15 Best Hotels in Roatan and the Bay Islands, Honduras

Built across a 7-acre cay, this resort is one of the most charming places in the Bay Islands. Delightful pastel accents turn up everywhere—on tree trunks, picnic tables, spacious cottages, and even the birdcages. Coral-lined paths cut across the well-manicured campus, and a walkway ringing the cay leads out to a private lean-to with hammocks. The island's best bar and grill offers an appetizing menu of fresh seafood and fried chicken. For the ultimate in decadence, sip an afternoon cocktail from the swim-up tables facing the hazy-blue mountains on the mainland. The yacht club has a few boats for deep-sea fishing, plus kayak, dive, and snorkel equipment at the ready.

Only steps away from the beach, the Splash Inn Dive Resort is wildly popular with divers as it only takes a few minutes from the hotel to reach any of 40 different dive sites. All rooms face the ocean and are clean and comfortable. While there is no beachfront, the semi-private dock is a fantastic place to watch the sunset. At hotel's popular eatery, pasta, pizza, and Honduran barbeque are stand-out menu items, but the diverse menu can accommodate most travelers.

Nestled on a private key, the low-slung cabanas at this luxury resort put the Caribbean at your doorstep. Ocean breezes waft in through the slatted windows, keeping the simple rooms cool and comfortable. A few come with air-conditioning if that's your preference. Either way, you can enjoy gorgeous sunsets from your private terrace. Water taxis ferry you to the rest of the resort. Renowned for its diving operation, Anthony's Key takes you out on six 42-foot boats. The resort also offers kids' programs (ages 5 to 14), beach picnics, horseback riding, and a wide range of water sports.

Behind the property's dock (from which you can embark on different types of aquatic adventures), charming two-story cabins with Spanish tile showers and woven seagrass furniture are spread along the shoreline against a backdrop of green forest. The savory smokehouse lunch and dinner menu offers a nice selection of southern American classics. Settle into a seat on the waterfront gazebo and sample the Memphis-style pulled pork or test your limits on all-you-can-eat Lionfish Fridays. The central pool is on the small side, but it's a great place for a refreshing dip.

Tropical forests and mystic waterfalls envelop this dive hotel on Guanaja's solitary northern coast. Mahogany cabins with Spanish tile floors and louvered windows hug the shoreline, where boats gather around the two-storied pier. On the top level, the Green Flash Bar and Restaurant serves the catch of the day and cold beer. The chef cooks three delicious meals a day for guests, and on an island with few outside resources, there are surprisingly few repeats. The best dive sites in the Guanaja Marine Preserve are right around the corner from the resort. with intimate excursions led by the hotel's owner.

This hugely popular dive resort is famous for having more repeat business than any other dive hotel in the Caribbean. That's understandable, as the friendly staff ensures that everyone from newcomers to old pros have dives that are fun and challenging. A quintet of boats carries up to 30 people each to a variety of sites. A few dozen wooden cabins are set out over the ocean, so the sound of the waves will lull you to sleep. CoCo View mostly arranges seven-night dive and nondive packages, which include all meals, airport transfers, and two daily dive trips. Accessible only by boat, the resort is about 5 km (3 miles) east of French Harbour.

One of the oldest and largest resorts on Roatán, this sprawling hotel offers accommodations similar to those of American hotels. At the efficiently run dive shop you can hop aboard any of the six large wooden boats that take you out to the reef. The restaurant is open for lunch and dinner.

This breathtaking resort has its own nook at the end of West Bay. Three-story complexes painted peach and mango bookend the infinity pool and tropical garden landscaping. The upscale apartments have spacious interiors and kitchens, plus balconies overlooking the sparkling ocean. The resort can also arrange scuba, snorkeling, fishing and sailing trips, and the on-site spa offers the ultimate indulgence.

Between West End and West Bay, this resort has one- and two-story bungalows with private porches overlooking the ocean. Grab a book and relax in one of the hammocks swaying in the breeze. Run by a friendly duo, the dive shop is very popular.

Set among gardens filled with scarlet hibiscus, these Spanish-style condominiums are along the shore at West Bay. A beautiful swimming pool with waterfalls is the centerpiece of the resort while the palm-sheltered beach is just outside the hotel door. If you want to snorkel, the reef is a few yards offshore. This resort is a favorite location for weddings and honeymoons and might just be the most popular spot on Roatán for all-inclusive travelers with young families.

Four luxurious cottages are spread across this exclusive campus that winds through botanical gardens and out to a secluded cove. Vaulted ceilings and screened-in patios with ocean views help give the rentals a rustic yet high-end feel. The Bamboo, Mango, and Dolphin houses have two bedrooms and two baths, and the Cabana has a single queen-size bed for couples. The property has a private dock and gazebo that overlook the dolphin pen at Anthony's Key Resort. At night, you can hear the dolphins splash around as phosphorescence glitters in the water.

This intimate all-inclusive resort is in its own world on the northeast side of the island. Clusters of whitewashed cabins dot the grassy hill overlooking the—you guessed it—turquoise bay. Palapa umbrellas shade rows of lounge chairs along the 500-foot stretch of private beach where the dock houses kayaks, paddleboats, and Jet Skis for rent. The resort is popular among couples who wish to indulge in utter peace and quiet, although weekend discounts and charter airline partnerships aim to draw in younger families as well. There's an award-winning dive center on the grounds, and the restaurant has a decent à la carte menu.