and keys you've found by now with this note.
This condo was wonderful and we'd recommend it to anyone - wish Andrew well at school! Take Care!
Protima
Feb 06
We can't thank you enough for this honeymoon in paradise. The week has been fantastic, and we are loathe to leave.
First, the condo: great location ~ close to West Bay bur secluded & private. The kitchen had everything we needed, the space was more than ample, and we enjoyed multiple sunsets while floating in the pool. We disagree w/previous guest re: cable : Don't get it. Who needs the distraction when there's so much to see & do. (LK Note: Jon & Erin had perfect weather)
Speaking of which, we highly recommend spending a good chunk of time relaxing @ West Bay Beach. It is gorgeous and usually quite empty. The snorkeling at the far end of the beach (the wall) is fantastic and if you are inexperienced (like us) there are many near-the-beach spots to see lots of fish ~ you'll be amazed @ how close to the shore you can discover stuff.
Further a field, we hiked through Carambola Botanical gardens, joined an excursion to Cayos Cochinos and took a day trip by taxi around the rest of the island. We highly recommend Carambola, be sure to follow the mountain trail to the top of the island (20 minute hike) for a gorgeous view of Sandy Bay & the colors of the reef. We reached Carambola by taxi from West End.
The Cayos Cochinos trip was good, but a bit more adventure than we bargained for ~ highlights of flying fish, and escort of a pod of dolphins and a delicious lunch of fresh caught fish @ Garifuna fishing village were tempered by too small boat on open water (we got soaked there & back) and much less snorkeling than we had hoped. We arranged the trip thru Las Rocas & they paired the two of us with a large group of Italians from another resort. We were unable to really communicate with them or their resort guide. Consequently, we missed an opportunity to learn more about the islands & truly explore their beauty.
Our day trip around Roatan, on the other hand, was excellent. Guided by our driver, Enrique, we learned a lot about the island & its history. (LK Note: there is a page on the history of the island on this web site under the 'Roatan Information section gotten to from the main page) Enrique's taxi # is 056 and we highly recommend him. One highlight was a stop in Oak Ridge for a tour of the Mangroves. Enrique hooked us up with hid friend Emeraldi and his boat for a tour. Besides the Mangroves, it is worth taking this trip solely to have lunch @ Hole in the Wall, an ex-pat on the water clubhouse which has no rival. We were sorry our tour precluded us sticking around for the all you can eat Friday seafood BBQ.
Now on to food: We have to recommend cooking for yourself as the best deal ~ possibly the best food you'll find on the island. We stopped in Coxen Hole on the way from the airport and re-supplied at The Coconut Tree and Woody's in West End. We also used the produce trucks in West End, and the vendors selling shrimp & lobster out of their trucks in town. Yummy & cheap.
We, too, found the Lighthouse Restaurant in West End delicious. We can highly recommend its conch soup. Fosters in West End was a fun bar as well (enjoy your beers there while relaxing in a hammock).
In West Bay, Il Pomodoro has good pizza @ reasonable prices (at Paradise Beach Club). Also Bite on the Beach is a must after dark to se the Moray Eels (we saw them on 2 different Saturday nights), but the food can be overcooked ~ we found sticking to fried fish, shrimp or lobster helped.
All in all, we couldn't have imagined a more perfect honeymoon. One last note: spend some quality time wading in the water right outside the condo when you first arrive ~ marvel at the trumpet fish and schools of tiny fish playing at your feet ~ it will surely set you on a path to an amazing, relaxing & wonder filled vacation.
Jon & Erin from California
11 - 18 Feb 06
"What a glorious week we've spent in such a lovely new condo. Thank you, for being willing to share this outstanding location with us! We've stayed elsewhere on West Bay beach and on the island, but none so nice as this."
"What started out to be a disaster (of a last day due to ear problems), turned into a gloriously sunny day where we snorkeled all down West Bay beach and enjoyed lunch in our private condo. The best!"
The Vicks from Washington
8 - 15 Jan 06
What a fantastic week we've enjoyed in your home beside the beach. Kathy ever a world of info & knowledge. We're so glad she was here for us. This was our first trip so we wish now we had another week. But we shall return. It's a beautiful island may 'be' the prettiest we've ever visited. Las Rocas' food is good so is Bite on the Beach, & Argentinean & The View! (in French Harbor, worth the trip.) Comment inserted by LK ~ The View is East of French Harbor just before Parrot Tree
Los Rocas diving was great Nice folks... very patient, helpful, & safety conscious -
Bugs were not as bad as we had heard. We used our repellent, however. Our weather was great - a few rain drops in the afternoon the first two days.
Lobster here is cheap & good! We ate it almost every night!
Thanks much for sharing your home. We really enjoyed it. See you on the next trip to Roatan!
Thomas's & Skidmore's of South Carolina
23 Dec to 7 Jan 06
"Thank you for sharing this lovely home with our family on our trip to Roatan. Our three weeks here on the island has been most memorable. One of the highlights is the Advanced Open Water dive certification each of us received. After visiting most of the shops on West Bay and West End, we chose Las Rocas, just next door, to walk us through this exciting endeavor. I highly recommend them. Very professional. We found great restaurants & fun shops. Made interesting acquaintances Kathy, upstairs, is invaluable. "
Thank you again, The Cole Family, Alaska May 16 - 27 2010
Thank you for the speedy response. We returned last night and are spending the day catching our breath . . . In a single word - Wonderful!
