Where to begin? This is not boilerplate hyperbole, seriously, everything was great!
We are exceptionally thankful for the the very knowledgeable and extremely kind caretaker Jose.
Of equal importance to us are Suzanne’s wonderful team of local managers, Channin Bodden and his partner Kemberlee. Their answers to our questions really made a difference in how much we enjoyed our stay.
While not an exhaustive list, we also appreciated the affectionate cats, the beautiful views and near constant sea breeze, the complimentary kayaks, the very lush landscaping, the fun aesthetic touches, like hand-caned cabinet doors, the enormous shower, and of course the reason for the trip - all the marine life in front of the property.
We saw A LOT of marine life snorkeling in front of the home, even with the stony coral tissue loss disease that is becoming all too commonplace throughout the Caribbean and Florida. Multiple southern stingray sightings, a pair of spotted eagle rays, a pair of nudibranchs, a pair of shrimp cleaning parasites from a parrotfish, multiple sea snakes, to name just a few.
Snorkeling on the outside of the reef is better than the inside, however both are good, and the inside is calmer, even with some wind. There are multiple channels cutting through the reef, some just big enough for a swimmer or kayak, some large enough for a water taxi. Ask Jose for more info.
We hired Channin to provide round trip airport transport for us. However, after a few days at the property, we decided to rent a small car from the airport and kept it for the balance of our stay. Having the ability to be independently mobile suited us, and we’d likely rent a car from the beginning the next time we visit.
No other guests were there when we stayed at the temple treehouse, so our experience may be different than when multiple parties are on-site. We found the property to be quite peaceful, and really appreciated that we were away from the hustle of West end and West Bay. The beach is actually a road, though few cars drive on it, and there are locals that hang out on the beach and the property dock sometimes, which did not bother us.
Locally we liked dining @ The Salty Mango, Guava Grove, as well as Dona Aminta's. The hotspot in West End is Pazzo’s, and you need advance reservations.
As first time visitors to Roatan, we are exceptionally glad our introduction to the island started at the temple treehouse. We hope to return very soon.
Many Thanks!
