Anthony's Key vs. CoCo View vs. Inn of Last Resort

[Alok]

Planning our first Dive trip and have narrowed it down to these 3 resorts on Roatan. I'd like pro's and cons and whatever informantion you can give me about the resorts.

About us: We are Padi Cert. divers but have not dove in 5+ years and only have 5 or so dives prior to that (all in a one week period). We are looking for a AI resort that has a focus on diving but has plenty of other activities as well.

Since we are inexperienced divers we are looking for a place that will take the time to refresh us and baby us for our first few dives until we get back up to speed. Also we both LOVE FOOD..so one that has a excelent kitchen staff and or multiple resturants would be a plus. Like I said about we want a focus on diving but want the option of doing something else during during the nite dive (since I always hear the JAWS theme song in water that isn't clear) or just taking an afternoon off from diving.

If you had to pick between the 3 which would you pick and why? My understanding is that AKR has more to do than CoCo...but I haven;t seen anything about Last Resort.

Thanks
Alok

 

[SoCalOffshore]

which ever you pick, get back in the water before you head down. diving in roatan is awesome, we stayed at Bay Island Beach Resort. just down the road from Anthony' Key. But, roatan diving can be more advanced with allot of deeper dives and a large number of swim throughs. Bring ALLOT of bug spray with deet. Off works great or anything with a high concentration of deet. good luck.

 

[Alex777]

Planning our first Dive trip and have narrowed it down to these 3 resorts on Roatan. I'd like pro's and cons and whatever informantion you can give me about the resorts.

About us: We are Padi Cert. divers but have not dove in 5+ years and only have 5 or so dives prior to that (all in a one week period). We are looking for a AI resort that has a focus on diving but has plenty of other activities as well.

Since we are inexperienced divers we are looking for a place that will take the time to refresh us and baby us for our first few dives until we get back up to speed. Also we both LOVE FOOD..so one that has a excelent kitchen staff and or multiple resturants would be a plus. Like I said about we want a focus on diving but want the option of doing something else during during the nite dive (since I always hear the JAWS theme song in water that isn't clear) or just taking an afternoon off from diving.

If you had to pick between the 3 which would you pick and why? My understanding is that AKR has more to do than CoCo...but I haven;t seen anything about Last Resort.

Thanks
Alok

I have only been to AKR, so I cannot compare the 3. I can say that AKR has a lot of activities going on other than diving - snorkeling, horseback riding, etc. It is family oriented, meaning a significant number of guests don't dive. Also, many of the guests are inexperienced divers, and AKR does a lot of teaching in courses. You will definitely need a refresher course, and might even consider getting recertified. I thought the food there was great, but I tend to eat anything that's put in front of me.

Most divemasters (at any resort) will not really be available to "baby" you for your first few dives. They have to select dive sites that everyone on the boat will enjoy, and have to guide the group as a whole. I would phone and discuss this with the dive shop manager before you go (whichever resort you choose).

 

[parrotheaddiver]

AKR is a great place but a bit more busy for my taste than CCV. Plus I don't like to climb the long stairs up to the restaurant daily (ain't as young as I use to be). They are a kid friendly so there may be some kids at the resort. No shore diving to speak of. Only one restaurant but they are closer to west end for shopping and such.

CCV is my favorite quiet and off the beaten path. You have to take a boat to get to the resort 5 min boat ride. The resort is quiet and no kids. You can bring your kid 10yrs or older but they gotta behave. The resort can arrange for anything on the side other than diving that you want to do. The big attraction is the Front Yard (ck out their web cam) I see you posted on their web site msg board. Anyway the Front Yard goes from a few inches deep til well deeper than you want to go. It has 2 walls and a shipwreck and pieces of a plane wreck to dive on. You can dive as little or as often as you want to. The boat goes out 2 times daily or you can just shore dive.

They have one restaurant and the serve buffet style and there is plenty of variety and you won't leave hungry. They provide some nightly entertainment but for the most part it is quiet people gather in the clubhouse or bar and talk or read. They have a pool and ping pong table. Upstairs in the club house they do have a TV with satellite for those who just can't be without it for a week. Of course the big attraction is the night diving from the shore.

I have never stayed at the IOLR.

 

[HowieDean]

I will be at the Inn the whole month of July so if you are coming then I will personally take care of you.

All 3 place you mentioned are good and each has their merrits.

There are enough "CoCo Nuts" on the board that I won't dewell allot on CCV except to say they have a very good Dive operation and if Shore Diving is your main objective it's the place to go.

AKR with out a doubt has the most Profesional Regimented Dive operation of anybody on the island, Heavy on the "regimented". They are a big outfit and they have THEIR way of doing things.

I like the Inn of Last Resort mainly because of the family type amotsphere. I can assure you they will go way out of thier way to see that you are taken care of both in and out of the water.

If you do a search on "HowieDean" on this board you can find out a bunch more about the Inn.

 

[chuck e]

Planning our first Dive trip and have narrowed it down to these 3 resorts on Roatan. I'd like pro's and cons and whatever informantion you can give me about the resorts.

About us: We are Padi Cert. divers but have not dove in 5+ years and only have 5 or so dives prior to that (all in a one week period). We are looking for a AI resort that has a focus on diving but has plenty of other activities as well.

Since we are inexperienced divers we are looking for a place that will take the time to refresh us and baby us for our first few dives until we get back up to speed. Also we both LOVE FOOD..so one that has a excelent kitchen staff and or multiple resturants would be a plus. Like I said about we want a focus on diving but want the option of doing something else during during the nite dive (since I always hear the JAWS theme song in water that isn't clear) or just taking an afternoon off from diving.

If you had to pick between the 3 which would you pick and why? My understanding is that AKR has more to do than CoCo...but I haven;t seen anything about Last Resort.

Thanks
Alok

We stayed at the Inn a few years back and thought it was great. Very inexpensive, all meals included that were cooked to order off a daily menu, 3 boat dives/day, nice accomodations but no other activities. They do have a protected lagoon for shore dives where you can get re-acclimated before heading to the deep stuff.

 

[Al Mialkovsky]

A few divers from our shop when to Roatan this year and they stayed at Anthonys Keys. A couple of them stated at coco view previously and while coco view is great they loved Anthonys Keys. They liked the accomadations better and felt the diving was better on the Anthonys Keys side.

 

[Tom Winters]

AKR has a captive dolphin program. Any resort with one of those will never have to worry about having me for a guest.

 

[Al Mialkovsky]

I understood the dolphin encounter on AKR is in open water with the dolphins making the choice to return to the pens or not.

 

[Misty89]

Funny, I came to the board today to ask this very question. I hadn't heard of the Inn, so I'll check that out as well. Can anyone answer the question about the captive vs. free will dolphins? If some are captive, is it because of rehabilitation? That's the only way I would be able to stay somewhere with "captive" dolphins. But I am all up for diving with them in the open ocean!

Also, is September a good month? It will be our first trip to Honduras (at least that is the location to which I am leaning). I don't have any concerns about it being our first dive in a while - I've had a good year!