We enjoyed our stay on the island immensely and your condo was ideal. The location could not be better, close to the action, but not too close and right on the water. Sunsets from the deck were beautiful. The accommodations were perfect for our taste. Clean and spacious with comfortable bedrooms.
Catherine and I discovered immediately that we needed to rent a car. We spent time fishing on the east end of the island around Port Royal and Oak Ridge and on other days fished/enjoyed Palmetto Bay. In fact, that would be my choice when we return. The people at Palmetto Bay were accommodating and gave us full privilege as visitors . . . The mention of your name was magic.
My daughter was married at Infinity Bay and the wedding was perfect in every way. We will be posting some pictures on our facebook pages in the next couple days/weeks - feel free to get on my facebook page.
Yes - $350.00 is the return amount. Thank you for catching the overpayment.
George and Catherine Robey
ANTBEAR AFRICAN ADVENTURES
www.antbearafricanadventures.com
April 10 to 17 2010
This was our second trip to West Bay - our first at Villa Ocean Reef. My husband and I along with a friend stayed there and it was everything we wanted. Well maintained, quiet, clean - close to everything in West Bay but not too close. We dove with Anemona Divers - just a short walk up the beach - no rental car needed. Can't wait to return!
Lisa from PA March 10 to 17 2010 Linda, I apologize for taking so long to get back to you. We had a fantastic time, absolutely loved the condo. I do intend to write reviews, hopefully will get to it this weekend. There are few reviews I also want to write on trip advisor for restaurants, all very pleasant experiences. We loved Roatan, and are so happy we decided to go there. Thank you for all the advice, it enhanced our trip! Jen from Canada
Feb 27 to March 6 2010 I just wanted to let you know....we're here...and we LOVE it!!! The people are sooooooo friendly...the food so far has been yummy. (the beer too!! hehe) Shortly after we arrived...I called Kevin to let him know we were here. He got me all set up with the internet...so I'm a happy girl. Such a fun guy! We're off to get our groceries...couldn't when we arrived because Avis gave us a truck...and our suitcases took up all of the room in the cab...and it was raining. So we'll go back today. No biggie...the drive is so pretty. Anyway....thanks again for your attentive care!! Hi Linda, We had a ball! Even the weather...although not great for everyone else...was PERFECT for us. It was sunny on 2 of our days...otherwise cloudy and windy...but still warm. We both burn really easily....so cloudy was fine with us...and the 2 days of sun gave Mike perfect shots with his camera. He tried his luck at bone fishing...had a great time...but didn't catch any. We met some wonderful interesting people. LOVED all the seafood. I have to tell you tho, we had a lot of good laughs about Walt's need to write his name on EVERYTHING in the condo!!! Too cute. It's a very nice place...everything it's advertised to be...and then some. We never lost power....that we noticed anyway. Tullio is great...I was able to speak a bit of Spanish with him...so that was fun. Kevin was helpful and very conscientious in his job. We had nice neighbors from Canada, whose company we enjoyed, on the one side...and noisy French people with a yappy dog on the other side. Nice too...just took away from the peace when they were around. So...thank you for our wonderful week in paradise. We sure enjoyed ourselves together. We found out ...just before we left for Honduras, that Mike had to have cancer surgery today. The surgery went well. All is good...for now. Here are a few of his photos. I'll be sure to leave a comment on the web page. Take care...keep in touch, Deb Feb 8 to 22 2010 Hi Linda Kay...We got the security deposit in our account, thanks alot. All of us enjoyed the Villa very much and had some real good times. We met Mike the bartender at Las Rocas and got to know him quite well. Our taxi driver Hank was alot of fun as well. The grounds keeper Tulio was a very kind and gentle man, we left him some things and he was so appreciative of everything. Kevin was around and was helpful with anything we asked of him. We have included a few pictures.... Big Mike, Hank, shrimp buying in Coxen Hole, the plunge pool. Picture of us arriving with the fictitious names we use ~ Kevin had the sign made up for us as a joke. Wish we were still soaking up the sun but all good things must come to an end. Thanks again, Your friends, Diane and Wayne Jan 2 - 9 2010 "Villa Ocean Reef was the perfect choice for our family's dive trip! The home was very clean and comfortable and we had everything we needed for the week. Best of all was the LOCATION! After an exhaustive Internet search of the available accommodations both at West Bay and West End, we chose this home and couldn't have been more pleased. It was close enough to the main part of West Bay Beach, that we could walk there in 2 minutes, but was remarkably more private than the tourist beach. Not to mention our dive boat at Las Rocas was just 50 yards from our back door! Thank you so much for a perfect vacation!"
Dawn M. from Virginia June 20 - 27 2009
We've had a great week in Roatan despite some of us getting sick after a celebration at Foster's (husband's 50th b-day) . Other than that we had a wonderful time. We love your villa and the caretaker does a great job! Every day he was out there watering the plants, cleaning the pool and leaving water for us to rinse our feet. The sunsets were gorgeous. We enjoyed the snorkeling, the beach, the zip line at South Shore, the drives around the island...Thanks a lot!
Olinda, Ned, Ned III, Ryan, Elizabeth and Taylor of Fredricksburg
May 23 to 31 09
Enjoyed the Villa. Fifteen amazing dives with Bay Island Beach Resort. One dive included an aftershock from the 7.3 earthquake we all felt at 2:24 in the morning. Luckily no injuries or damage but our cocktails were 'shaken' to perfection! Great food, calm weather and good times! Thank you for the accommodations.
