HOMELESS IN HONDURAS PART 2: WELCOME TO FANTASY ISLAND
Written: Feb 24 '05 (Updated May 09 '05)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: The monkeys and all you can eat lobster.
Cons: Playing musical rooms.
The Bottom Line: All in all not too bad.
Watch your drink around the monkeys though.
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| JAMES23's Full Review: Fantasy Island Beach Resort |
To be honest I was half expecting to see Ricardo Montalban in a white suit waiting for us as the airport shuttle bus crossed over the small bridge that connects Fantasy Island resort to Roatan Island. I was actually disappointed that "Mr Roarke" and his diminutive helper didn't meet us in the arrivals hall at Roatan Airport.
All that met us there was the local World of Vacations rep and he was too busy shepherding sixty odd guests and their assorted luggage onto the waiting buses, and dealing with assorted surly porters and immigration types etc to discuss the benefits of "rich Corinthian leather" or other hallmarks of the "Cordoba." well at least there were fruity umbrella drinks when we got into the hotel lobby, and that's where the real fantasy began.
Fantasy Island Beach Resort is located on Roatan the largest of the Bay Islands off the Caribbean coast of Honduras. The present owners are Bonne Beach Hotels and Resorts a Spanish consortium. It’s listed in most brochures as a three star property.
It's on the south side of the island, almost at the mid point and about a ten minute drive (five if you're a demented local cab driver) east from French Harbour the island's second largest town, or twenty minutes (ten for cabbies) from the airport near Coxen Hole the island's capital and largest town.
As I said the fantasy began shortly after we made our way from the back of the line to the check in desk. This took about two fruity umbrella drinks and a brief but futile search for Tatoo. Once at the desk the smiling clerk said the Manager wanted to speak to us. Puzzled we followed her into the Manager's office wondering what's up. I failed to notice the small huddle of other guests gathered to the side of the lobby, the disgruntled looking guests.
"Hey Hon" I whispered, "Maybe we got upgraded to a suite." Nope Fantasy Island doesn't have suites. It also as we quickly discovered doesn't have any rooms, or at least not enough rooms. They were over booked and we were getting bumped. The fact that we had a reservation, hotel voucher and all the other goodies really didn't matter; there was no room at the inn, literally.
A few apologies, promises that alternate rooms at another hotel had been located, "better nicer rooms" was the exact quote, and an offer of compensation for our troubles, and we were out and joining the ever growing disgruntled group in the lobby while the next victims were ushered in. All told 16 of us were bumped from eight rooms.
After a short pause while the details of the compensation were finalized, everyone had a good little cry, whine or another helping of the fruity umbrella drinks, this time with rum, and we were off to our new temporary digs. Well almost, there was a short pause because the bus bringing our luggage from the airport had broken down somewhere and we had to wait for it to be repaired or towed in and then unloaded. Then we loaded our luggage and ourselves into another bus for the drive to check out the "better nicer rooms."
Within a couple of hours most of the sixteen of us were resuming our crying, b!tching and consumption of fruity umbrella drinks at the bar of the Roatan Dive and Yacht Club (RDYC)(http://www.epinions.com/content_174636699268) our temporary home away from home, er Fantasy Island I mean. The bar tab of course being on the Manager, as part of the compensation for our inconvenience.
Quick conversations with the staff at the RDYC and others around the island confirmed that this game of bump the guest or musical hotel rooms is now a regular past time on Roatan of late. The owner of the RDYC counts on renting out half his rooms to Fantasy Island castaways on a regular basis.
This probably explained the compensation which to be honest was more than generous. We were advised that no rooms at Fantasy Island would be available for us until Wednesday, and we'd arrived Saturday for a week stay.
To make up for the inconvenience we were given the following. Four nights at the RDYC, and a $30.00 US credit that night for dinner (the lobster there is excellent). As there was no beach at the RDYC, and we'd all paid for a beach, and drinks and meals at Fantasy Island, we all get rent a cars for the entire week. Most picked these up Sunday, however they ran out, and we got ours Monday morning. To be honest we turned ours in the day after we were finally moved over to where we were supposed to be staying.
We were also offered a free tour, jungle canopy, glass bottom boat, horseback riding etc. I opted for canopy tour, but was over ruled by the better half, hey glass bottom boat was fun though. So far so good and about what one would expect for compensation, although offered a bit easier than I'm used to.
