In the early 2000s, I was headed to Jamaica when our flight was canceled. The gate agent was trying to re-route us, and he suggested a “hot spot where all the airline employees were flocking to” called Roatán. I told him I’d keep it in my back pocket for a future trip.

Fast forward about 20 years later to when my boyfriend and I were looking for somewhere in the Caribbean where neither of us had been before. We wanted a direct flight that was only around three hours long. Roatán came to mind for both of us. After some research on flights, availability, climate, and culture, we booked our tickets!

Although Roatán is a small island (roughly 37 miles in length), there are plenty of places to stay. I prefer boutique hotels so we narrowed it down to these three: Kimpton, Ibagari, and XBalanque. All of these resorts are located in West Bay. Kimpton wasn’t yet open, Ibagari was slightly more expensive so we chose XBalanque. The latter two are next door to each other so we walked to Ibagari for cocktails by the pool. (Try the JJ Special with pineapple, avocado, vanilla, lemon, and rum— so yummy!)

We chose the Wind Loft which was a decent hike from the main office and restaurant. The staff will loan you a golf cart or drive you if requested. Much to our surprise, we were the only guests at the resort for the first two days so we had the place to ourselves. It was glorious!

We became friends with the bartenders Mike, Chris, Randy, and William. The bar was open from 7am to 10pm and they allow you to walk the beach with a cocktail or take a bucket of drinks to your room if you’d like. The food was stellar.

Of the multiple units on property, there are individual villas that can sleep 8-12 people. We stayed in the Elements Lofts, and we had our own pool. It was technically for the whole building, but no one else used it the entire time we stayed. The room is a suite space with all the necessities like wifi, refrigerator, microwave, coffee maker, AC, safe, television (mostly Spanish channels), plates and cutlery, plenty of natural light, and a loft overlooking the room.

There’s a super cute ladder you can climb to access the upper level. There are two giant bean bags so it’s a perfect reading nook when it rains.

The next day we trekked along the shoreline toward West Bay Beach. We passed Gumbalimba Park where you can zipline and see monkeys, peacocks, and other wildlife. We stopped for drinks on the chair swings at Trattoria da Piero at Las Rocas.

Another great thing about Roatán is that most people speak English, and the USD is widely accepted. West Bay Beach is family-friendly and quite jam-packed compared to other places on the beach. There’s a high concentration of restaurants, shops, and beach vendors. This is also where you can sign up for excursions like jet-skiing, snorkeling, and scuba diving.

If you don’t feel like walking, you can always catch a water taxi— just look for the yellow and blue boats.

Water taxis frequently came by the private pier at XBalanque. While you’re waiting you can see the ocean floor and watch fish swim by or even jump in to cool off!

The island offers a peaceful vacation or plenty of things to do if you’re feeling adventurous. It’s secluded enough for a romantic getaway. We would definitely go back to visit and indulge in that Honduran sunshine.