Your Colorado guests, Shreibers and Fharenkrugs
The Ellis family wanted you to see how happy they were with their vacation villa selection. Please check out the photos of the party they gave for their son's birthday in the column to the left.
Feb. 09
The Kiez family from Canada spent two glorious weeks at your comfortable Villa on Roatan.
We enjoyed diving at Las Rocas and my husband and son got their Advanced Open Water with them.
We loved how friendly everyone on this island is and will for sure return some day!
We loved the sunsets, close restaurants with fabulous food and great Honduran coffee.
Tulio, the groundskeeper is excellent and sweet.
Thank you!
Kiez from Manitoba
Christmas 08
Hello Linda,
Just to say that we're back from Roatan. It was a lovely week and the house a delight.
I am sure we'll be back, probably in April or May if possible...
Henk en Robbie en Adriana from Guatemala August 08
That a wonderful week we had! Hard to describe it all properly! Note to future guests -- keep the hummingbird feeder filled with sugar water (no food coloring -- it kills them) and change it every other day. You'll be rewarded with the most amazing display of hummingbirds feeding, squabbling and darting about! If you sit there very still, they will feed with you right there, with no fear. What a treat to see!
Enjoy your stay! We'll certainly remember our wonderful days here!!
Colleen, Bill, Ian and Neil from Alberta Canada
June 08
Sorry this is so late, but I wanted to let you know that we really enjoyed the condo! It was in such a great location, just perfect. I hope we left it in good condition!
The only suggestion I would have is to have a few more bedside lamps for the readers. I can't think of a single thing that the condo needs, otherwise!
My daughter loved Roatan so much that she is coming back in August for two months.
Cindy, California March 20 - 27 2010 Hi Linda,
We are back from our vacation and trying to get back in the groove. I was reviewing my emails and credit card statement today and I can't find any confirmation that you received our $300 deposit. I'm assuming that you've received word that everything was in good condition when we left. However, I am somewhat confused as to the status of the deposit.
We really enjoyed our stay at your place and our visit to Roatan Island. We met a family at Palmetto Bay from North Harrison, IN which is only 15-20 miles from us here in Lawrenceburg. We even knew several of the same families.
Your villa was very comfortable. My son was thrilled with the Nintendo! The coffee pot is on it's last leg - it took well over 30 minutes to brew a pot and seemed to leak a bit from the back. I loved the vegetation and wildlife at Palmetto Bay. The hummingbirds were amazing! I appreciated your advice on the mosquitoes and sand flies. We used OFF and the botanical spray you provided and didn't have any problems. We rented a truck, so we didn't contact Hank for his services. However, we did meet Hank by accident at the South Shore Canopy zipline. We had struck up a conversation with him while we were waiting and figured out who he was.
The weather cooperated for the most part during our stay with only one day of rain. It rained several times at night. Boy, the jungle sure is noisy during a rainstorm! It's also noisy at dawn, isn't it? The birds sure let us know when the sun was coming up.
Thank you for the information you sent to us regarding the island. We were able to explore many of the places you described and Brent and I loved Gio's. Our kids are still talking about the roads across the island. We found the road to French Harbor much more passable than the road past the landfill. What an adventure!.
We all agreed that Roatan is beautiful and look forward to visiting again.
Janet from Atlanta March 1 - 8 2010
We had a great holiday and all really enjoyed Villa Serena - the gardens were lovely and it was such a peaceful and relaxing place. Everyone we met was extremely friendly and helpful. It was a shock to come back to Canada where there are no flowers or even leaves on the trees!
We were glad we had rented a 4 wheel drive because the road to Palmetto from French harbour was very bad initially - though by the end of the week they had flattened out the ruts with a grader which was a great improvement!
The right hand sink in the ensuite bathroom is draining very slowly - I meant to point that out to Larry but didn't get the chance.
Thanks for the prompt refund of our deposit.
Joanna from CanadaFeb 10 2010 Thank you Linda. We had the most wonderful time, and I truly don't have a single complaint. Your home is so lovely and comfortable, and we were all so sad to leave. Mud Hole Road was a bit of a challenge, but you had properly warned us, and the pickup truck we rented handled the bumps really well. Frankly, we got used to it in no time at all. Kevin was fabulous. He checked in on us several times to be certain we had everything we needed. In fact, we inadvertently left our camera on the porch one day when we went into West End, so we called him to see what we should do. He immediately made arrangements to have one of the security staff retrieve it and return it to us the next day. Way above and beyond. Larry checked in on us twice, and he was really kind, courteous and helpful. I will certainly post glowing reviews on the sites you mentioned. Also, if there is some way to post a comment on your site for Villa Serena about Laurie (one of the dive instructors at Subway Water Sports' Palmetto location) that would be wonderful. She was so amazing! My husband, son, and I all got certified while there, and she was the most incredible instructor. She made us feel so safe and cared for, and her professionalism and warmth were so appreciated. My mom ("Nana") sat by the side of the pool while we did our confined water training, and Laurie even took the time to check in on her and make sure she was enjoying watching us learn how to breath underwater. Anyway, thank you again for all your attentiveness throughout this process. And mostly, thank you for making your home available to our family. It is a special memory we will cherish forever. Callahan's from Minnesota
Christmas 2009 Hi Linda, We had a fantastic time at Palmetto Bay. Thank you so much for sharing your home and having such a well equipped house. Cathy Leaving tomorrow, absolutely fantastic spot. Had an amazing time and Larry was incredibly helpful! Locking ourselves out was no challenge to him!