Then came the clincher. Each of us received $500.00 US in cash, that's right cash, not useless hotel or airline vouchers or whatever. Now to be honest the sceptics amongst us never thought we'd be seeing this, until Monday morning after the banks opened and we all trooped into the Manager's office and signed for our bucks. I walked out of there with $1000.00 US and even though we had to shell out for gas for the rent a wreck, er car, that still pays for a lot of fruity umbrella drinks, even at Roatan's somewhat inflated prices.
All right enough about my woes, on to a review of the place. Fantasy Island as the name implies is located on a small island, 21 acres in size, connected to the mainland by a bridge. Most of the resort is located on the island proper.
The property does extend onto the mainland up to the main road. Most of this is undeveloped though. All that's over here is the rather grandiose entrance, with white pillars, the road to the bridge, a security shack and two tennis courts and a basketball court. The brochures say the courts are equipped with lights but whoever wrote this is the same person in charge of counting how many rooms are available and has a vivid imagination.
There's also a large hill with the original owner's mansion perched on it. With the way they hand out compensation, it will be awhile before the present owners can afford a place like that. Mind it looked like he had a lot of guest rooms, which probably comes in handy.
Fantasy Island has 87 rooms, or by my count 8 less than their maximum weekly occupancy. Most are located in two story buildings that stretch out in two connected wings from the central main building. The remaining rooms are located in two smaller single story buildings one near the bridge and the other by the dive shop.
The hotel bills itself as a dive centre as Roatan is considered an excellent destination for diving. There is a complete dive centre and marina on the resort, including several fully equipped dive boats, and a hyperbolic chamber. Various dive packages and courses, basic PADI, wreck diving, underwater photography, shark diving and such are available. While not a diver myself, I talked to several guest there who were and they stated that both the facilities and staff were first rate.
The main building contains the lobby and reception area as well as the tour desk. The hotel offers a variety of tours to local attractions. In addition to the ones I noted earlier, there are visits to a mangrove swamp, a local iguana farm, Nature Park, butterfly farm, shopping tours, and white water rafting on the mainland. Overnight trips to the Mayan ruins in Copan can also be arranged.
At time of writing two tour operators, World of Vacations from Canada and an Italian group bring guests here on package tours and their reps desks are located here. Both the Canadian and Italians were on the wear the stupid plastic bracelet all-inclusive plan, which included all meals and drinks although the later was limited to juices, soft drinks, local beer and rum drinks, and wine with meals.
Not all guest are on the all-inclusive plan, although most seemed to have their meals included. The hotel also sells day passes to cruise ship passengers to come and use the beach several times a week. As most choose to eat lunch here, this is often a good day to consider taking a tour.
The hotel states it has an Internet café and again this appears to be wishful thinking. What there is are two PCs in a small cubicle near the tour operator desks that guest can use for $5.00 US per half hour. It should be noted that Internet service in Honduras at least at the time of writing is often slow and unreliable at was evidenced by the interesting English, Italian, and Spanish comments coming form the cubicle.
Behind the reception desk is a small room that contains the safety deposit boxes. They are available free to guests with a $100.00 US deposit (cash or credit card) in case one loses the key. There are not enough boxes for every room, although more are being planned/built. To add to this minor inconvenience and despite the high costs involved, almost half were not available because the guests had lost or otherwise failed to turn in their keys. One staff member told me that this had happened in the last month. Well now I knew where part of our compensation money came from.
The lobby area contains one of the two bars on the property, the lobby bar in a small alcove. There’s a TV and seating here, used most evenings to watch the dive videos taken during the day. Outside are a ping-pong and billiards table. Pool enthusiasts may not appreciate the later. There was no cue ball, or eight ball. On the other hand there were four three balls and several sixes.
The second floor contains the main restaurant. It’s steam tray and buffet style for breakfast, lunch and two dinner sittings 6:30 and 8:30 pm. There’s a separate non-smoking section and an open patio with tables available for breakfast and lunch. Also in the centre section is a small conference room, available for conventions and meetings.
Across from the main building is the resort gift shop. It contains the normal snacks and sundries, including camera batteries and sun tan lotion as well as T-shirts and other souvenirs. Naturally as in all hotel gift shops the mark up is unbelievable. I forgot my beach sandals and went in looking for a pair. A simple pair of flip-flops was $30.00 US. I found a similar pair in Coxen Hole for $5.00 US.
Between the main building and the beach is the only other large building which houses an outdoor restaurant and bar. During our stay this was open for lunch only once, and the bar in the evening one night. The main restaurant and lobby bar were closed when this was open.
There are three main beaches on the island, the main one directly off of the main building and two more isolated and private ones. The main one has palapya huts and all have abundant beach chairs. Normal resort rules of get there early and mark your territory with your beach towel seem to apply. Towels are provided to guests with the standard $20.00 US deposit.
