Have you been to Anthony's Key Resort?

[njdiver20]

Thinking of a taking a family vacation to Anthony's Key Resort in July or early August. Looks like a nice place. Good diving. If you've been there what are your thoughts in it? How is the food, people, diving, rooms? There is a non-diver in the family, so is there anything else to do there besides diving? How are the mosquitoes and bugs? Thanks for your input!

 

[mjnansen]

You might want to go on www.roatanet.com for more ideas for non-divers. I just got a dvd on ebay called Adventures on Roatan- it is pretty new, and a little over commercialized, but provides lots of ideas for activities other than diving. Despite the opinions of a few hard core divers here, there are lots of activities besides diving on Roatan, and there seem to be more all the time!

 

[dgreenh]

The wife and I were there last year. We thought the food, service and diving were just outstanding. The biggest drawback is all the stairs you have to climb. If you stay on the hill, you have to go down to the boats. If you stay on the key you have to climb the stairs to get to the food. Either way, you are going to climb stairs. For the non-diver, there really isn't much to do. They have a swimming pool and the dolphin training but that is about it. Town is a cab ride away but there really isn't anything to do there either. Roatan is really a dive trip as far as I can tell.

 

[scubajane]

I have always had the philosophy that I would never go on a dive trip to the same place more than once. There are so many awesome places to go in the world...but Ttere has only been one place where I have returned to dive and that is AKR. If you have a family, it is one of the most awesome places to go. The resort is well run, the food is incredible and the dive operation is one of the best. Families go back to AKR year after year.
My 13 year old son was introduced to scuba diving at AKR. He met an incredible group of friends.....we are planning our second post AKR dive trip this year...but I would go back to AKR in a minute
The only downside with Roatan is the limited activities for non divers. After about 3 days, most non divers are looking for something to do.

 

[Al Mialkovsky]

I'm taking 24 divers to Anthonys Key this march for the shop. Many have been there before and loved it. It's a quality operation with great dive sites close by. Bring deet, maybe a bug bomb as there are fleas everywhere on roatan.

Food is fantastic as is the resort.

 

[scubajane]

I had to run an errand and thought I would continue this post....I did not want to appear negative about non-divers at AKR
Once you do the dophin snorkel, horse back ride and venture into town you will be looking for something else to do. IF you bring a non diver, make sure that they feel comfortable venturing out beyond the resort to experience Roatan and Honduras. I am sure, if they have a free spirit, they will find something to do. If they are looking for a up scale resort, with drinks served at a swim up bar, another destination may be a better option...I understand that AKR recently put a pool in so non-divers, who like to sit by the pool, will be content!
As to bugs...we never had a problem although there were some people who seemed to really attract them. My recommendation would be to pick the best room that you can afford. Air conditioning and the upscale accommedations seem to keep the bugs in check...
BTW....having been diving all over the world, I love diving in Central America!

 

[cnctina]

We were there 3 years ago with our daughter who was 5 and she did the dolphin camp and is still talking about it. They have a great program for the kids, really keeps them buisy. A typical day for us would be wake up, eat breakfast, go on dive, come back to akr for S.I., at which time the crew changes tanks on the boat, go on 2nd dive, back for lunch, go on 3rd dive, back for dinner, go on night dive, sleep, repeat next day. The last day was a dolphin presentation where we watched the kids swim and do tricks with them and also learned about the dolphins.
The stairs are good for you, work off that extra desert you ate.
The no-see-um bugs were not nearly as bad as the mosquitos around here.
I think a non diver could be kept very buisy, there is a snorkel boat that goes out twice a day.
We had a standard key hut that is primative but nice, no air and didn't really need it. The huts have massive screened windows that let plenty of air to blow through if you keep the shutters open.
Theres was a wild bash one night with food, drinks, music and dancing, It's something how much you can jam to a band that consists of a bongo, congo and conch shell horn.
AKR is a top notch dive resort.

 

[StSomewhere]

Stairs are not "good for you" immediately after a dive.

 

[cnctina]

Stairs are not "good for you" immediately after a dive.

It's not like youre doing wind sprints up and down the stairs immediately after the dive, it's more like 20 minutes or more after the dive by the time the dive boat gets back to the dock and the effort is more like a leisurely climp up to the top, not that great of a physical effort. I have not yet heard of a diver getting bent from climbing stairs.
Think of it this way, most people gain a few pounds while on vacation, If you hussel up and down the stairs several times a day you will increase your heart rate, lower your cholesteral, boost your motabilism, burn calories, and drop a few pounds which will boost your confidence and self esteem.
So if you dont like stairs I heard that CCV is handicap accessible.

 

[StSomewhere]

Someone here on SB got bent after doing a set of dives and then immediately walking up a handful of flights of stairs to his room. I won't call him out, do a search and reach your own conclusions.

I don't have firsthand experience with either resort, but I have it on good authority that its not possible to avoid lots of steps at AKR, and CCV doesn't like children (except maybe their own, certainly yours wouldn't be welcome).