Thanks again :) Dec 19 to 27 2009 HI Linda – we’re home safe and sound. We had a great time – a few days of rain at the beginning but then the weather was good. Found the bugs intense, but managed with the BodyGuard not to be completely bitten up. Thanks for the stay at Villa Serena! Kevin came with the cleaners yesterday morning. We had no problems at the place but there were a few things you probably want to fix (maybe these are the small things you mentioned already knowing about but didn’t have time to do before our arrival). The clock in the master bedroom is out of batteries. The hairdryer in the small bathroom seems to have succumbed to the humidity and stopped working, but the one in the master bedroom still works. The toilet seat in the small bathroom had come detached on one side (the plastic bolt had cracked) so it slides around. I showed it to Larry when he came to change the propane tank. I had to put a plastic container on the top right-hand shelf of the fridge as water was dripping out of the freezer. I tried turning up the cold on the freezer, but that didn’t stop the drip. As long as a you keep a container there and empty it often, you don’t get water on the shelves below. We used our grocery bags as garbage bags as we couldn’t find any white kitchen garbage bags for the kitchen can. For future guests: When we arrived on Saturday, the Flying Fish was closed (only open til noon). So we did all our shopping at Plaza Mar and they had a good selection – except for the fish (the only one fish available said “product of Indonesia” imported from Florida! We were kind of hoping for some fresh local fish. Just something to let future guests know when they think about provisioning, especially if they don’t rent a car. The transportation offered by Palmetto was reasonable ($25 to the airport, $25 to Anthony’s Key – return, and $35 return to West Bay) for all three of us.
Take care, Debbie PS Does pay pal credit our visa for the $300 damage deposit once everything checks out? (Yes LK) Month of November 2009 Linda Kay - Thank you for making your wonderful tropical paradise home available to us for the last month. I had a GREAT time. Kevin and Larry were both really nice - they were quickly responsive the few times we called them. Susie was enchanted with the whole place, except the mosquitoes - she had an allergic reaction to them and swelled up pretty bad. But I had Rx antihistamine and once she was on that, she was fine. We decided she just had 'sangre dulce'. There were some really great employees at the resort, despite Cecilia's somewhat hostile management style. I think she and Gary were envious that you managed to rent your place out for a whole month. They kept asking us how long we were staying. There were a lot of days when we seemed to be the only people there! I really like the November month too - we kept track of the dates that cruise ships were in port and went out when there were none. Consequently, we were the only 3 people swimming with the dolphins the day we went and the only 3 people on the zipline. Not to mention lunch at Parrot Tree Plantation, and lunch and snorkeling at Blue Bayou! But the lack of tourists is obviously hurting the island a lot. As nice as it was from my personal selfish perspective, I wish there had been a few more tourists supporting the economy. Anyway, I just wanted to thank you. I hope to return soon. Mary T. Thanks, Linda!! Roatan was beautiful!!! I crossed THREE things off my bucket list: swimming with dolphins (we were the only ones there, so they gave us extra time and 4 of the mothers had babies---they surrounded us!!!); zip line through the rainforest, overlooking the ocean!! (got a good price because a bartender at Palmetto wrote us a note and he said it was the best---16 platforms!!!! AND we were the only ones there that day, too!!!); I saw fireflies for the first time!!!
Susan June 14 - 21 2009
We had a WONDERFUL time!! Sitting at the airport in San Pedro Sula Piers asked us to rate the vacation - and we eventually put it down as an 8. (Our 7 week round the world trip is the 10 by which we measure everything)
It was the perfect place to go for a relaxing vacation - I slept so much the first half I couldn't believe it! I loved the fact the ocean was warm (I don't swim on cold water) and it is very beautiful. We saw the iguana - and many others - practically every day. A gecko lived in the room my daughter used (the one with the washer) and she named him Geiko.
Family from Knoxville TN. May 30 - June 13 2009 Roatan was awesome! We had such a great time. We dove almost 50 times while there and think the world of Julian and his staff. What a great crew that works at the resort as well. They are so friendly and became almost our Roatan family. Hate the Sand Flies, but if you bug spray enough they can be dealt with as well. Thank you for the use of your home. We will be back again to use it….unless my kids make me buy our own home there.
TF from South Dakota 1/3/09
What a wonderful paradise! We loved it here! Thank you so much for taking care of us so well Larry, Kevin, Linda! The Villa <is> Serena! We are leaving very relaxed!
Wendy & family from Washington state September 08
Kevin & Linda Kay,
Our stay at Villa Serena was great. It was a real get-a-way from our daily routine and quite welcome.
Palmetto staff made an effort to see that we were well taken care of and the food was very good.
The house stayed fairly cool with the cross ventilation even though we are having some very hot days here.
When leaving we closed up everything and put the key back in the lock box and tumbled the numbers.
The only thing I noticed that you may pay attention to is the hall bath light, it does not illuminate fully.