The main beach has a volleyball court and there are several one and two person kayaks and hobie cats available for guests to use. There is also snorkel equipment for those who didn’t bring their own and decline to take out a mortgage to buy some in the gift shop.
There’s also a tiny pool, and children’s play area. Shower points are located around the beach.
At either end of the main beach are two spits of land. One has a small Gazebo that would make a nice backdrop for weddings. The other has an overgrown mini golf course on it. Nearby is another Gazebo built over the water. There are steps here for divers and swimmers to enter and exit the water. The coral reef is close by and there’s even a plane wreck a short swim away..
Both spits and in fact the entire property is covered in lush vegetation, coconut trees, and surprisingly pine trees. From a distance it is rather hard to even spot the buildings. The number of trees makes it convenient to hang hammocks and there are several of these located all over the place.
All the beaches are man made. The original owners did some massive restructuring of the island to create the sheltered bay and beaches and provide quick and easy access to the nearby coral reefs and other dive spots. The water is calm and clear and the bottom is sandy
At the time of our stay the hotel’s rooms were undergoing renovations, and we were lucky enough to get, eventually, one of the newer rooms in the 200 block. Other guests who stayed in the un-renovated sections told us the rooms while clean left much to be desired.
Our room was large and airy and as we were on the second floor had a high vaulted ceiling. The room was tastefully decorated with nice rattan furniture, dresser, bedside tables and a glass-topped table and chairs. The floor was hard wood and the place freshly painted and clean. There was plenty of room for another bed in addition to the king side bed there.
There were floor to ceiling glass doors leading to a private balcony overlooking the beach that was the perfect place to watch spectacular sunrises.
There was a ceiling fan in addition to the air conditioner. A TV with satellite/cable including several US (CNN, Showtime) and local stations was located in a small alcove above a mini fridge.
It’s worth noting here that Roatan and in fact Honduras operates on the same electrical system as North America therefore a converter is not required (that is unless you’re coming from Europe or elsewhere). Unlike a lot of places in Honduras the outlets here were the modern three prong ones not the older two-prong style.
There was ample closet space, although not enough of those attached hangers for two persons.
The bathroom was fairly large with marble floor and walls and new fixtures including a glass shower stall. There was a hair dryer, the usual toiletries, and a fair supply of towels. Water pressure was excellent, especially compared to the other hotel we stayed at. Water is not potable, however the maid will provide bottled water and it’s available at the lobby bar.
The food for a three star property was surprisingly good. As noted it was buffet style and seafood was a feature every night. There were a selection of other dishes as well including, pork, beef and chicken dishes and pastas. There was a fair selection of fresh vegetables at the salad bar, however I found the selection of fresh fruits for a Caribbean island minimal.
It should be noted that seafood here is not limited to catch of the day. Fresh shrimp was offered almost daily. In addition one night a week is all you can eat lobster, shrimp and king crab. That’s the first time I’ve seen that at an all-inclusive. In fact during our stay the all-inclusive lobster/crab deal was offered a second time to celebrate Valentines Day.
The staff while pleasant for the most part is in my opinion not well trained. Our normal day started with going to breakfast, searching for a table, trying to get a waiter to clean the table, and then giving up and then cleaning it ourselves. This was followed by asking for coffee and juice and often getting those for ourselves or waiting and having to ask again.
The rest of the meal was passed watching the antics of the other guests go through the same ordeal. It’s not that the waiters were lazy; they just seemed to lack direction. It was almost like watching an episode of Fawlty Towers magnified ten fold. Lunch and dinner were the same. Surprisingly though we continued to tip them and all the staff. The average wage on the island is $7-10.00 US a day.
It wasn’t just the waiter’s. The front desk staff often didn’t seem to know what was going on. Getting towels was easy, you just asked. Whether you got your $20.00 card back though was often hit or miss. Don’t even ask about getting a safety deposit box, or working TV remote.
Bartenders were the same, disorganised. This was made worse by only having one small bar open all day. Mind the prominent tip jar and an overt dropping of a dollar bill or 20 Lempira note into it often improved the service.
The maids seemed to do a good job, but again there were communication problems. Our first morning there, we left the room early for the day and put the “do not disturb/clean the room” sign on the handle. Now I checked to make sure the “do not disturb” was facing inward, unfortunately the card was printed the same on both sides. Subsequently twelve hours later when we returned our room still hadn’t been made up.
