First of all you dont want to stay anywhere else because you'll be spending alll your time here. This is the second time we stayed here and will again. We brought our family this time and they loved it. The rooms have the Island flair and are wonderful. We were about 30 steps from the ocean. But what really sets this place apart is the staff and the entertainment. Every night there is something going on. Music, bands, firedancers, crab races, trivia night and much more. The best part is the staff in the Thirsty Turtle. When you go ask for Shanni, Wilson, Anthony or Zebby. They also have attendants walking around and we loved Nati.

My husband and I stayed at Island Pearl July 2011. We booked the beachside villa, #27. The villa was nice, clean and basic. It has a large porch that we spent a lot of time on, with ceiling fans and furniture and a sliding door leading to the kitchen and downstairs twin bedroom. The bathroom is downstairs ( a little inconvenient) but is large and well lit. Upstairs there is a firm queen size bed with white linens, closet, armoire and a desk. This room also has a small private screened porch but we did not use it because the furniture was uncomfortable for relaxing ( 2 straight back chairs) The kitchen is basic as well- they provide filtered water in a large cooler, plates glasses cutlery etc, a microwave and refrigerator and a stove. we used the microwave, refrigerator and appreciated the free water...
The included breakfast was very good and filling with self service coffee. There were two choices each morning, a fruit and yogurt plate which was very generous and fresh, a "hot" entree like eggs, pancakes etc, along with self service cereal. There is no room service however the staff went out of their way to accommodate me as we preferred to eat on our porch, they would follow me to our villa (about 100 yds away) to help me carry the food over. Also the freshly squeezed juices were fantastic ! One morning I noticed one of the staff members cutting up some mango and commented that it was my favorite, and every morning after she (Shalonn, one of the general managers) brought me a mango from her own tree !
The food at the Thirsty Turtle is good, and generous. Nothing special, but we enjoyed the scene, the fish dip and the bbq one night. The drinks (especially the mojitos) are great ! Wilma is a great bartender and she can SING too, as evidenced on karoake night which was a lot of fun.
We also enjoyed the 3 course meal at Vintage Pearl - a little pricey, but well prepared food, nightly specials, and generous quantities, good wine. Dessert was sub par though unless you ordered it a la carte which I thought was unfortunate since we had paid for 3 courses and the other 2 courses has been very good. we loved the setting and they have a great wine selection.
We have traveled to beaches all over the world and stayed at 5 star resorts as well as holes in the wall, and I would rate this place as a solid 3 star property, and it is an excellent value for your money. The service is very good and that stood out to us.
Some suggestions, lose the tacky (VERY) id bracelets for guests -i know they are necessary b/c of cruise traffic (which wasn't that bad) and for other included items (like beach chairs kayaks etc), perhaps something more tasteful that could also be a keepsake- hand braided bracelt with shells, or a leather band ? heck even black rubber would be more subtle. I think it is weird not to provide beach towels (never encountered that before) but it wasn't a huge deal. Lastly more comfortable porch furniture would be a good investment. Oh and a mirror in the bedrooms would be appreciated. There is only one and it's in the downstairs bathroom.
Overall, we had a great time, loved the beach, enjoyed the good service, friendly staff and felt we received good value for our money.

We stayed at the Island Pearl for the first time and were very impressed with our stay, so much so that we are booking again soon for 2012! We stayed in the efficiency unit (#28) and it was perfect for a couple. The shower in this particular unit was the main attraction for us as divers. The shower is sunken about two feet and is literally 1/4 of the unit; perfect for showering after the dive and taking off the wetsuit and other equipment.

In terms of location, the Island Pearl is the best place to stay on Roatan. The location within West Bay is ideal, and the Island Pearl is isolated from the rest of the resort so that you can truly unwind. We would highly recommend it!

My husband and I stayed in Villa 24 of Island Pearl for a week and we loved it. There were very few comparable accomodations that had the close proximity to the amazing beach and ocean that Island Pearl did. The house was comfortable and well appointed. , The downstairs consists of the bathroom (with a great, huge shower), kitchen & eating area, and bedroom with 2 twin beds. There is an air conditioner that works hard to cool the downstairs. There is also a great porch with a sofa, chairs, hammock, swing, outdoor shower, and foot bath. Upstairs is the master bedroom and screened porch (no bathroom). The upstairs had a separate cooling unit that worked great. In the week of our stay, there was only 1 power outage during the night for a very short time. There is no better location than Island Pearl and its sister resort, Banarama. The proximity to the Thirsty Turtle, the beachside restaurant and bar, and Vintage Pearl, a great upscale dining experience, is a plus. The environment is home-like with all the personnel really caring about making your experience there memorable and comfortable. My husband went diving with Bananarama and he had an excellent experience. We have travelled to a number of places in the world and I would definitely return here. The only recommendation I have is the other beachfront villa might be the better of the two. Villa 24 has an activity hut in close proximity. It did not bother us, but if you have the choice, I would choose the other beachfront villa. We liked this resort much better than the larger and probably more modern properties on West Bay Beach. There is nothing like having the ocean just a few steps from your front porch. You will not miss TV. There is no TV show that is more entertaining than the beautiful turquoise water and the spectacular sunsets you experience at Island Pearl in Roatan. Walk down to the end of the beach where you see a lot of ironstone (just past Infinity Bay), walk in the ocean, and you will feel as if you are walking into an aquarium of beautiful fish, including angelfish and parrott fish. You don't even have to put your face in the water to see the fish and reef in these clear waters. I can't wait to go back.