Thanks for everything, Duane & Barb
April 26 08 (from email) My husband, son and I just returned from a glorious stay at Villa Serena, which is aptly named. I was very pleased to find that the house and Palmetto Bay were exactly how I envisioned them to be from the web site - beautiful and comfortable. It was the perfect place for a peaceful and relaxing vacation, away from any hustle and bustle. We relaxed beach and poolside only to find ourselves having the place practically all to our own. Subway Watersports was professional and extremely accommodating for our diving, snorkeling and fishing excursions. They provided an opportunity to explore above and below the water with individual attention. The staff at Palmetto Bay attended to all our needs regarding transportation and information about the island. We met wonderful people (many from Colorado like ourselves) and felt we could easily make life long friends with them all. The only disappointment was returning home to a chill in the air!Lynne, Norman, & Matt March 08, from email Linda Kay, We just returned home from what is probably one of the nicest and most memorable vacations we have enjoyed as a family! Thank you so much for all of your help with our preparations as well as your advice that helped make our stay more enjoyable. We could tell you gave this a lot of thought, and we really appreciated your efforts! Villa Serena is truly a special place; the villa was very comfortable, and going to bed with the gentle trade winds blowing was heaven! We look forward to returning in the future!
Cordially, Jon, Judy, Andrei & Abby K. March 08, from email
Dear Linda Kay,
Thanks so much for the refund! I'm glad that our leftovers went to good use!
We enjoyed your lovely home so much! It was such a beautiful, tranquil place to stay for the week. You can't even see the other houses from your house because of the lush jungle atmosphere. We are so accustomed to air conditioning in Houston, that it was a treat to have the windows open at night and hear all the jungle birds and animals - and those last couple of nights the rainfall was just so relaxing! Your house is perfectly furnished and had everything we could possibly need.
Subway Scuba shop was ideal for my family - they are a small, personal shop that made the week very special. They finished Kyle's (11 years) certification, gave my daughter Kayla (24 years) a resort course and converted her to a new diver, and took my husband and older son (16 years) on special dives that they will not soon forget!
I would highly recommend Avis for rental cars. They were fast, friendly, and gave us a great pickup truck, which we really needed for the rugged roads. The price was right too.
I would also recommend the dolphin encounter at AKR - it was so much fun and we bought the picture CD and will have those memories forever.
I would VERY much recommend the Spa services at the Sante Wellness Center. My daughter and I had the Tranquility Spa package (full facial and one hour massage) and the salt glow, and afterwards Angela served us a nice lunch and we relaxed around the pool. Angela runs a beautiful spa and can't wait to go back!
The restaurant/bar at Palmetto was very nice and we just loved the wait staff. There was a wedding party staying at Palmetto the same week that we were there, and I think it overwhelmed the restaurant a bit. They were frequently out of different staples (like cheese, chicken, hamburger buns, etc.) but still managed to make good meals. It was really nice to see such a happy group, and we did manage to see the wedding on the beach and it was beautiful.
Linda, thanks again for allowing us the use of your beautiful home at Palmetto Bay. It was truly a week to remember! Mary, Ken, Kayla, Mason and Kyle K.
March 08, from email We had a wonderful time and your place was perfect. All your information/directions on restaurants and places to go was so helpful. We did a lot of snorkeling at the wreck and I have never seen the water so clear. If we come back next year I'm going to take diving lessons before hand. We went to West Bay, West End, Coxen Hole, French Harbor, in fact we must have gone over the mountain at least 5 times. Being from Wyoming and camping a lot, we are use to that kind of road. We did the Pirates of the Caribbean canopy tour and it was so scary and the best I have been on. You can't be faint of heart to do that one. We really enjoyed the sunset tour with Captain Mario. He stopped and let us snorkel out beyond the reef and it was fantastic, you could see forever. I even saw a sea horse for the first time. We also enjoyed Hole in the Wall, kind of hard to find, but we made it and the food and atmosphere were great. Other than the rain the day we got there the weather could not have been more perfect. Thanks for the bug spray, it worked great. We were really grateful that you had the backup generator at the plantation because it seems that every time we went over to French Harbor the power was out. I'm glad you enjoyed the food and booze left behind. We were not sure if it was all right to leave it there. Thanks again for making our vacation so enjoyable. I'll keep in touch and let you know about next year. Take care.
Becky, Casper WY 22/02/08
This was our second stay in Villa Serena and it was wonderful again!
Roatan - Palmetto - Villa Serena: We love it!
Margret, Wolfgang & Natalie
Essen/Germany 1/9/08
Hi Scott & Linda Kay,
The Garden of Eden is here in Palmetto Bay. The Villa is beautiful and we had a smooth relaxing time. We also developed friendships with a couple from BC Canada and a couple from Maryland. We enjoyed touring the area and participating in many of the activities at the resort.
Its Been Fun!
Alan & Sue S.
Aiken SC & Kandaha Afghanstan 9/15 - 9/27 07
Hello!
We are visiting from Colorado. Although we didn't stay very long, the time we spent here was amazing! The weather is pretty fickle (raining now, then sunny, etc.) but it usually clears up quickly. For snorkeling options, I recommend near the shipwreck, which is very clear water, or in 'Mickey's Canyon' which is a very dramatic canyon that has a reef around both sides of it. The reef in Keifitos was nice, lots of fish, but not too colorful. Gumbalimba Park was just great. Very interesting plants, good maintenance, and wonderful experience for animal lovers. The monkeys are in a nice set-up. Palmetto Bay Plantation's restaurant has good food. I liked the grill cheese.
