My husband and I stayed in Island Pearl beach front house #24i
(Bananarama Eco Dive & Beach Resort). We went to Roatan for our 15-year
wedding anniversary, and can't wait to go back! Our house had
everything you'll see on the website...little kitchen/dining room,
downstairs bedroom with 2 twin beds & A/C, upstairs bedroom with queen
bed & A/C, a bathroom with a large shower and a HUGE front porch that
faces the ocean (there is also a smaller, screened in porch off the
bedroom upstairs). It was a perfect space in the best location (best
views of the beach/ocean).

I would like to mention that it was the 'low' season, so there weren't
that many people on the island, which made it seem like we had it to
ourselves.

We spent a lot of time at the Thirsty Turtle, each night was a different
event, and the people that work there are SO much fun. They are eager to
make sure you have a great time. We never had any issues with service
(some visitors mentioned slow service)-in fact, it was awesome service!
Vilma was especially nice, taking us on an island tour (a must if you
are visiting the island for the first time), taking us ziplining and
letting people play their own music at the bar. She was so much fun, and
we've made a lifelong friend. Others I would like to give a shout-out
to were Eddison, Chile (Adolfo), Derry, Steven, and Ana! There are many
signs around the bar with the names of specialty drinks on them and, if
you are brave, you can try and knock them out one-by-one (not in one
day). It's tough, but my husband did this and became the first to
tackle what we named "The Texas Challenge". Every day, someone would
ask us how far along he was.

We also went diving for the very first time. We initially talked to
Malek and Tyler, who were both very nice and informative. We ended up
going on our discovery dive with Malek, who was patient and made us feel
very safe. The water is gorgeous and there were fun things to look at
everwhere (coral, lobsters, flounders, shrimp, even a sea turtle!).

There are many places to eat, drink and relax along the shoreline, just
a short walk from Bananarama. We really enjoyed renting snorkel masks
and fins at the resort, and then making the short walk to the end of the
beach, where there are hundreds of yards of coral to snorkel and kayak
through. Not to mention the iguanas all along the rocks.

For lunch at The Lighthouse (recommended) and some shopping we went to
West End. West End was a short water taxi ride away, however, after
visiting one afternoon, we preferred to stay in West Bay the rest of the
time.

For a nice dinner, you HAVE to eat at the Island Pearl at the resort.
The food and wine, not to mention the service, was exceptional! Fine
dining in the middle of nowhere...just leave your shoes in your room,
though, as they are not allowed inside, which made the atmosphere even
that much more relaxed. They also have a new wood-fired pizza oven. We
thought we were going to get the first one, but due to rain, the oven
was not finalized before we left.

I highly recommend visiting Roatan and staying at this resort!!! We met
lots of people staying in other places on the island and they all
thought our location was the absolute best (many said they would prefer
to stay where we were instead).

Notes for stay: bring extra ice cube trays, a HB feeder, lots of bug spray.

My husband and I stayed at the Island Pearl the last week of September, 2011. The rainy season was on its way, and heavy rain actually arrived the day we left. Because of the timing, there weren't many tourists on West Bay. We rented kayaks and snorkeling equipment a few steps from our room and walked right out into the beautiful, clear water. The fish and coral, a mere 200 meters away, were amazing.

We stayed in the efficiency unit, #28; it is all on one level, has a double? queen? size bed, fridge, a/c, open shower, sink with shelves, closed-off toilet, and a table. There's nowhere to sit inside besides the bed, though, and the curtains don't block any sunlight. Outside, though, there's a large square porch with chairs for four, a large table, and a hammock. This unit is right next to the Vintage Pearl restaurant, but there was not any noise because of it. It's a very comfortable unit. Bring bug spray, though... the mosquitoes were fairly bad outside on the porch and at the bar.

Breakfast comes with your stay. There's a great coffee shop (Cool Beans) within walking distance with breakfast items as well. A deli and market are right up the road as well.

I would recommend staying here because of the access to the beach, the number of restaurants within walking distance, the access to snorkeling/diving/kayaking equipment, and nightlife at the Thirsty Turtle bar at Bananarama.

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.