Paradise Beach Resort & Dive Center

The beach was the best part of our week in Roatán. The water stayed clear enough for great visibility on six of our seven days, and swimming was wonderful. It went brown-green for a day after rain, then cleared. Still, it was crowded, and vendors kept approaching us about massages, tours, and souvenirs, so it wasn't always easy to unwind. Our room was comfortable and clean, and housekeeping did a good job. The bed was nice, though we only had two towels, no room trash can, and a tiny cable TV rather than a smart one. There was also construction noise at times. The gym equipment seemed worn out or broken. Food was the biggest letdown, around a 3-4/10 for us. The choices were simple, and my wife and I both got food poisoning. The chicharrón was my favorite, and the fresh maracuyá juice was very good. Buffet staff were friendly, though service could be slow. Staff experiences varied a lot. Baggage staff were welcoming and great, and reception helped, although they could be hard to reach. The beach bar was hit or miss: the morning bartender was rude and inattentive, while the evening crew was much nicer. Sometimes it seemed some guests got better treatment. We were also asked to give up beach chairs because they were “reserved”; the attendant warmed up after he found out we were staying a full week. My wife and I came to Roatán for seven nights on our first visit. The trip was okay, not awful, but we wouldn't return. The location and beach are lovely, but the food, uneven service, and experience overall make it a no for us. 3/5 stars.

There are some nice things here: the room was pleasant and adequate, the resort location is great, and I found a beach lounger with an umbrella each day. The pools are nice, there are water refill stations around the property, and breakfast was decent. But Sunday lunch, specifically the chicken quesadillas, left me with food poisoning and a rough 12 hours. Hot water in the shower was also unreliable. Skip the hotel's sunset catamaran. At $130 per person it felt like a waste of money, and even $130 for two would be too much. We never saw the promised dolphins, there weren't enough seats for everyone they booked, and the food was mediocre. The drinks were actually so bad everyone switched to beer. Snorkeling right off the resort beach was better.

The resort looked attractive, but I found the stay very disappointing. Staff often seemed irritated when we asked for help, and the bar closed around 9:45, which was frustrating at an all-inclusive. Food was limited and not very good. The buffet also shut for hours during the day, leaving almost no options unless you paid extra outside the all-inclusive package. The service and overall experience didn't live up to expectations.

I came with a group of 20 divers and we spent seven days at Paradise Resort, eating breakfast, lunch, and dinner at the restaurant on site. The staff worked hard to offer plenty of choices, including local vegetables, seafood, and fruit. They were friendly throughout and went out of their way to make our stay excellent. A special thanks to Shantan, who made me a delicious omelet and a lovely plate of fruit one morning when I arrived late for breakfast feeling unwell, even though the kitchen had closed. Ramon also deserves a shout-out. He arranged a special meal using two barracuda we caught on a fishing outing. He explained that there can be concern about toxins in barracuda, but that proper preparation avoids the problem. They fried the fish and served it beautifully, and it was delicious. Ana, one of the housekeepers, had a lovely personality and kept my room tidy and fresh. I didn't catch everyone's name, but I really appreciated the care from the whole staff.