I didn't like the Iguana Farm's animal situation. Aside from all the Iguanas, the monkeys, coati, birds, and turtles are in tiny cages. It's nice to see the Iguanas, though.
The whole island is just covered in Jungle vegetation and coconuts, bananas, and palm trees. The humidity is a little annoying at first, but once you get used to it, it's not bad at all.
One last thing: if you want to see geckos, leave your porch lights on and leave them for a while. They attract bugs and the geckos like that. Monkey La Las are fun to chase, too.
Have a good time!
Lea S. age 12
(owner comment: Yes Lea my little dog Sparky likes to chase them ~ they run just far enough away to be out of reach and look to see if he is coming and do it all over again.) 8/9/07
Dear Scott & Linda,
We just wanted to thank you for all your help. My husband and I both agree that this is one of the most serene, beautiful, and romantic places we have stayed. Your villa is wonderful and we hope your future guests have as great a stay as we had.
My husband mentioned writing something on the website tripadvisor.com so I will.
How great to live in paradise!!!
Cheers & take care
Charles & Kelly July 07
Hello Linda
We had a great time at Villa Serena. We did the canopy tour, dolphins, snorkel, iguana farm, and relaxed on the beach. A lot of fond memories were created throughout the week. The luggage arrived the next day and we did get a slightly better car as well. So, all in all, things turned out well. Thanks for your help! The money was found on the floor immediately after the gentleman who comes to check the propane etc… left. We believe it belongs to him.
We hope you have success renting the rest of this summer, and if we choose to return we will be contacting you.
Joanne & Family, Dallas June 15 to 21 07
We had a wonderful time at the house Linda. Thank you for your help getting us situated and sorry to have missed your calls. Cheers, Brant and AnneMarie from California April 21 to 28 07 We had the best week of out lives!!! Being back has been a downer!!! We meant to leave the float for others to enjoy but please don't worry about sending the radios to us-it probably isn't worth the expense. I'm glad the house was left to your standards, we tried to keep up with the laundry and dishes.
John & Christine CT
April 7 to 21 07, We`re back in Germany where we nearly have the same temperatures as in Roatan (27 - 30 deg Celsius).
The flights were okay. Our decision to go to the airport so early was really good. We were the first and only to check in the luggage at about 9:15. We could pay the airport tax and got our emigration marks in our passports. So we left the airport and drove to French Harbour and Coxen Hole. We were back at about 12:30, so we only had to wait for a short time without standing in one of those queues.
Well, what we took home were some Cashews, some palm seeds and some small shells but no Conch. Though they asked us at the immigration, no one looked into our bags. Now I hope I will bring the seeds to real palms and cashew-trees.
By the way. When we arrived in Atlanta we normally had to enter as visitors (completely checking out). But we started a trial and turned to the transit area where we found a very friendly Delta official who checked in our big cases for the flight next day. Then we entered as visitors. So we had only our small backpacks when we walked to the Georgia Aquarium next day. It`s absolutely worth seeing! Three whale sharks!
So Linda, thanks for staying in your house and for the wonderful holidays we had in Roatan!
I think we will see us again.
Margret, Wolfgang and Natalie from Germany Semana Santa 07
It was nice to have filtered water. The weather was was pretty. We really liked having a pool + ocean, and kayak + paddles. The food at the restaurant should have been more traditional, since we're at Roatan. It was fun having the lights go out but I'd suggest #1 that you have an extra generator; #2 and some bright lights on the front porch.
Thanks
Cheren Children North Carolina
A generator has been installed March 10 to 17 07 We had a wonderful time. The house was as advertised and you personal involvement with Stephen was wonderful. Jan and I plan on finding a way to make some very positive comments on the web site.
Btw…we left for the airport at 10am and drove right there. After all the red tape we only waited 30 minutes before boarding which suggests to me that leaving at 10 for a 1pm departure was about right. Stephen made it home too but with some excitement. I suspect his life never has a dull moment. Thank you again for the wonderful experience.
Carters from Texas Feb 25, 07
We thoroughly enjoyed our two weeks at Villa Serena. We were at the restaurant the other day and they were playing a shong about another day in Paradise ~ How true!
We appreciate being able to rent your villa. It suited our nee4ds perfectly. There are so many little touches that make it a home away from home.
We also than you for the Bodyguard ~ works great. We've got some to take home with us.
Again, thanks. You are truly fortunate & blessed to to live in such a beautiful place.
Scheweitzer Family
Canada 3/17 to 3/31 07 We had a Great Time, loved your place (it felt like home)! Sue in Canada Dec 9 to 17 06
Hi Linda.
Yes, we had a fabulous visit to Roatan. The poor weather for the first couple of days didn't bother us as we spent that time mostly driving around the island and getting our bearings. The Sunday we went to the buffet at Hole in the Wall--a wonderful meal with friendly people. Although there was a bit of rain on other days it didn't interfere with what we were doing. We did the canopy tour one morning. In fact we were the first people there. Unforgettable. Palmetto is really the best part of the island we found for swimming and swimming is what we most wanted to do so that was great. Having the use of the kayaks was perfect. On 3 of the days we kayaked out to the reef, tied the kayaks to the floats and went snorkelling. Totally calm, clear water. Again, unforgettable. For Lucas and Kelsey, who have been travelling pretty rough, it was a luxurious interlude. We had wonderful family time. Cooked great meals (thanks for the info about the meat shop). Chicken is delicious. I thinks it's because the chickens get to run free and have a real life instead of the horrible conditions they live in up here.