Several of us compared notes on the staff. The general consensus is that they were like Cuba 15 odd years ago before that country began to seriously develop its tourism industry. They’re willing to work; they just need to be taught what they have to do and how to do it. Mind that comment could apply to Fantasy Island as a whole.
One aspect of the staff we did enjoy was the total absence of an animation staff. There were no uber perky types harassing me while I enjoyed a day lazing on the beach and trying to coax me into stupid games. There was a sales pitch the first day on what was available including the tours and that was that. Even the masseuse and the hair-braiding lady those resort fixtures never trolled for business. They let you know where they were and if you wanted their services you went to them.
Also there were no stupid evening shows and other entertainment usually involving excess amounts of alcohol and some guest, usually me, removing more articles of clothing than I should in public. One night a week they brought in a troop of Garifuna dancers who performed on the beach for us. Aside from that and a karaoke night the evening’s entertainment usually consisted of watching the dive video at the lobby bar or feeding the fish off of the bridge. The bar usually closed down by 10:30-11:00 pm.
There was a substitute for the animation/entertainment team though. The entire property is a bit of a park with small lizards, and various birds including peacocks strolling about. The second most popular animal in the menagerie are small rabbit like creatures called “Watusa” who seem quite used to humans and stroll all over the beach and grounds.
Besides the Watusa there is also a large family of spider monkeys who call Fantasy Island home and act as the animation team. Every day they troop down to the beach and beg treats from the guests. They’re totally fearless and will take food from your hands and/or perch on your head or shoulders. Several seem to enjoy grabbing a class of the local beer, which shows they have taste, as it’s quite good. One even demonstrated a fondness for my wife’s Daiquiris.
For me they were the highlight of my stay here, and I enjoyed horsing around with them and taking literally hundreds of pictures. For some reason on the couple of days the beach was overrun by cruise ship passengers they stayed away, which makes me think Darwin may have had it backwards.
Fantasy Island as I’ve noted has some problems. However there is potential here. The place started as a divers resort and is trying to expand into an overall vacation destination. It’s got a good location and there is plenty to do on Roatan but they need to improve.
First of all they need more rooms. Another block of 20-30 rooms could easily be added without crowding the place. There’s a hill in the middle of the island and they could be placed there. This would allow them to have views of the beach and not obstruct the present rooms. This hopefully would eliminate the overbooking issues.
All the rooms have to be renovated, although as I said this is being done. Card keys, with one per guest not per room may be an idea too. In room safes preferably with modern reprogram able touch pad combination locks while expensive in the long run would be more cost efficient and more cost effective than calling the lock smith once a week.
The bar and restaurants need to be reorganized. Divers are out all day and may want a drink or two in the evening and for this the lobby bar is sufficient. However if a large number of the guests are there all day long they can’t be trooping into the lobby to get a drink. At present there is a waiter who strolls up and down the beach but he can’t keep up with the demand. A new beach bar should be built or at least opening outside bar in addition to the lobby bar considered.
An a la carte restaurant perhaps on one of the spits of land would be an improvement. Perhaps this could serve as a focal point for evening entertainment. It’s far enough away from the rooms to not disturb those who want an early night. The western spit nears the dive centre would be perfect as the sunsets from here are quite picturesque.
At present the resort offers a free airport shuttle to guests. This could be expanded to Coxen Hole and/or French Harbour a couple of times a day, either free, or for a nominal fee. The present $15.00 Shopping tour is a bit excessive as the driver more than likely takes one to his friends and/or relatives shops anyway.
Some general cosmetic work needs to be done as well. The Kayaks are for the most part beat up and unserviceable and need to be replaced. Wind surfers and other non-motorized equipment like paddle boats would be nice too.
The access road needs to be paved all the way to the main highway. At present it is a pothole filled bone-jarring trip that is also hard on cars.
Finally all the staff needs to be properly trained in their roles. As I said they appear willing, they just need to be shown what is expected of them. I could even accept the need for a limited animation/entertainment staff.
Despite our misadventures there, both of us decided that we would have no problem staying here again, and not because of the generous compensation paid out. That to me showed they realise something is wrong and understand how important customer goodwill is. We both liked the place and see a lot of potential there. It will be interesting to see what it’s like in a couple of years.
Fantasy Island Beach Resort Dive & Marina
Roatan Bay Islands Honduras
Tel: (504) 455 51 91 (504) 455 52 22
Fax: (504) 455 52 68
www.fantasyislandresort.com
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Recommended:
Yes
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JAMES23
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Member: James Smith
Location: Toronto Ontario CANADA
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