Some things I've never seen before. People walking around with no shoes. Packs of emaciated dogs. So different from the pampered life of our little fox terrier. But mostly the garbage. The garbage around the houses and all over the beaches except in a place like Palmetto where it's groomed. I guess it was the staff Christmas party they had there the Sat. before we left. There were lots of children. After the party all the garbage was left on the beautiful beach. We do so much recycling here it's hard to accept. I guess it's just not a priority for the people there. Lucas says it's like that all over Central America. A learning experience for us.
Your house was perfect for us. Lots of space and privacy. Loved the verandahs. It was like being in luxury in the middle of the jungle. The whole property is gorgeous.
Feel free to use our comments. We would highly recommend your house. It sure is different to live somewhere than to vacation.
Ann & Lee
July 06
Dear Linda & Scott
Thank you for letting us rent this beautiful villa. We had a wonderful time. It is gorgeous here! Like a paradise! WE look forward to returning some time soon. Until then, have a great summer.
The Wrights
PS: Thanks for the Bodyguard! A lot of people asked about it. They wanted to get some too!!
March 06
Thanks Linda ~ Your house is lovely. We had a great time. Thanks for all your help in preparing for the trip!
JD
March 06
The Snyders & The Smiths
Linda & Scott ~
Thank you for a lovely time at your restful villa!! We throughly enjoyed ourselves and plan to be back next year ~ We will email you in the near future our comments and observations. Until then, enjoy your season and life in paradise.
28 Jan - 4 Feb 06
(email)
Everything worked out very well at the villa. We really enjoyed your place. Thanks again for renting us the villa and for your help before we actually got to Roatan.
Whelan-Browne Canada
9 - 16 Jan 06
(email)
"Thank you so much for the return of the deposit. I would like to tell you that you do a great job supplying your guest house. We all certainly enjoyed being there."
Brookes, Guatemala & Adler, VA
Christmas 2006
(email)
What a surprise! Thank you so much for sending the shell - I GREATLY appreciate the kind gesture.
Sabo, New York
Sept.17 to Oct. 1, 2005
Bogards ~ Colorado
(email)
Thank you for your hospitality, we had an excellent time here @ Villa Serena. I think Roatan exceeded all of our expectations and we look forward to our next visit!
July 30 to August 6 2005
Steve & JoAnn ~ Phoenix, AZ
Enjoyed our stay here, your house was very nice. Sorry about the VCR but when it goes, it goes.
Well we came here and did what we have been talking about for years. We bought a beautiful piece of property @ Milton Bight. WE look forward to building our Island home here in the near future.
Thanks Scott for all your time & dedication to helping us locate our little slice of Paradise.
We'll be back as soon as we can.
Steve & JoAnn
May 12 to 26
(These remarks were taken from an email communication to verify address for deposit refund.)
Hi Linda. We had a fabulous time, and your house was just lovely!! And yes, I may say that it was quite warm, and we finally found a place hotter than Florida in the summer time. We managed to stay cool by staying in the water by day. The evenings cooled off thankfully, and it was quite comfortable. We would have thrown out the food, but we felt guilty and we were hoping that the cleaning personnel could use what we left. There was a power outage the morning we departed and hopefully nothing spoiled. The address below is correct and you could make the check out to either of us. By the way, we turned in the Nissan pick up and picked up the Trooper from Island Car Rental as you had reserved for us. We are still unsure of how the mix up took place, but all worked out well. Thanks again!!!
29th March to 5th April 2005
Dear Linda,
We have thoroughly enjoyed the lovely house, the architecture works so well in this landscape. We were surprised how effective the natural ventilation was. We came with 4 children ranging from 3 to 13 loved 'being children' free and creative; along the beach; sand castle building; in the kayaks & swimming pool. This is truly a beautiful place.
Unfortunately, we had 2 1/2 days of constant rain and the Nintendo and Star Wars sequel were a life saver.
The house is very well kitted out ~ we found near everything we could think of. A suggestion would be to have 2 more wheely chairs for the dining table (table has 4 + 2 bar chairs) as the stool bars are unfortunately high. A new user friendly can opener would be a great thing too (yes I've been on the look out for one and have in on the list for next San Pedro Sula visit).
Thanks for sharing your house.
Richard and Sarita Strike
Camila, Juan Gabriel, Edwardo, & Anna-Lucie
PS: I very much enjoyed diving with Andrew (our son) ~ he has a keen eye for spotting all sorts of hidden sea creatures. The Jerry Jeff Walker tape brought back some good memories of my student days. Richard
UK Email address not published.
Semana Santa 05
Linda
Thanks! I wanted to drop you a note and thank you for your beautiful home to spend our vacation in. We enjoyed every minute (even the sand flees!) It was a pleasure to stay in such a nice place. Everything was well taken care of and there was an obvious attention to detail.
We are safely back home and actually have arrived back to Spring! 60 degrees!
Thanks again for the use of your home! We hope to return to Roatan in the future.
Brenda
February 2005
Dear Scott & Linda Kay
Thanks for bending he rules and letting us stay at Villa Serena just for the week end. After a long month working in Roatan Hospital and with Peggy Stranger, this week end was a great way to finish our visit here in Roatan. The home is beautiful and stocked with anything one would need away from home. Thanks for recommending dinner on Saturday. The and food were great. Thanks again for your hospitality
Sam Lada & Anisha Patel
(Sam and Anisha are young doctors from California who volunteered a month of their lives to helping the sick of Roatan. We bent the rules of a minimum 4 day stay to let them have a nice romantic weekend before returning to the US)
Feb 9, 2005
"My it is much larger than the photos indicate"
Hope from Alberta
2/3 - 2/11/05
"Linda Kay, Scott & Andrew"
We loved our stay here at Villa Serena. It was a very special time for us to really slow down & immerse ourselves in the beauty that surrounded us.
We explored the beach and the water below, the hillside .....
* We have had an enchanted time.
Cooking for ourselves was also a fun reprieve - simple food. I experimented with the cumin in an omelet w/our Mexican rice & I will do that again.
I've used it previously in a dip for veggies - I have no specific measurements - just to taste - cumin in Miracle Whip w/honey to sweeten - great with cauliflower/broccoli, etc. I couldn't work the manual can openers very well (I will replace these next trip to SPS, LKM), Edmund helped but the can was a shambles by the time we got it open.
Your special sprays are wonderful. I think I relaxed to much on our walk I soon learned that the little darlings could find me w/out my protection.
Thank you for all your hospitality. We enjoyed our time here very much!
I will especially remember your great stories! You have the makings for at least one book!
I enjoyed Clive Cussler's "Golden Buddha" in less than 2 days & gave it to Edmund. I'm making a note to read his other series. Now I'm enjoying the "Sorcerer's Crossing"- like your marked pages - I took notes. I keep meeting people who instruct me in breathing & its necessity. A nurse, a Hune teacher (Hawaiian mysticism) - etc. The is another vantage point. I wish we had days to sit and talk. I found you totally delightful (Thank you Karen and I you as well, LKM). Scott, too.
Wishing you the best,
Karen & Edmund
ps: We wish Andrew much success w/school!!
(Karen and Edmund own and operate a vacation lodge and cabins in the Adirondacks www.shelteredlakes.com)
12/29/04 Mike Jozsa & Vieve Verigin-Jozsa
"Scott & Linda,
First up, both of us want to thank you for your "warm" welcome to your beautiful island of Roatan. Taking the time to pick us up from the airport, driving us to the local super market to pick to pick up necessities was much appreciated.
The drive to Palmetto Bay was rough, but enjoyable because we knew we had left behind the paved, busy city streets of Calgary.
We walked into "Villa Serena" and said, "WOW"!! Exactly what we were hoping for...and more. Everything in the house was clean, well equipped and spacious. Having the videos for those rainy days was a bonus. Lindy Lue's cleaning service was another added touch. The very large deck was well used as one read and sipped on an afternoon cocktail.
The water and the snorkeling reefs were outstanding. This was definitely the "best" diving we experienced. Having the white, serene sandy beaches basically all to oneself was unimaginable. (However...., one must "Beware" of those little sand flies, as they land on you without without warning and leave you looking like one had a bad case of the measles - ha-ha!!) - But with Linda's fly spray, our bites were minimal. (Thank you Linda)
Well..., with reality of work awaiting us, we leave the island with fond and memorable thoughts. We hope to return and stay again at Linda's and Scott's villa. ("The One and Only True Villa of Serenity")
Thanking you both once again, and hope you come to Canada so you can see our part of the world!!
Vieve & Mike"
Note: Vieve & Mike offered to allow potential quests of Villa Serena to contact them directly. If you wish to do so please request their email address from me, as I do not think it appropriate to post it on this web site.
9/14/04 MKTiger Edmonds & Juanita Nichols
First thing is get some of Linda Kay's Bodyguard. Use it liberally and often; it will quality improve your time here.
After that, the place is beautiful, the house is magnificent, & the amenities luxurious, the staff was wonderful. Larry should be declared a national treasure.
Spent a lot of time on the dock, listening to Otis Redding in my head. Every few minutes I changed my view, moved some to look at something different. The lush foliage of the mountains, the beach, the sky, the silent water out beyond the churning surf, the flowers, ain't much ugly out here.
The house itself is magnificent. It's set up for efficiency as well as beauty, & it's real well set up.
Falling asleep to the jungle sounds of rain and tree frogs & small creatures rustling in the bushes is the perfect way to end your days here.
Even the thunderstorms are beautiful. The flowers seem to respond, and afterward there are monkey Lalas and geckos and iguanas and butterflies and humming birds.
Fishing from the dock was fun & interesting & real varied. Lot of different fish out there. The ones we ate were delicious.
All in all, it was the best place I've been & the best time I've had in years."
Mark Tiger Edmonds is the author of "Ghosts of Scootertrash Past"; a poetic tale ancestors, folks, and his million + miles riding a BMW across the back roads of North America. He teaches at St. Leo College in Florida.
"April 10, 2004
Very nice house, well equipped. We had a great vacation, enjoy the sea, the pool, the island, everything. Hope we return. Thanks" The Busto Family
"Feb 7, 2004
Mystique Magazine video crew's Tim & Fred: Great time, great treatment. Thanks to Gary & the rest."
"The travel family arrived in Palmetto Bay Dec 29, 2003, we left January 2, 2004. The weather was great. The atmosphere relaxing and we enjoyed our stay tremendously!!"
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